Abstract
Housing instability is a significant issue for first-year college students, impacting their grades, mental health, and overall college experience. This paper examines the student housing problem and suggests a solution to transformational leadership. Based on a thorough review of the research, this study investigates the reasons and effects of housing insecurity, focusing on how it affects low-income, minority, and first-generation students more than other students. The study focuses on how living uncertainty hurts academic success, the number of students who stay in school, and overall health. It shows how crucial innovative leadership is for dealing with these problems by encouraging teamwork, new ideas, and a helpful school environment. Transformational leaders put the needs of students first, push for changes in how things are done, and gather resources to make the school a good place for students to learn and do well.
As part of a mixed-methods research approach, this study uses polls to collect numeric data about the number of people who are homeless and the effects it has. In contrast, interviews and case studies collect qualitative data about stakeholders’ daily experiences and points of view. A robust negative link exists between not having a safe place to live and how well a kid does in school. This shows how important it is to immediately provide focused programs and support services. The paper talks about what this means for programs that help first-year students and stresses the importance of including living support programs in more extensive plans to help students. Transformational leadership strategies are suggested to deal with housing uncertainty successfully. These include aggressive policy lobbying, working with community partners, and implementing new support programs.
However, the study finds several problems and obstacles that make it harder to solve housing insecurity. These include a lack of cheap housing choices, the shame of asking for help, and the complexity of the institutions involved. It asks for solutions that address current needs and structural problems to ensure that all students can get housing reasonably.
Introduction
Housing uncertainty is a common problem among first-year college students, making it hard for them to do well in school, with friends, and mentally. Many college students need help finding steady, cheap housing when they first start college. These problems can appear in many ways, such as being homeless, living in a place that is too crowded, having trouble paying the rent, or having to move around a lot (Shisler et al., 2023). Housing insecurity affects poor students, minorities, first-generation college students, and students from rural areas to a greater degree than others.
The impact of housing insecurity on first-year student success is simply enormous. Unstable housing can increase stress among the youth, lower their grades, contribute to higher dropout rates, and restrain their personal development. Students who need a safe place to live often struggle to concentrate on their studies, participate in recreational activities, or make friends on campus. Inadequate housing can also worsen social and economic differences, keeping people in poverty and hurting their long-term prospects.
Transformational leadership provides an exciting perspective for tackling the complex problem of housing insecurity among first-year students. Leadership of this kind strives for group goal attainment by creating trust, empowering people, and promoting group creativity (Ragaisis, 2018). Transformational leaders put their followers’ needs first, encourage them to work together, and build a helpful culture within the company. Transformational leaders can get people from all over campus to work together to find answers to housing insecurity by creating a sense of community and a common goal. This leadership style is no less productive in a college setting, where teamwork and the creation of novel ideas are critical factors for both the student’s welfare and the well-being of their colleagues.
Literature Review
Definition and Causes of Housing Insecurities among First-Year Students
Housing insecurity among first-year students encompasses a range of challenges related to accessing safe, affordable, and stable housing options. Housing insecurity in these individuals is caused by several factors, such as limited financial resources, difficulty finding cheap housing close to school, a lack of family support, and weak social support systems (West, 2017). Factors such as rising tuition costs, stagnant wages, and high living expenses contribute to the housing insecurity experienced by many college students. In addition, widespread racism and discrimination can make it even harder for students from disadvantaged groups to find housing (West, 2017).
Impact of Housing Insecurities on Academic Performance and Overall Success
Not having a safe place to live dramatically affects how well these students do in school. Studies have consistently demonstrated a negative correlation between housing instability and academic performance. Students who do not have a safe place to live are more likely to have trouble focusing, attending class, and finishing their assignments (Robinson, 2023). Also, having a safe place to live can make it easier for students to fully participate in school life and use academic support services, extracurricular activities, and networking opportunities. This can slow down their general development and success. Getting rid of housing uncertainty is crucial for ensuring equal access to education and creating a learning setting where all students’ needs are met.
Previous Research on Leadership Styles and Student Success
Researchers have already investigated the link between leadership types and student success, showing how important good leadership is for promoting good academic results and student well-being. Transformational leadership is instrumental in higher education settings (Balwant, 2016). Transformational leaders get people to follow them by sharing an inspiring vision, giving each person support and guidance, encouraging intellectual growth, and encouraging a culture of teamwork and new ideas (Balwant, 2016). Transformational leadership behaviors like charisma, idealized impact, and intellectual stimulation have an excellent effect on how engaged, satisfied, and well-performing students are in school.
Theoretical Framework of Transformational Leadership and its Components
Orabi (2016) called for four main parts to make up the transformational leadership theory: idealized impact, inspiring motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized care. As an ideal, leaders should be good examples and earn the trust and respect of those who follow them by being honest and doing the right thing. Leaders who inspire inspiration communicate a compelling vision and encourage followers to work hard toward common goals with excitement and hope. Leaders who stimulate people’s minds push their followers to think critically, try new things, and solve problems creatively. Individualized consideration means that leaders see and address each follower’s unique needs and strengths, offering individualized support and guidance (Orabi, 2016). This framework gives a complete picture of how leadership can change student success outcomes and offers valuable suggestions for how to help first-year students who are having trouble finding housing by using good leadership techniques.
Additionally, handling how housing instability impacts individuals who are underserved because of their race, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability is of great importance. Children who live in a poverty-stricken environment tend to be homeless, which eventually leads to a vicious cycle of social and economic problems. Understanding how they work together to develop a program that suits each student category is fundamental. Besides, an investigation should also be conducted into the effectiveness of the various support services available for first-year students who face room disturbance. It is essential to consider the outcomes of the different interventions to see what is effective and then include that information in an action plan to help students struggling with homelessness overcome that issue. The collaborative approach acknowledges the multifaceted nature of student homelessness and its impact on the student’s academic performance. Hence, this creates a balanced and inclusive space for most of the country’s campuses.
Methodology
Research Design (Mixed-Methods)
A mixed-methods research approach will be used for this study to thoroughly investigate the linkage between housing insecurity and first-year students’ academic performance and to provide solutions like transformational leadership in managing these problems. This strategy might be more insightful through mixed-methods research, a combination of both the quantitative and qualitative approaches to data collection and analysis (Almeida, 2018). Data collection tools like surveys (for example, the number of first-year students affected by housing insecurity on their academic performance), leadership effectiveness, and others will be used. Qualitative methods such as follow-up interviews and case studies will be used to learn the experiences and mindset of students, teachers, staff, and administrators regarding homelessness and campus leadership.
Data Collection Methods (Surveys, Interviews, Case Studies)
Surveys, interviews, and case studies will all be employed to gather data from different perspectives and experiences about leadership and homelessness in this context, particularly for first-year students’ success. A survey will be administered to a group of newly arrived students, among others, to rate how pervasive the housing insecurities are, their effect on academic success, and the overall efficiency of the leadership. Among the most significant stakeholders, the students, the teachers, the staff, and the administrators will be scheduled for interviews to help get their opinions about housing insecurity and leadership approaches. In addition, case studies will be conducted at some of the colleges, and detailed analyses of effective leadership programs and interventions that could reduce first-year students’ housing problems will be offered. Data triangulation will be used to validate the result and improve the reliability and credibility of the study.
Participant Selection and Recruitment
Goal-oriented sampling approaches were used for participant engagement to incorporate the variety of opinions and experiences of the study objectives. The students will be recruited from several academic units and residential locations to get a representative sample of first-year students demonstrating various demographic backgrounds such as race, ethnicity, socioeconomic strata, and housing accommodation. Staff and faculty involved in student services, resident life, and leadership development programs will be enlisted to share how the institution responds to housing insecurity and provide leadership skills. Multiple recruitment methods will be applied, such as targeted emails, notices in school newsletters, posts on social media, and direct communication with academic advisers and student groups. All participants will have to give their informed consent before the research launch. Participants’ privacy and data protection will always be handled throughout the research process.
Data Analysis Techniques
Data analysis will include using quantitative and qualitative methods to identify patterns, themes, and connections among the gathered data (Almeida, 2018). Descriptive statistics will be used to analyze the survey data to point out housing insecurity among first-year students, its relations with poor academic performance, and how they view their leaders. The thematic analysis will search for recurring themes, experiences, and perspectives emanating from the qualitative data from the housing insecurity interview and the leadership techniques. Data aggregation is a union of different data sources that makes the study more accurate and reliable. Furthermore, the differences in respondents’ experiences from different demographic groups and institution settings will be examined. Lastly, member checking will be applied to ensure that the outcomes are presented accurately and are in line with the thoughts and experiences of the participants.
The Methodology section will include quantitative surveys, qualitative interviews, and case studies, which will help run the research. Goal-oriented sampling enables the inclusion of different people in the study, resulting in higher validity and use (Di Malta et al., 2019). The process of integrating data from different sources not only improves its reliability but also simplifies complex analysis. Combining information from several sources increases its reliability and makes it easier to do complex analysis. Thematic and comparison analysis helps find trends and connections in the data, which gives policymakers and programs that help students with helpful information they can use. This research approach helps us learn more about the complex nature of housing uncertainty and how it affects academic progress. Researchers learn more about students’ experiences and points of view by combining numerical data with detailed accounts. This helps them come up with answers that are based on facts. Ultimately, this mixed-methods approach lets researchers investigate complicated social events more completely. This enables knowledge advancements and improves support systems for first-year college students who need help finding out more.
Results
Overview of Findings on Housing Insecurities among First-Year Students
The results show that many first-year students are worried about their housing, and they need assistance with fair and affordable housing options. Sackett et al. (2016) researched that almost 50 percent of all college students experience some level of deprivation, for instance, not having a place to live, food, or money to pay rent. The research also identified differences in home instability depending on demographic features, such as low-income families, who more often experience it. These results make it clear that first-year students who are having trouble getting housing need tailored interventions and support services immediately. This will help ensure that everyone has the same chance to attend college.
Analysis of the Relationship between Housing Insecurities and Student Success
The findings show a notable negative relationship between housing insecurities and student success. New first-year students who are unsure where to live tend to perform worse academically, drop out, and feel depressed and anxious. Their housing instability makes it more difficult for students to concentrate on their studies, engage in college activities, and remain healthy (Howard et al., 2022). Unstable living conditions exacerbate the social gap, keeping people in the wrong positions and weakening students’ long-term opportunities. This demonstrates that housing insecurity is integral to how well first-year students do. So, it is essential to repair homelessness by arranging schooling to place housing stability and fairness at the top.
The Role of Transformational Leadership in Addressing Housing Insecurities
Transformational leadership, a leadership approach that causes change in individuals and social systems, is vital to helping first-year students worried about housing by making the school a welcoming and helpful place for everyone (Giddens, 2018). Transformational leaders excite and drive everyone involved to work together to find new ways to solve complex problems. Transformational leaders can get resources, push for policy changes, and start programs to help people with trouble find a place to live by laying out a strong vision of fairness and student success (Crowley, 2022). Also, transformational leaders care about the growth and well-being of their followers and offer personal support and mentoring to students who are having trouble finding housing. Transformational leaders take the initiative and show empathy, which opens chances for genuine involvement and strength. This leads to more stable living and better results for student success.
The Results part explains how first-year college students feel about their living situation. This paper collects real-life information about standard and deviant housing uncertainty, showing how it hurts academic success, return rates, and general health. It also shows differences in demographics, focusing on how race, income position, or being a first-generation person are connected to housing risk. Transformational leadership’s key role in addressing housing uncertainty and supporting student success is integral to the talk. The outcome of statistics, a more detailed case study, and the conversation’ experiences all help paint a picture of students’ problems and possible solutions. The results section briefly presents the significant research findings and how they help diminish housing risk among first-year college students.
Discussion
Implications of Findings for First-Year Student Support Programs
The study’s finding is the cornerstone of formulating programs to help first-year students, especially those facing housing problems. Students’ poor health, low academic performance, and graduation rates have been affected by housing insecurities (Howard et al., 2022). Hence, schools must provide first-year students with safe housing under their support services. First-year student programs should include targeted interventions to cope with housing insecurity. A college campus can be used to provide on-campus affordable apartments, help with housing costs, or link students to community resources (Sackett et al., 2016). Furthermore, comprehensive support programmatic services should be provided, such as teaching people how to manage their money, film j, obs, and mental health care.
In student support services, alongside transformational leadership, bringing about significant structural changes is also equally important to make an inclusive campus community that supports every student. Transformational leaders can change policies, share resources, and build relationships with community groups that they can use to combat homelessness (Santoso et al., 2020). Transformational leaders can set up a positive environment that helps first-year students succeed academically and personally as they put their health and confidence ahead (Balwant, 2016). The results demonstrate that housing support programs should be incorporated into programs that aid first-year students and how leadership and creativity can make appropriate changes in tackling the issue of housing insecurity.
Strategies for Implementing Transformational Leadership Approaches
Transformational leadership approaches must be used with an intricate plan with many partners and solutions to help first-year students with housing problems. To begin with, institutional heads need to ensure that home security is included in their long-term plans and that human resources are allocated to support this (Sackett et al., 2016). This could mean setting up separate funding lines for programs that help people find housing, forming relationships with community groups, and combining housing programs with more extensive school programs to help students do well.
Second, innovative leaders in academic and student affairs units can make a big difference in creating a supporting school atmosphere that puts all students’ health and confidence first (Balwant, 2016). These leaders can work with therapy services, financial aid offices, and housing offices to create support programs that meet the specific needs of students struggling to find housing. Transformational leaders can also use technology and data analytics to find students early on who are at risk of not having a place to live and help them (Crowley, 2022). Based on a student’s past of applying for housing or financial aid, predictive analytics tools can help determine if they are having trouble paying their rent or if their housing is unstable.
Transformational leaders can also give student groups and peer coaches the power to push for changes in housing policies, spread information about available resources, and help students struggling with housing. In addition to helping institutions deal with living problems and encourage student success, these programs can help build community and unity. To sum up, using transformational leadership to solve living problems needs teamwork, strategic planning, and a dedication to the health and happiness of all students at all stages of the school. Institutions can make it possible for all students to do well in school and life by prioritizing living safely and creating a helpful campus setting.
Challenges and Barriers to Addressing Housing Insecurities
Addressing the precarious living situation of first-year students presents many challenges and hurdles that schools need to jump over to provide services to their students effectively. The main obstacle is the expensive life around college campuses, particularly in cities where prices must be lowered (Sackett et al., 2016). Students often have to travel long distances or live in unsafe situations because there are not enough places to live on campus, and the rents outside the campus area are high. One of the areas that needs improvement is the embarrassment that comes with having to ask for help concerning living problems, which may keep the students from using support services and tools (Broton & Goldrick-Rab, 2018). On the other hand, students may be hiding their living problems out of fear that they may be looked down upon or that something terrible is happening to them. The effects of this are that they are more exposed, making it harder to get to them in time.
Furthermore, institutional problems such as complicated financial aid processes and strict application requirements for rental support programs can create a complex environment for students who need them. The administrative processes that are hard to comprehend and limit people in sharing resources could delay or reject the help offered to students needing housing. Social obstacles and toxic systems, such as racism and discrimination, can make it harder for some students to find housing and will have a more significant impact on vulnerable groups than others (Sackett et al., 2016). Non-represented students from the communities, such as low-income students, students of color, and first-generation college students, may need help finding safe, affordable housing.
In order to overcome this issue, schools need to have a holistic and preemptive approach that tackles students’ problems in finding accommodation and the structural factors that form housing inequality. This policy might include the removal of the stigma over asking for help, making it easier to get support services, and going for the most significant possible changes in the system to fix the issue of high living costs and housing accessibility within the community. By dealing with these challenges, schools can make a level playing ground where all students can succeed in school and life.
Potential Future Research Directions
The progress in this regard has been extensive in understanding how housing insecurity affects the success of first-year students and what role transformational leadership has in addressing the problems. Nevertheless, some regions need further research.
First, ongoing studies should be conducted to see how housing insecurity affects students’ academic trajectories, average retention rates, and after-graduation results. Over a year, researchers can follow students to uncover how life uncertainty in the first year of college affects their future academic and job success (Broton & Goldrick-Rab, 2018). The efficiency of different assistance methods and support programs should be compared among first-year students who struggle with housing problems. Comparative studies, including research on the effects of different housing aid systems, financial literacy programs, and peer support groups, are supposed to give us the keys to the problem of such students.
Furthermore, there is a need to explore how housing insecurity is related to other forms of oppression, such as race, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability, to understand the different needs and experiences of various student groups (Sackett et al., 2016). By intersecting studies, one can come up with suitable solutions that aid at-risk students in coping with the many problems they face. More research should be conducted on how a group of neighbors works to help college students with difficulty getting housing. Studies exploring collaboration between schools, local governments, nonprofits, and housing corporations can contribute to developing these services for a broader student population. These gaps can be made up by researchers who, based on facts, can develop policies and procedures that apply to all first-year college students to obtain safe housing and fair results.
Conclusion
This study has obtained beneficial results about complex interconnections between housing insecurities and first-year student success and the role of transformational leadership. The key findings are that most first-year students do not need a safe space to live in, significantly impacting their academic success, retention, general health, and happiness. Furthermore, The study reveals how critical transformative leadership is for making the necessary structural adjustments and building positive school climates that value home safety and student freedom above all else.
Transformational leadership has emerged as an effective way to aid first-year students grappling with housing. Transformational leaders can have the capacity to bring about fundamental changes and also empower, convince, and mobilize other leaders, encourage teamwork, and fight for fair policies and resources. Transformational leaders will equip students with the instruments to combat living issues, ask for help, and speak up for their needs by being courageous and wise. Transformational leadership equally facilitates a feeling of belonging, respect, and ownership. This is vital for dealing with systemic inequality and accomplishing social justice on college campuses.
The housing instability problem among first-year students requires a collaborative effort from the school leadership, teachers, management, students, legislators, and the community. Institutions should prevent that living protection is not the core of the student support programs but the institutions’ long-term goals. Transformational leaders in higher education should become advocates of this cause and engage all sides to find complete answers to the underlying problems of housing inequality and to deliver equal opportunities for education to all. Stakeholders should also deploy efforts to remove the shame of reaching out for help, make more people aware of the resources available, and effect policy changes that address the inadequacies of affordable housing and access in the community. Through actions promoting a culture of dignity, sensitivity, and shared responsibility, stakeholders can foster schools where students feel respected, cared for, and empowered to reach his/her full potential.
Considering this study’s results and inputs, everyone involved needs to immediately prioritize home security and innovative leadership when helping first-year students. By putting money into strategic measures, encouraging teamwork, and pushing for structural changes, stakeholders can make higher education fairer and more open to everyone so all students can succeed, no matter where they live. Together, we can give first-year students a better future and make significant changes possible in our neighborhoods and the world.
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