Stony Brook University - Student Affairs

MARKET ANALYSISFOCUS GROUP SUMMARYObjectiveThe purpose of the focus groups was to engage faculty, staff, and students in dynamicconversation about the graduate student housing issues at Stony Brook. B&D in coordinationwith the Graduate and Professional Housing Steering Committee focused on understanding waysin which graduate student housing can meet the demographics’ housing needs. The focusgroups were intended to yield qualitative data for the researchers, while identifying sensitivitiesand previously unconsidered issues surrounding current and potential new housing projects atStony Brook.MethodologyThe Graduate and Professional Housing Steering Committee organized focus groups to obtain adiverse mix of feedback from a wide range of Stony Brook graduate students. Nine individualsparticipated in the focus group sessions on June 30, 2008, at Chapin Apartments.A moderator from B&D led the focus group session and guided the conversation to addressgraduate housing issues. The moderator presented a series of open-ended questions andencouraged individuals to discuss tangential issues and engage in dynamic conversation. Whilethe moderator was predisposed to obtaining answers to the questions asked, he or she also paidclose attention to participant-generated issues raised during the discussion.Summary of FindingsPerception of Stony BrookStudents attended Stony Brook because of its reputable academic programs, affordable tuition,and proximity to home. Physical therapy, social welfare, and physics were popular programsamong graduate students. Several students enrolled in their respective masters and PhDprograms directly after obtaining their undergraduate degree from the University. In addition, instatetuition coupled with stipends drew several participants to campus. International students inparticular chose Stony Brook over comparable schools because of their stipend awards.Stony Brook met the expectations of its graduate students. They cited the University’s diversestudent population and variety of programs as aspects of student life that enrich their academicexperience. One student commented that living on campus was exciting due to the ability toremain connected with peers and participate in on-campus activities. On the other hand, a highpercentage of students commute to campus, creating the campus perception of Stony Brook as acommuter school. This is a stigma that students would like changed as the University movesforward.Stony Brook UniversityGraduate & Professional Student Housing StudyPage 1