Coursework for the semester is organized to the left. Click on each link to download the submission. The Lied Rec Proposal is presented below:
A PROPOSAL SUBMITTED BY
James Salerno, Senior, ISU AROTC
05 December 2012
To: Arrowsmith, Doug (darrows@iastate.edu)
Assistant Director-Facilities
W: 515-294-0386
Project Title: Lied Recreation Athletic Center Admittance Policy Concerning MS150
Department: Recreation Services
Project Period: Spring Semester 2013-Fall Semester 2013
Point-of-Contact: Salerno, James (jsalerno@iastate.edu)
M: 507-206-8106
Abstract
As a senior, I have been enrolled in MS150 for four years now. Four days a week at 0600 we show up and enter Lied Rec Center. There are, at times, upwards of 300-400 students entering at one time. This can cause quite a pile up of human traffic resulting in a waste of everyone's valuable time. My proposal concerns the Rec Department's policy on entrance. As a military organization, accountability of personnel is one of our strong suits. We take attendance every morning, getting a number of personnel present. My proposal would involve MS150 students not having to "swipe in" with their ISU cards to attend class, since attendance is taken every morning. This number could be given to the Rec staff immediately, or recorded throughout the semester and entered at the class period’s end prior to dead week. Alternately, Lied Rec could be renovated to adhere to the standard at which State Gym and Beyer Hall operate, using baffle-gates.
Introduction
MS150, Army Physical Readiness, is a one-credit military science course offered to all students on campus. In the course catalog, it is described:
This lab is designed to use basic military skills and instruction to develop
confidence, leadership, and physical fitness. The team approach is utilized in the instruction and application of Army physical fitness requirements. Students will learn various Army physical fitness techniques as well as how to conduct physical fitness sessions. Teaching locations include Lied Recreation Center, Beyer Hall, State Gym as well as around campus. Full participation in all events will be determined based on students’ physical and medical eligibility. 1
Although the teaching locations occasionally change out of necessity, by and large it is conducted at Lied Recreation Athletic Center at 6:00 AM. Due to this early time of the day, and the physicality of the course, many students enroll, attend, and drop it shortly thereafter. Those who do finish, however, describe it as a rewarding experience. Several civilians earned perfect attendance during the fall 2012 semester and were given an ISU AROTC t-shirt as a prize.
One of the only continually demoralizing factors affecting participation on the early mornings is the cold temperatures during the winter months. The fall 2012 semester produced rather mild winter conditions, but usually it is quite a problem. In order to show up on time, students have to arrive early. Rec services buildings do not open until 6:00 AM, so students are often standing directly outside the doors waiting. This would not be a problem in itself, except that due to the design of the Lied Rec. building, as soon as the doors are opened, students rush in only to be stopped to swipe their ISU cards 2 or 3 persons at a time. This is the Rec Services Department policy on entrance. 2 This creates quite the human traffic stop, leaving some students inside, some still outside, and slowly trickling through for about 5-7 minutes. This is valuable time, both of students and staff, that is wasted and it is the area addressed in this proposal.
Background
This problem has been an ongoing one for at least the past 5-6 years, according to former cadets and graduates. To the knowledge of the current cadets and leadership of AROTC, a solution to this problem has not been proposed to the Rec Services Department in any serious manner. In an attempt to help relieve traffic, a third computer was added two years ago, instead of only two. This did help, but only very slightly.
Objectives
The objective of this proposal is to establish a new policy that will be acceptable to the university, but will also incorporate the unique situation regarding MS150.
Methodology
The proposed solution to the problem is simple. On the policies website, there are several exceptions to the policy listed, to include: Athletic Department sponsored events, specified special events, designated family hours or with prior approval of Recreation Services. Therefore, from 6:00 AM to 6:05 AM all students enrolled in MS150 would be allowed to enter unobstructed, under the “prior approval of Rec. Services.” The first thing that occurs every day of class is first formation, and attendance. This process takes about 3-5 minutes and involves each level of leadership taking a by-name roster of attendance and reporting that number to his direct superior. As a result, a solid number of total personnel present are recorded for each day. At this point in the solution, two paths become viable. The first would involve the Battalion staff (Senior) position reporting this number to the service desk immediately. The second would involve recording this information to be presented at the end of the class period, directly prior to “dead week.” Due to the nature of the course, attendance determines your grade, almost exclusively. There are two senior cadets dedicated to the course, and attendance. It is a leadership position that changes each semester. They would be the immediate point of contact for the entire battalion’s attendance record in this solution. It would be an “honor entry” system for the first five minutes of the facility’s operation.
A second possibility is for Lied Rec. staff to rearrange the entrance of the facility, and perhaps renovate it to adhere to the same standard as State Gym and Beyer Hall, regarding the use of the swipe-in baffle gates. This would entail the highest cost the university and should be a last resort.
The primary issue at hand is whether personal information about each individual student is recorded beyond the fact that their ISU card is current and valid. If that is the case, then the proposed solution is unlikely to work. A variant of this solution would involve the later entry of data of each individual, but this is time-consuming and ultimately too laborious to be considered. In this case, there remain two options, one of which has already been partially explored. First: more computers are added to the front desk to swipe in students faster. This has tried in the past, with only moderate success. It also would involve resources being expended that would likely only be used that short part of each day. Second: Lied Rec. is renovated to the same standard at which State Gym and Beyer Hall operate, using baffle gates.
Timeline
The solutions outlined in this proposal should be implemented at the earliest for the Spring ‘13 semester and no later than Fall ’13, depending on the difficulty rendered to the university.
Conclusion
An area yet to be addressed is why the university should feel compelled to take action at all since there seems to be little to gain from that perspective. Since MS150 is a full-fledged course, it should be treated the same way any other department would treat their Intro-level courses. If there is a significant issue affecting the entire class, that department would do everything in their power to resolve the problem. Students are paying for a one credit-hour course and should be compensated as such. MS150 costs the university next to nothing. The students are using facilities that would be open to them in any case, the instructors are paid by the U.S. Army, not the university, and the cadets take care of all the administrative tasks. Considering the renovation of Lied Rec, being the highest in cost, is still a win-win. The university would meet the needs of its students, and also raise the standard of its facilities. This is a potential recruiting tool for the next generation of Iowa State alum. Seeing that it is the duty of the university, appropriate action should be taken to decide on the implementation of a solution as soon as possible.
References
1 http://catalog.iastate.edu/azcourses/m_s/
2 http://www.recservices.iastate.edu/policies