Assessment of Students’ Satisfaction on the Restructured Essay

1.0 IntroductionAt the University of Ghana there atomic number 18 reports that cortege originally built to take 2 students, are now officially al rigid to five students (after minor modifications), but unofficially occupied by as many as eight or ennead to the knowledge of the university authorities Apart from the obvious hygiene and health hazards posed, what kind of ambience does this provide for think over after classes? All of which fix brought most African universities to a state of serious deterioration. This is evident non only to those who work or reputation in those universities but to even the most casual visitor. (Association of African Universities, 2004) Housing is a basic human need in all societies and fundamental right of either individual. In advanced countries, hold is more complaisant to all categories of slew including the poor and the needy as a result of subsidies from the government. The situation is non the same in developing countries of the w orld.In Ghana, for example, accessibility to lodgment by the poor is quite a difficult situation which is worsened by the harsh economic conditions and poor enabling purlieu. Likewise, accessing housing facilities by Ghanese students at the university is no exception, especially where such university happens to be the dream destination of most Ghanaians entering into tertiary institution. In tertiary institutions worldwide, the provision of modification to the students state takes different models.This includes non-residential, where students source for their own accommodation. Residential, where the university houses all its students and dual-residential, where the university houses its student population for a peak of time only, probably the first and final year, while the students during the rebrinying period source for their own accommodations. The experiences of students in tertiary institutions in sourcing and securing for their own accommodation around university commun ities are likely to be interesting and significant. However, it is worthy noting that, University of Ghana, the nations premier university has gone through a series of development when it comes to how to accommodate its students, both infragraduates and postgraduates.1.1 Research problemUniversity of Ghana has undergone a series of reforms when it comes to the residential polity for its students. The ever increasing build of enrollees in the institution is what defines this restructuring of the policy governing students accommodation over time. In the past two years what the incumbent criminality chancellor of the university term as Decongestion has taken place in anticipation to the fulfillment of the university achieving efficiency in its field of operation. The drive has also been fast introduce by his informal goal that the university should deliver the goods a world-class status. Effective August, 2011, the university effectively implemented its decongestion policy all ocating rooms to a maximum of three (3) students and quad (4) students in the main houses and annexes respectively.This was done to address the problems of overcrowding that resulted in adverse personal effectuate of poor sanitation, pressure on residential utilities such as reading rooms and libraries, kitchen and washrooms, among other poor conditions for effective personal studies by students. Residential facilities have been increased to draw in the policy successful. Even though, the problem of inadequate accommodation for students is not entirely solved, the restructuring have been effective since its implementation, and it is worth investigating the effects of the new policy, whether it has achieved its goal or it is towards achieving its intended goal or otherwise. 1.2 Purpose of the studyThe main reason why this research is being conducted is to evaluate the pleasure of students with the current students residential policy and its effects on their studies.1.3 Objective s of the studySpecific objectives of the study are as follows1. To assess students perception of sanitation in the halls/ clubs now. 2. To assess students perception of credentials in the halls/hostels now. 3. To investigate students accessibility to some basic hall/hostel utilities.1.4 Research Questions1. What is students perception of sanitation in the halls/hostels now? 2. What is students perception of security and comfort in the halls/hostels now? 3. What is the accessibility status of students to basic halls/hostels utilities now?1.5 relevance of the studyAs a top university in Ghana and Africa and one which is striving to attain a world class status, adequate facilities should be provided and already existing ones improved, especially standards of function and facilities which include providing conducive on-campus student housing facility. The above research provides the grounding for this study and highlights the areas of new knowledge which are call for to focalisatio n upon students merriment of residential facilities in University of Ghana. A key question is what is the level of students ecstasy with regards to the students housing facility (superhigh frequency) in the context of University of Ghana?The study contributes to a better understanding of SRS of UG. The results offer valu open feedback to the university authorities, facility managers and university hostel/hall administrators in terms of the present standards or the need for further melioration of the SHF through effective points and management. The results will help to formulate guidelines in terms of allocation of rooms to students, maintenance and for future developments of student housing ensuring that the university is able to provide adequate and contemporary on-campus SHF.2.0 Literature Review2.1 IntroductionThis section reviews existing literature on the student residential facilities. It is mainly made up of previous studies, journals, articles, periodicals amongst other sources. They form the aidary source of data to the study.2.2 The Concept of Student Residential FacilityStudent housing has long been regarded as an inseparable component of the facilities provided by the higher learning institutions in assisting students to expand their intellectual capabilities. According to Hassanain (2008), well planned student housing facilities (SHF) promote desirable educational outcomes and help to achieve the broader objectives such as social cohesion and prudent citizenship. An earlier study by Zahran (1972) reveals that a good student housing promotes interactions amid roommates of different backgrounds and specializations and thus broadens the students knowledge. Amole (2005) argues that facilities such as study areas or meeting places for academic discussions and social gatherings provided in the student housing will encourage informal intellectual activities outside the students own faculties. Price et al. (2003) related student interpersonal grow th to adequate facilities and Fay (1981) highlighted the importance of students mirth in the SHF as a strategy to enhance student development.Despite the importance of SHF, little literature is available to evaluate student opinions of their housing facilities. Most studies on post-occupancy evaluation focus on family housing either public or close residences, investigating the interaction between owner-occupiers or tenants and their housing settings. Majority of these studies utilized the concept of housing satisfaction when evaluating the interactions between the residents and their somatogenetic environment (Amole, 2009b). Arguing that housing satisfaction can lead towards improving individuals persona of life story, Salleh (2008) investigates dwelling, housing services and neighbourhood factors that sour the residents of private low-cost housing in Malaysia. The study revealed that the residents are more satisfied with their dwelling units and housing services if compared to their neighbourhood facilities. Elsinga and Hoekstra (2005) study housing satisfaction among European communities and find out that except in Austria, homeowners are more satisfied than the tenants because homeownership provides security, freedom and financial benefits.In contrast, James (2008) analyses the influence of age and pillow slip of ownership on the level of satisfaction and establishes that tenant satisfaction increases with the age at a much faster rate than the type of homeownership. However, student housing and family housing are not the same. Student housing comprises of basic bedroom units with other shared facilities such as bathrooms, toilets, laun run dry, kitchens, common lounges and cafeterias located either per floor level, per block or for the whole student housing accommodation (Amole, 2009a). On the contrary, the basic unit for family housing is a house which includes bedrooms, bathrooms, toilets and a living area all as part of the unit with other housi ng facilities such as playground, shops and school at the neighbourhood (Parkes et al., 2002). In addition, student housing offers limited security of ownership and freedom if compared to family housing.Therefore, the above findings may not apply in the context of student housing. Studies on residential satisfaction (RS) from the student perspective are mostly focused on factors affecting RS such as reasons for students to mention their previous residence (Cleave, 1996) and predictors of student residential satisfaction (SRS) (Foubert et al., 1998 Khozaei et al., 2010b). There are also studies on student housing with narrower scopes such as the effects of floor height on over-crowding (Kaya and Erkip, 2001) students perceptions on indoor(prenominal) comfort (Dahlan et al., 2009) students sense of auxiliary with a particular student housing (Khozaei et al., 2010a) coping strategies for students staying in student housing (Amole, 2005) and the relationship between satisfaction and levels of environment (Amole, 2009b).These studies offer little guidance as to whether the students are satisfied with SHF provided. Among the limited studies on SRS are studies by Amole (2007, 2009a), Hassanain (2008) and Radder and Han (2009). Amole (2007, 2009a) investigates RS among students in Nigeria and the findings indicated a low satisfaction with the SHF provided. Radder and Han (2009) researched student satisfaction levels in South Africa and the findings indicated again a level of dissatisfaction with campus residences. Alternatively, Hassanain (2008) found that students in Saudi Arabia indicated a level of satisfaction with the SHF provided. However, the studies were conducted in countries where the culture and climate are different from that experienced in the Southeast Asia region, which is likely to affect the perceived environment of the built environment. Therefore, the results of the studies may not be applicable to the study context.2.3 Evolution of the accommoda tion structureOriginally, halls in the university were built to accommodate two students per room. This provision was adequate for students because not many people sought for higher education. However, as the population of Ghana increased and the need to seek higher education became prominent in the country, the number students enrolled each academic year increased rapidly as well. Residential facilities were increased and expanded to accommodate the ever increasing number of student intake which demanded restructuring of student residential policy give the limited resources the university had. In the midst of the reforms, beyond the expansion and modification of the original rooms to accommodate two persons at a time, the number increased to five (5) in a room officially, both in the main halls and the annexes.The continuous increase in the student intake amidst the unexpanded residential facilities meant that, not all students could be accommodated on campus, therefore, private h ostels began to spring up to absorb the excess students who could not secure accommodation on campus. The private hostels motivation to make profit meant that they charge high prices which were unbearable by many students. This brought about one of the prominent terms that everyone who has passed through the four walls of the University of Ghana is popular with Perching.2.4 The protrude of PerchingThe word connotes students who illegally share residential facilities with official occupants of a room. This resulted in overcrowding in the halls, putting extreme pressure on washrooms, reading rooms, hall libraries, dry lines, among other facilities that were originally constructed for two people. This was happening who many reforms were going on. The two most popular reforms were the in-out-out-in and the in-out-out-out policies. The former meant that, all first year students were qualified for accommodation on campus, this qualification did not mean smart allocation of rooms to fres hmen but allocation was subject balloting for a YES or NO and certify and third year students were to look for their own accommodation.Under this policy, final year students like first year students also qualified to be accommodated on campus it is however, worth noting that, even for the final year students, because of the limited number of rooms available, allocation of rooms was also done via balloting a yes or no by students. The latter policy, in-out-out-out raised a lot of eyebrows as it meant that only first year students were offered accommodation on campus. And for this policy allocation to level 100 students was automatic and assured. With this policy in place the problem of perching worsened. The official number of occupants in a room almost doubled for almost all the halls of residence. The adverse effects of poor situation pretendd a lot of problems poor sanitation, insecurity, discomfort, which had direct impact on students health, hygiene, and efficiency.2.5 The cur rent residential policyThe University of Ghana Hostels with a capacity of 26000 beds, which was to be built at the University of Ghana, Legon, with partnership between the university and six banks was a dream come alive as long as finding a solving to the perennial problem of accommodation in our public universities is concerned this was an assertion made by professor C. N. B. Tagoe, Vice Chancellor of the university of Ghana (GhanaWeb, 2008). From the above parameter I would to acknowledge the Contingency theory one of the prominent schools under the Open Systems perspective of Organizations. This theory as a branch of systems design emphasizes that design decisions are dependent on environmental conditions. Contingency theory is guided by the general orienting hypothesis that organizations whose internal features match the demands of their environments will achieve the best adaptation.Lawrence and Lorsch (1967), who coined the label contingency theory, argue that different envi ronments place differing requirements on organizations. In a recent review article, Lawrence (1993) provides a partial constitute of factors that one or another theorist has considered important. They include size or scale, technology, geography, uncertainty, individual predispositions of participants, resource dependency, national or cultural differences, scope and organizational life cycle. With concentration on the resource dependency factor, it is indicative that, the adaptation and realization of the said solution was heavily contingent on the provision of financial resources by the six banks which are external to the organization.As the resources from the external environment was provided by the six banks, the expansion of the residential facilities have been a reality indeed, making it manageable to establish four different hostels which accommodates about 7, 120 students. It is a combination of these factors that made it possible for the decongestion exercise in the five t raditional halls feasible. Currently, some of the hostels have been restructured into halls and run as the traditional halls. The standard rooms accommodate four (4) persons as the annexes do. With other stringent measures put in place to control perching it is believed that, the purpose for which this restructuring was done is being worked towards. It must be stated categorically that, the main reason for this exercise is to improve students efficiency in the university.2.6 manses of Residence/HostelsThe University believes in confederacy living as an essential part of student life. It is therefore primarily residential, providing accommodation in manses of Residence for both undergraduate and post-graduate students as well as flats and guest rooms for senior members and guests. There are five halls of residence (available to all students) and several Hostels. The present signs and Hostels are as follows Each mansion house consists of secondary members (students) and senior m embers (academic and senior administrative and professional staff), and is managed by a Council comprising members pick out by persons belonging to the Hall. The Master (or Warden in the case of Volta Hall) is the Head of the Hall. Each Hall has Junior and Senior Common rooms for students and Faculty, respectively. A tutorial system offers an opportunity for counseling students and ensuring their welfare at both academic and social levels. Students maintain interaction with each other and the wider community through recognized clubs and societies. Each Hall has a kitchen and a dining hall to cater for students feeding. Chapels and a mosque are also available for use by various religious denominations. A Chaplaincy Board co-ordinate the activities of religious groups.Social life on the campus is organise mainly by the Students Representative Council and the Junior Common Room Committees which provide various kinds of social programmes. LEGON HALL Legon Hall was the first to be bui lt on the permanent site of the University of Ghana at Legon and is, therefore, the Premier Hall of the University. Its foundation tablet was laid during the Michaelmas stipulation of 1951 and, in September 1952, the first undergraduates were accepted into residence. On Trinity Sunday, 31st May 1953, the first service was held in the Chapel and the first meal served in the Dining Hall. From these events, the Hall took Trinity Sunday every year as its birthday, celebrated by a common Feast for both its Junior and Senior Members. The Halls motto, Cui Datum (To whom much is given), was selected from St. Lukes Gospel, in recognition of the special responsibility attached to the Halls seniority. Senior Members of the University may be assigned as Fellows of the Hall by the Vice Chancellor and they usually keep their Fellowship for as long as they remain with the University. Persons of academic distinction outside the University may be elected as Honorary Fellows at a General Meeting of Fellows.The rest of the membership of the Hall is made up of persons in statu pupillari. The governing body of the Hall is the Hall Council, members of which are Fellows of the Hall. The principal Hall Officers are The Master, the Vice-Master, the President of the Senior Common Room, the Senior Tutor, and the Hall Bursar. AKUAFO HALL Akuafo Hall was established with the appointment of professor D.A. Taylor, a Master-designate and a Hall Council in 1953. The Hall Council in 1954 decided to name the Hall Akuafo to commemorate the generous gesture of the farmers of Ghana in enceinte money for the foundation of the University College. A crest which depicts a cocoa tree, an open book and a drum, designed by Professor W.J. McCallien, and a motto, laboremus et sapiamus, suggested by Professor L.H. Ofosu-Appiah, were adopted by the Council.A commemorative plaque with a Latin inscription composed by Professor L.H. Ofosu-Appiah was set up to show the gratitude of the Hall to the farmers of the country and to the British Government who gave the University College funds for the building of the Hall. The Hall was officially opened on 17 February, 1956, but the first students, numbering 131, came into residence on the 5th October, 1955. The Hall has its own statutes governing the election of officers and the government activity of its affairs. Once a year, the Master has to convene a meeting of the Fellows, who form the governing body, to gain his annual report. The Senior Common Room is open to all Fellows and their guests, and the Senior Combination Room to all senior members of the University. Senior Members may also lure students to the Combination Room.COMMONWEALTH HALL The first batch of students was admitted into residence in Commonwealth Hall at the beginning of the 1956-1957 academic year. In the Lent Term of that academic year, Ghana attained its independence from Great Britain, and the Hall, hitherto known as the Third Hall, was officially christened Commonw ealth Hall to commemorate Ghanas admission into the Commonwealth of Nations. The official opening of the Hall was performed in March, 1957. It is, so far, the only all-male Hall of Residence in the University. The motto of the Hall, Truth Stands, was taken from a quotation from Satyre by John Donne (1572-1631) On a huge hill, cragged, and steep,Truth stands and hee that will Reach her, about must, and about must goe This motto combines both the physical situation of the Hall (on a hillside overlooking most of the University and beyond) and the proper pursuit of a University education, the search for truth. It is the only Hall of Residence in the University which has a force field and Amphitheatre for lectures and plays. The Coat of Arms of the Hall depicts the strength and unity of purpose of members of the Hall deriving from the bonds of association enjoyed by the individual members of the Hall. High Commissioners of the Commonwealth countries in Ghana are accorded Honorary Member ship of the Hall. There is a Hall Council which administers the affairs of the Hall, assisted by the Tutorial Board and the Senior Common Room Committee. VOLTA HALL Volta Hall started as the Fourth Hall in the 1959-60 academic year, on 16th November, 1960.The University College Council, on the recommendation of the Hall Council, named it Volta Hall. The Hall consists of the main hall originally designed to accommodate 82 students, and an annex with an original capacity for accommodating 198 students, the occupation of which began in January 1966. The motto of the Hall, chosen during the Halls tenth day of remembrance celebrations, is in the Akan language and it is Akokobere Nso Nyim Adekyee. This means that the secret or knowledge of life and nature is a gift to women as it is to men. The Hall has a governing Body which comprises all the Fellows assigned to it and those elected by the assigned Fellows. The government of the Hall rests with this body which delegates some of its powe rs to a Hall Council. The Hall Council consists of ten members, including the Warden, the proxy Warden, the Senior Tutor and the Bursar who are ex-officio members.The day-to-day administration of the Hall is carried out by the Warden with the help of the Senior Tutor, who deals with all students affairs, and the Bursar. MENSAH SARBAH HALL Mensah Sarbah Hall, the fifth Hall of the University, stands in the southern part of the campus. The Hall consists of a main Hall built around a quadrangle and a number of Annexes standing to the north and east. The survive two south annexes are attached to the Hall. Until October 1991, Mensah Sarbah was the only co-ed Hall of Residence in the University, which made it quite unique among the Halls. The governing body of the Hall is the Council, which is responsible to the full body of Fellows who form the Senate. Students affairs are handled by students own elected government headed by a President, while the general administration of the Hall is under the Master who is assisted by the Senior Tutor and Tutors on the one hand and the Bursar on the other. Other Hall Officers are the Chaplain, who is responsible for the Roman Catholic Chapel, the Prayer Room Warden, who is responsible for the Protestant Chapel, and the Librarian. Senior Common Room affairs are managed by an elected committee under the President of the Senior Common Room.The Hall is named after the famous Ghanaian jurist, writer and statesman, John Mensah Sarbah of Cape Coast. It has been customary for the Hall to celebrate the birthday anniversary of this great man every year. This anniversary is known as Sarbah Day and is highlighted by a dinner and a get-together. The Hall has a crest designed to bring out the principal features of Mensah Sarbahs life. It consists of three elements a pair of scales, a stool with a book resting upon it, and a hill surmounted by a castle. The scale signifies the legal profession, the stool and the book symbolise culture while t he hill and the castle are intended to depict the familiar landscape of Cape Coast with its many hills and forts. At the same time, the castle is intended to symbolise strength and honour. The Halls motto is Knowledge, Honour, Service three rowing which aptly summarise the guiding principles of Mensah Sarbahs life. VALCO TRUST HOSTELS The idea to build a graduate hostel was first nurtured when Legon Hall Annex C was inclined(p) exclusively for graduate students of the Hall. The quest for a suitable accommodation for graduate students gained attention when Valco Trust Fund offered to finance the construction of a graduate hostel.As a further boost to this course, Legon Hall Annex C was converted into an Annex of the Hostel. The Valco Trust Hostel, donated to the University by the Valco Trust Fund to ease pressure on student accommodation, is a block of purpose-built, self-contained flats for 190 students. The Hostel, which was completed in June 1997, is the Universitys first host el for graduate students. A second block with convertible facilities was opened in January 2006. Located behind Mensah Sarbah Hall on the southern part of the campus, the flats are arranged in single and double study bedrooms with en suite shower and toilet. There is a shared kitchen for every twelve rooms.Facilities in the hostels include common rooms, washrooms and a restaurant. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS HOSTELS The International Students Hostels are located on the southern part of the campus off the road to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research. 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