Expanding Hamline University: A

Feasibility Report
ENG:1800 Intro to Professional
Writing and Rhetoric
Hunter Winner

Overview

Introduction
Methods
Criteria
Research Results
Conclusions
Recommendations

Proposed area of expansion

Google Maps (2014)

Hamline University- Strategic Plan

Surveyed students understanding of Hamlines strategic
plan
One = Only know of the strategic plan because of this
survey
10= complete understanding of the strategic plan
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
one

two

three

four

five

six

seven

eight

nine

ten

Figure 1. Measure of students surveyed understanding of the Hamline University strategic

plan.

Introduction
In 2007 Hamline unveiled the strategic plan
Each year goals are outlined to complete to meet
the vision set by the Board of Trustees
Goals involving the expansion relate to the size of
the student body, and how to sustainably expand
the university to handle the increased size of the
student population

Enrollment goal set at 2,240, current

enrollment as of 2013 was 2,211 just shy of
the goal

Introduction
The university has met controversy with the
historic Midway neighborhood
Many believe the behavior of purchasing
homes without disclosing the plans to
demolish them for the expansion is unethical

Kozlowski, M. (2014)

Introduction
Of the students surveyed during my research,
13 students of the 16 respondents answered
that they think the university should expand in
the coming years
Reasons explaining their positive responses
Lack of facilities/lack of quality facilities
Growth of the university

Methods
Used the Summon search engine to locate existing research
about my research topic.
Reviewed and analyzed peer reviewed resources on university
expansion, and compared information to the Hamline expansion
plan.
Gathered other outside sources that are provided through
institutions or organizations not peer reviewed but of factual
information and statistics.
I developed, and distributed, a questionnaire to my fellow
students to assess their opinions on the expansion of Hamline
University.
Took the data from the survey and analyzed it into graphics that
help see where the samples of the student body opinions are on
the possibility of Hamline expanding.

Criteria for Feasibility

Is the university expanding at a rate requiring the
complete execution of the strategic expansion plan?
Do the Hamline community and the surrounding
neighborhood see the plan as something that is both
needed and accomplishable under current and
future circumstances?
Do the costs of the plan to the university and the
neighborhood outweigh the benefits to both?
Is there a way to preserve the historical aspects to
the surrounding neighborhood and still allow for the
expansion?

Results
University expansion sustainability is for
environmental, economical, and longevity
Anderson student center was one of the strategic
plan initiatives, and embodies all of the features
of university expansion sustainability

Open lines of communication have served well

in other university expansions, which also
initially were met with resistance by the
surrounding neighborhood

Results
Hamlines retention rate of first year students is 81% in to
their second year, and approximately 90% of first year
students live on campus
Improvement of retention must be done to sustainability
increase enrollment
Other universities have had this problem, studies show that on
campus living does not directly correlate to success in school,

but campus involvement was important to having a sense of

belonging

Results: Primary Research

Results from survey of my fellow students in
ENG 1800. The information obtained from the
16 respondents was useful
12

10

0
Yes, due to lack of quality
facilites

Yes, due to lack of

facilites

Yes, for projected growth No, because the facilities

No because no
are of sufficent quality opinion/not enough info
and are adequate for the
current campus size

Figure 2. Number of students in favor and opposed to Hamlines expansion.

Results: Primary Research

Facilities students would like to see improved
or expanded
Hamline shouldnt expand
faculty office
housing
dining
commuity
recreation/athletic
clasroom/lab
library/research/study
parking
0

10

12

Figure 3. This table uses facilities as away to justify the expansion for Hamlines future.

14

Conclusion
More research must be done to fully
understand the feasibility of expanding
Hamlines Saint Paul campus
As enrollment rises and facilities age
expansion will be very relevant to the
sustainability of the university
The historic Midway neighborhood sees the
expansion as Hamline over expanding further
into the neighborhood than needed

Recommendations
More through research is recommended to
completely determine the feasibility of expanding
Hamline University
Possibility of purchasing historic homes and
repurposing them somewhere in the community
Increased lines of communication with the
surrounding community to avoid
misunderstandings in the future
Research the problems with retention in both
second year student enrollment as well as
campus resident students

Photo Citations
Google. (2014). Google maps. Retrieved November 25,
2014, from
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hamlin
e+University/@44.9658417,93.1693197,16z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x52b32b
460654ebd9:0xb2c3b921083641ba
Kozlowski, M. (2014, October 9). The monitor:
Neighbors express frustrations over hamline u.
demolitions. Retrieved November 25, 2014, from
http://www.dawkinsforag.com/neighbors_express
_frustrations