Lack of sufficient accommodation in many South African universities has forced many students to reside outside the campus and commute to attend classes as commuter students. Research indicates that living on campus is related to gains in social and personal competence. The level of competence gained may help students living on campus (resident…

This research uses photo elicitation to examine the lived experience of the contemporary college student. Twenty-one participants took photographs of their college experience for a week, selected the five pictures that best represented their college experience, and then participated in a semi-structured interview to discuss the pictures.…

This study focused on the relationship between living arrangement (residential vs. commuter) and the academic performance (grade point average) of first-year, full time undergraduate students at one public, 4-year university in the Southeast. Additionally, we analyzed five educationally effective practices as described by the National Survey of…

Faced with a growing demand for adequate policies and programs that meaningfully address sexual violence on campus, the provinces of British Columbia, Ontario and Manitoba have introduced legislation requiring all post-secondary institutions to institute a sexual assault policy. The remaining provinces and territories do not have similar…

Theory helps us understand commuter students and develop environments, policies, and practices that enhance their educational experience.

Commuter students can be found at practically every institutional type in higher education. Despite their increasing numbers as returning students to pursue Master's and PhD programs, little is known about postgraduate commuter students and their experiences at US and international universities. A mixed-methods embedded design was utilized to…

Students from low-income families consistently trail behind their peers in retention and degree attainment. Research on college student experiences suggests that low-income students experience "cultural mismatch" at college--they feel that their backgrounds are at odds with the middle-class values dominant on campus (Armstrong &…

This dissertation explored the four-year college experience of first-generation and continuing-generation students at a small private institution. Using Astin's I-E-O model (1970), the following variables in the student experience were considered: precollege student characteristics (input); engagement in academic experiences, cocurricular…

Although students who live off-campus comprise over 85% of today's college enrollments (Horn & Nevill, 2006), the body of research on this group is far smaller than that on residential students. Researchers regularly treat commuter students as a homogenous group and largely ignore the significant within-group differences that characterize the…

Even though the majority of college students are commuters, most colleges and universities are set up primarily to serve residential students. In an effort to address this inequity, Drexel University created an award-winning commuter program. The author describes how it got started and what it looks like. (Author)

The College and Environment Scales Survey (CUES) was administered during the winter of 1973 to students who had completed at least four quarters at the University of California (UC) Irvine campus. This report indicated student perceptions of the atmosphere of the campus according to the resident or nonresident status of the student. Emphasis is…

In programing for commuting students, campus programers must take into account their different schedules, time and family constraints, and logistical considerations. Marketing of the resulting programs must be varied and carefully targeted to the students' location. However, with creativity, programing for off-campus students can be successful.…

The goal of the UMaps Project at the University of Maryland, College Park, is to make a large, diverse campus seem smaller and more organized and thus more hospitable, especially to commuting students. The UMaps are a series of six comprehensive guides to academic, vocational, and co-curricular activities which list the opportunities and resources…

It is the job of counselors to assist these students by providing an understanding of their conflicts, supporting them in their difficulties, and modifying institutional practices where necessary. (Author)

Presents the Campus Ecology Model which advocates an ecological perspective on commuting. Suggests that campus ecology should infer the ecology of the student, so that the physical/social environment residing outside of the university's property boundaries is of great importance. An ecosystem design process, its application to commuter…