Volume 92, Issue 09

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A watchdog for the Temple University community since 1921.

temple-news.com

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

VOL. 92 ISS. 9

2013

A Call to Act in the Public’s Interest President Theobald emphasizes Temple’s role in Philadelphia in his inaugural address.

P

“Here on the urban

JOHN MORITZ News Editor

frontier, we must reinvigorate the Conwell legacy in order to create success in our students, our city, our commonwealth and our nation.

resident Theobald delivered his official inaugural address as the 10th president of the university on Friday, Oct. 18, inside the old Baptist Temple, which was commissioned by Temple’s first president, Russell Conwell, more than 100 years ago. In his 33-minute speech, Theobald gave a broad description of his vision for Temple’s future commitment to education and continued role as “Philadelphia’s public university.” Theobald, dressed in ceremonial cherry and white robes and a velvet Tam cap with a large Neil Theobald/ president golden medallion of the Temple seal draped around his neck, spoke to the packed audience at Temple Performing Arts Center. The crowd seated behind him consisted of members of his cabinet, Temple Student Government, the Board of Trustees and state dignitaries. The bulk of the speech was spent laying out six commitments to be highlighted under his administration: students, teaching, the City of Philadelphia, research, the definition of the student President Theobald receives a standing ovation after his inaugural address at the Performing Arts Center on Friday. | YUXUAN JIA TTN body and entrepreneurship. Other than announcing a $50 million research funding project approved at the Board of Trustees public meeting on Oct. 8, Theobald didn’t formalize any new policy initiatives and didn’t mention Six-point plan reveals little new named president 14 months ago: affordability, question of how Temple can continue the Conwell several ongoing projects such as Visualize Temple research and – most recently – Temple’s role as legacy. information about agenda. and the state of the athletic department. Philadelphia’s public university. Theobald laid out six commitments to the Theobald did make the promise to fund urban Throughout his 33-minute address, Theobald university: focusing on students and their finanSEAN CARLIN initiatives in K-12 education and indigent health continually reflected on the legacy of Temple’s cial needs, working for faculty, engaging in the The Temple News care as part of his administration’s work with the founder and first president, Russell Conwell. He city, enhancing research, preserving a diverse stucity and commonwealth. The funding, Theobald President Neil Theobald stuck to his promise spoke of the history of the university’s founding dent population and advancing entrepreneurship said, would not come from student tuition. that there would be no surprises in his inaugural and the mission of Temple to create opportunities throughout the university. The first of Theobald’s six commitments was for working-class people in Philadelphia. “Temple should educate innovators across address. to students, who the president said need relief “Conwell’s great experiment – at its core, an SPEECH PAGE 3 Much of what the 10th from “suffocating student debt” that is restricting experiment in democracy – can succeed only if NEWS ANALYSIS president laid out on Friday in ONLINE – The Speech higher education to only the wealthiest Ameriwhat, in effect, is his vision for Temple University remains the place where the Watch portions of President Theobald’s inaugural address cans. The president alluded to “a landmark affordthe university, centered on the core principles he nation’s middle class has access to a quality, afdelivered inside the Temple Performing Arts Center at templehas reiterated at every opportunity since he was fordable education,” Theobald said. INAUGURATION PAGE 3 news.com/multimedia. Much of what followed tried to answer the

No surprises in president’s address

WILLINGTON STANDOFF

University to review emergency response CSS and Dean of Students analyze events of Oct. 13. JOHN MORITZ News Editor

Gymnastics a coveted course

In response to the lockdown on Willington Street last weekend that temporarily prevented many students on the block access to their homes, the university is reviewing its action to what officials said was an unprecedented incident. Dean of Students Stephanie Ives, whose office oversees UniFemale freshman says attackers used her as versity Housing and Campus bait to steal cell phones from party-goers. Safety Services, said the uniThree teenagers, two who versity does not have an official JOHN MORITZ were aged 14 and one who was policy for providing emergency News Editor 15, were arrested late on the housing to displaced off-campus night of Friday, Oct. 18, after residents and it acted based on A violent flashmob by a the incident on the 1800 block of past experiences in resolving the team of juvenile woman sent North Gratz Street and charged incident. one student to the hospital and “It is not standard for stuwith robbery, theft, assault and ended in several phone thefts possession of stolen property, dents to request emergency in what police and a victim say Acting Executive Director of housing from the university,” was an attack on students at an Ives said in an email. “In the off-campus party. ATTACK PAGE 3

Temple offers a kinesiology course on gymnastics, taught by coach Aaron Murphy. PAGE 8 | MEAGHAN POGUE TTN

Student beaten in violent attack by local teenagers

past, most preferred to stay with friends or commute from home when possible.” As the standoff that left two blocks on Willington and Berks streets closed off extended into the evening, the university began to scramble to find temporary housing for displaced students. “We were aware of what was going on at Willington from around the time before the first alert came out,” Ives said. “I think we anticipated that it Darin Bartholomew, TSG would end quickly and safely. president. |TTN FILE PHOTO As we started moving into the Student government evening hours, we did discuss whether or not students were speaking with able to return to their homes.” officials on response. The university sent out three email alerts to students MARCUS MCCARTHY and faculty warning them of inThe Temple News creased police presence on the 1800 block of Willington Street, As officials scrambled to but did not mention alternate set up alternative housing for housing options to students who students during the Willington were not allowed access to their lockdown on Oct. 13, Student block. Body President Darin Bartholomew was looking for a RESPONSE PAGE 3

place to stay after being barred from entering his North Willington Street home. “I stayed until about 6 [p.m.], at that point I decided I needed something to eat,” Bartholomew said. “I was getting restless and I decided to leave and I was personally displaced.” Bartholomew said he wants to improve communication in the future so similar incidents don’t happen during emergency situations. Working with officials from CSS and university communications, Bartholomew is hoping to improve a response to situations like this through various avenues. “They’ve been very receptive,” Bartholomew said. “Temple always handles situations like this very well, but there’s always room to improve.” Starting at 9:20 a.m., Philadelphia police and firefighters along with Temple Police quickly blocked off the 1800 block of North Willington Street due

TSG PAGE 3

NEWS - PAGES 2-3, 6

LIVING - PAGES 7-8, 16-18

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT - PAGES 9-15

SPORTS - PAGES 19-22

Bird deaths continue

Her sister’s keeper

Streets Dept shows off Philly’s art

Football picks up first win

Experts estimate more than 1,000 birds have died on Main Campus in 2013. PAGE 2

Marie Jordan deferred from the university to support her sister, who is fighing leukemia. PAGE 7

The blog started by Conrad Benner in 2011 was voted as the top Instagram and blog to follow in Philly. PAGE 9

Matt Rhule earned his first victory as head coach in the Homecoming game against Army. PAGE 22

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