Memorandum

To: Jason Verdugo, Hamline University Athletic Director

From: Jaime Hathaway, Hamline University Student
Date: October 18, 2015
Subject: Feasibility Report Proposal
The purpose of this memorandum is to request permission to conduct research determining the
feasibility of building an ice arena on the campus of Hamline University. I am requesting for
approval to complete the study. Upon approval and completion of research, I will prepare a
feasibility report to be submitted on November 29, 2015.
Summary
Despite the popularity that exists in the state of Minnesota for winter recreational sports,
Hamline University fails to offer an on-campus ice facility to students. By failing to offer such an
amenity, students lack an outlet for a variety of recreational sports throughout the cold months.
Because recreational sports prove to be important to the quality of life and communities, by
lacking an ice rink on campus, Hamline is missing out on a great opportunity (Davis, 2007).
While Hamline currently offers school affiliated hockey teams an opportunity to play at a local
rink, the rink is off-campus, which proves to be problematic for student-athletes without a car.
Additionally, non-student-athletes are not granted access to utilize the facility.
I propose to research the benefits the result from engaging in recreational activities, the effects
that building an ice rink has had on other smaller schools that have chosen to construct such a
facility, Hamlines Master Plan and how the university plans to utilize campus property in the
future, and the costs associated with building an ice rink. From the research, I will then seek
answers to my goals, which include determining the interest from Hamline students in building
an on-campus ice rink facility, the benefits that would result from offering additional recreational
amenities to students, as well as the schools locational and financial means of building an ice
rink.
Since I have already completely a significant amount of research and have developed a strong
foundation for the study, I do not anticipate having difficulty gathering information in regards to
the topic and analyzing the information to come to a conclusion. With that being said, my study,
along with a logical and reasonable recommendation will be completed no later than November
29. 2015.

Introduction
Currently, Hamline University Athletics is partnered with Ramsey County local ice rink, Oscar
Johnson Ice Arena, to offer student-athletes participating in the sport of a hockey a facility in
which to practice. Although theses select-few students are able to utilize the facility, the rink
resides at a location off-campus, and all other students lack access to similar amenities.
According to research conducted by the University of Houston-Clear Lake, the benefits
associated with engaging in recreational activities are numerous for students. If one fails to
participate in physical activity, he or she could develop various diseases, such as heart disease
and diabetes (Davis, 2007). Living in the state of Minnesota, residents know that the winter
months are long. With that being said, when few winter recreational amenities are offered,
students have less opportunity to engage in physical activity, therefore, putting their health and
well-being at risk.
Certainly, by creating an ice rink on campus, Hamline would ultimately be offering students a
chance to live a healthier lifestyle. Winter recreational activities could grow to include sports,
such as figure skating, broomball, and curling.
Upon first thought, one may think that Hamline lacks the property means for constructing an ice
rink, however, by closely looking at the Hamline University Master plan, one can see that
Hamline has plans to demolish neighboring homes, which prove to have structural threats due to
the age of the homes, in the Midway Community. By demolishing said homes, the Hamline
University property would increase; in return, an ice rink could be built on campus. Another
option, which many other schools, such as Macalester College, chose to carry out is the
combination of the football field with the soccer field (Macalester College Athletics, 2011). If
Hamline were to combine the two fields together, the current soccer field could be utilized as
property to build the rink.
Although this is just the beginning of the research process, by continuing research, I will be able
to determine answers to my goals, which include determining the interest from Hamline students
in building an on-campus ice rink facility, the benefits that would result from offering additional
recreational amenities to students, as well as the schools locational and financial means of
building an ice rink.

Proposed Procedure

This section of the proposal will outline both the research completed thus far, as well as set forth
the procedure for future research that is still necessary for the study. Additionally, I will define
the criteria imperative for evaluating the results of the study.
Completed Research
Thus far, I have created a solid foundation for the feasibility study by gathering the
following research:
I have completed research on where the ice rink could potentially be located on campus. I have
done so by closely examining the Hamline University Master Plan, as well as reading a
supporting article that closely ties into the controversy outlined in the Master Plan.
I have visited the websites of various other small campuses, such as Endicott College and Erie
Community College, that have chosen to build rinks on their campuses. I closely examined the
processes outlined by the schools to build the rinks, as well as the benefits that resulted.
I have gathered information pertaining the to the numerous benefits students receive by having
the opportunity to engage in different recreational activities on campus. I have done so by
viewing two different online articles relating to the topic, as well finding a book in the library
discussing the benefits.
I have created a questionnaire to be given to my classmates, inquiring about student opinions and
interests in additional recreational outlets on campus.

Proposed Research
Although sound research has already commenced, the following provides a map
to follow in collecting additional research pertaining to the feasibility study:
Upon distribution of questionnaire, I will analyse the results and create various graphics that
share the results and support the research.
I will take a closer look at the book found in the library, titled Space Planning Guidelines for
Campus Recreational Facilities, and find additional information pertaining to issue of location.
I will continue to research the benefits, such as better performance in the classroom and higher
test scores, that result from offering students a wider variety of recreational amenities.
I will delve into research that outlines the costs associated with building a private ice rink.
I will research the Hamline University budget and determine if Hamline has the financial means
to build an ice rink on campus. If information on the budget cannot be found online, I will reach
out to the Hamline Board of Trustees and discuss said topic with them.
Criteria
Upon completing the research, I will use the following criteria to determine if building an
ice rink on the Hamline University campus is truly feasible:
Is there an interest by students to build an ice rink on campus?
By offering additional recreational amenities, would students benefit?
Does Hamline University have a location on campus where an ice rink could be built?
Does Hamline University possess the financial means necessary to build an ice rink on campus?

Qualifications and Experience

I am a current Hamline University student-athlete, with a cumulative GPA of 3.9. My
performance in the classroom has allowed me to qualify for the Deans List each semester that I
have studied at Hamline. Throughout my years of education, I have conducted numerous
research projects. The most recent research project I completed was for a macroeconomic
analysis course; I researched how and why unemployment trends have changed in the United
States since the year of 1960. Because of previous involvement in the research process, I greatly
understand the various steps involved in the process of collecting sound and credible
information. Additionally, the feasibility topic of research is one of great interest. As a hockey
player, I have played in a variety of different ice rinks and I am familiar with the process
involved in building a rink. For these very reasons, I am a qualified candidate to conduct
research.
Schedule
The following schedule outlines the tasks necessary for research and completion of the feasibility
report:
Task

Completion Date

Create feasibility questionnaire

October 18, 2015

Complete feasibility proposal

October 18,2015

Feasibility graphics

November 8, 2015

Rough draft

November 15, 2015

Feasibility PowerPoint

November 29, 2015

Final feasibility report

November 29, 2015