COVER PAGE (page 1)

Measures to Improve Punctuality

Albus Dumbledore
Dean, Hogwarts Institute of Management

Minerva McGonagall
Associate Dean, Students’ Affairs

December 2019

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL (page 2)

TO: Albus Dumbledore, Dean

FROM: Minerva McGonagall, Associate Dean, Students’ Affairs

SUBJECT: Measures to Improve Punctuality

Date: 18 December 2019

According to your instructions, I am pleased to submit a detailed analysis report on how to improve
punctuality. The report examines the issue of several first-year students coming late to class. I have
outlined possible options for a successful strategy to remedy the situation and have recommended
that handing out creative punishments is the best solution.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (page 3)

Hogwarts is currently facing the issue of tardiness by first-year students. Unpunctuality caused by
external factors coupled with a lackadaisical attitude to discipline threaten to disrupt the academic
schedule. The report examines the explanations offered for the tardiness. Threats, penalty, banning
of favourite pastimes and creative punishments have been reviewed as possible solutions. After
careful consideration and evaluation against the criteria of teacher-student relationship, effect on
class morale and effect on discipline, it is recommended that creative punishment be meted out to
compel students to come on time.

CONTENTS PAGE (Page 4)

Situation Analysis………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………5

Problem Statement……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………5

Options………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………5
Criteria……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….6

Evaluation of Options…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6

Recommendations……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..7

Action Plan……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 7

SITUATION ANALYSIS

Hogwarts Institute of Management is currently facing the problem of tardiness by several first-year
students who come late to class, especially for the first lectures. The issues underlying this case are
explained below:

Traffic jams

The magical city of Mumbai has its dark underbelly of infrastructural problems in the form of traffic
jams. Students have reported that their flying brooms have been stuck in long serpentine queues.
Although this cannot be accepted as a valid reason for unpunctuality, it may be considered as a
contributory factor.

Oversleeping and mischief

Assignment completion being a top priority, students cannot catch up on their sleep and tend to wake
up late. Attending the first morning lecture on time then becomes a challenge greater than
conquering He-who-must-not-be-named. The instances reported also include a case of deliberate
mischief played on unsuspecting first-years by seniors.

Absent-mindedness

The increasing levels of absent-mindedness on the part of students have aggravated the problem as
they have to go back home to fetch their name-tags, their wands, their robes or their quills. Hagrid
shows no mercy if they do not have name tags and threatens to turn them over to Professor Snape
for a dose of memory potion if they are forgetful. So they are forced to fly back and return.

Casual approach to timeliness

It has been observed that students are not particular about keeping time and observing deadlines.
They do not view this as a serious problem that could have repercussions on their careers as MOMs
(Managers of Magic). This perception is evidenced by the highly disturbing reaction on the part of one
first-year student who was reprimanded for coming late for Professor Pomona Sprout’s class: he used
the time-turner causing great consternation and delay.

PROBLEM-STATEMENT

The most important problem that needs to be addressed in this case is, “What steps should we take
to ensure that students come to lectures on time?”

OPTIONS

The school’s failure to ensure punctuality will have long-term effects on general discipline. The
following options can be considered:
 1. Students who come to class late more than thrice in a particular trimester for a particular
lecture be marked absent for one lecture.
2. Students who are late by ten minutes should not be granted attendance.
3. Late-comers will face stringent action in the form of detention with Dolores Umbridge or will
be banned from playing or watching Quidditch till the time they receive their B.O.W.L.S
(Business Ordinary Wizardry Levels).
4. Creative punishments should be meted out to habitual late-comers, for instance: helping
Hagrid in his pumpkin patch, feeding Buckbeak or assisting Mad-eye Moody in cleaning out
his cabin.

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION

In order to check the effectiveness of the above options, the following criteria should be considered:

1. Teacher-student relationship
2. Effect on class morale
3. Effect on discipline

Option 1: Students who come to class late more than thrice in a particular trimester for a particular
lecture will be marked absent for one lecture.

Criterion 1: The teacher-student relationship will be moderately affected by this option. The
lateness may be due to contingencies beyond the students’ control (Please refer to point 1 in the
situation analysis) and the unfairness element may creep into the picture.

Criterion 2: The class morale will be dampened for the same reason described above. Since some
courses are half-credit, the same rules may not apply; if we make this a blanket rule across all
courses, students will be resentful and will start venting in social media. They will play into the
hands of people such as Rita Skeeter, the content manager of “Daily Prophet.”

Criterion 3: The extent to which this will succeed is suspect. Students will calculate the number of
times they can be late, instead of looking upon this as a punishment.

Option 2: Students who are late by ten minutes will not be granted attendance.

Criteria 1: Students will obviously plead or beg the faculty to grant attendance. In which case, kind-
hearted professors will bend this rule, while the stricter ones amongst us will not. This will bring in
the unfairness element which is anathema to this noble vocation.

Criterion 2: The option is apparently harsh and will invite resentment. It will also dampen the class
morale and further affect the motivation to learn.

Criterion 3: This option may have a salutary effect on overall discipline.

Option 3: Late-comers will face stringent action in the form of detention with Dolores Umbridge or
will be banned from playing or watching Quidditch till the time they graduate.

Criterion 1: Stringent punishment will extensively affect teacher-student relationship. In the view of
the fact that the school may apply for accreditation under MAD (Magic Accreditation Department),
this option and its consequences will not bode well for the general atmosphere in the school.
Criterion 2: Stringent action will lower class morale. The present atmosphere in Hogwarts is one of
uncertainty and fear. The students are already under severe pressure to land a good summer
internship. Their morale will be further affected by the threat of punishment.

Criterion 3: The threat of stringent action will certainly meet with great success.

Option 4: Creative punishments be meted out to late-comers, for instance: helping Hagrid in his
pumpkin patch, feeding Buckbeak or assisting Mad-eye Moody in cleaning out his cabin.

Criterion 1: The nature of the punishment will not lead to resentment; on the other hand, it will be
looked upon as a sincere effort by the management to instil a respect for good work ethics.

Criterion 2: Class morale will only be slightly affected because the creative punishment will also be
educative; the motive here would be to drive a lesson home and not to demean or terrify the
student.

Criterion 3: Initially, this option may not meet with a great measure of success; however, as it
becomes clear that the management is serious about implementing this option, and that the
punishment will involve time, energy and effort, it will prove to be an effective strategy.

RECOMMENDATION

It is clear that handing out creative punishments to habitual late-comers is the most promising
solution.

ACTION PLAN

1. The Management should call a meeting of all Area Heads and subject teachers before the
Christmas break to draw up a list of creative punishments for habitual late-comers. Care
should be taken to finish the meeting before nightfall to avoid being attacked by Prof. Lupin.
2. The decision should be widely publicized on “Merlin’s Blackbeard” the school’s online portal.
3. Professor Albus Dumbledore should also inform the students about this decision in person
when he apparates in the classes in the middle of the term to take feedback.