Memorandum

To:
From:
Date:
Subject:

Professor Malesh
Joshua Aden, Gloria Veneziale, Evan Young, Austin Morales
April 8, 2016
Project Progress Report

Introduction
The purpose of this memo is to detail our groups progress on the two-component report
project. At this point, we are still in the process of collecting data and refining the scope
of our proposal.
If you recall, our group (group 1) is focused on making improvements to the womens
only section of the Mort Harris Fitness Center at Wayne State University. This requires
figuring out how many women use gym, how many use the womens only section of the
gym, and whether it would be worth it to ask for improvements.
As the University will be expected to invest funds into these improvements, it is very
important that we are able to validate these proposals with evidence. We need to be
able to prove that these changes are desired by the student body, that many people
would benefit from the improvements, and that the improved gym and the money spent
will go to good use.

What weve accomplished

Throughout the past few weeks, our group has accomplished numerous tasks. Gloria
created a survey on Academia and sent it to numerous female Wayne State students.
We performed statistical analysis on the ratio of female to male gym members entering
the recreation center. Our group was also given the opportunity to speak to the
recreation center supervisor Robert Lavita and receive data from him.

What needs to be done

Contact the head of the gym/athletic department

o Discover the name and contact information of the faculty member who we
will have the most interaction with during our report.

Completion of data collection

o Collect the returned surveys on Academica, conduct 2-3 more
headcounts to reduce confounding variables, and receive raw data via
Robert Lavita.

Analysis of data
o Perform statistical analysis of data and implement survey responses to
predict possible increases in visitation (of the womens section).

Compilation of analyzed data and bulk of report

o Organize and present collective information into a two-component report.

Prospective Timeline
Week

Work to be completed

s
Week 12

Progress report memo is due

Split among group members
Performed first primary research
Observed patrons entering the gym & using the womens
only section
Spoke to Mort Harris Supervisor & he is compiling data for
us

Week 13

Everyone bring laptops to class and work on memo in the google

doc together
Check for outline of correct memo type
Format to make all parts sound like one voice

Week 14

Peer review on final drafts of memo

Print off 1 copy per person
Fulfill Maleshs peer review length
Assess correction given & revise accordingly

Week 15

Detail final memo check:

Sources
Formatting
Uniform verbiage

Problems weve encountered or anticipated to encounter

Encountered
The OneCard scanners at Mort Harris Fitness Center do not count gender, they
only cound the total swipes per day (usage)
Spoke to Robert Latva a Supervisor at Mort Harris and he is not able to give us
gender specific or detail specific numbers or talleys
o BUT- he is giving us information on the usage of the gym per year and we
will use that data to figure out statistics
The most populated time at the gym is between 5-7 p.m. and only a few of the
group members live on campus
o We are varying our observation of gym hours anyways, so this is not as
big of an issue, but was a unanimous busy time reported by the welcome
desk staff
Anticipate
Not enough people will reply to the survey posted on Academica

Gloria will set her lap top up with the survey and have women in the
womens only section at the gym take the survey in case they have not
seen it online
Some women do part of their workouts in the coed part of the gym and do certain
uncomfortable or strenuous moves in the womens only section
Maybe not enough women use that space to make a big enough impact to
influence change
o

Conclusion
All in all, this project is turning out to be a good proposal. While there have been certain
unexpected drawbacks, we are also gaining momentum in other areas. It is clear that the
womens facilities are in need of an improvement, and that was step 1.
Step 2 requires that we get enough feedback from students, specifically females who
use the gym, who can reinforce the idea. This is proving difficult, as people are always
hesitant to answer surveys. Also, since many of the ladies who use the womens only
section spend a lot of their time in the gym in the large general area, the number of
women in the womens only section at a given time is not an accurate reflection of the
number that use it regularly.
The object moving forward will be to prove, with numbers and personal testimony, that
the money invested into the fitness center by the university will be well spent.
The project is still open to amendments and adjustments, so any feedback or
recommendations are welcomed.