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LETTER OF INVITATION FOR STUDY PARTICIPANTS Project Title: Down but not out: Coping Resources of Selective Majors in Transition Helen Mulhern Halasz, M. Ed., Principal Investigator

Introduction and Purpose

You are invited to participate in a research study conducted by Helen Mulhern Halasz, a current doctoral candidate in the College of Education at the University of South Carolina. I am

conducting a research study as a requirement for my Ph.D. degree in Higher Education Administration and would like to invite you to participate.

The study investigates the experiences of undergraduate students at large, public universities like you who have left a selective major (degree program with minimum progression requirements like a 2.6 minimum GPA), such as Business, Education, or Nursing, among others. The purpose of the study is to gain a better understanding of students’ experiences in dealing with the transition of leaving the selective major and enrolling in a new degree program at the same institution. This Letter of Invitation explains what you will be asked to do if you decide to participate in this study. Please read it carefully and feel free to ask any questions before you make a decision about participating.

Description of Study Procedures

As a participant in this study, you will be asked questions during a single interview about experiences related to your former major (Business, Education, Nursing, or others), selecting a new degree program, and your overall transition experience. You will be asked to choose a pseudonym for the purposes of the interview in order to protect your confidentiality. Your interview will be conducted by me on campus or by phone/Skype and be digitally recorded (with your permission). The interview will last approximately 30 minutes.

The researcher will maintain the anonymity and confidentiality of participants and data will only identify participants by their pseudonym. Your recorded responses will remain anonymous with no means to connect to your real identity. The data collected in this study will be used in my dissertation. Data will be shared with my faculty committee and potentially published after it is accepted by my committee.

Risks of Participation

There are no known risks associated with participating in this research except a slight risk of breach of confidentiality, which remains despite steps that will be taken to protect your

anonymity. You may experience minor discomfort associated with answering interview questions related to this research. In order to minimize the risk of discomfort occurring, the research is being conducted at least two months after the event to provide some distance. In addition, the interview questions focus on the resources you used to manage the transition from one major to another. If you indicate to me that the transition experience is affecting your ability to function as

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a student, you will be provided information and recommended to seek assistance from university student health center professionals who are clinically trained to assist students facing difficulties.

Benefits of Participation

Taking part in this study is not likely to benefit you personally. However, this research may help university faculty and staff understand the experiences of students who transition out of one major and select a new academic major. In addition, the data collected can be used to improve academic advising, programs, and other resources for future students forced to transition to a new major.

Costs

There will be no costs to you for participating in this study, other than minimal expenses for parking or transportation to attend the interview, if it is conducted in person.

Payments

You will receive a $20 gift card for participating in this study to help reimburse you for your time and transportation expenses incurred as a result of the study. Reimbursement will be distributed in one payment (gift card for Barnes & Noble or Target) and mailed to the address you provide at the end of the interview.

Confidentiality of Records

You will choose a pseudonym at the beginning of the interview. This pseudonym will be used on project records, making all information anonymous, and no one other than the researcher will be able to link your information with your name. Your recorded responses will remain anonymous with no means to connect to your real identity. Study records/data will be stored in locked filing cabinets and password protected computer files at the University of South Carolina. In any sort of report we might publish or present at professional meetings, we will not include any information that will make it possible to identify the university or a participant.

Contact Persons

You may ask any questions you have now. If you have questions later or would like more information concerning this research, you are encouraged to contact Helen Mulhern Halasz by phone or e-mail. You may also contact my faculty adviser, Dr. Jennifer Bloom at the University of South Carolina by phone or e-mail. If you have any questions about your rights as a research subject, you may contact: Thomas Coggins, Director, Office of Research Compliance, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, by phone, fax, or by e-mail.

Voluntary Participation

Participation in this study is voluntary. You are free not to participate, not to answer questions, or to withdraw at any time, for whatever reason, without negative consequences. In the event that you do withdraw from this study, the information you have already provided will be kept in a confidential manner. Participation is not related to regular course work at the university, and participation or withdrawal will have no impact on grades.

Understanding of participation

You agree that you have read (or have had read to you) the contents of this Letter of Invitation form and have been encouraged to ask questions. You have received answers to your questions. You are willing to participate in this study, although you have been told that you may withdraw at any time without negative consequences. You have received (or will receive) a copy of this form for your records and future reference.

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