Dear Dr.

Logan Hampton, Implementing a secondary entrance into the DSC gymnasium will improve the quality of campus life and increase students awareness of essential time-management skills. By supporting my proposal, the gymnasium will have greater availability for students and faculty frequently at the back of the gym. Allowing access through one of the back doors will give faculty the opportunity to save time spent walking around the entire gym and allow for more time spent completing productive duties. Also, students and athletes will improve time-management skills, proven to decrease stress and increase academic performance. Just as companies with recreational facilities produce higher employee retention and productivity rates, I firmly believe UALR can benefit in the same manner as ease of access greatly contributes the effectiveness. Currently, there is only one main entrance into the gymnasium exclusive to students, faculty, and alumni. The main entrance provides a secure entryway for these members, and it also provides an effective way for provided services for the public at a nominal fee. In addition, students are only required to sign in using their designated T number to gain access to the facility. However, the entrance is at an inconvenient location for those students and faculty members coming from the south end of the campus. This includes the University Village, Applied Design, Dance Studio, Performing Arts, and Stabler Hall buildings; as well as, the parking lots 2-6, metered lots, and tennis courts. The inconvenience produced by the substantially lengthened walk around the gymnasium is negatively affecting everyone who wishes to enter the gym from these general locations. In the following sections, I describe my proposed solution and approach to address this dilemma. I also illustrate and expand on advantages of the proposed system.

Background In order to understand how much of an inconvenience is caused by only having a single entrance, I developed a time study of the current system and the proposed two-entry system. Illustrated by Figure 1, the orange path symbolizes the path required to take using the front entrance from the back of the gym. The blue path shows the significantly shorter length required to travel if an entrance in the back of the gym were implemented.
Figure 1 Path Illustration

After observing the shortest routes that could be taken to access the gym, I compared and contrasted them in Table 1. By analyzing this time study, you are able to see how much time walking around the gym takes out of your day. The paths in Table 1 refer to the paths illustrated by Figure 1. The study describes time for each route taken in one direction only.
Path 1 2 Length 50 ft 400 ft Walking Speed 3.1 mph 3.1 mph Time Taken 11 s 108 s Time Observations Compensation 3s Save 1.5 minutes 20 s 12 x Longer

Table 1 Time Study

Time compensation in the table accounts for the time taken to open doors and use login hardware. It is also worth noting both routes require students to login individually, and therefore can increase the time taken to enter the gym. This study concluded time taken to enter the gym to a central destination was about 12 times longer than if a back entrance were used. Proposed Solution There are three doors already installed in the back entrance; however, for the moment they serve only as emergency exits, illustrated by Figure 2. They are wired to an alarm bell when opened if unlocked, and they are only able to be opened from inside the gym. I propose we alter one door in the back entrance to allow access from the outside through the use of student ID cards registered with the main
Camera

entrance faculty. Of course, greater security measures are taken into consideration as a surveillance camera can be installed to monitor activity and traffic flow by personnel in the main entrance. From my research, I have concluded the addition of a second entrance in the back of the gym is simple and relatively inexpensive, and increases the quality of life in the campus.
Figure 2 Gymnasium back door Key Card Lock

Benefits of Saving Time Studies explored by Tanya Covic, a medical professor of the University of Sydney, concluded that time-management skills were crucial for medical students to accomplish their duties. By investing in a back entrance, any UALR student and faculty member will have the opportunity to improve their time spent walking to and from the gym depending on their locations. The entrance would allow for these users to reduce their time spent walking and increase the time they spend accomplishing more important duties. The new entrance could also attract more members to use the facility. IndustrialOrganizational Psychology supports the facts that exercising and less time spent getting places reduces stress and increase productivity and quality of life. Therefore, happier and less stressed gym members are likely to increase UALRs retention rates. Security The facility is primarily used by students and faculty, but it is still open to the public after a small daily fee. The current main entrance enforces security from student workers and staff attending to visitors. Since students are only required to log in a computer before they are granted access to the facility, the main entrance function is designed to allow self-access. In my proposed design, a key card login entrance door would be just as effective in granting students access to the facility. There are number pad door handles that could be used alternatively by faculty to enter, as well. However, the public would still be required to enter through the main entrance, as they are not as likely to access the facility as frequently. To combat students holding the door open for others after logging in, a security camera could be installed to observe traffic in the back from a computer monitor set up in the main entrance.

Benefits of Secure Entrance Studies by Jaap Dronkers, a member of the European Societies, indicate that pupils of universities with gymnasiums closed to the public have on average higher grades than those of comparable universities gymnasiums open to the public. Therefore, by having a secure student and staff only entrance in the back, the gymnasium can minimize public accessibility, and potentially increase students grades that are more likely to use the gym because of the increase of entrance availability. The option of two entrances can also subconsciously affect students by allowing them the opportunity to develop better time management skills when deciding which route to access or leave the gymnasium. Especially since students are not required to log out when leaving the facility. Implementation Plan There are two parts to implementing a second back entrance to the gymnasium. First, one of the back doors would have a key card and number pad lock installed. Then, a security camera and software would need to be installed either on the inside or outside of the gymnasium for added security. As a current student of the Engineering Technology and Science department, I have observed key card and number pad locks installed on

Figure 3 Key Card & #Pad Door Lock

laboratory rooms. The same type of lock, illustrated by Figure 3, could be used for the back entrance. The lock system would run around $200 complete with a wireless programmer for card activation. The survellience camera is not a mandatory part of the solution, however, it would allow for a more secure environment by helping to catch those sneaking into the gym behind students without logging in. Displayed in Figure 4, a basic security camera with software included would only cost around $100. Total, the hardware equipment cost would only amount to around $300 depending on the equipment chosen, and no additional personnel would be needed to operate the equpiment.

Figure 4 Surveillance Camera

Alternatively, if the university wanted to spend a couple thousand dollars on the project, a turnstile barrier would be just as effective as the camera and lock system, but more secure in terms of fending off unauthorized access of the gymnasium.

In conclusion, the added entrance to the back end of the gymnasium would provide students, faculty, and athletes a better access point. The new entry would not only save users time, but the university would create a greater campus quality of life. In fact, the Indiana State University, Student Recreation Center was listed in the Outstanding Designs article with their facility using two major entraneces, one serving the campus housing and student union and the other facing commuting student parking, similar to the layout of UALR. Potentially, the university could expect increased GPAs, student retention rates, and member usage. I look forward to your thoughts on the proposal and hope to hear from you soon. Best regards,

Hector Alonso Loya Sanchez Mechanical Engineering Technology Senior

Annotated Bibliography

Ali Express, Alibaba, 2013. Web. Nov 3, 2013.

Covic, Tanya. Health Science Students time organization and management skills: A Crossdisciplinary Investigation. Vol. 25 Issue 1. Medical Teacher, Jan 2003. p47. University of Sydney. Article. Nov 3, 2013.

Dronkers, Jaap and Robert, Peter. Has Educational Sector Any Impact on School Effectiveness in Hungary?. Vol. 6 Issue 2. European Societies, 2004. p205-236. Taylor & Francis Ltd. 2004. Article. Oct 28, 2013.

EZWatch Security Cameras. EZWatch, 2013. Web. Nov 3, 2013.

I-O Psychology. Cogniphany, 2013. Web. Nov 3, 2013.

Ostwald, Phillip F. Cost Analysis and Estimating For Engineering and Management. Upper Saddle River: New Jersey, 2004. Print. Nov 3, 2013.

Outstanding Designs: Sports Stadium/Athletic Facility. Vol. 83 Issue 3, American School & University, Nov 2010. p145-157. Article. Oct 28, 2013.