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“Remember When” at USF
“Remember When” at USF
This section of USF College of Education History includes a sampling of USF’s First 25 years. These events were reported in the Oracle, Tampa Times and Tampa Tribune from 1960 to 1985. Some of the reports are newsworthy, some humorous and others will make you “Remember When at USF.”
1960s
1960
The forty-five women students living on the fourth floor of the University Center are the only students living on campus.
Total First Semester enrollment at USF is 1,997 students.
Professors from Florida State University and the University of Florida drive to USF to teach evenings and weekends to teach graduate classes even though USF had qualified professors. One course, Research Problems in Teaching, was taught by Dr. Stanley Marshall, who would later become the president of FSU.
1961
A local restaurant welcomes students back to campus with a $ 1.75 “Collegiate Steak Special.”
The Florida Historical Society makes USF its’ home.
Parking fines on campus are $1.00 per offense.
The university policy prohibiting women students from wearing “peddle pushers” on campus except during physical education classes is protested by 150 students.
1963
New $ 1.7 million USF Library designed for 250,000 volumes opens with 25,000.
The All University Book Program in which faculty, staff, and students read the same book and discussed it each month is discontinued.
A well is drilled in the basement of the USF Library; a pump with a handle is to provide water for survivors in the event of an atomic attack.
1964
The on-campus food plan provides 21 meals a week for $12 or 57 cents per meal.
The speaking engagement of Billy Wade, quarterback of NFL Champions Chicago Bears, is cancelled. The reason given is the fear of raising the students’ expectations for football to come to USF which is not at this time a realistic possibility.
Students listen to the singing group The Platters for $ 2.35 per ticket at USF’s first homecoming festivities.
Twenty-three percent of USF students apply for Peace Corp slots. It is said to be the highest percentage of student applications than any other university in nation.
USF students claim to have invented skateboarding one year before Californians.
USF Soccer Club meets its first off-campus competition against Miami Dade Junior College.
Jazz legend Count Basie plays two concerts on campus with each ticket costing $1.50 for students and $ 2.00 for the public.
1965
Research grants secured by USF faculty reach $250,500.
USF Library has 90,000 volumes in its collection.
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools grants USF accreditation.
USF uses IBM 230 Test Scorer to grade test sheets with small multiple choice spaces with correct spaces filled in with No. 2 pencils.
1966
A tornado passes through Carollwood and destroys the homes of several faculty members. There is also damage on campus to the College of Engineering building and the roof of Epsilon Hall.
1969
A blind USF student’s long distance calling service of by-passing the long distance telephone system by whistling at the correct pitch and interval comes to an end. GTE considers offering him a job and dropped the charges against him.
Student Leo Gallagher, later to become comic “Gallagher,” as a protest of cafeteria food parked a trailer with pigs next to the USF Cafeteria and urges students to feed the pigs with their left over food.
1970s
1970
A student team from USF wins $90,000 for their Alma Mater in the College Bowl Television Competition.
An IBM 360-65 with only one quarter megabyte was used to process the USF payroll, class schedules, and student academic and health records.
Long lines are eliminated as central registration is moved from the gymnasium to registration in each college.
USF begins the Intercollegiate Basketball Program with season tickets for 11 home games costing a whopping $22.
The USF St. Petersburg Campus enrolls 1,000 full and part-time students.
1971
An armed youth robs the new USF Credit Union of $223. “He took all we had,” said Credit Union Manager, Roger Dansby.
Vending machine canned drinks increase from 10 cents to 20 cents and students protest.
A ten story high $15 million Picasso bust of a woman is proposed for the USF campus with Picasso’s permission.
Snowfall cancels morning classes on USF campus, students build snowman.
USF students are allowed to purchase and consume beer on campus.
The WUSF Television Station begins broadcasting in color.
USF is granted permission to open up a medical school.
1972
U.S. Senator Lawton Chiles speaks at the USF commencement ceremonies with 3600 undergraduates and 500 graduate level students receiving degrees.
The Baltimore Colts football team works out on the USF soccer field in preparation for the upcoming NFL season.
USF Library’s collection reaches 300,000 volumes.
1973
Students protest the 10-week quarter system that was imposed by Governor Hayden Bryant, saying it is too, much work.
USF’s course, The American Idea, is phased out of the required curriculum for graduation.
The first UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) conference held in the United States is hosted by USF.
WUSF-TV broadcasts seven distant learning courses to launch Your Open University (YOU).
The United States ends involvement in the Vietnam War.
USF Athletics joins the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
A student health insurance plan is offered to USF students by Blue Cross/Blue Shield with full benefits costing $35.60 a year.
USF Food Services raises the price of lunch from $1.45 to $1.75.
1974
USF is re-accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
USF institutes a non-smoking policy for campus buildings.
USF is forced by a new state law to hold classes on Gasparilla Day, for the first time in its history.
The USF women’s basketball team is forced to pull out of the state tournament because of injuries, their record, and the national gas shortage.
The first nude streakers appeared on campus and named themselves the Iota I Streakers.
USF reaches a landmark graduating class of 5,000 students.
An organization for gay and lesbian students is formed on campus.
The USF Faculty Senate debates the change in the use of the word “chairman” to “chairperson” and votes to call the leader of the Senate the “Speaker of the Faculty Senate.”
1975
The USF Sarasota campus begins classes with 678 students.
A USF intramural softball team, “The Good Old Boys” plays a team of inmates of the Sumter Correctional Institution, a maximum security prison.
USF surpasses FSU in total student enrollment with USF enrollment at 23,310 and FSU enrollment at 22,381.
1976
A squirrel trips a circuit breaker at the USF Campus Power Station causing a campus wide blackout.
USF celebrates its’ 20 th Anniversary and Dedication of the New Library with a
presentation by acclaimed anthropologist and author Dr. Margaret Meade.
United Faculty of Florida is voted by the faculty to represent them in negotiations with the Florida Board of Regents.
President Cecil Mackey leaves USF to become president at Texas Tech University.
New USF Child Care Center which cost students $2 per day per child opens on campus.
A $ 28 million Shriner’s Hospital for Cripple Children breaks ground on the USF campus.
USF College of Engineering to spend a year designing a Florida Bullet train System with a $1 million grant from the Japanese Railway Technology Corporation.
1978
Comedian Andy Kaufman of “Taxi” fame performs in the USF Gymnasium.
Federal officials find USF is in compliance with Title IX in providing equal treatment for men and women sports teams.
Black Activist Angela Davis speaks to 2,000 in USF Gymnasium.
Heating is turned off over the Christmas break which causes faculty and staff who work during the break to dress warmly.
Ralph Nader appears on campus to discuss consumerism and citizen action.
1979
The Sun Dome is the winning name submitted by Gini Davis for the new multi-purpose building on the USF campus.
The new $ 1.5 million College of Business Building is open for faculty and student use.
Sun Dome officials reassure visitors that even if electricity fails it would take 2 to 12 hours for the roof to deflate and cables would hold the roof up 18 feet above the highest seat.
President Brown approves proposal to institute a final exam week at the end of each academic term.
1980s
1980
Maya Angelou speaks to students at USF as part of Black Emphasis Month.
Ninety percent of students at USF vote in favor of having a football team at USF.
USF Dance Team named the Sun Dolls formed to perform at selected sport events.
USF hires nationally know basketball coach Lee Rose.
First Faculty Staff Scholarship Drive for students is initiated.
Student’s pet hamster “Retsmah” dives from 27 foot high diving board into the Andros Pool as 100 students cheer him on. His first dive was not good, but his last two were perfect “10’s”, not bad considering he has only been diving for two weeks.
1981
USF returns to 14 week academic semester system to the relief of both faculty and students.
Cesar Chavez nationally known leader of the United Farm Workers of America speaks at USF.
The USF Student Ambassadors are founded by Joe Tomaino, Director of Alumni Affairs to promote USF spirit in the community and throughout the university.
USF Physical Education major, George Murray, wins the International Wheelchair Racing Association World Marathon Championship. Mr. Murray who also pushed his wheelchair across the United States is chosen to appear on thousands of Wheaties Boxes.
A time capaule is buried at USF as a token of the University’s 25-Year Silver Anniversary. The capsule will be opened in 2005.
The USF’ Ultimate Frisbee Team advances to the Southern Regional Ultimate Frisbee Tournament.
The USF Men’s Basketball defeats FSU and UF to Basketball Teams to win the Florida Four Tournament Championship.
1981
USF College of Education seniors score highest among Florida education graduates on the State Teaching Competency Exam.
Senior citizens are allowed to enroll in USF classes with tuition free.
USF Athletic Department selected to host NCAA Soccer Championship.
Alex Haley celebrated author of “Roots” speaks to audience of 1700 on campus for Black Emphasis Month.
1982
USF Fort Myers Campus opens on a 55 acre tract of land next to the Edison Community College.
Harri and Ruth Kosove a retired Sebring couple donate $600,000 to USF for student scholarships, the largest single gift in the university’s history.
USF Parking Officials are considering raising the price of a parking from $2 to $5 because many students don’t mind paying the $ 2 fine and parking wherever they wish.
USF Baseball Team wins first Sun Belt Conference Championship.
1983
USF offers 85 undergraduate, 65 masters and 11 doctoral programs with an economic impact on the area of $137 million.
The Oracle describes the antics of a mild mannered French Horn Player in the School Band who energizes fans at USF basketball games with his unusual gyrations on the floor which ends with him dunking a pom pom.
USF College of Public Health, the first in Florida is established at USF.
Construction begins on the USF Cancer Research and Treatment Center, later to be named the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Research Center.
Barriers are added to the long drainage systems that come down the outside of the Sun Dome. This was necessary because persons were climbing up and bouncing on the inflated roof.
1984
College of Education Children’s Festival celebrates it’ sixth year.
Dr. Henry Kissinger withdraws from speaking at USF amist a controversy over his 20,000 speaking fee.
IBM selects USF College of Education as one of two Professional Development Centers for training staff members from public school systems across the United States.
Charley Bradley becomes the all-time leading scorer in USF Basketball History with former record holder Tony Grier in attendance.
1985
Betty Frieden, feminist author of the Feminine Mystique and founder of the National Organization for Women speaks at USF.
USF Basketball Bulls are selected to play in the National Invitational Tournament For the third time in 5 years and beat Wake Forest in first round game.
Dr. Michael Sweeney, an assistant professor and cardiac surgeon at the USF Medical School performs the first heart transplant ever done in Tampa.
USF Women’s Softball Team after winning two National Slow Pitch Softball Championships switches to fast pitch softball.
Nine buildings on the USF campus serve as Hurricane shelters for 7,000 persons during Hurricane Elena.