Hostel Management Systems for University Selangor

Abstract

Effective hostel management is essential for maintaining student satisfaction and ensuring a high quality of life in residential colleges. However, many universities, including University Selangor (UNISEL), still rely on manual complaint reporting methods, which can lead to inefficiencies, delays in maintenance, and concerns about student safety and convenience. The lack of an integrated hostel maintenance system results in poor service tracking, unstructured complaint handling, and unpredictable repair schedules, which can negatively impact student experiences. This study aims to design and develop an online Hostel Maintenance System to improve complaint reporting, maintenance scheduling, and response efficiency for UNISEL’s residential colleges. The proposed system seeks to streamline maintenance processes by enabling students to lodge complaints online, track repair progress, and receive scheduled maintenance updates, thereby enhancing overall hostel management. The study employs an Agile methodology, ensuring continuous feedback and iterative development. Data was collected through case study comparisons of existing hostel maintenance systems at other universities and structured interviews with UNISEL students. The system was developed using HTML, PHP, and MySQL, with features allowing students to submit complaints digitally while administrators manage and track maintenance tasks efficiently. The findings indicate that manual complaint systems contribute to inefficiencies and student dissatisfaction. The developed Hostel Maintenance System offers improved complaint tracking, structured maintenance scheduling, and better administrative oversight. Feedback from initial testing with UNISEL students showed positive responses, with users finding the system user-friendly, efficient, and a significant improvement over manual processes. This study demonstrates that an online Hostel Maintenance System can enhance maintenance efficiency, improve student satisfaction, and reduce administrative workload. The proposed system serves as a model for other institutions looking to digitize hostel management processes. Future work could involve incorporating mobile applications and AI-driven predictive maintenance features to further enhance service delivery.