English

 
Project Two: The Proposal
For this project you are proposing an idea that is seeking to solve an issue within Wichita Falls, Texas or at Midwestern State University. Your proposal must outline the problems that are either currently happening (using sources, preferably) and potential solutions that would solve this issue. You will have a budget of $20 million dollars (USD) at your disposal. 
“I don’t know what to write about”
Try to think of issues that directly involve a group of people, the whole of the university or city, etc. The best possible way to generate ideas is to look through past issues of The Times New Record (local paper), The Wichitan (university paper), or think of gaps that are present that other universities in Texas/Oklahoma fill. Think of an issue that will allow you to write 12-20 pages for Project 5. It is important that you think about the Whos, Whats, Hows, and Whys of your problem/solution.
DO NOT WRITE ABOUT PARKING OR PARKING LOTS, A FOOTBALL STADIUM, or TEXTBOOKS. These are utterly boring to read and provide little nuance. Many students who have proposed/written about these issue often fall into the problem of sounding like they are just making a personal complaint. Likewise, your audience (university administrators or local officials) do not care if it takes five to fifteen minutes to find a parking space. 
Consider your audience at all times. You are going to be proposing this issue later to a professional audience. This means you need to write in a serious manner and frame your proposal so that it does not sound like a personal complaint. You need to ground your problems and solutions by showing that they exist rather than telling us.