Assignment 2           By Rasheema Caldwell RES 8926 Qualitative Data Analysis             Nova Southeastern University June 27, 2021 Introduction Creswell (2018) defines Grounded Theory as narrative research that focuses on individual stories told by participants

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Assignment 2

 

 

 

 

 

By

Rasheema Caldwell

RES 8926 Qualitative Data Analysis

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nova Southeastern University

June 27, 2021

Introduction

Creswell (2018) defines Grounded Theory as narrative research that focuses on individual stories told by participants. The intent of a grounded theory study is to move beyond description and to generate or discover a theory, a “unified theoretical explanation” for a process or an action. As it is noted as a well-known methodology employed in many research studies, it involves the collection and analysis of data. The theory is “grounded” in actual data, which means the analysis and development of theories happen after the data has been collected (Charmaz, 2001). Participants in the study have experienced the process, and the development of the theory might help explain practice or provide a framework for further research. A key idea is that this theory development does not come “off the shelf” but rather is generated or “grounded” in data from participants who have experienced the process (Strauss & Corbin, 1998).

The theory was introduced by Glaser & Strauss in 1967 to legitimize qualitative research. The primary objective was to expand upon an explanation of a phenomenon by identifying the key elements of that phenomenon and then categorizing the relationships of those elements to the context and process of the experiment. The theory sets out to discover or construct theory from data, systematically obtained and analyzed using comparative analysis. More recently, Charmaz (2009) has advocated for a constructivist grounded theory, introducing a unique perspective into the conversation about procedures. Charmaz explains grounded theory has considerable significance because it (a) provides explicit, sequential guidelines for conducting qualitative research; (b) offers specific strategies for handling the analytic phases of inquiry; (c) streamlines and integrates data collection and analysis; (d) advances conceptual analysis of qualitative data; and (e) legitimizes qualitative research as scientific inquiry. Grounded theory methods have earned their place as a standard social research method and have influenced researchers from varied disciplines and professions.

The defining characteristics of the grounded theory include simultaneous involvement in data collection and analysis, construction of analytic codes and categories from data, the use of the constant comparative analysis that involves making comparisons during all steps of the process. Corbin and Strauss (2015), provide a structured approach to grounded theory describing the major characteristics of grounded theory that might be incorporated into a research study. The research focuses on a process that has distinct steps or phases that occur over time. In a grounded theory study, the researcher seeks to develop a theory within the process. For example, a theory of faculty support may show how faculty are supported over time, by specific resources, by specific actions taken by individuals, with individual outcomes that enhance the research performance of a faculty member (Creswell & Clark, 2011).

In grounded theory-based analysis, the researcher generally analyzes the data by finding repeating themes by thoroughly reviewing the data, coding the emergent themes with keywords and phrases, grouping the codes into concepts hierarchically, and then categorizing the concepts through relationships. These procedures involved in the data analysis phase are described in relation to the type of grounded theory approach. For instance, the procedures can be structured and then followed by the pattern of developing categories, selecting a category that will be a primary focus of the theory, and then detailing additional categories (axial coding) to form a theoretical model. Selective coding follows as the researcher crosses the intersection of the research. The data analysis can be presented in a less structured manner based on developing the theory by piecing together implicit meanings about a category with providing memos throughput the process (Creswell, 2018).

There are various types of qualitative case studies. These studies are distinguished by the focus of analysis for the bounded case, such as whether the case involves studying one individual, several individuals, a group, an entire program, or an activity. With the intent of case analysis, three variations exist in terms of intent including the single instrumental case study, the collective or multiple case study, or the intrinsic case study. An instrumental case study is a case (i.e. person, specific group, occupation, department, organization) providing insight on a particular issue, redraw generalizations, or it builds theory. Creswell (2018) defines the researcher’s role as one who researcher focuses on an issue or concern and then selects one bounded case to illustrate this issue.

The collective case study involves studying multiple cases simultaneously or sequentially in an attempt to generate an understanding of a particular issue. In view, one issue or concern is selected, but the researcher selects multiple case studies to illustrate the issue. Yin (2009) suggests that the multiple case study design uses the logic of replication, in which the inquirer replicates the procedures for each case. The difference between an intrinsic and instrumental case study is not the case but rather the purpose of the study because an intrinsic case study is a case of primary interest exploring specific issues about a person, specific groups, occupation, or an organization, building a theory and redrawing generalizations. This study focuses on the case itself because the case presents an unusual or unique situation.

To begin, one has to determine if a case study approach is appropriate for studying the research problem. Next, identify the intent of the study and select the case (or cases). In conducting case study research, it is recommended that investigators consider the intent and type of case study needed. Once the need is identified, develop procedures for conducting the data collection drawing on multiple data sources. This will be an extensive process due to the common sources such as observations, interviews, documents, and/or audiovisual materials needed. Lastly, specify the analysis approach on which the case description integrates an analysis theme and contextual information. When using multiple cases, a typical format is needed to provide a detailed description of each case and themes within the case, called a within-case analysis. This is followed by a thematic analysis across the cases, called a cross-case analysis, as well as assertions or an interpretation of the meaning of the case (Creswell, 2018).

Interview Transcript: Track 1

Yael Greenberg: Today is Thursday, April 3rd, 2003. My name is Yael Greenberg, oral history program assistant for the Florida Studies Center. We continue a series of interviews in our studio here in the Tampa Campus Library with USF faculty, students, and alumni, in order to commemorate 50 years of university history. Today we will be interviewing Vicki Ahrens, who came to USF in 1969. First as a student, later she became a staff member of the university in 1974, and left the university in June of 1994. Good morning, Vicki, how are you?

Vicki Ahrens: Good morning. I’m doing well, thanks.

YG: Let’s begin by you taking us to the year you arrived in Tampa; and what circumstances brought you to the University of South Florida?

VA: It’s sort of interesting. I’ve been thinking about these things and at that time back in the late ’60s there weren’t as many choices of universities in Florida as there are now. There were really only three state—four state universities: Florida, Florida State, FAMU, and USF, which was the new kid on the block. Being the first kid in my family to ever think about going to college, I decided to do something completely different and selected the University of South Florida. Nobody else I knew was coming here and I just kind of set out from my family home in Miami and said, “I’ll try USF and see what happens.” Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: V.A. described college in the 60 to having a limited number of opportunities to attend in Florida; only 4 choices to choose from Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/23/21: V.A. shares experience of being the first to attend college within the family which was a huge accomplishment back then; not common.

YG: What did the University of South Florida look like in 1969?

VA: Well, it looked a lot different than it does now. In fact, I’m struck every time I return to the campus since I’ve been gone at the drastic and dramatic physical changes to the campus. But Fowler Avenue was two-laned, there was a single restaurant seated where the University Mall currently is; there was a single hotel on the corner of Fowler and 30th Street, and the university, and that was it. That was all there was on Fowler Avenue. Now, it was paved then. There are some people who went to school here when Fowler Avenue wasn’t paved, but it was a paved road then. Fletcher was also a two-lane road with very little there. In fact, the first fast food restaurants that we had in the area were over on 56th street in that Temple Terrace area and it took a long time before the fast food era made it over to Fowler and Fletcher. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: Describes the feeling of present day vs in the 60s uses the wording I am stuck indicating an element of surprise when she sees how far campus has developed for students Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: A comprehensive description of where campus was located; 56th & Fowler

YG: When you first came here as a student, were there a lot of students coming to USF in 1969?

VA: USF was really very small then. It had much of a small school atmosphere. I think that’s one of the things that made USF special to me. It was an environment where you could really, really make a difference in what was going on; help shape the tradition, help shape the university. There were—we had just opened the Andros dorms. They, what is that, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, Eta, that group. I was among the first group that lived in Kappa Hall. Dorm government was big. And the on-campus community was very, very close. There was a lot of relationships between faculty and staff and students; a lot of expectation among faculty and staff that they would interact with students. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: C: 6/23/21: Universities in the 60 had a small enrollment number Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: Shares personal feeling as a student of how campus made her feel Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: V.A. describes the experiences of being a freshman and new initiatives for the university Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: New physical attribute of school; new dorm opened Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/23/21: A monumental experience as a student being one of the first to live in Kappa Hall (dorm) Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: V.A. described journey of student life that many relationships were built on campus as a student

Memo: 6/22/21: V.A. Shared a sense of pride attending USF. It was a very small environment that felt like a family feel and belonging.

 

And so it was very much a collegial environment. It was a very small feeling and acting, and yet USF was getting bigger and bigger, primarily through the commuter students that were living in the Tampa Bay area. So, you had sort of a small school within a large school, giving students really the opportunity on both sides of the coin. The small school experience where really everybody knew you, you could make a difference. You could get heavily involved in student life, and at the same time, the breadth and depth of career choices, major choices that only a larger school can offer. So, it was really a very nice compromise. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/23/21: A sense of compromise to be on a small campus but student life seemed large

YG: Were there a lot of other women attending college along with you?

VA: It’s interesting that you should ask the women question. In fact, when I was thinking through my early years at USF as an undergraduate student, I was remembering the whole issue of visitation in the resident halls. I was living in the residence halls at the time that there was that big to-do about men being able visit and go into women’s residence halls and one of the local dignitaries referred to on-campus dormitories as, “taxpayers whorehouses.” And there was a great hue and cry among the female students. And in fact, demonstrations if you will, about our interest in being able to maintain the opportunity to have guests in our residence halls, be they male or female. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: C: 6/23/21: V.A. remembers the issue of visitation of men and women in the residence hall

I was a member of a social sorority and thinking back virtually everyone in the sorority was an education major. We had very, very few people doing anything other than education, that traditional route for women. And I think that, that time, the years that I was an undergraduate from ’69 to ’73, really was the time when we began to see the opportunities for women open up. And so it was just a fascinating time to be on a college campus; one that was growing like USF. We had the women’s issues coming to the forefront. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: V.A shares experience of being a member of a social sorority Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: C: 6/23/21: There were certain routes of schooling women took during the time frame

Of course it was the Vietnam War era and a lot of student activism with regard to what was going on in Vietnam. All of the guys that we were in school with were registered for the draft. There was the whole lottery thing, and, you know, when you graduated, what was your lottery number and how quickly were you going to be drafted, and so it was just kind of a fascinating time and something that, really, I think shaped a generation. And it just that little period of time from the mid ’60s to the mid ’70s really made a difference for women, for people, for political activism, and what young people can do to change the world. And I think there was just a lot of that stuff going on that our students today don’t see in the same way and don’t have the same opportunities to express themselves in many cases. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: C: 6/23/21: This was the route designed for men back then. Men were likely to be drafted in the army and a sense of choice was limited versus today

YG: I want to go back to a couple of things that you said. You said that you were one of the first people in your family to go to college. Were you of traditional age to go to college?

VA: Yes. I came to USF right out of high school. I graduated in Miami and went to school. Graduated in the traditional four years. Like I said, I was involved in a social sorority, in dorm government, and student government. So, I just did the real traditional college experience in a very nontraditional setting, which was kind of fun. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/25/21: V.A. describes her educational journey of graduating high school and entering college Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/25/21: a sense of fun entering college

YG: Well, in terms of diversity in those early days, were—when you talked about women, were there African Americans or Hispanics that were going to school with you?

VA: Relatively little diversity on the campus at that time. Probably a handful of African Americans. Hispanics, because I grew up in Miami, I’ve never been real sensitive to the presence of Hispanics. I don’t know how to say that exactly, I don’t consider them to be a minority, so it doesn’t—I don’t have the same recollection of the Hispanic population because it’s just part of what I grew up with. But there were very few African Americans on campus at that time. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: C: 6/23/21: Diversity was limited on campuses back in the 60s Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: C: 6/23/21: Recalls very few African-Americans on campus in the 60s

Memo: 6/22/21: V.A. provided an insight on many issues that we see globally today such as gender dorms and visitation expectation, recruiting process of minority students, and race and diversity disparities.

 

And again, one of the things that, as I moved through my undergraduate career and got involved in working with new students, which is how I started as a professional at USF, one of the first things that happened when we established this new office called “New Student Relations, ” which was responsible for recruitment of students. USF had really, never done a lot of active recruitment of students. And at that point we needed—it was obvious that USF had the opportunity out there. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: Lived experience as a student and how transition into a faculty member helped changed the trajectory for future students on campus

So, the university put together an office called the Office of New Student Relations. And there were three primary staff members there. One to recruit traditional aged freshmen, one to recruit minority students with an emphasis on African American students, and one to work with students over the traditional age. And so that was in 1973 when that office was developed. And so it was really the first time that USF took a real comprehensive look at the makeup of the student body and said, Here are the areas where we need to make the commitment, we need to look at what we’re doing here. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: C: 6/23/21: Office put together to change the narrative at university trying to recruit minorities and over the traditional age students Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: C: 6/23/21: Colleges now use additional data points to strengthen college enrollment such GPA, geographic; not just race and gender alone

Because of the nature of the state university, USF has always been heavily loaded at the junior, senior level because of the influx of students from the Florida public community colleges. And so, this was really the first emphasis on the traditional age freshman, on the freshmen minority student, on reaching out to the community over the traditional age; and so that we can look at broadening that base of participation at USF.

YG: In terms of a major and a field of study, when you first came here in 1969, what kind of course were you taking?

VA: I just laugh about this because I came here as a math major. I thought that I would be a math teacher, one of my role models in high school. And so, but I had—the education thing was sort of secondary because everybody said, Oh no, you could go off and be an insurance actuary or something that uses this mathematics. And so I got into math. I was taking, of course, your general education courses, your freshman English and social studies courses. And then I hit my first semester of calculus. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L:6/23/21: Laughs about entering college with the idea of majoring in math Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: V.A. shares details of college experience as a student and how she experienced course classes

And actually, back then we were on the quarter system, so it was my first quarter of calculus. It was the second quarter of my freshman year. I can remember so vividly, the instructor was a graduate assistant, and he would start on a board over here on this side of the classroom and I mean, before you knew it, these chalkboards—back then, chalkboards, not whiteboards, chalkboards—were just full of this stuff all the way over here, and I had—I remember just sitting there, thinking, This is way too theoretical for me. You know, it had gotten to the point where I wasn’t relating to this math stuff. So, I backed off that and chose a different area eventually. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D. 6/23/21: V.A. describes campus tools using chalkboards in the 60s versus using whiteboards present day

But I was one of those people that changed their major a bunch of times before I actually settled in. And of course I’m not doing anything now that remotely relates to what I did academically. But the classes were relatively small then. We didn’t have the lecture halls that exist now because the buildings simply weren’t there. There was one over in the College of Fine Arts, and there were those rooms over in the physics building. But there were just weren’t a lot of large classrooms. So, as a result there weren’t a lot of large classes. All of the freshmen classes were—a lot of them were taught by teaching assistants, which people don’t realize that this has been pretty much a standard in higher education for years. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: V.A. describes not having lecture halls in the 60s vs campus classes now Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: V.A. describes college classes were taught be teaching assistants in the 60s vs professors now

And even as a young institution, USF was establishing graduate programs. And my freshman English course, my freshman math courses were all taught by TA’s and graduate students who were pursuing higher degrees. And so that—people think that that’s a big deal and it’s been like that forever and it doesn’t seem to have damaged any of the quality of the education. But I know that that’s one of the things that you sometimes hear students talking about, is that they don’t want teaching assistants.

Memo: 6/23/21: There are many changes of the university from the 60s to present day, such as the types of data points universities use to strengthen college enrollment and many classes were taught by teacher assistants back then.

 

And I’ve always been of course, of the opinion that sometimes a graduate assistant may do a better job of instruction than a full faculty member who is very interested in research and higher level pursuits and isn’t really interested in 18 year olds who are trying to figure out how to get themselves out of bed to go to class for the first time in their lives. And so, you know it’s just that I found my academic experience was really, really quite good. Although I don’t have a lot to compare it to because USF is the only place I’ve ever gone to school. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/23/21: Gives a strong opinion that graduate assistants perform better that full time faculty members Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/25/21: V.A. emphasizes that her academic experiences was a good one

 

YG: You mentioned that in those early days there was a lot of interaction between students and faculty and students and staff. Can you talk about the kinds of interactions that you had?

VA: All student organizations back then regardless of fraternities, sororities, interest groups, whatever they were, dorm government, were required to have an advisor from the faculty or the staff. You had to have that person, who was basically your link to the university administration. So, always student organizations were looking for faculty and staff who would participate, who had interest in what they were doing—their particular organization. And so, and that person who was asked to be that faculty or staff adviser typically took that role very seriously. They became a mentor to that student organization and to those student groups. So that there was always that kind of relationship with a single faculty or staff person. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: A description of fraternities & sororities requirements back in the 60s

 

There were also a fair number of freshmen mixers, or student mixers, or dances or whatever you want to call them, where there were faculty and staff who would chaperone. They would bring their spouses and it was very community oriented. It’s something I know now that a lot of schools are going back to as they’re looking at learning communities and establishing learning communities that create those relationships with faculty and staff. We had that from the beginning. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: Back then freshman mixers were looked at as learning communities instead of campus parties

 

In fact, we had, you know, a dean of men and a dean of women and that whole structure. The university acted in loco parentis, in place of parents. The university staff were very involved in the wellbeing of the students. They considered it their personal obligation to not only deal with the academic education but with the social and personal development of students. So it was just—and when I became a member of the staff in 1974, that, again, was part of the expectation, that I would participate in student life and student activities. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: Professors took on to look after students social well-being in addition to academics Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/23/21: V.A. made a commitment as a professor to mimic the same principles displayed while as a student on campus

 

And when there was the flea market kind of thing on a Wednesday or if there was a new student social or whatever, that I would be there meeting the new students, welcoming to the university and supporting their efforts in education. And back then the leadership for that came out of the division of student affairs and it was very, very student oriented. Very much, you know, that students were the center of the institution. And the undergraduate student was the center of the institution. And so there was a great deal of warm and fuzziness. And a lot of close relationships between faculty and staff and it was just a very pleasant, it was very nice to walk into a classroom building and say hello to a lot of faculty that you knew not only perhaps because you were in their class but because they were advisors for a student organization or they had been a chaperone at a student activity. It just created a real nice sense of community. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: V.A. Describes what leadership among faculty members looked like on campus back then Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/23/21: Experiences on campus was a warm and fuzzing feeling of the relationships between faculty and staff

 

YG: You mentioned dorm life, and I believed you had mentioned Kappa. Can you tell me what Kappa looked like in those early years?

 

VA: It looked like a concrete block. Small rooms. The lobby had Danish modern furniture in it that was burnt orange and it had this shag carpet, very ’60s. The first year that I lived on campus in ’69, ’70, we were still under a sign in/sign out process in the residence halls. And so, in the lobby of the dorm was a metal card slot with a punch card, if you will, for every resident of the building. And as you left you clocked out and when you came in you clocked in. And there was a person on-duty in the residence hall lobby 24 hours a day, and when you came in you had to show your ID, you had to punch in, you had to punch out, so that it was not the kind of open environment. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: Physical description of dorm in the 60s-concrete block, shag carpet, Danish furniture Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: V.A. lived in the dorm ’69-’70 where it was a sign-in/sign-out process Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: Detailed description of how to clock in and out of the dorm with ID

Memo: 6/23/21: Differences of university from the 60s to present: Fraternities & sororities requirements, leadership decisions, dorm life and appearance, and meal plan changes.

 

 

Guests had to be escorted into the bedroom areas. So, they would call you from the lobby and say you had a visitor and then you’d come down stairs and you’d get your visitor and go upstairs. And so it was all very controlled. And at certain times of the evening there would be a check on the cards on who was still out. And we didn’t have hours, per se, but people were always aware of who was out, who wasn’t in yet, asking roommates and just making sure that everyone was okay in a very controlled kind of environment. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: 6/23/21: Description of guests being escorted to bedroom areas; first announced you had a visitor and you calculated hours, when hours ran out for the week you had to wait until hours replenish

 

And then we all of course had to be on the meal plan, so everybody ate together in the residence hall cafeteria area. And so again, that was another opportunity to create a lot of interaction because everybody who lived in the residence halls ate in the cafeteria. And lunch was only available back then from 11 to 1 or something like that. So, every single person who lived there was eating there. So, the social environment and all of the resident assistants and resident instructors who lived on campus ate in the residence halls. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: All students had to be on a meal plan it was not an option Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/23/21: Describes feeling as a student-good feeling to interact with others socially while at lunch

 

And because you ate in that confined period, you knew virtually everybody. And so it all created a great sense of community. We were not allowed then to have lofts, we were not allowed to paint our walls. We were not allowed to open our windows. So there were all kinds of rules and regulations governing these cinderblock small areas. I thought I lived in a very nice dorm because it was air-conditioned. Not all residence hall facilities at all state universities at that time were air-conditioned. And in fact that was one of the selling points for USF and the residence halls was that they were fully air-conditioned. In Florida that becomes a selling point. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: Students couldn’t live in lofts; couldn’t paint their rooms; rules and regulations govern the cinderblock areas Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/25/21: A sense of relief because dorm was air-conditioned

 

They were carpeted and very nice and very modern and very new by comparison to some of the other residence hall facilities at other state universities. But of course, looking back it reminds me of the fact that that’s why the dorms are made for 18 year olds, because certainly this 50 year old would not be living in a residence hall these days. And yet they, again, created a great environment for personal and social growth and development. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/25/21: Showed a sense of love that dorm was very nice and modern at the times made living in residence hall a great environment

 

YG: You mentioned the idea of the cafeteria and the cafeteria being a place where people got together and socialized. What was the food like in those early days?

 

VA: The food’s about the same as it is now, I would think. Yes. It’s just one of those—but you know, interesting enough it just wasn’t a big deal. You just went. It was the expectation, of course. And what’s so different now is that, you know, if you go now even into a secondary school and you look at the cafeteria options and you know they’ve got Subways, or you know, the fast food franchises in the high schools. That wasn’t the environment I grew up in. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: Made a comparison of food served in the cafeteria vs now, noting food was about the same Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: Made a distinct overview that students attending university have more options of food such as food franchise places

 

In those days you just went down the hall, down the line with your tray and ate what was offered to you. And so, again, it wasn’t a big deal, it was just the way it was, and people didn’t really get uptight about the food. You know, it was kind of like, today, I liked what they have. Today it’s not so good. Oh, well. We’ll have to go this afternoon and get something off campus. It just didn’t become a really big deal, but it was the standard institutional food and you did the right down the cafeteria line with your beverages and took your little tray to your table. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/25/21: V.A. Gave a detailed account on how students were served food in the 60s Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: C: 6/25/21: Today’s era is a huge deal on food service back then it really wasn’t a big deal, instructional food was all that was offered

 

And you know in cafeteria there were always places where certain groups would sit. You know, certain sororities or fraternities would sit together or they would all have their little corners of the cafeteria or this group or that group. And so there was a lot of, again, affiliation available at that time. And a lot of rushing, if you will, for student organizations occurred informally at those meal functions as people would come to lunch or dinner and not have anyone to sit with, or, Come sit with us, kind of this. And again, just a very, very collegial environment.

 

YG: You mentioned being in a sorority. What sorority were you in?

 

VA: I’m a KD [Kappa Delta]. And I found that to be one of the most significant experiences that I had. And I think, again, because USF didn’t and still doesn’t—but we’re getting closer—have the fraternity, sorority housing, the sorority membership and involvement was a little bit different than you found at a traditional university. When you were in a traditional university at that time you lived in the sorority house. So, the sorority thing kind of consumed and created your life. You lived, eat, breathe, and sleep with your sorority sisters. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/23/21: Rewarding student experience to be a part of Kappa Delta Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/25/21: sorority life was consuming, you lived, ate, breathed, and slept with sorority sisters

 

At USF, because we didn’t have that kind of living environment, a sorority became a student organization choice in much the same way that the Catholic Student Union became a student organization choice, or whatever that interest was. And that it was a social organization they had to work a lot harder to create that sense of community, sisterhood, and brotherhood because it wasn’t built in by living in certain places. And yet at the same time it didn’t pigeonhole people. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/26/21: A recount of USF being a living community, loved that it created a sense of sisterhood for her

 

It gave individuals the opportunity to do that and do this, and this, and this. And so there was, again, a lot of flexibility with that. And one of the things that I think particularly appealed to me because I was not interested in being pigeonholed. I had been pigeonholed my whole life, and when I came to college, that was one of the things that was very important to me. So, you would find me doing war protests in the administration building, carrying candles on my way to a sorority meeting, which you didn’t find on a lot of—that opportunity on a lot of campuses, for that flexibility and, again, freedom of expression. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/23/21: Enjoyed the experienced of freedom in college was a good feeling of not being pigeonholed Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/23/21: was able to protest for a good cause and allowed to show freedom of expression

 

YG: Who was the president of the university when you first came?

 

VA: I think it would be John Allen would be the president and Cecil Mackey came, I think, in ’71-ish, somewhere in that neighborhood. So, John Allen retired not too long after I came here as an undergraduate. When I went to work on the staff, Cecil Mackey was the president, and it was Cecil Mackey who really provided the impetus for some of the things that we did in the mid-’70s that moved USF a little more out of the, We’ll just build it and they will come, into the more planned growth and development era. Cecil Mackey was the one who gave the impetus to this office of new student relations and the development of that recruitment team that I mentioned earlier. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/25/21: Gave an account of university’s presidents from ’71 to the mid-70s C. Makey built up school

 

Cecil Mackey was the one who said that we needed to have a comprehensive new student orientation program, which was not the norm at that point in time. And so USF was really on the cutting edge of all of our relationships with new students, with the recruitment, with the orientation. The concept of the office of new student relations being the consistent contact point between the first time that the student perhaps got a letter from USF or talked with a USF representative in their high school, all the way through their initial registration, their orientation, their moving into the residence halls. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/25/21: University expansion-development of new student relations program

 

So, that office really took interest in the new student from beginning to end of their new student until they actually got to the campus, got registered, got settled in, and then moved forward from there. And so it was really a seamless way of getting student acclimated to the university and one that was real important. The literature probably still says—I don’t know, I’m a little outdated on my educational literature—but that students who drop out, drop out in the first semester more frequently, or the first term in school. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/25/21: Uses the phrase “a seamless process” speaks V.A. convictions about the impact the university had on freshman students

 

If you can get students through that first term, then the chances are good that they’ll hang with the college experience even though there will always be bumps in the road. So, one of the points of the office new student relations was to make that transition positive, easy, and supportive for the student so that they would stay. You know, it’s so much easier to keep the students you have than to continue to go out and try to find more. So, the retention piece of that whole process, that retention begins with recruitment was sort of the point of all of this office of new student relations and that really all came from Cecil Mackey. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/23/21: V.A. describes the aspect of being a professor making the process easier and supportive for incoming students

Memo: 6/24/21: Experiences as a student included a sense of freedom-freedom of speech, freedom to join sorority, freedom of expression, being in such a rich social environment contributed to these factors.

 

 

YG: I want to go back a little bit to you as a student.

 

VA: Okay.

 

YG: And your course load, what was a typical course load like for you?

 

VA: No different than it is now. We were on the quarter system; 12 to 15 hours was pretty standard for a fulltime student. One thing that—it makes me laugh because I still have my catalog from my freshman year, and the quarters tuition or registration fee from a Florida resident was $150, and you took as many courses as you wanted to for $150. And that’s what it cost. And you know, a great hue and cry when it was raised a couple of years later to $180 a quarter. You know, it was very, very big stuff. But there was not the per credit hour charge that we see now in the university system, but just, you know, $150, that was it. Take as many as you wanted. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: V.A. describes the cost of tuition in the 60s vs now; back then you took as many classes as you wanted for one fee vs now there is a charge per credit hour

 

And what you would find is students doing very creative things. They would in fact register for more hours than they knew they could reasonable handle. They would register for 18, 19, 20, 21 hours, fully intending to work with faculty to take incompletes in these courses so that they could reduce the number of quarters for which they had to pay registration fees by overloading in registration. We did, if I can talk for a minute about registration. Registration was held in the ballroom of what is now the Marshall Center. And the bookstore was in the basement of what is now the Marshall Center. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: V.A. Gives and account on the process of registration and the difference between then and now

 

So, the registration was up on the second floor and the bookstore was down in the basement. So it was sort of a one-stop shopping for registration in what was then the UC, the University Center. And literally, we pulled punch cards to register for class. So, if a class had 30 seats in it, there would be a box with 30 punch cards for Section 1 of freshman English. And you would go and stand in line and say you wanted section 1, and if there was a punch card left, you got it. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: V.A explains students had to use a punch card to attend classes

 

And then you’d go to this little table when you gathered all your punch cards for all of your classes or, then you’d have to sometimes go back and trade in your punch cards because what was available conflicted with something you already had. So you were back and forth around this little ballroom, trading in, trading out punch cards. And then you wrote your name and your student number, which was your social security number, and turned them in at the end of the line. And then they went to some group of people who did all of this key punching to create the class rolls and generate grade sheets and all of those things. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: V.A. gives a detailed account of student accountability for classes was based on turning in punch cards at the end of the day

 

But it all started with this punch card. Needless to say there were sometimes errors with this. And you know, resolving the punch card errors were probably more difficult than resolving the computer errors. But it was all very manual and, again, there were just these people who sat at these tables and handed out these punch cards for registration. It’s one of my very fondest memories. And we’ve always talked about the fact as the university grew and technology was embraced and we moved from punch cards to filling out a form that then was put into a computer, it was really a request form, it wasn’t a registration form, and then you waited to see what came back. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/26/21: Describes the use of punch cards and the errors made because they were manual. Reflects on time as one of the fondest memories.

 

And all those things. The telephone registration to now the online registration, and I was fascinated in fact to hear we thought, when we had telephone registration that we were just absolutely at the end of the technology. I mean, that was just the cat’s meow and we’d never have to have people standing in line for registration ever again. It was a wonderful thing. And I just learned recently that telephone registration is being discontinued because nobody’s using it anymore and everybody is registering online. But the dramatic changes, again, between 1970 and 1990 in technology and the growth of the university and how we had to grow to handle the registration. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/23/21: Describes how she is fascinated with the way registration has changed from telephone to online, compared it to a cat’s meow.

Memo: 6/23/21: Differences of university from the 60s to present: started with 3 original buildings, registration differences, and student accountability

 

 

It’s just mind-boggling. You know, the number of buildings that were built. You know, you talk about coming and the three original buildings that what is now the student services building, the administration building, and the university center. When I started school the dorms were being built, there were still some residence halls under construction. Fine arts was there, you know, the life sciences building and physics, but the old College of Business building, the old social science building, that was about it. I mean, there just wasn’t that much there and it’s just incredible the kind of growth the university’s experienced in its first 50 years. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/23:21: V.A. appeared mind-boggled about how the buildings have changed at the university. It started with three buildings.

 

YG: Where did you go to study and to socialize?

 

VA: Let’s see. A lot of socializing in the university center. A lot of socializing in the library. It wasn’t quite as controlled an environment as it is now. In the residence halls on each floor there was a lounge area for the residents that had a—because we weren’t allowed to have cooking utensils or anything like that—so, we had to have this community oven and sink that was in the lounge area. In the Andros and Argos center there were study lounges. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: V.A Describes as a student she socialized a lot in the library and university center Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: Describes how cooking utensils were not allowed; there was only a community oven and sink in the lounge area

 

So, there was a lot of going there to study, but mostly people would just kind of, I don’t want to say hang out but there was a lot of hanging out. There was a lot of outside activity, a lot of—of course, remember the era we’re talking about—folk singing, music. People did a lot of singing. And that is one of the things that even then when the sororities and fraternities, when they had their Greek week, there were competitions, and it was signing competitions. So, there were serenades and folk music and always small groups of people clustered outside under trees. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/23/21: As a student there was enjoyment on campus, a lot singing and good music

 

Again, remembering the era, this was, you know, make love, not war. We had our share of hippies and recreational drug usage was beginning to be a thing. And so there was just a great deal of that; those small, informal gatherings. And you would also interestingly enough, that is another place where you would see some of the student affairs staff. You would see the staff who lived in the residence halls out with the residents in this environment. And so it was just a great time. A great time to be at USF and a great time to be 20 years old. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/23/21: V.A. describes it was a great time to be a student, a good time be to 20 yrs. old

 

YG: Was there a dress code for students and faculty in those early days?

 

VA: Well, yes. There was a dress code as a matter of fact. People would get yelled at if their shorts were too short. They’d have to talk to the dean of students about those things. That was—many people at that time, women were still wearing dresses or skirts to class. Men, if you go back and look at some of the old year books. You know, men: shirts and ties. It was a little more formal but again, I came in in the late ’60s and that was when we began to see that whole transition from the kind of university as a place of privilege to the university as the place for every man, and that whole concept of freedom of speech, freedom of thought, freedom of action. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: There was a dress code; no short shorts Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: Men were shirts and ties; more formal

 

The university struggling to determine its goal in supporting students to develop as human beings and at the same time, students demonstrating behaviors that were not perceived as appropriate. And so it was a real challenge for the university at that time. By the time my freshman year ended, blue jeans were the standard and the sort of the cut off and stringier the better, and we moved right into that very sloppy stage in a period of about nine months. By the time I came back in the fall of 1970 there were no hours anymore in the dorm, there was none of that clock in, clock out stuff. In that one year things had just changed dramatically in between ’69 and ’70. And the university changed those practices because there was a lot of discontent, if you will. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: C: 6/23/21: The university struggled to determine its goal in supporting students to develop as a human Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: University started making changes in the 70s; no longer dorm curfew; no more clocking in for class

Memo: 6/23/21: V.A. enjoyed being a student-socialized a lot, sung songs and listened to music, and attended informal gatherings.

 

 

YG: This discontent, these inappropriate behaviors, let’s talk a little bit about that.

 

 

VA: Public affection, for example? Not allowed in the residence halls, not allowed in the lobbies, conversations about inappropriate expressions of public affection. Walking across campus, holding hands was okay. It wasn’t really appropriate to be sitting up against the dorm on the outside making out, that wasn’t quite acceptable. And again, a great deal of the university staff and faculty acting as parents would. That first year particularly, I can remember a lot of that. There were demonstrations, if you will, about dress codes. There were demonstrations about hours, there were all this business I mentioned earlier, the visitation. Because of the way the world was, demonstrations were the standard. If you didn’t like something, go get some posters and start marching. So we were marching for everything. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: C: 6/23/21: Public affection was not allowed back then, conversations about inappropriate expressions of public affection Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: C: 6/23/21: As a student a march took place if you wanted change

 

YG: In terms of demonstrations, you were going to school during, as you said, a very tumultuous time in the world. And I want to talk a little bit about Vietnam. Were there demonstrations against Vietnam on campus and did you participate in them?

 

VA: Yes there were demonstrations but they were never very big. It’s one thing again, in the way I’ve always characterized the early days at USF, USF was a very accepting environment. So, if you chose to protest that was fine. If you didn’t chose to protest that was fine, too. Candlelight vigils, candlelight marches, in the administration building, sitins, if you will, in the administration building. We had some, but fortunately never any that got out of control, that became riot-based or violent in any way. Always very peaceful. And to answer your question, yes, I did participate in candlelight marches. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: C: 6/23/21: If students didn’t choose to protest candlelight vigils and marches were permitted which never turned into a riot

 

I was in school when Kent State happened. And Kent State was the impetus for most of the protests here at the university. And back them we didn’t have, really, university police, we just had university security officers; they were not uniformed officers or sworn officers of the law. But they were very, very careful to let this play out. And again, the dean of women, dean of men, student affairs staff, very involved with getting people to talk through their concerns, and there was a great deal of that, and fortunately, never any violent protests. And most of the protests were very small and very understated in there. But again, that outlet was there for those who felt strongly, who wanted to express their opinion about the war and the world. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: V.A. Describes how university security officers were not sworn or uniform back then vs. university police on campus now

 

YG: Race relations. Were there demonstrations about race relations at the university?

 

VA: Not while I was at school. Now, when we got into the early ’70s after I had graduated, there was a little more racial tension then. In the ’60s there just wasn’t that much racial tension. There was, you know, of course that was at the height of the integration and just an incredible time in our country. But USF didn’t have a lot of minority students and the minority students that were here were very much blended into the campus life. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: C: 6/23/21: Didn’t experience racial tension while as a student

 

So, there wasn’t a black student union for a while. You know, with you, I’ve always talked about Florida being a little behind the times, you know, but eventually the civil rights unrest did reach Florida, and there were some militant African American students and some white students protesting the fact that we didn’t have more African American students and those kinds of things, but not something that made the environment uncomfortable. It was all very open and—I don’t know how to explain this exactly, you felt like you were sharing this. The protests that black students created were for everyone to protest this issue. It was never exclusive, it was always very inclusive. And that’s sort of how USF was back then. Because I think it was, you know, small and everybody just kind of did everything. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: C: 6/23/21: Back then white students protested because they didn’t have more African-American students

Memo: 6/24/21: V.A. experienced a traumatic time in college. She experienced a fire in her dorm room. She lost everything she owned. Out of the experienced she described she continued to reiterate that she could remember this incident vividly.

 

 

YG: I want to slowly transition now to you becoming a staff member. But before I do I want to ask a final question in your student mode. Do you have a favorite memory? Or something that really sticks out for you being a student?

 

VA: It’s one of my favorites and people will laugh if anybody who knows me ever sees this tape. In the fall of 1970, the week before school started, my sophomore year, I had a fire in my dorm room. And it’s referred to generically, for those who were around then, as the “Kappa fire.” It was a very big fire and the first big fire that the university had ever had in a building. And it turned out that—and again one must remember the era we’re in —that the people that lived next door to me, one of the students was heavily involved in art and had all kinds of aerosol paint and decoupage, you know, that lacquer stuff, and blah, blah, blah. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/23/21: Experienced a fire in dorm room known as the kappa fire; first fire university ever had in building

 

Well, it turns out that the drape was open; the sun came in—true story—reflected off of a magnifying makeup mirror, which we had back then, to the bed and started the mattress on fire while we were at lunch. The middle of the day; we were sitting in the cafeteria. And I can remember vividly what I had on, what I was doing. We were eating. And back then you just carried your meal card with your ID. You didn’t carry a lot of other stuff. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/23/21: V.A. describes the vivid memories of the campus fire

 

What I had to my name at that point was my meal card with my ID and the clothes that I had on my back. And I can remember vividly leaving the cafeteria and seeing all these people filing out of Kappa hall and laughing because school hadn’t even started yet and somebody had set off the fire alarm. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/26/21: V.A. gives a detail account of how her dorm room caught on fire

 

Well, it turns out there was a big fire and by the time this all happened, flames were coming out of the second floor room and lapping up onto the third floor. And the fire department came and the guy I was dating called the radio station and got a check for $13.80 for the news tip of the day for the fire on the USF campus. And it was just scary of course, because you lose everything you’ve owned. But that was when you saw the university act like a community. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/23/21: A scary feeling to lose everything you own except your ID card and the clothes you had on

 

And there were staff there from student affairs before the firemen were there, and we were relocated and we were taken care of and we had clothes to wear. And so that whole sense of community was demonstrated. And again, it is one of my favorites because the director of housing then was Ray King and I know he could never, ever look at me again without thinking that I had burned his dorm down. No matter, I lived, you know, on campus and I worked on campus for another 20 years and I am sure that every time he saw me that is what he thought about. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: Students and faculty pulled together as a community to help students who experienced a lost in the fire; a sense of relief

 

YG: Two more quick questions regarding student life. You mentioned recreational drug usage. Was that occurring on campus in the ’70s? Did you see that?

 

VA: Do you think I should answer those questions? Yes, it was occurring on campus and yes, I did see it. And mostly, we were dealing with marijuana. Again, like USF, just kind of on the edge of what was going on. But yes, there was a lot of marijuana usage both on and off campus. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: Saw students engaging in drugs on and off campus

 

YG: Student radio. Was there a student radio? VA: I don’t know. I’m not sure. It never hit my radar screen.

 

YG: I want to move into your transition from being a student in ’69, graduated in-

 

VA: Seventy-three.

 

YG: Seventy-three. And when did you begin working at the university?

 

VA: Actually, my first job with the university was in the summer of 1972, when I was an undergraduate student. And I was in the first group of undergraduate students selected to be orientation leaders. I mentioned earlier the comprehensive new student orientation program called “Focus?” It started in the summer of ’72 and there were 20 undergraduate students selected to basically work with small groups of new freshmen throughout the summer as they came on campus for their orientation, academic advising, and registration. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: First job summer of 1972 as an undergraduate student Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: Was in the first group to be orientation leaders as an undergraduate

 

That is how I got the opportunity to meet the staff that then, in 1973, opened the office of new student relations and was offered the opportunity to be a graduate assistant. So, I went to graduate school in the fall of ’73, full-time, and worked part-time in the orientation office as a graduate student, and then completed my coursework for my masters in that school year, ’73, ’74, and then started full time in the fall of ’74. As what was called the preadmission advisor for high school students. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: Became a graduate assistant in 1973

 

And in that role, coordinated new student orientation programs and was responsible for freshman recruitment. Which means, you know, get in that car and get that cart and those catalogs and brochures and take off like a traveling salesman all over the State of Florida visiting high schools. In fact, my husband tells me to this day I’m the only person that can get around the State of Florida by where high schools are located because I think I’ve been to all of them, or had been at that point to all high schools in the State of Florida. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/26/21: V.A. articulated her role as faculty advisor coordinating student orientation programs

 

YG: Was it a difficult transition to go from being a student to eventually becoming a full-fledged staff of the university?

 

VA: It wasn’t a hard transition for me because I had been so involved in the university as an undergraduate student. It just seemed to me to be a natural extension of doing something I really enjoyed, and that was being a student. You know, so if you can’t be a student forever, you might as well work on a college campus forever. And I mentioned earlier that I changed my major a number of times, and I ended up getting a degree in secondary education. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/26/21: Earned a degree in secondary education

 

And I really wasn’t interested in teaching and didn’t have the foggiest idea in fact of what I was going to do at that point when graduation came. So, I sort of ended up in the right place at the right time. For me, I didn’t have to go out and look for a job. I didn’t have to decide what to do. It sort of came to me and I had this great opportunity to develop a new program, to do something that the university had never done before. To participate in the growth. To pay back the university for what it has given me by mentoring and working with undergraduate students myself. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/23/21: The transition to become a professor was an organic experience

 

And so it was just a natural for me to stay on campus and stay young. Back then there was a whole cadre of young professionals that arrived almost every fall. Typically, through the resident instructor program in the residence halls. And those were the fulltime professional staff who actually lived on campus. Those were typically people who had master’s degrees and student personnel, or guidance and counseling, something in that field who wanted to be in higher ed., in student development.

 

And this was like an entry level position, you know, because people don’t live on campus for their whole lives. But it was an entry level position for a new professional. So we would get a whole bunch of people who would come in every fall and spend one or two years in the residence halls. So there was a very close knit group of young student affairs professionals who worked together, partied together, and sort of created that environment for undergraduate students that we’d had when we were undergraduate students.

 

Memo: 6/24/21: Relates a lot of personal experiences as a student to current profession.

 

And so it was just so very different than it is now and some of those people are still one of my closest friends. The people that were in my same class, if you will, as a higher ed. professional rather than a student. And you just—we did a lot of stuff together and a lot of student work. We spent a lot of time with students.

 

YG: Those interactions with students. How have, you being a student, you seeing yourself going through being a student, what kinds of changes or how were these students different? These new students different from you and your generation?

 

VA: I think there are some differences but I would also suggest that based on my experience: a freshman is a freshman. And that regardless of our environment, regardless of our world, regardless of past experiences, whether the student is coming to college— back when I started school not everyone went to college, it was almost a privilege, and now it’s an expectation. And a college degree has in many ways replaced the high school diploma in the market place. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/23/21: Student reflection that not everyone went to college in the 60s and college was viewed as a privilege Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: C: 6/23/21: College degree is viewed as a n expectation and in many ways has replaced a high-school diploma in in the market place

 

When I read the literature now it says that you know, students are more the generation Y. What’s in it for me? More self-centered, whatever it is, but I believe as I worked for 20 years with that transition period that the freshman experience transcends those generational changes. People are only 18 once. They only leave home one time. They only go to live in a dorm or an apartment or whatever; they only have that one time when they sit in their first college classroom. When they realize that no one is going to wake them up the next morning, that that’s their responsibility.

 

And so I think that you can always relate to a freshman student based on that transition, because there is apprehension regardless because it is a new phase of their life. And so as a university, if we can provide the support and those support systems change with what students need and what their prior experiences were and where they are in the world and what the world is like. But the point is to provide that support system to make the students successful in the transition. Then we’ve done our job at that level in the student development process. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/24/21: Relates life as a freshman to her job and tries to be of a support system to students

 

And so even as students changed and their experiences changed, when I was talking with them I was still able to relate based on that transition because it is universal for a freshman. And so it was always very exciting. You know, fall opening was an exciting time no matter what was going on in the world. All these people don’t know where to go, don’t know what they’re doing, they have a level of frustration, they’re standing in line. If you can reach out and help one person, two people, three people, know that they can make it because it’s not this daunting thing, you’ve made a difference. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/24/21: Shows empathy towards students and uses her experiences as a student to help her with her position as an employee

 

And so that was always my feeling and the staff that I hope worked with me in the admissions office, because despite the fact that what we did was process paper, there was a person at the end of every piece of paper. And so it’s not a paper business, it’s a people business. And one of the things that I regret is that I think that the university has moved away from that in some ways. And that there isn’t the same emphasis on the student experience as there once was. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/24/21: Shows a sign of regret in professional role that university changes no longer places emphasis on gran student experiences

 

And in my opinion as a student affairs professional that there should be. I know that you’re probably looking at me like I’ve got six heads on when I talk about faculty and staff participating as advisors to student organizations. That was expected. You know, we had this thing called the “freshman dinner” in the Sun Dome, okay, and all the freshman, almost all of them came. Now, granted, there were only a couple of thousand then, it wasn’t that big a—but as a student affairs staff member you were expected to be there, you brought your spouse, and you interacted with the new freshmen. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L:6/26/21: Used a phrase to interviewer of “looking at me like I’ve got six heads” meaning she has experienced a lot as student and an employee of the university

 

It was just part of what we did. And so as the university has grown and you know, everything changes, nothing stays the same. I happen to believe, however, that the more things change, the more that freshman transition remains the same, and that it needs more emphasis at the university, the whole student experience does. But it’s a big place now and it’s a big business, so, very different. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/24/21: The university is no longer a small home family feel like the 60s it’s now a major business

Memo: 6/24/21: V.A. has a great deal of understanding the dynamics of being a freshman and what it was like entering college, specifically USF. The transition in watching the campus grow and becoming an employee speaks volumes to her present day work.

 

 

 

Intermediate Coding

Category 1: Student Engagement	Category 2: Advocacy for support and appropriate experiences for incoming freshman student body.	Category 3: Awareness of diversity and social issues
This category was derived from V.A.’s articulation about the campus experiences while attending USF and further shaping her into a professional on campus.	This category is reflective of V.A.’s personal experiences as a student and later transitioning into a university employee.	This category speaks to the shared experiences in the 60s that may now have developed into global issues, showing that pride is ok.
D: 6/23/21: V.A. described college in the 60 to having a limited number of opportunities to attend in Florida; only 4 choices to choose from L: 6/23/21: V.A. shares experience of being the first to attend college within the family which was a huge accomplishment back then; not common. D: 6/23/21: A comprehensive description of where campus was located; 56th & Fowler C: 6/23/21: Universities in the 60 had a small enrollment number D: 6/23/21: Shares personal feeling as a student of how campus made her feel D: 6/23/21: V.A. describes the experiences of being a freshman and new initiatives for the university D: 6/23/21: New physical attribute of school; new dorm opened L: 6/23/21: A monumental experience as a student being one of the first to live in Kappa Hall (dorm) D: 6/23/21: V.A. described journey of student life that many relationships were built on campus as a student L: 6/23/21: A sense of compromise to be on a small campus but student life seemed large D: 6/23/21: V.A shares experience of being a member of a social sorority D: 6/25/21: V.A. describes her educational journey of graduating high school and entering college L: 6/25/21: a sense of fun entering college C: 6/23/21: Diversity was limited on campuses back in the 60s C: 6/23/21: Recalls very few African-Americans on campus in the 60s L:6/23/21: Laughs about entering college with the idea of majoring in math D: 6/23/21: V.A. shares details of college experience as a student and how she experienced course classes D. 6/23/21: V.A. describes campus tools using chalkboards in the 60s versus using whiteboards present day D: 6/23/21: V.A. describes not having lecture halls in the 60s vs campus classes now L: 6/25/21: V.A. emphasizes that her academic experiences was a good one D: 6/23/21: A description of fraternities & sororities requirements back in the 60s D: 6/23/21: Back then freshman mixers were looked at as learning communities instead of campus parties D: 6/23/21: Professors took on to look after students social well-being in addition to academics L: 6/23/21: Experiences on campus was a warm and fuzzing feeling of the relationships between faculty and staff D: 6/23/21: Physical description of dorm in the 60s-concrete block, shag carpet, Danish furniture D: 6/23/21: V.A. lived in the dorm ’69-’70 where it was a sign-in/sign-out process D: 6/23/21: Detailed description of how to clock in and out of the dorm with ID D: 6/23/21: Description of guests being escorted to bedroom areas; first announced you had a visitor and you calculated hours, when hours ran out for the week you had to wait until hours replenish D: 6/23/21: All students had to be on a meal plan it was not an option L: 6/23/21: Describes feeling as a student-good feeling to interact with others socially while at lunch D: 6/23/21: Students couldn’t live in lofts; couldn’t paint their rooms; rules and regulations govern the cinderblock areas L: 6/25/21: A sense of relief because dorm was air-conditioned and L: 6/25/21: Showed a sense of love that dorm was very nice and modern at the times made living in residence hall a great environment D: 6/23/21: Made a comparison of food served in the cafeteria vs now, noting food was about the same D: 6/23/21: Made a distinct overview that students attending university have more options of food such as food franchise places D: 6/25/21: V.A. Gave a detailed account on how students were served food in the 60s C: 6/25/21: Today’s era is a huge deal on food service back then it really wasn’t a big deal, instructional food was all that was offered L: 6/23/21: Rewarding student experience to be a part of Kappa Delta L: 6/25/21: sorority life was consuming, you lived, ate, breathed, and slept with sorority sisters L: 6/26/21: A recount of USF being a living community, loved that it created a sense of sisterhood for her L: 6/23/21: Enjoyed the experienced of freedom in college was a good feeling of not being pigeonholed D: 6/25/21: Gave an account of university’s presidents from ’71 to the mid-70s C. Makey built up school D: 6/23/21: V.A. describes the cost of tuition in the 60s vs now; back then you took as many classes as you wanted for one fee vs now there is a charge per credit hour D: 6/23/21: V.A. Gives and account on the process of registration and the difference between then and now D: 6/23/21: V.A explains students had to use a punch card to attend classes D: 6/23/21: V.A. gives a detailed account of student accountability for classes was based on turning in punch cards at the end of the day L: 6/26/21: Describes the use of punch cards and the errors made because they were manual. Reflects on time as one of the fondest memories. L: 6/23/21: Describes how she is fascinated with the way registration has changed from telephone to online, compared it to a cat’s meow. L: 6/23:21: V.A. appeared mind-boggled about how the buildings have changed at the university. It started with three buildings. D: 6/23/21: V.A Describes as a student she socialized a lot in the library and university center D: 6/23/21: Describes how cooking utensils were not allowed; there was only a community oven and sink in the lounge area L: 6/23/21: As a student there was enjoyment on campus, a lot singing and good music L: 6/23/21: V.A. describes it was a great time to be a student, a good time be to 20 yrs. old D: 6/23/21: There was a dress code; no short shorts D: 6/23/21: Men were shirts and ties; more formal D: 6/23/21: University started making changes in the 70s; no longer dorm curfew; no more clocking in for class L: 6/23/21: Experienced a fire in dorm room known as the kappa fire; first fire university ever had in building L: 6/23/21: V.A. describes the vivid memories of the campus fire D: 6/26/21: V.A. gives a detail account of how her dorm room caught on fire L: 6/23/21: A scary feeling to lose everything you own except your ID card and the clothes you had on D: 6/23/21: Students and faculty pulled together as a community to help students who experienced a lost in the fire; a sense of relief D: 6/23/21: Saw students engaging in drugs on and off campus D: 6/23/21: First job summer of 1972 as an undergraduate student D: 6/23/21: Was in the first group to be orientation leaders as an undergraduate D: 6/23/21: Became a graduate assistant in 1973 L: 6/23/21: The transition to become a professor was an organic experience D: 6/26/21: Earned a degree in secondary education	L: Describes the feeling of present day vs in the 60s uses the wording I am stuck indicating an element of surprise when she sees how far campus has developed for students D: 6/23/21: Lived experience as a student and how transition into a faculty member helped changed the trajectory for future students on campus D: 6/23/21: V.A. describes college classes were taught be teaching assistants in the 60s vs professors now L: 6/23/21: Gives a strong opinion that graduate assistants perform better that full time faculty members L: 6/23/21: V.A. made a commitment as a professor to mimic the same principles displayed while as a student on campus D: 6/23/21: V.A. Describes what leadership among faculty members looked like on campus back then D: 6/25/21: University expansion-development of new student relations program L: 6/25/21: Uses the phrase “a seamless process” speaks V.A. convictions about the impact the university had on freshman students L: 6/23/21: V.A. describes the aspect of being a professor making the process easier and supportive for incoming students D: 6/23/21: V.A. Describes how university security officers were not sworn or uniform back then vs. university police on campus now C: 6/23/21: College degree is viewed as a n expectation and in many ways has replaced a high-school diploma in in the market place D: 6/24/21: Relates life as a freshman to her job and tries to be of a support system to students L: 6/24/21: Shows empathy towards students and uses her experiences as a student to help her with her position as an employee L: 6/24/21: Shows a sign of regret in professional role that university changes no longer places emphasis on gran student experiences L:6/26/21: Used a phrase to interviewer of “looking at me like I’ve got six heads” meaning she has experienced a lot as student and an employee of the university L: 6/24/21: The university is no longer a small home family feel like the 60s it’s now a major business D: 6/26/21: V.A. articulated her role as faculty advisor coordinating student orientation programs	C: 6/23/21: V.A. remembers the issue of visitation of men and women in the residence hall C: 6/23/21: There were certain routes of schooling women took during the time frame C: 6/23/21: This was the route designed for men back then. Men were likely to be drafted in the army and a sense of choice was limited versus today C: 6/23/21: Office put together to change the narrative at university trying to recruit minorities and over the traditional age students C: 6/23/21: Colleges now use additional data points to strengthen college enrollment such GPA, geographic; not just race and gender alone L: 6/23/21: was able to protest for a good cause and allowed to show freedom of expression C: 6/23/21: The university struggled to determine its goal in supporting students to develop as a human L: 6/23/21: Student reflection that not everyone went to college in the 60s and college was viewed as a privilege C: 6/23/21: Back then white students protested because they didn’t have more African-American students C: 6/23/21: Didn’t experience racial tension while as a student C: 6/23/21: If students didn’t choose to protest candlelight vigils and marches were permitted which never turned into a riot C: 6/23/21: As a student a march took place if you wanted change C: 6/23/21: Public affection was not allowed back then, conversations about inappropriate expressions of public affection

 

Theme

Theme 1: Positive School Culture Exemplar Quotes: And so I think that you can always relate to a freshman student based on that transition, because there is apprehension regardless because it is a new phase of their life. And so as a university, if we can provide the support and those support systems change with what students need and what their prior experiences were and where they are in the world and what the world is like. But the point is to provide that support system to make the students successful in the transition. Then we’ve done our job at that level in the student development process. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/24/21: Relates life as a freshman to her job and tries to be of a support system to students   At USF, because we didn’t have that kind of living environment, a sorority became a student organization choice in much the same way that the Catholic Student Union became a student organization choice, or whatever that interest was. And that it was a social organization they had to work a lot harder to create that sense of community, sisterhood, and brotherhood because it wasn’t built in by living in certain places. And yet at the same time it didn’t pigeonhole people. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/26/21: A recount of USF being a living community, loved that it created a sense of sisterhood for her   And there were staff there from student affairs before the firemen were there, and we were relocated and we were taken care of and we had clothes to wear. And so that whole sense of community was demonstrated. And again, it is one of my favorites because the director of housing then was Ray King and I know he could never, ever look at me again without thinking that I had burned his dorm down. No matter, I lived, you know, on campus and I worked on campus for another 20 years and I am sure that every time he saw me that is what he thought about. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/23/21: Students and faculty pulled together as a community to help students who experienced a lost in the fire; a sense of relief   Memo: 6/22/21: V.A. Shared a sense of pride attending USF. It was a very small environment that felt like a family feel and belonging.

Theme #2: Working to Find Your Purpose Exemplar Quotes And so even as students changed and their experiences changed, when I was talking with them I was still able to relate based on that transition because it is universal for a freshman. And so it was always very exciting. You know, fall opening was an exciting time no matter what was going on in the world. All these people don’t know where to go, don’t know what they’re doing, they have a level of frustration, they’re standing in line. If you can reach out and help one person, two people, three people, know that they can make it because it’s not this daunting thing, you’ve made a difference. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: L: 6/24/21: Shows empathy towards students and uses her experiences as a student to help her with her position as an employee   The concept of the office of new student relations being the consistent contact point between the first time that the student perhaps got a letter from USF or talked with a USF representative in their high school, all the way through their initial registration, their orientation, their moving into the residence halls. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: D: 6/25/21: University expansion-development of new student relations program   So, the university put together an office called the Office of New Student Relations. And there were three primary staff members there. One to recruit traditional aged freshmen, one to recruit minority students with an emphasis on African American students, and one to work with students over the traditional age. And so that was in 1973 when that office was developed. And so it was really the first time that USF took a real comprehensive look at the makeup of the student body and said, Here are the areas where we need to make the commitment, we need to look at what we’re doing here. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: C: 6/23/21: Office put together to change the narrative at university trying to recruit minorities and over the traditional age students   Memo: 6/24/21: Relates a lot of personal experiences as a student to current profession. Memo: 6/24/21: V.A. has a great deal of understanding the dynamics of being a freshman and what it was like entering college, specifically USF. The transition in watching the campus grow and becoming an employee speaks volumes to her present day work.

Theme #3: Awareness of Diversity and Social Issues Exemplar Quotes I was remembering the whole issue of visitation in the resident halls. I was living in the residence halls at the time that there was that big to-do about men being able visit and go into women’s residence halls and one of the local dignitaries referred to on-campus dormitories as, “taxpayers whorehouses.” Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: C: 6/23/21: V.A. remembers the issue of visitation of men and women in the residence hall   So, there wasn’t a black student union for a while. You know, with you, I’ve always talked about Florida being a little behind the times, you know, but eventually the civil rights unrest did reach Florida, and there were some militant African American students and some white students protesting the fact that we didn’t have more African American students and those kinds of things, but not something that made the environment uncomfortable. It was all very open and—I don’t know how to explain this exactly, you felt like you were sharing this. The protests that black students created were for everyone to protest this issue. It was never exclusive, it was always very inclusive. And that’s sort of how USF was back then. Because I think it was, you know, small and everybody just kind of did everything. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: C: 6/23/21: Back then white students protested because they didn’t have more African-American students   VA: Not while I was at school. Now, when we got into the early ’70s after I had graduated, there was a little more racial tension then. In the ’60s there just wasn’t that much racial tension. There was, you know, of course that was at the height of the integration and just an incredible time in our country. But USF didn’t have a lot of minority students and the minority students that were here were very much blended into the campus life. Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: C: 6/23/21: Didn’t experience racial tension while as a student   Memo:

 

Finding Reports

The interview of Vicki Ahrens (V.A.) uncovers her story of being a Miami high school graduate, with the dreams of majoring in math, entering college in 1969, at the University of South Florida (USF). As a result of her experiences as a student at USF, she later became a staff member in 1974. Transitioning from student to an employee within the student relations department, Vicki Ahrens uses her influence of being a university student to captivate on becoming a support for incoming freshman with the new development of the University’s Office of Student Affairs. In theorizing the process of V. A’s interview story line, the graphic below highlights the transition through categories, sub categories, themes, and theoretical core categories; thereby deriving the overall theory routed and grounded within the story.

Graphic 1: Vicki Ahrens Transition from Student to Employee

Category 1: Student Engagement Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: Vicki Ahrens (V.A.) presented her journey of entering college the year of 1969. She placed strong emphasis on how campus life and how the dynamics created a positive learning environment despite being a freshman, enduring challenges, and overcoming the structural changes happening at the University of Central Florida. Subcategory: Student engagement is important because it’s linked to increased student achievement. Theme: Positive School Culture CORE CATEGORY: SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, LEARNING

 

 

Category 2: Advocacy of Support Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: V.A. has a great deal of understanding the dynamics of being a freshman and what it was like entering college, specifically USF. The transition in watching the campus grow and becoming an employee speaks volumes to her present day work and advocacy to support incoming freshman. Sub-category: The Influence of University Students’ Acquisition Theme: Working to Find Your Purpose CORE CATEGORY: LIFE AND CAREER SKILLS

 

 

 

 

 

Category 3: Awareness of diversity and social issues Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: There are few distinct experience as a student V.A. speaks about during the interview. These experiences involve diversity concepts and social issues. V.A. self-awareness informed her of how to imply the situations to her human attempt to living, Sub-category: Pride is okay, but we have to teach human spirit, and that it exists everywhere. Theme: Making Connections Between Cultures CORE CATEGORY: GLOBAL AWARENESS

 

 

 

CONSTRUCTED GROUNDED THEORY Comment by Caldwell, Rasheema: Being surrounded in positive cultivating environment produced a rewarding college experience. There were several experiences that were traumatic to V.A.’s life that created a purpose for her living. That purpose transpired into wanting to support her students and using her awareness to navigate through the system. BEING AMONG A POSITIVE CULTURE INFLUENCES YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE AND CONNECTS YOU HAVING A HUMAN SPIRIT AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF GLOBAL AWARENESS

 

 

The overall constructed Grounded Theory analysis of the transcript by V.A. concluded, “Being among a positive culture influences the purpose in life and connects you with having human spirit and the understanding of global awareness”. This was determined by the process of coding. The initial coding of the transcript revealed V.A.’s reasons for attending the University of Central Florida. She notes the circumstances that brought her to USF “At that time, in the late 1960s, stating that there were not as many choices in Florida as there are now. There were only four universities in the state including USF, FSU, UF, and FAMU. USF was among the newest of the universities. She was the first kid in her family to ever think about college, she tried to ultimately do something totally different. Therefore, she selected USF even though no one knew she would be attending. The details of this journey employed many linguistic coding. In the initial phase of coding, the data were derived in a Vivo, descriptive process, demonstrating both descriptions and emotions.

The primary purposes of coding are to select coding methods, providing readers sources, descriptions, examples, recommended applications, and exercises for coding while analyzing the qualitative data (Charmaz, 2014). The coding in this process influenced categories, labeling Category #1: Student Engagement, Category #2: Advocacy of Support, and Category #3: Awareness of Diversity and Social Issues. The writer chose a hybrid coding approach of both deductive and inductive coding, having one pre-existing code established and then working in reverse of using pre-established codes, creating the set of codes based on the data itself.

The first step of the coding process was to identify the essence of the test and code it accordingly, paying attention to comment features. There a lot of broad codes used in the beginning and as the writer continued to analyze the data, the refining of codes began. With Vivo coding, the writer used the interviewee's own words rather than an interpretation of the data. The use of phrases and direct quotes became the code. In vivo coding is particularly useful when you are making inferences on meanings due to linguistic or cultural differences (Saldaña, 2016).

Once the coding was complete, the analysis process began. This process started to rely heavily on both objectives and questions. The writer started to ask the following questions: 

· What actions are shown in the data? 

· What was the interviewee trying to achieve?

· How did the participant interpret what was happening, and how do they speak about it? 

· What are the assumptions made by the participant? 

· Why do I want to learn about this interview? What am I trying to find out? 

· Why did I choose to code this particular excerpt? 

The development of categories, sub-categories, core categories, and themes derived from the process and resulting in themes. For example, Category #1: Student Engagement: was derived from V.A.’s account of her experiences as a freshman. She revealed her decision to attend USF and what the college experience was like giving specific examples on registration, dormitory living, and experiences in the cafeteria. Category #2: Advocacy of Support stemmed from her transition from a student and watching the campus grow to become an employee of the university. V.A. used her own lived experiences to create better opportunities for the students she served, in addition to growing with the many changes and discoveries made within the university over the years. Lastly, Category #3: Awareness of Diversity and Social Issues was consistent with her story of understating the environment in which she lived at the time. She described aspects that dealt with race, diversity, and policy changes. These political changes help shaped V.A.’s ideas and views about herself and the way she treated her students, impacting her human spirit and bringing about awareness. 

Marshall & Rossman (2016) describes the hallmark of a good qualitative case study is that it presents an in-depth understanding of the case. In order to accomplish this, the researcher must collect and integrate many forms of qualitative data, ranging from interviews, to observations, to documents, to audiovisual materials. Learning and understanding the differences between grounded theories methodologies can take as much a learning of one’s own research philosophy and this philosophy is often the deciding factor in methodology selection. Relying on one source of data is typically not enough to develop this in-depth understanding. The process and methods for coding have created the highest level of debate for users of grounded theory. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

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Yael, V. (2003). Vicki Ahrens. Retrieved from https://digital.lib.usf.edu/SFS0024313/00001/note