DATE: 24 November 2012

TO: Joan Neal-Mansfield, Business Communication Instructor

FROM:

SUBJECT: Student Parking at UCM

Here is the report you requested on 18 November 2012 investigating the current parking situations for the students at University of Central Missouri (UCM). In this report, I will be discussing problem and purpose of this report. Next, I will present data from the survey taken. Last, I will make a conclusion based on the findings.

Problem: Parking spaces for UCM students

The lack of parking spaces for students is a problem on UCM campus. According to the parking services survey, approximately 80 percent of the students have been late to class or a meeting on campus because of the current parking situation (Question 1). Over 56 percent of the students stated that they have left early for a class or meeting on campus because of the parking (Question 2).

Sources and Methods: Parking Survey Info

The parking survey consisted of eight questions. I received a total of 86 replies out of the 110 surveys that were sent out. The surveys were sent out on line with the returns done on line as well. From the replies received, I was able to produce charts to help explain the responses. No financial data was included in this survey; therefore, you will have no prices on this report.

Discussion: Reporting Results of Survey

The survey polled the students to find out how far they would be willing to walk from their parking spot to wherever they needed to be on campus. Chart 1 shows almost 55 percent stated that they would walk no further than 2 blocks; 90 percent would be willing to walk up to five blocks (Question 3). Over half of the students, about 60 percent, would not want an increase in the tuition even if that money would be used to improve parking on the campus is shown in Chart 2 (Question 4). Chart 3 shows if a parking fee was assessed to the per credit hour tuition, how much student would be willing to pay (Question 5).

Chart 1.

Chart 2.

Chart 3.

Students were more inclined to an increase to their parking pass than the fee per credit hour. Over 60 percent of the students agreed to increase the parking pass if the extra money was used for better parking (Question 6). As shown in Chart 4, approximately 62 percent of the students would be willing to pay up to an additional five dollars on their parking pass to improve the parking conditions and another 26 percent would be willing to pay between five and ten additional dollars (Question 7).

Chart 4.

Students were asked to let us know in which ways they would support improvements to the parking services at UCM (Question 8). Chart 5 breaks out the responses from the students based on the four options that were available for them to choose from. The top two improvements students wanted were parking garages, 38 percent, and parking expansions, 33 percent.

Chart 5.

Conclusion/Summary

As you can see from the above data explanations, most students want and are willing to support improvements to the current parking conditions at UCM. A majority of students have been late to class or a meeting due to parking issues. A little over one-half of students have left early for class or a meeting on campus because of the parking situation. Students are willing to walk short distances from their parking spaces. Less than half of the students are supportive of increasing the per credit hour tuition for improved parking. If a per credit hour tuition increase was enacted, the majority of the students chose the least amount of $1.00 to $3.00 per credit hour. Instead of an increase of tuition, the majority of the students would favor an increase to the parking pass. The bulk of the students are willing to pay up to $5.00 additional to their parking pass to improve parking at UCM. All students support parking improvements with the top two improvements being construction of a parking garage and expanding the current parking lots.

Without considering how much improvements mentioned above would cost, it is hard to make any recommendations on which path UCM should take to make the parking better at UCM. In my opinion, I would suggest that UCM does an in-depth analysis on the parking problem at UCM with monetary figures. It is obvious that students are willing to pay, at least a small fee, for better parking. I would gladly take on this project with your support and approval.