Iowa State University
Department of Residence
Research Office
Fall 2001 Residence Hall Leadership Survey Report
June 2002
Research Staff:
Don Whalen, Coordinator of Research and Assessments
Ana Arboleda, Graduate Student
Yongyi Wang, Graduate Student
Brian Hayes, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Bradey McDeid, Undergraduate Research Assistant
In partnership with
Dr. Mack Shelley and the
Research Institute for Studies in Education
Iowa State Department of Residence Research Office
F01 Residence Hall Leadership Survey Report
Iowa State University Department of Residence
Fall 2001 Residence Hall Leadership Survey Report
The Fall 2001 residence hall leadership survey was designed to assess residents’ perceptions and opinions about
leadership. Included were questions about leadership programming, the community, and the Iowa State student
government. Results showed students were active in the ISU/Ames community. First year freshmen reported a high level
of satisfaction with the Iowa State student government; second-year freshmen appeared interested in learning more about
leadership. Differences were noted in gender and ethnicity comparison, although no distinct patterns were noted. These
results can be utilized to improve leadership experiences and opportunities for residence hall students.
The Survey
A pilot survey was administered in Fall 2000 in cooperation with John Shertzer, Departmental Coordinator of Leadership
Development, to gather more information on students’ leadership perceptions and their receptiveness to further
programming. The survey was administered again this year after a few modifications, primarily to make survey wording
the same as other surveys administered to students in Greek and Off-Campus housing (the comparison report was made
under separate cover). The survey used leadership perceptions established by Richard Wielkiewicz (2000, 2002).
Method
Iowa State’s Human Subjects Committee approved the research. One-fourth of all residence hall students (1,662)
were administered the survey. A cover letter was included that explained the survey. Maple Hall residents were excluded
from this survey because they were involved in other research. For added incentive to complete the survey, the house in
each residence hall complex with the highest return rate for all fall departmental surveys was rewarded with a pizza party.
Responses were received from 1,182 residents, a return rate of 71%.
Demographic information was obtained from the Registrar’s student information file. Questions 1-39 were house
feedback questions summarized in a separate report (Fall 2001 House Feedback Survey Report). Questions 40-42 were
used to gather some additional information about the student unavailable from the Registrar’s student information file.
Questions 43-88 used a common Likert type scale (1 = Strongly disagree; 2 = Disagree; 3 = Neutral; 4 = Agree; 5 =
Strongly agree) to gather information about students’ leadership perceptions, attitudes and programming wishes. A
separate comment page solicited information about the actual clubs or organizations in which the student was involved.
General Results
Tables 1a provided information on the number of semesters in the student’s current housing type. Most residents
(88.3%) had lived in their housing type for three or fewer semesters (Table 1a). Only 16.5% of respondents had held a
student government position (Table 1b), and 95.7% had belonged to at least one student or community organization
(Table 1c). Table 1d provided responses to questions 43-88.
Leadership perceptions. Responses indicated strong agreement that leaders need to have the ability to work in
teams/groups (4.02), do not need a position to be a leader, or can make a difference without a leadership position (3.82).
In line with this thinking, residents refuted that leaders are only found in formal organizations (2.12), that leaders need a
position or title to be influential (2.27), and that leadership cannot be learned (2.33). Students felt strongly that leadership
is not only important now (3.83), but that it will continue to be important after college (3.86). There also was a strong
feeling that leaders must be ethnical (3.79).
Leadership education. Half the students (50%) felt undecided (neutral) about there being enough leadership
development opportunities provided by Iowa State, and 39% agreed or strongly agreed there were enough (mean=3.29).
Students reacted most negatively to attending a weekend-long leadership retreat (51% disagreed or strongly disagreed,
mean=2.51). Just under half disagreed or strongly disagreed with attending an evening-long leadership program (2.72) or
day-long leadership conference (2.70).
Community. Students felt most strongly that individual responsibility is important in a living community (3.93),
and that it is important to be involved in decisions where they live (3.67). It was disappointing that 23% disagreed and
43% were undecided on feeling ownership for their own living community. Similarly, 15% disagreed or strongly
disagreed, and 40% were undecided about feeling pride for their living community.
Student government. Most students said they respect residence hall (3.52) and other (3.44) university student
government leaders. They were less sure about actually liking the university student government structure (3.19) or
feeling they have influence over decision making within the university (3.22).
Iowa State Department of Residence Research Office
F01 Residence Hall Leadership Survey Report
Demographic Comparisons
Gender. There were significantly different perceptions and opinions about leadership between men and women
for 32 survey items. For leadership perceptions, women felt more strongly than men that community service is an
important aspect of leadership (+.36), that leaders need to have the ability to work in teams or groups (+.32), and that
anyone can be a leader (+.24). Men were more convinced that a leader must control the group organization (+.33), leaders
need a position or title to be influential (+.32), leaders are the most important members of an organization (+.28),
leadership cannot be learned (+.24), and leaders are only found in formal organizations (+.20).
Women were more receptive than men about learning about leadership (+.13) and reading publications about
leadership (+.16). They also felt more strongly than men that the university provides enough leadership development
opportunities (+.13).
Regarding residents’ living environment, women felt more strongly than men that individual responsibility for
their living community is important (+.17), and that it is important to be involved in decisions where they live (+.15).
Men were more likely than women to feel there is a strong sense of community in their living area (+.16). Women
responded significantly more favorably about all the student government questions.
Classification. Analyses by classification differentiated first year and second year freshmen. Upper-class
students were significantly more likely than other classification groups to believe leaders should be ethical. Underclass
students were more likely to feel leaders should try to keep things stable. Second year freshmen and seniors were more
likely to attend a day-long conference or weekend-long retreat on leadership. Upper-class students were more likely to
feel ownership in the living community, and to feel it is important to hold peers accountable to community standards.
Freshmen were more likely to respect student government organizations and leaders than other classification groups.
Ethnicity. When asked if leadership involved change, Asian/Pacific Islanders had a mean .62 higher than the
overall mean. This ethnicity also gave a relatively high mean (+.45) when asked if they would prefer to be taught by
professional staff about leadership. More than any other ethnicity, Black-not Hispanic respondents felt that groups should
be lead by a single leader; their mean response was .47 higher than the overall mean. Hispanic respondents had a high
mean (+.43) on their opinion about residents being represented by the student government.
Previous year comparisons
Items where compared with previous information on equivalent questions from the previous year were. Many
items were not the same because they were reworded in 2001 to accommodate comparisons with Greek and Off-campus
surveys. Five items where the wording was the same showed significant differences between 2000 and 2001. Students in
the 2000 cohort felt more strongly (+.09) than those in the 2001 cohort that leadership was important to them. Similarly,
students in the previous year cohort felt more strongly (+.15) that they do not need a position to be a leader (3.88). The
2001 cohort was more likely to feel that it is important for a single leader to emerge in a group (+.42) and that leaders are
born, not made (+.38). The latest cohort also felt that those in student government positions do represent them (+.13).
Further research must be done to determine concrete reason for these differences.
Conclusion
Most students were involved in at least one campus or community organization. Men and women possessed
many different perceptions and opinions of leadership. Men tended to believe in a more traditional leadership style where
the leader must take control and is the most important person in a group. Women believed in a more participatory and
democratic leadership style. Also, women had a much more positive perception of the student government at Iowa State.
First year freshmen perceived the student government more positively than second year freshmen. Second year freshmen
reported being more interested in learning about leadership than first year freshmen. Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic
students believe that groups should be lead by a single leader. Hispanic students were more likely to feel that student
government represented them. Asian or Pacific Islander students were more likely to feel that leadership means changing
something and more receptive to being taught about leadership by a professional staff member.
References
Wielkiewicz, R. M. (2000). The leadership attitudes and beliefs scale: An instrument for evaluating college
students’ thinking about leadership and organizations. Journal of College Student Personnel, 41, 335347.
Wielkiewicz, R. M. (2002). Validity of the leadership attitudes and beliefs scale: Relationships with
personality, communal orientation, and social desirability. Journal of College Student Development,
43(1), 108-118.
Iowa State Department of Residence Research Office
F01 Residence Hall Leadership Survey Report