Findings and Future Directions
Detailed Findings from Data Collection:
1. Paralleled incentives for student employment for Dorm Crew employees and other student workers.
- Financial
- Flexibility / Convenience
- Positive Environment
- Skill Development
- CV / Employability (student body) AND Social / Networking (Dorm Crew)
2. On-campus employment, as a whole, influences student's Harvard experience.
- 70% of Dorm Crew indicated moderate - very significant influence of their employment on their college experience.
- 75% of the student body indicated the same.
3. The general student body understands the work of Dorm Crew, but is hesitant to support the universities employment of this service.
- When asked to indicated degree of alignment with the following statement-- "Students should not be offered a job like Dorm Crew at a university like Harvard:
- 100% of Dorm Crew workers indicated strongly disagree or disagree
- 63% of the student body indicated strongly disagree or disagree
- 22% neutral and 15% agree or strongly agree
4. In-room interactions are more uncomfortable for the students than the Dorm Crew workers themselves.
- 43% of student body respondents used the words awkward, uncomfortable or weird to describe their interaction with a Dorm Crew worker in their suite.
- 52% of Dorm Crew workers indicated neutral, 9% said proud, 13% said slightly embarrassed.
Next Steps: Improving Visibility and Recognition On-Campus
1. Increase the support and recognition from the Houses and Proctor teams- More shout outs within the entryway email-lists
- Image of the Dorm Crew cleaning team in every entryway
- House sponsored emails to promote Dorm Crew and show gratitude for their work
- Set the norm of respect and cleanliness early on - through first-year PAF and Proctor teams
"Show people what it's really like on the inside; it's not just cleaning bathrooms, but a community!"
