90s13 Finishing It Up

In the middle of May I wrote that it seemed like I had to fill out a million forms as I got close to submitting my dissertation. I was still worried about my advisor’s support and wondered if this would ever be over.

By the middle of June I was writing every day and submitting parts to my advisor each step of the way. At some point I noticed a shift in his attitude. He seemed much more positive. I wrote on the 14th that I had submitted Chapter IV. Shepardson had read it and made some positive suggestions. Overall he said he was pleased with the chapter. Given his past practice I was encouraged.

When I finally had what I thought was a final draft I delivered a deposit of the document to a special office at the University. There, a woman reviewed the document for technical issues and made sure it followed the University’s rigid requirements. After a two-day argument and a special trip to Iowa City about the type size she finally returned the dissertation with eight pages of corrections. While that sounds like a lot, it only took a few hours to correct them all.

When I finally thought I was done with it I submitted eight copies to the University. Each of the five members of my committee got a copy and the University got the rest with one going to the printing office to be published. I defended my dissertation before my committee on July 13 at 3:00 PM.

My committee included my advisor, Dick Shepardson, Jack Bagford, Brad Loomer, Linda Fielding, and Cleo Martin. Jack, Cleo and Dick were also friends of mine so that helped. Loomer was from the School Administration Department. Fielding was in the Elementary Education Department and Cleo was head of the Rhetoric Department at the University. Jack was near retirement but stuck around for me to finish up. He had a national reputation as a reading expert.

“Individual Concerns And Roadblocks Which Shape The Responses Of Teachers As They Are Introduced To And Attempt to Use Cooperative Learning Strategies” is typical of the length of dissertation titles. Part of the reason for the lengthy titles is that they will get more hits in topic searches.

The defense didn’t really take long. The comments of the group were generally positive. Shepardson and Loomer got into an argument over the efficacy of cooperative learning. Bagford got us back on track with the discussion and they soon asked me to leave the room. I wasn’t outside more than a few minutes and Shepardson came out and extended his hand and said congratulations. I went back in the room and shook hands with each member of the committee.

I was on my way home within an hour and was stunned at how well it had gone. I couldn’t believe what had just happened, that I was done, and that I was going to get the degree.

On August 2, 1991, T. Anne Cleary (four months later she was murdered by Gang Lu, a disgruntled student) placed the Ph. D. stole over my head and said softly, “Congratulations, Dr. Ross” and I shook the hand of Hunter Rawlings, president of the University, and walked off the stage.