Memorandum

To:                   Dr. Cynthia Macri

From:              Jennifer Collier

Date:               September 23, 2008

Re:                  Proposal for Final Project

The purpose of this memorandum is to request permission to pursue the topic I have selected for the Writing 465 Final Project.  It is my goal to bring attention to the plight of non-traditional students at Winthrop University or those students who, because of obligations outside of their educational pursuits, are unable to attend classes before 5:00 p.m.  The purpose of this project is to examine how many students this issue affects within the College of Business and College of Arts and Sciences at Winthrop University.  While addressing this issue, I will discuss the reasons why there are certain courses that are never scheduled beyond 5:00 p.m.  Hopefully, after extensive research, I will present viable solutions to this potential problem that will assist Dr. Martha Spears, Associate Dean and Professor of Management, and Dr. Debra Boyd, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, in creating more options for those students who have no alternative but to attend evening classes.

BACKGROUND

Winthrop University is home to approximately 6,500 students, both graduate and undergraduate.  As is traditional with college students, these individuals lead busy, active lives. Although Winthrop does an excellent job with its graduate programs, the administration at the University still struggles with recognizing that no two undergraduate college students are made alike.  The current trend is one in which many working professionals are seeking undergraduate degrees.  Thus, there is a need for colleges and universities to move away from offering courses during the traditional 8 – 5 p.m. business hours.  In addition, there is an increase in the involvement in sports, extracurricular activities, and personal obligations among undergraduates of all ages; thus creating a demand for flexibility.  As a result, the need for courses scheduled after 5:00 p.m. has greatly increased.

As a non-traditional student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in General Business at Winthrop, I have experienced this issue first-hand.  I am employed full-time and am in the process of raising a family.  My work and familial obligations have helped create a scenario identical to the issue I just described.  I am on a steady path to graduate in the Fall of 2008.  My ultimate goal of earning a degree with a concentration in Human Resources Management, however, was thwarted when I discovered that several crucial courses were inaccessible to me.  Because of my experience, I have become aware of the need to investigate what options are available to both Winthrop University and those students whose needs are similar to mine.  Following a brief survey of several students and faculty around campus I discovered that this problem is not uncommon and an opportunity to shed light on the issue should not be overlooked.

Currently, the College of Business offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 12 different concentrations among which include Accounting, Computer Information Systems, Economics, Management, Marketing, Human Resource Management and others.  In addition to these options, the College of Business also offers a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Information Design as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.  The list of degrees offered by the College of Arts and Sciences is even more wide-ranging than those programs offered by the College of Business.  At this time, the College of Arts and Sciences offers 11 majors that qualify for a Bachelor of Arts degree.  In addition to these 11 majors, the College offers a Bachelor of Science in subjects such as Biology and Chemistry, a Bachelor of Social Work, and numerous pre-professional programs.

The curricula for these programs are extensive, and the student must complete the required courses in order to obtain the degree.  Unfortunately, what often occurs is a problem that develops among students whose schedules do not permit them to attend school during conventional business hours.  Many of the required courses associated with these degrees – especially among some of the newer concentrations such as Human Resource Management – are never offered after 5:00 p.m.  If these courses are offered in the evening at all, they are offered sporadically and it is difficult to forecast.  Consequently, the undergraduate student enrolled in a program may never get the opportunity to complete the degree requirements because he or she does not have access to the necessary courses.

The administration at Winthrop has worked very hard to implement programs that assist non-traditional students.  For example, the New Start Program is designed to aid individuals over the age of 25 with their educational goals.  I am a product of this program; and I can attest to its success in helping older students become enrolled in the University.  However, there is little help in the way of navigating the complicated maze of degree requirements and University protocol.  I approached Dr. Spears about my concern, and her response was positive and sympathetic.  There is definitely a need to open up a dialogue about this situation.

PROPOSED PROJECT

The purpose of this project is to generate a solution with regard to evening course offerings that is mutually beneficial to students and Winthrop University – namely the College of Arts and Sciences and College of Business respectively.  Ideally, I will investigate the main causes behind the shortage of evening course offerings and provide alternative means of instituting permanent evening courses for those degree programs that are affected by this issue.  The outcome will result in more non-traditional students having access to these classes so that their quests to acquire the undergraduate degree(s) of their choice are no longer derailed.

My report will illustrate the scope of the problem and how many students may or may not be affected by this issue.  Specific degree requirements will be dissected to determine how many of them offer evening classes.  Essentially, the idea is to bring to the forefront obstacles that many non-traditional students face when mapping their educational objectives.  The report will examine the underlying causes with respect to budget, instructor availability, and demand in the Colleges of Business and Arts and Sciences.  It will aim to explain the perspectives of both students and administrators when confronting this issue.

The format of the report will closely follow the outline below:

I.              Introduction

II.            Background

III.           Establish Scope of Need

a.    Faculty/Administration Perspective

                                          i.    College of Business

                                        ii.    College of Arts and Sciences

b.    Student Perspective

                                          i.    College of Business

                                        ii.    College of Arts and Sciences

IV.          Detailed Discussion of Contributing Causes

a.    College of Business

                                          i.    Funding

                                        ii.    Instructor Availability

                                       iii.    Demand

                                       iv.    Other Potential Causes

b.    College of Arts and Sciences

                                          i.    Funding

                                        ii.    Instructor Availability

                                       iii.    Demand

                                       iv.    Other Potential Causes

V.           Examination of Potential Solutions

a.    Pros and Cons

b.    Feasibility

c.    Rewards

VI.          Conclusion

PLAN OF ACTION

I have contacted the Associate Dean of the College of Business and Professor of Management, Dr. Martha Spears to determine if examining this issue is something that the administrators and faculty of the College of Business would receive with enthusiasm.  I have scheduled a time to conduct a more probing interview with her in an effort to gain some insight into the problems the College of Business encounters when scheduling courses.  I have also contacted Dr. Sarah Stallings, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, to verify that the issue exists among their students as well.  Dr. Stallings recommends a thorough discussion with Dr. Debra Boyd, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences to obtain more information.  I intend to do this.

Following my in-depth conversations with the appropriate faculty, I will conduct surveys of those students currently attending Winthrop University and who are affiliated with both Colleges mentioned in this proposal.  Ideally, I would like to contact a respectable number of alumni and incorporate their perspective into the findings.  This may also provide another perspective from which to draw suggestions.  The feasibility of this will be determined as the project unfolds.

I plan to review the concerns and reasons behind the limited amount of degree programs that can be completed exclusively at night.  Based upon my findings, I will develop and research potential alternatives to counteract the problem(s).  I will discuss the practicality of these suggestions and perhaps re-visit several of my information sources to acquire their opinions.  I will discuss, in detail, all of my findings and determine if their results lend themselves to conflict resolution.

SCHEDULE

See Figure 1 for a tentative timeline associated with this project.

QUALIFICATIONS

I have attended Winthrop University for approximately 8 years as a student in both the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Business.  I have experience as an undergraduate straight out of high school and as a professional who has spent time in the workforce.  I have had no choice but to change my major and concentration because, given my schedule requirements, courses were not available to me.

I approach this project as one who has been personally affected by the issue and firmly believe that my ability to research and report my findings are not in question.  In a few months, I will be a college graduate.  In addition to my experience at Winthrop University, I have assumed the role of manager following the hard work I demonstrated in the workplace.  My personal journey will serve as a guide in investigating this issue and will ultimately provide for me the expertise required to write and speak intelligently about the topic.

RESOURCES

At this time, my list of resources is short.  I anticipate receiving excellent leads and additional information sources following my interviews with Drs. Boyd and Spears.  I am currently spending a great deal of time on Winthrop’s website and using it as a “jumping off” point for general information.  The students and alumni who participate in my survey and respond to my face-to-face interviews are vital to my research.

CONCLUSION

The success of this project is extremely important to me.  Each semester at Winthrop, with the exclusion of Fall 2008, has been a juggling act on my part.  To understand why the situation exists and be granted an opportunity to offer feedback is a gift.  I have no doubt that should I discover a workable solution to the problem, or provide students with an explanation for their scheduling difficulties, the effect will be felt campus-wide.  Students may be able to exercise another option when pursuing their undergraduate degrees in the future.  This, in turn, may make Winthrop a more attractive option for students all over the world, especially students whose responsibilities far exceed their educational pursuits.