Dear Colleagues, 

Before the winter break, I shared an update on some of the early initiatives that were set to commence at the start of this year. In the weeks since, we have made considerable progress, and I would like to update you on our work. 

But first, it is important that I take a moment to address some of the questions that we continue to receive following the transition to a new presidential administration in Washington. 

As I shared last week, Temple’s mission of access, opportunity, engagement and discovery will not change. Our mission is why we are here, and it is why the university is distinctive and impactful.  

This past fall, we announced that the Class of 2028 was our most diverse class ever. We enrolled our first cohort of Temple Promise students and welcomed a record number of Pell Grant recipients and first-generation students. Temple takes pride in offering a welcoming and supportive environment for all students regardless of their race, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation or identity. This too will not change, and I fully expect that the incoming Class of 2029 will once again be a student body that is reflective of individuals from all walks of life. 

A team at the university continues to track how changes proposed by the new presidential administration will affect both Temple and higher education, and we will be sharing regular updates accordingly. I understand that the increased presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers across the country has led to a number of questions. Yesterday afternoon, Vice President for Human Resources Sharon Boyle and Vice President and University Counsel Cameron Etezady shared a memo with deans and department heads at the university, outlining additional guidance related to ICE and CBP.  

There have been a number of executive orders and other actions that have left many in our community feeling targeted, marginalized and not valued. Please know that Temple sees you and supports you. As we continue to work through the changes and challenges that will inevitably arise, I ask that the Temple community continues to lean on and support one another in the months to come. 

Update on initiatives 

Here is an update on some university initiatives that are underway. 

RCM review: The review of the Responsibility Center Management (RCM) budget model is underway. A steering committee will be co-chaired by Chip Hunter, dean of the Fox School of Business and the School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management, and Jaison Kurichi, associate vice president of budget and planning. The committee, with the help of external experts from the National Association of College and University Business Officers, will be taking a close look at the model. We expect that this work will be completed by the end of the fiscal year. 

Public Safety staffing study: I shared before the semester break that we would be moving forward with an independent staffing study for the Department of Public Safety. I am pleased to share that we have engaged Healy+, a nationally recognized safety consultancy, to conduct the comprehensive study, and this work has already commenced. It is expected to be completed by the spring. 

Elevating community impact and civic engagement: As I shared in my December update, we are reimagining how we think about community impact and civic engagement. To ensure this work is prioritized at the highest level, Vice President Valerie Harrison will begin reporting directly to me as she leads the effort to unify and enhance our programs and initiatives in our community. Supported by longtime higher education and community partnerships leader Lucy Kerman, the initial effort will seek to ensure that Temple’s various efforts are best organized for maximum impact. There will be opportunities for each of you to get involved in various initiatives that support our community and our city.    

Terra Hall: I am pleased to report that as of this week, our bid for Terra Hall, the former main academic building for the University of the Arts, received court approval. This acquisition will enable Temple to have a prominent and permanent presence in Center City, providing enough space not only for our existing activities downtown at TUCC, but a number of additional initiatives. I look forward to sharing more with you as plans are solidified, and to hearing your ideas for academic and creative uses of Terra Hall. 

Innovation corridor: As we envision a future innovation corridor that stretches from the Health Sciences Center to Main Campus and then to Center City, internationally recognized urban planner and developer Andy Altman has joined the university as the senior advisor for this effort. He has been charged with coordinating and executing a comprehensive strategy for bringing Temple’s ideas and contributions to the corridor to fruition. Your input will be invaluable to this initiative as we collectively work to enhance the economic vitality of North Philadelphia for its residents and the entire Temple community. 

Strategic plan refresh: In the months ahead, we will be embarking on a refresh of our 2022 strategic plan. The current plan provides a strong foundation, and now is the right time to revisit and evolve the plan with additional input from students, faculty, staff and neighbors alike. We will share more details on this work and how you can get involved in the coming weeks. 

Leadership searches: While the focus of community impact will be a coordinated ecosystem of programmatic partnerships and initiatives, we will need a parallel focus on our relationships with elected officials and civic leaders in Temple’s neighboring areas. To that end, we have begun a national search for a vice president for government and community relations to ensure that we are doing all we can to strengthen relationships and partnerships with both our elected officials and community leaders. A search committee is being finalized and the process for recruiting a new leader is underway. Associate Vice President George Kenney will continue to lead this work during the search. 

We will also begin a national search for a new chief audit officer, as Dale Venturini retires from the university later this month after nearly 40 years of dedicated and effective service. Associate Director Nancy Hardimon will lead the Department of Internal Audit on an interim basis, and I thank her and the team for their efforts. 

I want to thank you all for your commitment to Temple University, and I am profoundly grateful for your service to our university. 

Sincerely,  

John Fry  
President