Field Hockey team looks to defend A-10 title

After winning the Atlantic Ten Conference regular season championship last season, the field hockey team expected to go into this season favored to repeat.

They were wrong.

The Owls, who finished 15-6 overall and 6-1 in the A-10 last season, were picked to finish second in the A-10 standings in a vote by the league’s coaches.

While the other coaches may feel content with the vote, Temple is not. Entering her fourth season as the
team’s coach, Amanda Janney was not very pleased with the preseason prognostications.

“We are not happy that we’re second, but we need to have a chance to play [Massachusetts] to prove otherwise,” she said. “It gives us extra motivation to defend the regular season championship.”

The team will also need to build off last season’s results, as it will be without the services of Alli Lokey, the A-10 offensive player of the year, and Ashley Bird, the conference’s defensive player of the year. Both graduated after stellar careers at Temple.

As for this year, according to Janney, it’s going to be a collective team effort that will rely heavily on veteran leadership.

“[We have] four strong seniors who won a lot of awards, as well as the other upperclassmen,” she said. “The team looks good right now.” Two veteran leaders on the team are senior goalkeeper Erin Hanshue, a 2007 A-10 honorable mention, and junior forward Dannah Brehm, an A-10 first team selection last season.

But they just factor into the entire equation that is the field hockey team.

With high expectations and a focus on winning their first A-10 Championship since 1994, every game is
important for Janney and her team.

“It’s important that we step up on every game and play our best,” she said. “We need to be really focused on every game like it’s the A-10 Championship.”

This focus began when Janney took over the reigns in 2005. Under her guidance, the Owls had their first winning season since 1992 and made the A-10 tournament for three consecutive seasons. This season, that very tournament will be hosted by the Owls, which just serves as extra determination to bring home the crown.

“Having all of our fans there, a lot of positives are in place, [but] everyone needs to contribute to get what we want,” Janney said.

The Owls will open the season at home with a non-conference game versus Lehigh University on Aug. 30
at Geasey Field.

“The team is going to play hard. It doesn’t matter what conference [it’s] from.”

Nick Hollenstein can be reached at n.hollenstein@temple.edu.

Students can’t see beneath the surface of new TUportal

Temple students this semester might not be able to put their finger on what happened to the TUportal they were used to logging into last spring. That is because on July 28, the university launched a brand new and supposedly improved TUportal database.

For everyone who is not familiar with TUportal, it is the database where Temple students can access everything from their student e-mail accounts to their financial aid information. Basically, it is the student’s all-in-one Web site for everything having to do with Temple.

So why did the university choose to update TUportal? Well, according to Temple’s Web site, the university felt that their primary database for student records was outdated. In most cases, the previous core administrative systems which support most business processes are anywhere from 20 to 25 years old.

The updated TUportal is the first system that was restructured to in the long term imitative, which is scheduled to be complete in June 2011. Prior to launching the latest TUportal version, students were surveyed at the TECH Center. While most students like the new look and features on the improved Web site, many do not know to what extent Temple is improving its digital infrastructure.

TUportal is not the only database that will receive a facelift. Throughout the next five years, Temple will be updating its entire catalog of major administrative systems. This $38 million-project was introduced to the Temple community in 2006 as an initiative named Project Enterprise. A link to the Project Enterprise Web site is displayed on TUportal and explains the changes students and faculty should expect from now until 2011.

Most of the upgrades will affect how the university conducts certain business transactions, but how will these upgrades effect Temple students? Right now, the only change for students is the newly designed TUportal.

There are definitely changes to TUportal that students will find useful; however it might be difficult for students to understand where the $38 million is really going.

There are only a few differences between the old and new Web sites, but for the students who still are not use to the current portal, a link to the older site will be available until early September on the database’s new home page.

Improvements to the database are visible even before students log in with their usernames. After logging into the TUportal, a student can find announcements for upcoming football games and new course information. The page also includes a new feature which displays weather updates from Temple’s
Main, Ambler, Harrisburg, London, Rome and Japan campuses. Another link explains how students and faculty can promote campus-related announcements on the site.

Once students log in, they can take advantage of a lot more features than before. The most noticeable new feature is the online newsroom tab, which provides up-to-date news feeds about the university. Another useful new feature is the Computer Services tab, which informs students about safe Internet browsing tips and scheduled network maintenance.

Herry Pierre-Louis can be reached at hplouis@temple.edu.

Once Again

Yeah, we’ve been there before.

Starting new classes. Meeting new people. Beginning a new chapter of your life.

Whether you’re a freshman, transfer, commuter or resident, the message is the same for all – Welcome.
Everyone is new at some point. Take a look at Temple’s administration. Most of the administrators at the highest levels have only been in their respective positions for no more than a few years. Like President Ann Weaver Hart and her No. 2, Provost Lisa Staiano-Coico – consider them a junior and a sophomore, respectively.

You may feel as if you’re being thrown into a different culture, and your ethnocentrism derived from Anywhere, USA may make you feel claustrophobic among the 24,000 students on campus. To ease the pain, here are a few things to know before beginning your college career at Temple.

Philadelphia has been called a “city of neighborhoods,” and you don’t have to take too many steps off campus to find yourself in one. Many students are ignorant of the roots and traditions of these communities. Rather than challenge them, embrace them.

You may have heard that Temple is diverse. It’s been said so tirelessly that it sounds cliché. But Temple has the credentials to back it up.

The Princeton Review recently ranked Temple No. 5 on its list of the most diverse student populations in the country in 2008’s The Best 368 Colleges. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, because surely, you’re not alone.

Get to know your neighbors. Get to know your classmates. Get to know your professors. In high school, it was known as “kissing up.” Now, it’s known as “networking.”

There are no laxatives in the food prepared by Temple Dining Services and its contracted company, Sodexo, as reported by The Temple News. So pack on that freshman 15 (or 30). Then work it off at the IBC Student Recreation Center.

OWLnet is a horrible and outdated system. It will cause you many frustrations when you are registering for classes or checking your grades. We’ve lived with it throughout our entire careers at Temple, and we expect you will, too.

We at The Temple News often take a hard look at the policies and actions of Temple faculty and administrators. We care about the university and its paying customers, the students. We’re not afraid to be critical because we want the best educational and social experience we can get.

By no means are we experts on educational planning or policy formation. But we know what matters to students because we are students ourselves.

Remember, we were in your shoes once. And by now, we think we’ve finally got a handle on this whole college thing.

15 ways to explore the arts in Philly

Philadelphia’s arts and entertainment scene can’t be squeezed into a 1,000-word article. It’s just too big for that. Why else would Americans for the Arts (AFTA), a nonprofit organization that recognizes the country’s best art centers, have visited the city this summer? But don’t take their word for it—take ours. Follow this SparkNotes-like guide to the city during your first 15 days here. And after that? Read the darn book already.

1. Don’t Eat Like a College Student
Imagine if Ramen looked and tasted as appetizing as it appears on the Maruchan package wrapping. That’s the best way to describe pho, a big bowl of white rice noodles and beef slices in broth, which sells for $5 to $7 at Vietnamese markets. Top it off with a blended bubble tea, an avocado, jackfruit or strawberry smoothie sprinkled with tapioca balls.
12th Street and Washington Avenue, Sixth Street and Washington Avenue

2. Fulfill Your Fight Club Fantasies
If you’re looking for a combative edge in fitness (or just an alternative to IBC Student Recreation Center’s crowded weight room), check out the Philadelphia Mixed Martial Arts Academy and the Fight Factory. Both provide mixed martial arts lessons from world-class instructors. Fight Factory’s Eddie Alvarez is considered one of the top fighters in the 155-pound weight class. Not so confident in your butt-kicking abilities? Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is popular among the athletically challenged, since it teaches you how to keep up with bigger, stronger opponents.
1321 Juniper St. and 2200 E. Susquehanna Ave.

3. Love Cheesesteaks, But Love Hoagies
More sliced steak on bread with Cheese Whiz may be Philly’s most enduring culinary export, but hoagies are also a staple at almost any deli in the city. The homemade bread rolls at Sarcone’s Deli and Bakery (734 South 9th St.) are packed with high carbs. Nick’s Charcoal Pit (1242 Snyder Ave.) is famous for its filet mignon sandwich, while Govinda’s (Broad and South streets) puts a vegetarian spin on the white collar sandwich.

4. Go to Church
The colorful events that the Rotunda, a once-abandoned church, hosts range from Holistic Mom Network meetings to monthly hip-hop gatherings. Most of the events are free; otherwise, admission is on a sliding scale and usually under $15. Upcoming shows worth attending: Gods vs Men: The Book of Xen, a colorful dystopian satire with song and dance that is being performed on Aug. 30-31, and Urban ECHO, a dance exhibition that runs the first and second Saturdays of September.
4104 Walnut St.

5. Don’t Drive on I-76 to Admire Nature
Hidden near 38th Street on the University of Pennsylvania’s campus is one of Philadelphia’s best kept secrets: a five-acre botanical garden lush with indigenous wildlife – excluding pigeons, squirrels and cockroaches. In 1897, Dr. John M. MacFarland created the Biopond, which is maintained by Penn’s School
of Arts and Sciences. It’s an oasis in a jungle of concrete.
3710 Hamilton Walk

6. Drink to the Local Economy
Yards Brewing Company set up shop in the historic Weisbrod & Hess building in 2001, and brewed beer with the future owners of the Philadelphia Brewing Company until a bitter breakup in 2007. Yards moved to Delaware Avenue and kept the original recipes for its pale ales and seasonal brews and PBC
maintained the brewery in Kensington. PBC offers a blend of local and European ales like the Walt Whitman, as well as hoppy brews like the Kenzinger. Ben Franklin once said, beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. Yards and PBC remind us of his words.

7. Don’t Pay for Art
More than 40 art galleries open their doors to the public and offer live music, food and wine on the first Friday of every month, from 5-9 p.m. F.U.E.L. (249 Arch St.), which was converted into living quarters for the cast of MTV’s Real World: Philadelphia, is a high-ceilinged gallery with hip art. The Old City Jewish Art Association (55 N. 5 St.) is especially generous with free food on the first Fridays. Though members focus on Jewish-themed art, anyone is welcome to browse and dine at no cost.

8. Scratch That: Pay for Art if Van Gogh’s Involved
Originals by Monet, Dali, DuChamp and Van Gogh are among the 225,000-plus works of art featured at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the accompanying Perelman Building. Sundays are free from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and tickets are $10 with a student ID during weekdays. Try to see the exhibit on Nandalal Bose, one of India’s most prolific modern artists, before it closes on Sept. 1. Jog up the steps and pose next to the statue of Stallone—err, Rocky.
Benjamin Franklin Parkway

9. Laugh So You Don’t Cry
Helium’s open-mic night has featured Comedy Central talent like Greg Giraldo and Joe Rogan, as well as some of Philly’s funniest rising comedians. Kent Haines, Steve Gerben and Chip Chantry are among the city’s best. Feel free to join them: you have three minutes to sink or float in the Philly’s comedic waters.
The environment is supportive and heckling is discouraged, unless someone goes over their time limit.
20th and Samson streets

10. Be Proud of Philly’s Own
The mix of urban soul and independent culture has Philly at the epicenter of one of the strongest rock and hip-hop scenes on the East Coast. Many a hipster swoon for Dr. Dog, mewithoutYou and Man Man, all of whom call Philly their home. Jill Scott, the Roots and Musiq Soulchild are native Philadelphians, while RJD2 relocated to the city from Oregon. Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, the brilliant, demented minds behind Adult Swim’s Tom Goes To The Mayor and Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job are Temple alumni. Their earlier dabbling in absurdity can be seen on www.timanderic.com.

11. Take a Shower
Shampoo’s name is not a gimmick. Foam rains from the club’s ceiling every Sunday, so bring your rubber
ducky on the dance floor. Five separate rooms, like the blue room for dance and the velvet underground room for old school and classic club tracks, make Shampoo one of the bigger clubs in the city. It’s also one of the few places that caters to the underage crowd. Spoiled Thursdays is for ages 14 to 18. Nocturne Gothic Wednesdays attracts crowds of vampire look-a-likes with $3 drink specials and throbbing industrial music. Don’t worry—they won’t bite unless you give them permission.
Willow Street between Seventh and Eighth streets

12. Believe in Aliens
Founder Jennifer Bates succumbed to leukemia in May 2007, but her legacy lives on through her Fishtown-based bookstore that specializes in the esoteric. Conspiracy theories, the occult and science fiction are all popular subjects at Germ Books. A UFO discussion group meets on the second Thursday of every month at 6:30 p.m., where you’re sure to get a weird look is if you ask for Harry Potter.
2005 Frankford Ave.

13. Jog in Our Own Central Park
Consisting of 63 parks that span some 9,200 acres, Fairmount Park has enough space and activities for any city-weary person to get lost in. Kelly Drive has trails for biking and walking that run parallel to the Schuylkill River, which is frequented by rowers. The area near the Art Museum district also has golf courses and pavilion for public events.

14. Swill Beer for Free
Come into Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar on your birthday and the first drink is on the house. Located 40 steps from Geno’s on Passyunk Avenue, this Depression-era dive bar embodies the friendly neighborhood spirit of South Philly. Ray’s has Quizzo on Mondays, karaoke on Fridays, live music on
Saturdays and comedy nights once a month, for no cover. It’s a prime spot to sip on a Kenzinger and light up a cigarette.
1200 E. Passyunk Ave.

15. If Life’s a Tragedy, Throw a Party
Once a month, Eric Broomfield honors his late brother with Carnivolution, West Philly’s wildest party. Located at the Ellen Powell Tiberino Museum, the gathering features Broomfield’s band the Hydrogen Jukebox, which plays Vaudevillian rock. Guests include clowns, fire-breathers, knife throwers and sword
swallowers.
3819 W. Philly Ave.

J&H cafeteria gets modernized

Click here for a photo slideshow of the new construction.

After cramming what managers called “six months of work” into 18 weeks, the newly renovated Johnson & Hardwick cafeteria is ready for business.

The Louis J. Esposito dining court will operate full service beginning this afternoon, general manager David Tolbert said.

Food stations are placed throughout the larger, new space. A permanent vegetarian and vegan display is the first station diners see upon entering, and it will be equipped with a daily vegetarian cooking display.
As the semester gets underway, Tolbert said new menu options under the Balanced Way program will begin to help students get healthy if they so choose. The program is being driven by a group of professors from Drexel University and Sodexo.

“There’s way more that we can offer than we could before,” Tolbert said, emphasizing that students had previously expressed a desire for healthier fare through comment cards.

Old favorites such as the deli station, fast food station and salad bar have been revamped but will still be offering student favorites. In order to meet the most recent Philadelphia health codes, the deli and fast food stations will no longer be self-service.

Sandwiches will be made to order and hot dogs and hamburgers will be preassembled for students. Tolbert said the salad bar will now be double-sided so lines won’t be as long.

“We really tried to address all of the line issues we had before,” he said, “Everywhere we had a backup, we changed the lineup.”

To deal with flow issues, three beverage stations are spaced throughout the dining area.
The popular “sizzling salad” station has been expanded and is a permanent fixture to the dinner menu. The wrap station has also been expanded to include two extra sandwich choices and an extra salad option.

Returning students will hardly recognize the space, which has greatly increased its seating capacity from 454 to 708 seats. A building expansion of 20 feet increased seating capabilities. The dining area has booths and tables that can accommodate groups of varying sizes.

“We lost that old grade-school seating where all of the tables were lined up and the same size,” Tolbert said.

Hoping to throw away as little as possible, management gathered the old tables that were in the best condition and sent them to the Ambler Campus and the Diamond Club in Mitten Hall. Tables and chairs were also donated to local churches.

“We tried not to throw anything away that people could use,” Tolbert said.
The Valaida S. Walker Food Court in the Student Center acted as a pseudo-J&H during the summer months.

“It was an awkward setup because we were doing resident dining in a place that wasn’t built for it,” Tolbert said.

The last upgrade to the J&H cafeteria occurred while school was in session in 1993. Over more than eight months, construction crews worked to complete renovations.

“We were setting up tables in the back as people were coming in the front,” Tolbert said. “[The current project] is an amazing feat to get done in 18 weeks.”

New laminate flooring and carpet complete the modern look of J&H. Instead of one main walkway in the dining area, the laminate flooring is shaped into paths leading to all seating areas. All paths lead to the tray return, which now has sound barriers so the noise of clanging dishes no longer resonates throughout the dining hall.

“It’s like following the Yellow Brick Road in and out of the dining room,” Tolbert said.

LeAnne Matlach and Chris Stover can be reached at news@temple-news.com.

Mompremier premieres as TSG president

At first, it wasn’t for her.

Before getting involved in campus activities, Temple Student Government President Nadine Mompremier planned to graduate in three years. College seemed more of a necessity than an interest.

“I originally did not like school,” Mompremier said. “My involvement [in TSG] and my friends are what kept me here at Temple.”

Last year, Temple students elected the Owl V.O.I.C.E.S. slate as the 2008-2009 leaders of TSG, led by the soft-spoken Mompremier.

What began as a stint on the homecoming committee in 2006 led to her role as last year’s vice president of student affairs, and now as president of the student body.

“I’ve been watching and learning since freshman year,” the senior law and business major said.
One main goal of TSG this year is to involve more students in the legislative process, Mompremier said. It’s important to get students’ voices heard to initiate change, she said.

“Our whole goal is to get more of the student input and student voice into the TSG meetings,” she said.

A notable change to TSG this year is the inaugural Senate, a group of 32 representatives from Temple’s nine schools and colleges. Non-members can bring up concerns to the Senate, who will follow up on the issue and even pass a bill to be presented to Temple administration.

“TSG is definitely going to be the voice of the students,” Mompremier said. “We came in with a vision, and we knew what we wanted to do. And now we’re leaving it up to the students to tell us what to do from here on out.”

Mompremier is joined on the executive board by Vice President of External Affairs Nexus Cook and Vice President of Services Farzad Firoz.

Cook, a senior psychology major, will be focusing on TSG’s commitment to the community and what the organization can do to expand itself.

Firoz, a senior finance major, will be responsible for researching special projects that could potentially be brought to Temple, Mompremier said.

“It’s definitely exciting to work with both of them,” she said. “The three of us together – I feel like we make a really great team.”

What Mompremier hopes will make them a great team is their dedication and willingness to interact with students. She quit her job so she can focus more of her attention toward the issues of Temple students.

“I’m available,” she said. “Just talk to me.”

Hailing from Brooklyn, Mompremier has embraced her home in North Philadelphia, which is why she wants to accomplish so much for Temple students.

“Since I came to Temple, I’ve fallen in love with the school,” she said. “I’m definitely passionate and I definitely know we can do more.”

Mompremier speaks like she’ll be the people’s president, promising to support student organizations by attending various events and “being the best me I can be.”

“One thing that has been instilled in the TSG environment … is helping to build future student leaders,” she said. She said she had been inspired by past presidents Raysean Hogan and Juan Galeano.

The decision of whether to run for student body president was difficult for Mompremier, but she has the confidence to represent the university’s 19,000 undergraduates.

“When I came to Temple, I did not plan to be the president,” she said, smiling. “For me, it was knowing that I could do more [by] learning from everyone else.”

Now sporting sentiments opposite those she had in her freshman year, Mompremier has some simple advice for incoming students.

“Don’t be afraid to open yourself up and learn something new every day,” she said. “Get it from Gandhi – be the change you want to see at Temple.”

Mompremier’s positive attitude toward the upcoming academic year is evident when she speaks, but she’s humble about her role in TSG.

“I’m definitely trying to leave a legacy, but it’s not my main goal,” she said. “It’s to reach those one or two students who said, ‘I could never do something.’ If I can just motivate those one or two students, that’d be a great accomplishment.”

Chris Stover can be reached at stover@temple.edu.

Meet the Temple administrators

Ann Weaver Hart
President
@ Temple since 2006
Alma Mater: B.S., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Utah

Everyone will tell you to study hard and make the most of your classes. I certainly agree. But I would add that you should take advantage of all that Temple and Philadelphia have to offer. Join a student organization, or if you don’t find one you like, start one of your own. Don’t miss a home Temple football game. Eat at a Philly restaurant that serves food from a nation you want to visit – then start planning how you will do a study abroad program there. And if you ever feel lost or overwhelmed, remember that all of us (even university presidents) have felt that way at one time or another. Do not be shy about asking a professor, an RA or a friend for help. Good luck!

Lisa Staino-Coico
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
@ Temple since 2007
Alma Mater: B.S. from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from the Cornell University Graduate School of Medical Sciences (now Weill Cornell Medical College)

I encourage you to challenge your instructors. Do not be passive learners. Introduce yourself to your teachers – let them know who you are. We all are here to support you and help you achieve your academic goals, but remember to enjoy yourselves along the way.

Anthony Wagner
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
@ Temple since 2007
Alma Mater: Pennsylvania State University

Be as careful with your personal finances as we are with the university’s. Tempting offers for credit will soon be all around you. Be cautious, and don’t allow yourself to get in over your head. One of the lessons you will soon learn is how to budget your money. It’s a valuable lesson that you will benefit from for the rest of your lives.

Peter Jones
Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies
@ Temple since 2004

Recognize and take full advantage of all the opportunities – academic, social, athletic and cultural – available at Temple. Every college graduate should be able to look back at their college career and feel they made the most of every opportunity university life had to offer. Depending on interests and abilities, freshmen should think about achieving their full academic potential, engaging in student life and student government, getting to know our incredible faculty (especially those who will be outstanding mentors), developing any creative and/or research interests they may have, studying abroad and, importantly, finding a healthy balance between work and recreation. Temple provides the opportunity for all freshmen to shape their future during the next four years – please make the very most of it.

William Bergman
Vice President for Operations
@ Temple since 1996
Alma Mater: Bachelor’s from the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science, master’s degree in criminal justice from St. Joseph’s University

Larry Lemanski
Vice President for Research
@ Temple since 2007
Alma Mater: Bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, master’s degree and a doctorate in zoology at Arizona State University

I would like to personally congratulate you on your admission to Temple University. You are embarking upon an exciting journey during an exciting time at an exciting major research university. I urge you to take advantage of the many remarkable opportunities that await you. As a part of your academic experience, you will have the option of participating in cutting edge research and scholarly/creative activities under the guidance of an outstanding Temple faculty who are world renown in their disciplines. This will serve to prepare you not only for a successful career, but also for leadership in your chosen field. As the senior vice president for research and strategic initiatives at Temple, it is my privilege to have you as our student and I look forward to working with you to help make your time at Temple, the most stimulating and rewarding educational experience possible. Again, congratulations and welcome to the Temple family.

Timothy O’Rourke
Vice President for Computer Services

I would like to welcome all new Temple students and send my regards to returning students. Best wishes for a great semester. Throughout the year, I hope you will take full advantage of the award-winning technology resources that Temple has to offer. Computer Services has been working all summer to upgrade the technology we offer to you. For example, explore and customize the resources on the brand new TUportal , sign up for the Ruckus free PC music service, take advantage of new and improved hardware and software discounts, enjoy the expanded TECH Center facilities, learn to store your files in the improved MyBackpack, and get assistance from the new online Help Desk service system. Also, we have been working very hard implementing TUsecure, a new program to help secure your personal information and protect your identity and to allow you to access Temple’s wireless network through a much simpler interface. To learn about these online services and much more, visit the Computer Services Web site at www.temple.edu/cs.

Ainsley Carry
Dean of Students
@ Temple since 2004
Alma Mater: Bachelor’s of science in food and resource economics, master’s of science in counselor education and his doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Florida.

Welcome to Temple University. We know our students have many institutions to choose from and we are delighted they choose Temple. This is one of our most talented classes in the history of the University and we look forward to them becoming engaged students and alumni. My advice to students has been the same throughout the summer:

1. Make a commitment to going to class. Nothing can replace the time you spend in front of your professors.
2. Get to know someone from another culture. Temple is one of the most diverse institutions in America and students should take advantage of this great diversity by really getting to know someone from another culture.
3. Get involved. There are more than 200 student organizations and academic clubs on campus. Students who get involved remain enrolled and eventually graduate.

This is your University. Take advantage of your time here and have fun. Welcome to the Temple family.

Theresa Powell
Vice President for Student Affaitrs
@ Temple since 2002
Alma Mater: bachelor’s degree in sociology and education from the University of Pennsylvania, master’s in education from Texas Christian University, doctoral degree in educational administration from Ohio State University

Your undergraduate college experience only happens once. Make the most
of it.

Adelaide Ferguson
Vice President for International Affairs
@Temple since 1990
Alma Mater: bachelor’s degree from Temple, a juris doctor from the Rutgers School of Law-Camden, and a master’s degree in international human rights law from Oxford University

As a Temple student, you have a wealth of opportunities to prepare yourself to succeed in today’s global economy. Get involved. Master a foreign language. Learn about international issues. Get to know one of Temple’s more than 1,800 international students. Study abroad at one of 75 different international programs. Global competence is within your reach.

E-mail hackers phish passwords for profit

Incoming freshmen weren’t the only ones making their way into Temple this summer. Hackers from around the world wanted to get in as well.

Students, faculty and administrators at Temple received e-mails requesting that they submit their usernames and passwords. Most of the e-mails appeared to have come from Temple TUmail system, but Ken Ihrer, chief information security officer for computer services, said all of the e-mails were poor imitations.

“The things that we had going on over the summer is your typical phishing expedition,” Ihrer said.
Typically the goal of these phishing scams is to utilize Temple’s Webmail system to send out spam, which Ihrer said is very profitable. Hackers used e-mails with Temple’s TUmail graphics so that they appeared to look like legitimate university security alerts.

Ihrer said once information systems are compromised, botnet, a robot network used to control computers, and distribute spam, phishing e-mails and stock promotion scams. So far, all of the phishing attacks during the summer have come from overseas, Ihrer said. “Universities are usually a very big target because of the large numbers of systems we have and the openness we have,” Ihrer said. “We’re slowly becoming one of the better schools in terms of security.”

To prevent phishing scams from comprising Temple users’ accounts, Computer Services initiated TUsecure to enhance security by requiring one username and one password for all systems at the university. “Up until recently, we allowed students to use any kind of password they wanted,” he said. “Believe it or not some students used 12345 or ‘password’ as their password.”

Hackers used those simple passwords prior to this summer’s influx of phishing scams. Ihrer encourages students and faculty members to use uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and at least eight characters. TUsecure passwords are required to be changed every six months. Notifications will be sent out five days before account holders’ passwords expire and one day before the expiration date.

“Time will tell, but I feel fairly confident that these latest steps will reduce the amount of problems we have,” Ihrer said.

Temple currently uses a Symantec Endpoint anti-virus protection and IronPort, a new spam and phishing filter. The filter scans incoming messages requesting passwords and other confidential information. If an account becomes compromised, Ihrer said the filter will stop all outgoing spam.

“Once the hackers realize they can’t send out their spam, they move on,” he said. “Filtering out incoming phishing attacks saves our reputation on the Internet.”

“There’s nothing anyone can do to permanently block all of the attacks,” Ihrer said. “The only way to do that is to unplug the computers.”

LeAnne Matlach can be reached at leannematlach@temple.edu.

Optimistic Owls ready to attack the MAC

As the August heat gives way to the cooler days of September, the Owls look to make the most of what
was a grueling and educational training camp.

In just two years work, Al Golden has instilled a winning mentality in his players, and it has yielded confidence and change.

“When I came here we got laughed at walking across campus or walking down the street,” senior center Alex Derenthal said. “Right now there is a little buzz on campus and we can just feel the energy around us in the community.”

Derenthal has suffered through some painful seasons, but is finally getting respect. He was recently nominated for the Rimington Trophy, an award given to the nation’s top snapper. Another source of leadership stems from senior wide receiver Bruce Francis, whose breakout 2007 campaign provided six touchdowns, and gave the Owls a legitimate deep threat.

A core group of players on both sides of the ball, coupled with the fact that the Owls only lost one starter from a year ago, could lead to improvement from 2007’s 4-8 record.

Friday’s opener pits Temple against Army, a team that was only 3-8 last year, but thrashed the Cherry and White 37-21 at West Point on Sept. 29. Another variable working against the Owls will be their poor history in road games, including a 1-5 mark last season.

The loss to the Black Knights was just one of five to start the season, as winning early games has eluded the Owls over the years. This season they are poised for a quick start, but like usual, are only concerned with the task at hand.

“To me it’s only about one game,” said Golden. “It’s always about one game and more specifically it’s about how were going to practice tomorrow. And that’s what we are trying to teach the guys.”

Following that same formula is junior defensive tackle Andre Neblett, who returns as a key component in the Owls solid defensive front. He admits that a major fault on the field was working together as one cohesive unit.

“It’s more communication,” said Neblett. “Guys not being in the right place at the right time. Every time
we go back and watch the film coach would just show us little areas where we would mess up and we would understand and know exactly what he was talking about.”

This season Neblett’s interior presence, combined with the strength and talent of senior defensive ends Junior Galette and Leyon Azubuike, will allow the Owls to stop more plays in the backfield.

Offensively the Owls eagerly welcome senior quarterback Adam DiMichele back into the fold, after he fractured his left tibia against Miami (OH) on Oct. 20. The athletic signal caller sparked the offense with his arm and legs, throwing for 12 touchdowns and running for two more before his season was cut short.
The Owls will take on a challenging bevy of Mid-American Conference opponents, including Central Michigan, a team that went 6-1 in conference play last year.

“The [MAC] east is going to be strong and out of conference we are playing two of the top 3 on the other
side,” said Golden. “We’re playing Central [Michigan] away and were playing Western [Michigan] at home, two teams we haven’t beaten. The crossover games are going to be equally as demanding as the East division games,” he concluded.

The optimism is back for the Owls, but the team has a long road ahead. If all goes as planned, the sacrifices made in August will translate into a potential December celebration.

Anthony Stipa can be reached at anthony.stipa@temple.edu.

Class of 2012 Owls make Temple history

For more than five months, the university’s admissions committee carefully evaluated nearly 18,500 freshman applications to find the smartest students for Temple’s class of 2012. Now, all of that hard work will have paid off as 4,100 admitted freshmen arrive for Welcome Week. “The academic quality for this year’s freshman class is the strongest we’ve had in Temple’s history,” said Karin Mormando, director of admissions.

The average SAT score for the incoming class was 1104, with an average GPA of 3.37. “The honors classes are larger and that is a strong indicator of the academic strength,” Mormando said. “We will be welcoming an incoming honors class of 430.”

The next generation of Owls is coming from all over the country and the world to begin their undergraduate studies at Temple.

“[Recruiters] travel as far north as Maine, as far south as Virginia and as far west as Pittsburgh. There are also pockets of national recruitment in parts of California; Charlotte, N.C.; Chicago; and cities in Florida,” Mormando said.

Admission recruiters also traveled to China and South Korea where they attended college fairs. Recruiters will visit Vietnam to continue increasing the university’s international student body for the 2009-2010 school year. International undergraduates accounted for a 6 percent increase in tuition deposits.

Mormando said the admission committee takes a holistic approach in reviewing each applicant’s academic credentials.

“We review all of the application material, really looking at the academic picture over time and what classes they are taking their senior year. We also look at their personal statement and extracurriculars,” she said.
During rolling admissions, approximately 11,300 students were offered admittance and a record 1,300
prospective students were wait-listed.

“Last year, we had a very large freshman class, 4,400 students, many more students than we ever had,” Mormando said. “The list allows us to keep in mind enrollment goals and make sure we can meet the needs of the students.”

Of the 1,300 students on the wait list, 500 were eventually offered admission. Of that 500 about 15 percent enrolled to become Owls.
The relocation of the Tyler School of Art to Main Campus has led to an increase in freshman applications seeking to pursue visual arts studies.

“Tyler is seeing a bigger freshman class this year,” Mormando said.

“I only expect that to increase in the coming years as Tyler becomes fully integrated into Main Campus.”
Mormando said the university will continue to maintain its connection in the surrounding communities as the number of incoming freshmen from the Philadelphia metropolitan area increases. According to recent enrollment figures, 70 percent of freshmen are Pennsylvania residents, while the remaining 30 percent are out-of-state and international students.

In addition to the incoming freshmen, there are also 2,600 transfer students this year. Many of the transfer students are from local community colleges, Mormando said.

“More students are coming from the national pockets where we are recruiting, but we want to balance that with a strong local presence,” she said.

LeAnne Matlach can be reached at leannematlach@temple.edu .

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