Four Common Types of Criteria

1. Will this course of action really do whats needed?

An issue that arises with student life on campus is how there is no area
around campus for students to interact and spend their free time .The overall
task was to generate an environment in the Norm's area of the Student Union, where students,
who usually leave campus during the week, would want to stay a bit longer with interactive
activities that would cater to their interests, at a low cost. The idea of games appealed to the
majority of students surveyed because games are seen as a method of leisurely entertainment that
also manages social activity among others. This research paper will first address the
issue and then provide solutions to the specific problem.
2. Can we implement this code of action?
The video game system idea was tossed around a little longer, but still eventually tossed for a
stronger solution that Trever suggested. Trever explained that CAB already offers check out for
video game consoles (to student organizations). He also made a great point that students already
bring their video games systems to Norm's and locking a system up to the televisions would limit
their ability and opportunity for them to have theirs.
His counter-suggestion actually has become an extended part of our project. The Student Union
staff had been tossing around the idea of moving three of the televisions that are on walls on the
lower level of Norm's, and moving them to the wall space on Norm's Loft for students to have
more opportunities to hook up their own gaming systems. They also had been tossing around the
idea of adding more electrical outlets up there, for the televisions and for students to have more
outlets to connect to for laptops and other electronic devices. Trever suggested to survey students
and collect signatures to give concrete evidence that the idea is supported.
Finally, out of the three gaming ideas proposed, the board game idea had the most traction and
the most support from Trever. Again he suggested to survey students and collect exactly which
games students would like to see the most. So getting input from many students in
Norms and partially in the Rotunda during different days and collecting
surveys from them in the hopes to gauge their interest on the matter really

paid off. It was also helpful to send around a signature sheet from students
who would like more televisions in Norms Loft as well.

3. Can we afford it?

One idea was having the Norm install some arcade games. A couple of pinball machines were
listed that retailed between $3,999.00 and $7,597.00. These systems, though initially expensive,
are profitable machines and could end up making some money for the Student Union each and
every day when students use it. For the board game idea, a suggestion for surveying students to
see which board games they would like to see incorporated in the Student Union came to mind.
Suggesting that students would be required to check out these board games (like how students
checked out laptops at one point), and return them in a timely manner with no damage. It has yet
to be sorted out how many board games and the relative cost at this point, but it would less likely
exceed $500.
First, the arcade games. Trever explained to us the biggest reason those would not work for right
now: Norm's is a programmable space, and a small space at that. Students and student
organizations hold events there, and to have pinball machines in the corner would be a
distraction and take up space in an already small venue. The pool tables take up a good chunk of
space as it is. He also explained that if the Union were to spend that much money on something,
they would need to know who could maintain the machine and how to do it. With that being said
I eventually decided to drop that solution for the time being.

4. Is it desirable?
I began to test my solution by surveying students first to see 1) if they would be interested in
having board games in the Student Union; 2) how frequently they would see themselves playing
the board games if they were to be available; and 3) which board games and card games they
would like to see implemented to be checked out. Surveying them over a good week and a half,
and tried to garner a good response from students. The first source is a student made

survey published on SurveyMonkey and is now passed around on the media.

The first question asks student to scale their interest with 10 being very
interested and 1 being disinterested on having board games available for
check out I the student union. Students would then mark how often they
would use/ check out the games available, whether it be once a semester,
once a week, or never. Lastly their final choice would be to select the three
board/card games that they would expect to see the most at the student
union. The total maximum of students who actually participated in the
survey came to around 80 signatures. In the end SurveyMonkey was an
accessible way to accumulate information and student input.