CREATING A WORKOUT

FACILITY IN SORIN HALL:

A FEASIBILITY REPORT

English 1800:
Professional
Writing &
Rhetoric
By: Amelia
Jensen

OVERVIEW

Introduction
Criteria
Methods
Research Results
Conclusions
Recommendations

INTRODUCTION
Examined the feasibility of building
a workout facility in the old cafeteria
location in Sorin Hall
Researched the demand for an
additional on-campus workout
facility
Identified any potential problems
with athletic teams utilizing the
current facility

INTRODUCTION
Researched positive benefits of
consistent physical activity
Physical
Mental
Academic
Identified if the new facility would be
a positive addition to the university

CRITERIA FOR FEASIBILITY

Is there sufficient demand from

the student body to create a new
workout facility separate from
athletic team usage?
Is the Sorin Hall cafeteria a good
location to place the facility?

CRITERIA FOR FEASIBILITY

Is there any problem with the current
workout facility relating to the everyday
usage by the universitys studentathletes?
Are there positive benefits of physical
activity for college students that would
give additional reasoning for attempting
to increase student physical activity
through a new facility?

METHODS
Researched benefits of physical
activity through online databases
Reviewed demographic data found on
the Hamline University website
Distributed a questionnaire to 20
Hamline University undergraduate
students
Analyzed the questionnaire results

DEMAND FOR THE FACILITY

75% of students polled are not more
inclined by facility separate from current
facility utilized by athletic teams
50% of students polled do not use the
current facility
45% of students utilize facility at weekly
national recommended physical activity
amounts
3 or more times a week

DEMAND FOR THE FACILITY

Students More Likely to Use a
Separate Workout Facility from
Athletic Teams

25%

Not more likely to

utilize the facility
75%

More likely to utilize the

facility

Frequency of Current Facility

Utilization During an Average
Week
12
10
8

6
4
2
0
Never

1-2 times 3-4 times 5-7 times More than

7 times

SORIN HALL AS LOCATION

95% of students polled
would not be more
likely to utilize a facility
if it is closer to the
residence halls
In questionnaire
feedback, 50% of
students reacted
positively to the
suggestion of Sorin Hall
as a location

Increased Probability in Facility

Utilization with Closer Proximity
to Residence Halls
Yes

No

5%

95%

NEGATIVE RELATIONSHIP TO
STUDENT-ATHLETE USAGE
40% of students
polled are negatively
affected by athletic
team usage in current
facility
Five of students not
affected are studentathletes
Lowers 60% to 35%
for those not affected

Percentage of Students
Negatively Impacted by Athletic
Team Lifting Sessions in Current
Facility

40%
Yes
No
60%

NEGATIVE RELATIONSHIP TO
STUDENT-ATHLETE USAGE
Factors discouraging
students:
Varsity athletic
team usage
Distance from
residence
Uncomfortable
with own ability

Additional factors
listed:
Facility overcrowded
Utilization of offcampus facility
Do not live in oncampus housing

NEGATIVE RELATIONSHIP TO
STUDENT-ATHLETE USAGE
Factors Discouraging Students from Utilizing Current
Workout Facility
12

10

0
Not discouraged

Athletic Teams

Distance from
residence

Feeling uncomfortable
with own ability

Other

PHYSICAL BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL

ACTIVITY
Faster cardiac recovery time following a
stressful situation (Chun-Jung, Webb, Zourdos,
& Acevedo, 2013)
Lower resting heart rate compared to those
with low physical activity (Childs & de Wit,
2014)
69% of college students do not meet national
recommended physical activity levels (Huang
et. all, 2003)

MENTAL BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL

ACTIVITY
Improves working memory in females
(Li, Chang, Fan, Ji, & Wei, 2014)
Faster cognitive processing (Hillman,
Erickson, & Kramer, 2008)
Higher levels of emotional intelligence
and mental health (Bhochbibhoya et.
all, 2014)

ACADEMIC BENEFITS OF
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Higher grade point average of 0.3
points if following national
recommendations (Wald, 2014)
Obese students obtain lower grades
compared to non-obese students
(MacCann & Roberts, 2013)

CONCLUSIONS
Insufficient demand for a new workout
facility
Sorin Hall is an appropriate location if a
new facility was built
Interest in the expansion of the current
facility
Need for primary research with students
who live in on-campus housing
Cannot determine the feasibility of this
project

FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS
Conduct improvements to the current workout
facility and expand the size of the facility
Purchase additional cardio equipment to
accommodate more students
Create tutorial classes to assist students who
are not familiar with the gym facility
Create group exercise classes to encourage
student usage
Conduct additional primary research in order
to determine feasibility