ABSTRACT
The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the determinants of user satisfaction in university residence halls. Academic performance of any tertiary institution must necessarily be influenced by the quality and quantity of the residential accommodation (an aspect of learning environment) of the students. Hostel is an inexpensive shared room?s accommodation that accepts individuals for short term stay and that provides common areas and communal facilities. Home-like accommodations as well as demand for up to date facilities, adequate provision of amenities are factors that influence the perception of students? level of satisfaction within residence halls. Satisfaction is a positive experience expressed by the occupants and beneficiaries who are presently using such services. This further expressed that students? satisfaction is derived from the difference between the expected performance of these residence hall (accommodation), and the perceived performance at the state of utilization, services provided and facilities available within the reach of the students. The methodology involves interview conducted, questionnaire survey and a numerical rating scheme of analysis with factors been appraised for the survey of students residents satisfaction. Five determinants of satisfaction were developed and used in assessing the user satisfaction of the students? residence halls. Data relating to students satisfaction were obtained by means of structured questionnaire administered on a systematic sample of 315 students within hostels from a sampling frame of 1930 residents. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and statistical package for social scientist (SPSS) version 20.0. The results demonstrate that physical factors, social factors, morphological configuration of spaces, services quality are great determinants of students satisfaction, whereas these determinants were influence by adequacy of facilities provided, maintenance of facilities/services, units/hall types provided, reasons viii for choosing hostel (safety and security, privacy). However, inadequacy of facilities, lack of privacy, inadequate safety and security, were consistently identified as the reasons of dissatisfactory within residence hall as indicated by the mean scores of these determinants; physical factors (mean below 1.49 strongly dissatisfied), social factors (mean range 1.50-2.4, dissatisfied), morphological configuration of spaces (mean 3.50strongly satisfied), services quality (mean range 2.50-3.49, satisfied), positive and negative factors). Functional building performance of the students housing depends on building supporting the students need such as comfort, facilities and services rendered, privacy and safety. Students? residence satisfaction must be considered to address student housing needs.