The Recommendation Report
Project 5: The Recommendation Report
|
|
Complete the recommendation report that you described in your proposal. The 2,500-3,000 word, single-spaced report (not including front and end matter) must do the following:
- define a problem,
- analyze the criteria for a satisfactory solution,
- propose one or more alternative solutions, and
- argue for the solution that satisfies the criteria best.
The problem may involve an institutional, technical, or public policy issue that you are working on or have worked on in your other courses; or it may concern something related to an organization to which you belong; or it may be related to a job that you've held or now hold; or it may connect to some other situation that interests you.
The solution to the problem may involve coming up with an original design, choosing between available alternatives, or providing needed information. See this report as a kind of "final exam" for our course—a place to demonstrate everything that you've learned about writing this term.
Content
Purpose
For the purposes of this report, you should find a situation in which you are writing the report to a primary reader who has “commissioned” it and who has the authority to reject or use your work. In other words, you are writing this report to someone other than your BCOMM instructor. The primary goal of your report is to convince this reader to adopt your solution.
The problem that you will attempt to solve should be real. A real situation is one that you have actually encountered and which affects other people; it might involve a current or former employer, the university, your major department, or a service group to which you belong. Ideally, you should have received authorization already from an employer or sponsor to analyze some problem or question and, using your specialized training and expertise, to find a solution. If you have been unable to obtain actual authorization, you should adopt the persona of someone who has the authority to apply his or her specialized training to a problematic situation.
Audience and Style
Your report should be written directly to a person within your real situation who has the authority to decide whether to accept your recommendations. Your tone should be appropriate to the situation; in most cases, it will be fairly formal.
Body of Report
All reports should introduce a problem, analyze criteria for a solution, evaluate at least one solution against the criteria, and recommend the best solution.
Front and End Matter
Your report should include the following:
- letter or memo of transmittal (<300 words)
- title page
- abstract (150 words)
- table of contents
- body (2,500-3,000 words) including one or two visual aids
- references (3 or more)
- appendices, if needed
Evaluative Criteria
|
Organization A: Effective design concepts and use of numbers. B: Effective design concepts and use of numbers with minor instances of improvement. C: Limited use of design concepts or repeated problems using numerical information. D: Little awareness of design concepts or ineffective use of numerical information.
|
|
Content A: Report provides a compelling explanation of a problem. Throughout the report, evaluations, definitions, and proposals are effectively persuasive for the audience the report addresses. The report’s recommendation is clearly based on extensive research and cogent analysis. B: Report provides a reasonable explanation of a problem. Throughout the report, evaluations, definitions, and proposals are reasonably persuasive for the audience the report addresses. The report’s recommendation is based on research and cogent analysis. C: Report provides a less than satisfactory explanation of a problem. Throughout the report, evaluations, definitions, and proposals are marginally persuasive for the audience the report addresses. The report’s recommendation is based on minimal research and analysis. D: Report provides implausible explanation of a problem. Throughout the report, evaluations, definitions, and proposals are not persuasive for the audience the report addresses. The report’s recommendation is based almost no on research and analysis. |
|
Tone and Conventions A: Professional but approachable style, tailored to the specific audience. Conventions are followed accurately. B: Professional but approachable style, tailored to the specific audience with minor slips in clarity or word choice. Conventions are followed accurately but include minor slips. C: Attempt at professional, approachable style, tailored to the specific audience, but repeated slips in clarity or word choice. Conventions include repeated slips. D: Style and tone are inappropriate for written business communication. F: Unable to assess. |
Name
Course
Instructor
Date
Rashed Alsuwaidi
Penn State University
August 8, 2014
Keith Jervis
Director
Office for Disability Studies
116 Boucke Building Phone: 814-863-180
Dear Mr. Jervis
Enclosed find the report on how to further improve accommodation for students with disabilities at Penn State University. The report highlights on the problem giving background information, research related to the problem, relevant evaluative criteria, and recommendations relevant to deal with the problem. This should be useful in providing a summary of relevant information on the problem, and will highlight on relevance of the issue.
The research conducted delved into the possible ways through which to improve the lives of students with disabilities. Even though, the University has already adopted polices to ensure equality, there is no obligation to provide extra accommodation. Hence, collecting information stored in the halls and accommodation department is pertinent to the research. Furthermore, scheduling meetings and interviews for students with disabilities helps in gathering information. Hence, the research further focused on possible solutions to improve accommodation focusing on incremental changes and assigning specific roles to staff in implementing changes.
I hope that this memorandum provides timely information relevant to further improve the accommodation problem among students living with disabilities. Thanks in advance for taking your time to go through the proposal and I hope to hear from you on the recommendation, and I will address your concerns. Feel free to contact me with my email and phone number.
Yours sincerely,
Rashed Alsuwaidi
Penn State University possible solutions to improving accommodation for students with disabilities
Prepared for: Keith Jervis, Director
Office for Disability Studies
The Pennsylvania State University 116 Boucke Building Phone: 814-863-180
Prepared by: Rashed Alsuwaidi
The Pennsylvania State University
August 10, 2014
Abstract/Executive summary
Providing reasonable accommodation for students living with disabilities is a major concern for Penn State University. However, this has mostly concentrated on education accommodation, but in order to improve equality then there is a need to focus on housing accommodation needs. The Office for Disability Services (ODS) and housing staff should be prepared to work together in order to further improve housing accommodation. Conducting meetings with housing officials will help to highlight on steps undertaken to address housing accommodation for students with disabilities. Furthermore, to carry out research interviews will be conducted to assess how students with disabilities view the current situation, and surveys will also help to gather information relevant. After gathering information the evaluation criteria will be used to assess the efficacy of the propositions. Focusing on gradual changes on policy adoption and students’ concerns is beneficial to influencing policy changes on housing for students with disabilities.
Table of ContentsAbstract/ Executive summary 5 Introduction6Background7Research plan and methodology7Evaluating accessibility9Arranging for meetings9Evaluation criteria10Applicability of the solution10Impact on other students10Whether solution can be adopted11Is the solution long-term and worthwhile?11Overview of possible solutions11Evaluation of solutions against criteria12Recommendations13Conclusions13References14
Introduction
There is a need to focus on the accommodation services for students with disabilities, in order for them to adapt to the living conditions. Hence, modification is usually chosen as one of the strategies to improve the living conditions of the students. Nonetheless, there are minimal changes in housing any section of the students as this would involve higher costs for the University, even when in need to improve accommodation services for the overall student population and specifically to special groups. Reasonable accommodations are provided to people with disabilities, but this has not been adequate to account for the needs of all students. The need for change is in recognition of the relevance in enhancing equality for all students, as physically handicapped students and those with other disabilities find it difficult to access appropriate accommodation. In light of this several solutions have been proposed to meet the needs of the students and improve the University’s handling on matters concerning students with disabilities.
There are increased number of students enrolling in universities and colleges with disabilities. Unlike elementary schools and high schools, where school authorities identify such students, it is the responsibility of students with disabilities to communicate with the Office for Disability Services. Special education laws have made it easier for institutions of higher learning to adopt anti discrimination policies. However, there are students living with disabilities who feel that policies need to focus more on enhancing equality and offer a wider range of specific measures. The Pennsylvania State University not only needs to take into account the needs of students with disabilities but also provide a safe environment.
Background
Penn State University has various disability services offices in different campuses to accommodate for the needs of students with disabilities (PSU, 2014).the Office for Disability Services (ODS) in the University Park location is the main center to deal with disability related issues (PSU, 2014). Similarly, the office stores disability related papers and determines the criteria for reasonable accommodation on academics. There is a need to delve into housing, as the notion of reasonable accommodation has mostly touched on education. Self- advocacy ensures that students can articulate their concerns and seek assistance from the relevant authorities, and education accommodations are typically provided within a practical time frame. There is a concern that it may time to deal with housing accommodation within a reasonable time frame highlighting on the need to evaluate various proposals to address the issue.
Research plan and methodology
In order to carry out the research, it is pertinent to focus on the key stakeholders affecting polices and being affected by the policies adopted. Hence, interviewing students with disabilities and other students is helps to gather information that will be essential to analyzing the situation of housing accommodation for students with disabilities. There are policies already adopted to improve the situation of such students through provisions of reasonable accommodations mostly in education, but less on housing. Meeting with housing and accommodation officials will help to highlight on the steps they have undertaken and the extent to which the policies have been effective. Both interviews and meetings are essential to gauge the participation of students with disabilities. The following paragraphs delve into the research already carried out while also focusing on the viability of the information gathered and how future research is likely to be effective in addressing the limits of housing and accommodations.
Additionally, there was a survey on the policy adoption in similar institutions focusing on the web content and this was compared with the policies in Penn State University. There was recognition that there was a need to ensure equality and access to education. However, since the institutions are not obligated to offer extra accommodation services, there were different polices adopted. There was also recognition that legal stipulations on eliminating discrimination provided a basis upon which to enact policy initiatives. This ensures that staff members understand how the policies are applicable, but students at Penn State University would want their concerns addressed separately on education, engaging in physical activities and accommodation.
Besides interviews and meetings, surveys are important indicators about the prevailing trends on the policy adoption and administration. Furthermore, this will include investigation on the extent to which there are breaches to policies. Thus, a survey was conducted on students to determine whether there were any violations, and if the policies were well suited for the needs of students with disabilities. The results of the survey showed that the Halls Assistant did address issues according to policy formulations. However, there were students who felt that not enough measures were being undertaken to ensure that there was a comprehensive policy framework that would be applicable to students with disabilities on accommodation. In essence, this relates to policies that are specific to accommodation rather than the general welfare of students.
Figure A
77 % of students living with disabilities were satisfied with current housing options while 23% were no satisfied.
Evaluating accessibility
One of the major hurdles for...