Convocation welcomes class of 2012

The next generation of Owls, eager to embrace their new college identity with energy and enthusiasm filed into the Liacouras Center on August 28 for convocation, ceremony that symbolized the freshman academic journey.

“I am so thrilled to welcome you to the Temple community,” Provost Lisa Staiano-Coico said.

“Hello entering class of 2012,” professor Scott Gratson said. “Welcome to Temple University.”

“I wanted to go away [from home for school] but not too far,” said freshman business major Vince Gasbarro from Delaware County. “I wanted to get into the city, and the new business building is exciting.”

President Ann Weaver Hart took command of the podium, welcoming the newcomers and encouraging them to serve Temple, while nurturing their talent and skills.

“I hope you can tell from what you’ve heard that this is a community,” Hart said. “We have 4,100 new students and 2,700 transfer students. This is the place you want to be to do anything and be anything you want. You’re an extraordinary group of young men and women. We are excited to have you here.”

The new student body sat in the cherry-red seats in the Liacouras Center and listened intently to the speakers. The freshman attendees nodded in agreement and cheered with enthusiasm.

“I see sons and daughters of union workers and single mother, but here, we are all equal.” Here at Temple University, we celebrate who we are and what we are,” Gratson said.

The convocation speakers reiterated the idea of community service to the students, encouraging them to get involved in student activities and groups with their respective schools.

Temple Student Government President Nadine F. Mompremier, the first female student body president, addressed the incoming class of 2012 and spoke fondly of the college experience.

“People weren’t kidding when they said there’s something here for everyone. Take a risk at being the best at something,” Mompremier said.

The incoming class of 2012 walked out of the Liacouras Center front doors together for the first time. The next time they will be leaving in unison again, it will be for good.

Tom Rowan can be reached at thomas.rowan@temple.edu.

Zhang blossoms under McGonigle lights

On the volleyball court, her 6-foot-4-inch frame is hard to miss.

She gracefully lofts the ball with one hand and delivers it with a force that can knock an opponent down. On plays when she stands in front of the net, she can slam the ball to the other side of the court without leaving the floor.

And yet off the court, junior outside hitter Yun Yi Zhang of the volleyball team has a calm and gentle demeanor. As the daughter of former Chinese National Volleyball Team member and current Shandong University head volleyball coach Luo Zhang, she proves that genetics can overcome a late start to a sport, one that she didn’t start playing until the age of 13.

Zhang’s prowess was evident early on. She led her high school to the Shanghai High School Volleyball Championship during her senior season. She was also a member of the Chinese Youth National Team that earned the World Youth title. After high school, Zhang attended Shandong University, but didn’t play volleyball. A year after that, she moved to the United States.

“I came [to the United States] for the education,” she said. “There were Chinese people here [on Temple’s women’s volleyball team] already,” Zhang said.

Also at Temple was her former volleyball coach, current assistant coach Bai Qing Liu.
Since Zhang hadn’t played for a year, there was a slight adjustment period.

“She didn’t start off in the best shape. She came in…she didn’t really work out,” junior setter Jacklyn Morrison said. “She’d get tired in the middle of the game. She wasn’t jumping; she wasn’t hitting as hard.”

But Zhang’s focus and determination soon paid off.

“This year, she worked out all summer,” Morrison said. “She’s really [shown] 100 percent improvement. I can see it in the game how she is quicker [and] so much better.”

Coach Bob Bertucci was also impressed with Zhang’s natural skill.

“Yi was a pretty good athlete when she began, however, her physical fitness has improved,” he said. “We don’t have anyone that size [with] that physical presence. When her shoulder is better, she’ll bring some heat to her spike.”

Despite the conditioning and injury issues, Zhang’s athletic ability at the outside hitter position is impressive. Last year, she was named to the Atlantic Ten Conference All-Rookie Team and Second Team All-A-10. Additionally, she led the team and conference with nearly six kills per match.

During last Friday’s 3-0 victory against Manhattan, Zhang had 12 kills.

“She brings more experience to the team,” Morrison said. “She’s 6 feet 3 inches and hits the ball really hard.”

With a good start to the season and improved conditioning, the sky really is the limit for Zhang. That sentiment also applies to the classroom, as Zhang is pursuing a degree in sport and recreation management.

Though she hasn’t made a decision regarding her volleyball career, Zhang is considering a career in sports, possibly a coaching position.

“If I can play volleyball, that’s great,” she said. “I haven’t decided yet.”

But no matter what she does, it appears that Zhang would make her father proud on any side of the ocean.

Kurt Hirsch can be reached at kurthirsch@temple.edu.

Hunting for some goals

If anything stood out about the men’s soccer team last season, it was its inability to score.

Behind an offense that only produced 15 goals in 18 matches, the Owls sputtered to a 13th place finish in the 14-team Atlantic Ten Conference with a 1-7-1 record last year.

As soon as the whistle blew on the 2007 campaign, the team was aware that its scoring woes were going to need to be addressed.

“We knew that from the start,” said sophomore forward Brian Henderson, the Owls’ top scorer with four goals last season. “There has to be more offensive production. It’s the first thing we talked about at the beginning of the preseason.”

They’ll most likely talk about it a little more after producing just one goal in their season-opening 3-1 loss to host Villanova on Aug. 29.

Junior forward J.T. Noone, one of the experienced players on a squad that essentially relied on freshmen last season, scored at the 80-minute mark of the contest, helping the Owls avoid a shutout.

“A lot of it is just the finishing part,” Noone said about the Owls’ scoring troubles. “We were able to create chances at times last year and we weren’t able to finish. A lot of it is just getting as many shots on goal as you can. If we can get that first goal early on in the season, that will do a lot to help get us over the hump.”

Temple hasn’t made the A-10 Tournament since 2004, when the team lost to George Washington in the championship match. The Owls also finished runner-up in the tournament in 2003.

Ninth-year coach David MacWilliams, who had to play freshmen in key positions last season, said this year’s group has gained experience and that he’s hoping it will help the squad this season.

“We have a lot more depth than we’ve had in the last two years,” MacWilliams said. “I think that’s going to be a big difference. I feel that I can start a number of different combinations this season when I didn’t have that luxury before. I feel like almost everyone on the roster has an opportunity to play, freshmen included.”

One of those freshmen, Upland, Calif., native Chris Velasquez, is one of the Owls’ forwards, along with Henderson and Noone, who dished out a team-high five assists last season.

Five to six players could see action as outside midfielders, including sophomore Kenechukwu Nwanah, junior Francois Sagna and sophomore Brian Weinhardt.

Juniors Matt Chevrollier and Mike Puppolo, sophomore Jared Harris and freshman Tyler Witmer could line up as defensive midfielders. They are among eight to 10 players who could start on defense, MacWilliams said.

Defense was one of the Owls’ strong points last season.

The team allowed 24 goals last year – good for a four-way tie for sixth place in the A-10. Temple also surrendered three or more goals in only three matches.

However, last season’s goalkeepers, Tony Pratico and Trevor Lyman, have graduated and redshirt sophomore Bryant Hosler and redshirt freshman Derek Long both suffered injuries in the offseason.
As a result, redshirt sophomore Bret Mollon, a mid-year transfer from Oakland, Calif., will front the net for the Owls.

“I know I have this spot for now, but I have to keep a mental edge and keep competing even though there is no competition right now,” Mollon said. “I have to be on top of my game, every minute of every game.”

Especially come October, when the Owls begin conference play with four consecutive road matches.
Although that stretch is followed by five straight home matches to end the regular season, MacWilliams said he isn’t a fan of the league’s scheduling.

“To start your first four or five conference games on the road is unfair. It’s frustrating,” he said. “I think we should do a better job with scheduling.

“When you have five road games in a row, you have to come away with results. That helps give you momentum going into those last four or five games,” he added. “If you don’t get results in those road games, you’re pushing.”

The Owls will get another chance to test their road acumen Friday against Lafayette in the Lafayette Classic, a three-game series which concludes with Temple’s first regular season home match versus Hofstra at the Ambler Soccer Complex on Sept. 13.

Tyson McCloud can be reached at tyson@temple.edu.

Owls hope to fill the Linc this year

The Philadelphia Eagles haven’t averaged less than 67,000 fans per game since they opened the 68,532-seat capacity Lincoln Financial Field in 2003.

Their co-tenants, the Temple Owls football team?

The Owls drew a record 28,858 people per game last season, an increase of 82.5 percent, to lead the Mid-American Conference in overall attendance.

That still left the Linc less than half full and left the Owls in fifth place in average attendance among the six college football teams (Pittsburgh, Tulane, Minnesota, South Florida, San Diego State and Temple) that played at NFL stadiums last year. (A seventh team, Miami (Fla.), joined this season.)

“We’re not in a position where we can fill a stadium or even come close to filling a stadium,” Director of Athletics Bill Bradshaw said. “But I believe as our teams get more competitive and are more successful, that students will want to come out more.”

The Owls did finish the 2007 season with an overall 4-8 record and a 4-4 record in the MAC, a definite upgrade from a 2006 campaign that ended with a 1-11 finish. Until the Owls annually compete for a MAC title or even a BCS game, it seems that giveaways will have to entice the students to come out.

“We will have a pregame tailgate in lot K with music and food for all games,” Scott Walcoff, assistant athletic director for marketing and promotions, said. “There will be special giveaways for the home opener versus the University of Connecticut [Sept. 6] and the game on Oct. 21.”

Temple’s athletic department will once again give away free tuition for a semester to one lucky student who attends the UConn game. The first 20,000 fans at the nationally-televised game versus Ohio in October will receive a pink thunderstick as part of “Pink out the Nation,” with ticket proceeds benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

On top of the giveaways, Temple also offers students transportation to and from the campus beginning two and a half hours before the start of every home football game. Buses stop at 1300 residence hall, Johnson and Hardwick halls and the Student Center. Riders are dropped off on the 11th Street side of the Linc. Buses pick up students at the same location immediately following the game.

Of course, if Temple’s football team played in an on-campus facility, giveaways and transportation might not be as much of a necessity.

“My opinion is that we should always consider anything that’s in our best interests, and in a perfect world, having your own football stadium close to where your students are is ideal,” Bradshaw said. “That’s certainly an issue for the president and the Board of Trustees. We have several years to go in our agreement with Lincoln Financial, so we’re looking forward to that.”

Ten more years, in fact. Temple signed a 15-year agreement in 2003 for an amount that Bradshaw said was “not insignificant.” Prior to that, the Owls played their football games at Veterans Stadium for 26 years, along with periodic stops at the University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field when dates conflicted with the Philadelphia Phillies schedule.

“Certainly, playing at Franklin Field would’ve been an option for Temple,” Bradshaw said. “It would’ve been a challenge, and maybe wouldn’t have been as attractive an opportunity for Temple football at the brand-new, state-of-the-art Lincoln Financial.

“But it would’ve been a fallback, and we did have discussions with Penn about it because the agreement with Lincoln Financial was solidified only two weeks before the opening game in 2003.”
The Linc, as it’s called by fans, provides the Owls with their own cherry-carpeted locker room, separate from that of the Eagles, giving it “a real Temple Owls’ presence,” Bradshaw said.

“[The players] love it,” he added. “That’s part of our recruiting trip. When student-athletes come in, one of the first places we take them is Lincoln Financial Field. It’s an important part of the recruiting process. No matter who they line up against, they can say that our building is the nicest that there is.”
It may be one of the nicest, but it’s not yet one of the fullest.

Jennifer Reardon can be reached at jennifer.reardon@temple.edu.

Defensive line ready to rush

Life’s hard for a defensive lineman.

Every play is a physical struggle for position and a surefire opportunity to tattoo on another battle scar. They don’t call it the trenches for nothing. But when the timing is right, and the unit works in cohesion, the end result can be quite rewarding.

With that being said, the Owls’ front four are hungry for the pigskin, and will be looking to eat up opposing offenses this season.

“We’re just looking forward to going out with a big bang for our last year,” senior defensive tackle Terrance Knighton said. “I’ve just been working on my technique and just working on the fundamentals. If you’re athletic you have it, so you just got to work on the technique — stuff you can get better at.”

Knighton’s neighboring tackle will be junior Andre Neblett, a menacing 285 pounds of run-clogging muscle. Their presence and pressure will give the Owls’ defensive ends a chance to shine.

“When you have the interior guys like Andre Neblett and Terrance Knighton, those guys are basically putting pressure in the middle of the field,” junior defensive end Junior Galette said. “[They’re] pushing the center and the guards back, and the quarterback has no escape lane to go through the middle, so he has to go to the outside, falling into my hands.”

Galette’s breakout 2007 season brings high hopes for 2008.

Last year, he made a nearly flawless transition from linebacker to defensive end. This year, where he will be leading a core of more experienced and determined linemen, Galette looks to build on his 41 tackles and team-high 7.5 sacks in 2007.

“[Last year], we were young,” the Owls’ defensive lineman said. “We moved just as fast as any [Mid-American Conference] team. We weren’t as big, but now we got a lot more depth, we’re stronger, faster, everybody gained weight.”

Missing in action on the opposite end of Galette is the Owls’ most decorated lineman, redshirt senior Leyon Azubuike, the 2007 team captain, who has been hampered by a knee injury.

Last season, he earned the Captains’ Award, as well as the George M. Illman Award for leadership on and off the field. Azubuike has been a man of many positions over the years, as he originally played tight end before converting to linebacker and ultimately solidifying himself at defensive end.

The brief absence of Azubuike will allow several role players to step up and stand out. In the Owls’ 35-7 win against Army on Aug. 29, freshman defensive end Morkeith Brown had two tackles and a 17-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown. Fellow end, junior Brian Sanford, assisted on four tackles, and will be a key component this season.

Coach Al Golden was impressed with his linemen, who responded to a heavy dose of Army’s signature ground attack. The Black Knights ran the ball 58 times, but the Owls’ resistance remained true throughout the game.

“The D-line did a good job,” Golden said. “When you have a man over you, blocking you, and then they give it to a 250-pound guy behind him, that’s twice your body weight coming at you, and I thought they really did a nice job hanging in there.”

On tap for the Owls will be Saturday’s home opener against Connecticut. A year ago, in the Owls’ controversial 22-17 loss to the Huskies, it was the gritty and relentless play of the line that fought for nine sacks, with Neblett leading the charge with three of his own.

If the defensive line can provide a repeat performance, then it will certainly make life a whole lot easier for the Owls.

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

Pressure and stress no match for DiMichele

The attention is on him. The pressure is on him. The weight of an entire team falls on his shoulders.
But he’s cool with that.

Entering his senior season with some of the highest expectations the football team has experienced in a long time, quarterback Adam DiMichele is nothing but ready to meet those challenges head on.
When told that the demands, the stress, the eyes and ears of the fans, would be on him, the Owls’ undisputed leader had a simple and straightforward answer.

“I wouldn’t want it any other way,” he said.

That kind of response is a key reason why coach Al Golden entrusts his offense and his team to DiMichele.

“I can’t say enough; I just think he is a special individual,” Golden said. “He does a great job in the classroom, he does a tremendous job in the community. He’s got the work ethic, he’s got the football IQ, he’s got moxie; he’s got leadership. So that’s a hard combination to beat.”
But it almost never happened.

DiMichele began his collegiate career playing baseball at Okaloosa-Walton Junior College in Niceville, Fla. Though he performed well, the urge to play football was still lingering after DiMichele’s successful high school career in western Pennsylvania.

Throwing the football around in the warm southern weather to stay familiar with the game, DiMichele eventually decided to give the sport another go after two seasons of baseball. And since former Temple assistant coach Jeff Nixon was conveniently recruiting his brother, it then became pretty easy for the Owls to go after him.

“We had the chance to look at his tape, and [he] really had just a tremendous arm, great vision and feel for the game,” offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Matt Rhule said. “He’s one of those kids that was good at every sport. He brought a lot to the table in terms of athleticism,” Rhule said.

So with that, DiMichele was headed north to a team that didn’t win any games the previous season.
One might think that getting a scholarship offer from Temple is a mixed blessing, considering the dire straits the program was in.

But DiMichele didn’t see it that way.

“That was the main reason I wanted to come here, to change things up,” he said. “I came here for a challenge; that’s what I’ve been given. That’s what’s been thrown at me. It’s pretty exciting, actually.”
That excitement translated to a 2006 season where DiMichele started nine games and threw for 1,518 yards and 10 touchdowns. But the Owls only won one game that year, and personal victories aside, it was a truly frustrating year for the Cherry and White.

“It was rough. No one’s really used to losing; no one likes losing,” DiMichele said. “Obviously, it’s the total opposite of what we’re trying to do. We came a long way…but that first year was definitely a learning process as the youngest team in the country,” he said.

The fact that the Owls had such a young team allowed DiMichele to step up and take on a leadership role on the team in 2007, despite the fact that he was just a redshirt junior.

But then again, that’s something that must just be in his DNA.

“He’s one of those guys everybody thinks he is. He leads in the locker room, leads in the weight room, leads in the field,” senior wide receiver Bruce Francis said. “He takes charge.”
His center felt the same way.

“Even under all the pressure, he somehow remains cool, calm and collected,” senior Alex Derenthal said. “He really just takes control of any situation that we’re in.”

Those intangibles, coupled with his play, helped DiMichele win the starting quarterback job in 2007 after a training camp battle with then-sophomore Vaughn Charlton. While the team did start the season 0-5 before winning three games in a row, DiMichele played well and took charge of the team.
However, it was the final of those three straight wins that proved costly.

On Oct. 20 against Miami (OH), DiMichele broke his leg and his season, just as things were hitting their stride.

“[It was] frustrating. We were just doing better than we’ve done in a long time,” DiMichele said. “I probably had about 5,000 thoughts running through my mind at that moment, thinking about my family, my teammates, thinking I let them down, [thinking] am I going to play again? Once I got in that ambulance, I just put all my faith in God and in my teammates and the rehab people.”

That faith held up as DiMichele returned to action last Friday against Army, throwing for 159 yards and two touchdowns in the Owls’ dominating 35-7 win.

Golden, normally straight and to the point, was just that when talking about DiMichele’s play.
“What can you say about him?” Golden said. “Should he even be out there medically? He’s a great kid; he looked good, no limp, just really did a nice job.”

So with DiMichele leading the way, this season has a chance to be a special one for the Owls.
While it’s tough to truly get a gauge on whether this team is simply better than last year’s or even bowl-caliber, it’s evident to see the confidence DiMichele has in himself is making its way around Edberg-Olson Hall football facility.

“There’s not a throw I don’t think he can make,” Francis said. “There’s a lot of chemistry. When I go out there, he knows I’m going to run the right route and he trusts me to make the catch. And that’s how it is.”

Todd Orodenker can be reached at todd.orodenker@temple.edu.

Sustainability office to help campus go green

Since “going green” is on more students’ minds these days, Temple’s newest office is attempting to address the idea of an environmentally friendly campus.

On July 1, Temple announced the opening of the Office of Sustainability, a new administrative unit that plans to lead the university’s efforts in promoting environmental responsibility throughout Main Campus.

Sandra McDade, director of the office, was previously part of the Sustainability Task Force, which assessed a variety of sustainable practices for urban universities.

McDade said she applied for the new job because of her passion for the environment and sustainability, and she wanted to make a difference at Temple.

In April, President Ann Weaver Hart signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, promising to reduce Temple’s impact on the global warming crisis.

Students for Environmental Action, an active campus organization focusing on sustaining the environment, convinced Hart to sign the commitment. SEA is pleased that the university has the office.

“The Office of Sustainability will make an amazing difference on campus,” SEA President Jessica Gruber said. “Already, Sandra McDade is taking great steps toward making the campus sustainable. She is working with many student groups and different groups within the administration and is hoping to create many changes that will make a huge difference,” the junior environmental studies major said.

McDade said the new office plans to educate the Temple community about sustainability, enforce conservation practices and reach out to other student organizations this school year.

“We are very excited to work with the office this coming semester,” said Jacquelyn Fagan, a junior environmental studies major and the events coordinator for SEA. “After succeeding in getting the [commitment] signed and establishing this office, we now have the support we need by the administration to make some important changes on our campus.”

SEA plans to work on a variety of campaigns to improve sustainable practices on campus and create awareness to students, faculty and the administration.

SEA education committee chair Paloma Vila doubts the intentions of the university in establishing the office.

“It’s still hard to know if the office was created because President Hart and the rest of the administration really feel it is important for a major university like ours to be responsible about how we go about doing business and set an example for others, or if they’re just buying into the whole ‘going green’ gimmick like so many companies and organizations you see these days,” said Vila, a junior civil and environmental engineering major.

This year, the Princeton Review included a “green rating” to its guide for colleges, with Arizona State University, Binghamton University and University of New Hampshire topping the list.

“Honestly, I think we just need to make sure that we can walk the walk and not just talk the talk,” junior sociology major Audra Winn said. “Our plans and goals are fantastic, the work we’ve done as a student group is certainly admirable, and we just need to keep raising the bar higher in order to succeed.”

Jessica Lawlor can be reached at jessica.lawlor@temple.edu.

Grads stuck at home with diplomas

After four years of freedom away from mom and dad, some 2008 graduates find themselves back at home after graduation.

Across the nation, 77 percent of 2008 graduates have moved back home. The number of graduates moving back home has increased from 67 percent in 2006 to 73 percent in 2007.

Many theories as to the rise of this trend among graduates have been considered. One reason could be the plummeting economy and high cost of living, but according to a press release on CollegeGrad.com, today’s generation of recent college graduates are continuously seeking help and guidance from their parents. CollegeGrad.com conducts surveys and polls on topics related to entry level job search.

As an urban university with a large number of in-state residents, Temple’s commuter students tend to live at home while attending school during their undergraduate years. This has affected Temple differently compared to other schools, particularly those in more suburban and rural areas.

The Career Center surveys graduates six months after graduation to track employment activity. In 2007, 68 percent of Temple’s graduates reported finding employment in Philadelphia, which is double from the year before.

“The city of Philadelphia has been making big efforts to retain college students graduating from area colleges,” said Rachel Brown, director of the Career Center. “Since Mayor Nutter came into office there has been an increase in entry level jobs and this most likely effects Temple University as a Philadelphia school as opposed to a college somewhere like Arkansas.”

Despite having no immediate career prospects, Sarah Hiester, a 2008 Temple graduate, decided to stay in Philadelphia after receiving her bachelor’s degree from the College of Science and Technology in May 2008. After graduating, she continued to work part-time at a local pizza eatery.

“I was determined to continue living on my own,” Hiester said. “At Temple, students are forced to live on their own after their first two years of college, which makes them less likely to want or choose to move back home since they haven’t [lived in a dorm] all four years.”

Hiester recently received an offer in the water supply division at the Department of Environmental Protection. She plans to continue living in Philadelphia.

Brown said Temple’s statistics are incomparable with many other colleges since it is a commuter school in the city of Philadelphia with many local residents, which can cause the number of graduates who continue to live at home to vary.

Shawn Annable, a 2008 graduate from the School of Communication and Theater chose to move back home to his parents’ in Tannersville, Pa.

“I was looking for a job in Philadelphia but didn’t find one soon enough after graduation. I didn’t want to sign a year lease on an apartment and be unable to afford the rent,” Annable said. “Moving back home was the best option.”

Annable is now freelancing in New York, editing audio books for JMS Studios. He said he hopes to move out on his own again in less than six months.

Some current Temple undergraduates are already planning on moving back home after graduation.
“I know I’m going to move back in with my mom after graduation,” said Cana Sarnes, a junior psychology major. “I need to save money before going to grad school. I’m not going to waste my already limited funds on rent and utilities, especially not with the economy in the state that it is.”

“Besides, after being away for four years my mom would be thrilled to have me back,” Sarnes said, “even if it means mooching off of her for a year.”

Kathryn A. Lopez can be reached at kathryn.lopez@temple.edu.

Delaware GOP ousts professor

Check out Professor Ting’s op-ed here.

Law professor Jan Ting hangs his beliefs on the wall. Framed pictures of President George Bush Sr., President Ronald Reagan and countless other Republican officials decorate his office. Ting is in many of the photographs, shaking hands with famous conservatives.

One is not like the others: a Barack Obama poster hangs on his front door.

In the purple state of Pennsylvania, Ting’s disparate beliefs don’t seem that abnormal. But in his home state of Delaware, an even more purple state, that got him kicked out of the GOP.

In April, Delaware’s Republican regional chairman Bill Sahm and a district chairman invited Ting out for coffee. They had seen his donations to Obama’s campaign, which totaled $1,000 at the time. Ting has since donated $1,000 more. They had also examined a picture of Ting at an Obama rally in Wilmington, Del. In fact, many people had inspected the photograph and donations. Sahm told Ting that his actions had been discussed at “the highest levels of the state party.”

Because of his disloyalty, Ting said they requested his resignation from the Republican Committee, which he had been a member of for 25 years.

“They told me that I should put party interests above individual interests,” Ting said. “That sounds like something the Communist Party would say.”

Sahm’s story differs slightly. He said that Ting asked if they wanted him to resign. Sahm said they did, unless Ting swore allegiance to John McCain. He refused to support the Republican candidate.

Ting first questioned his loyalty to the Republican Party while serving the GOP in 2006. He was running as a Republican for the U.S. Senate, knocking on doors and trying to rally
conservative votes. It wasn’t an easy task. Lifetime Republicans told Ting that they were angry at the Bush administration. Many of them opposed the Iraq War and thought the administration was “making a mess of things.” Ting said he agreed.

But in late 2007, he was still planning to vote for a Republican president. In fact, he served as an adviser for then-presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani. He would have voted for Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee or Ron Paul. But the people chose McCain.

“I can’t support him. McCain’s too old, has a poor temperament, and makes too many gaffes,” Ting said. “I don’t agree with his stance on the Iraq War.”

On the other hand, Ting knew that Obama supports some of his deepest political beliefs. He supports a timely withdrawal from Iraq and a stronger military presence in Afghanistan. Ting also saw a bit of himself in Obama. They are both lawyers who attended Harvard Law School.

After hearing Obama’s speech in New Hampshire in early 2008, Ting’s decision was solidified. He donated money to the Democratic nominee, attended a rally in Wilmington, Del., and bought the Obama posters. He didn’t think it would be a problem. He’d seen members of the Republican Committee donate to Democratic candidates before.

“The fact that they kicked out such a low-level member reflects how insecure the Delaware Republican Party is,” Ting said.

Despite his admitted bitterness toward the party, Ting is still a registered Republican because he wants to vote in the primaries. It’s a sly move.

“I know the difference between the good guys and the bad guys,” he said. “I can help to weed the latter out.”

Holly Otterbein can be reached at holly.otterbein@temple.edu.

Crews work on campus

The progress is tangible.

Students returning to campus may have noticed significant advances in various construction projects throughout Main Campus. The scaffolding has been taken down around Alter Hall, and Presser Hall will soon see a new atrium.

With many of these projects nearing completion, The Temple News outlines what has been accomplished and what students, faculty and staff will still be waiting for.

Temple Towers
After many rumors that it would be demolished, Temple Towers, a 680-bed apartment complex, is here to stay. To accommodate the increasing number of students living on campus, Temple Towers is being remodeled and renovated.

“We are not knocking Temple Towers down. We are going to do a complete renovation,” said William Bergman, vice president for operations.

Electric and water lines were updated over the summer and major construction overhauls will take place next summer. One of the biggest changes to the apartments is that the balconies will be removed to extend room space. New kitchens and bathrooms will be installed. Bergman said the lobby of the building will also be revamped.

Tyler School of Art
With the Tyler School of Art moving to Main Campus, art students can create and display their work in a new building designed by Texas-based architect Carlos Jimenez.

“For the first time, Tyler will have modern up-to-date equipment,” Bergman said. “It will really be a place to do spectacular work.”

At an estimated $76 million, the newly designed Tyler and high-tech equipment will become the premiere art school in the Philadelphia area, Bergman said. The state contributed $61.5 million to the construction.

The new facility will be home to a sculpture garden, which will be the largest green space on campus.

Johnson & Hardwick
In addition to the $4 million renovations to the Louis J. Esposito Dining Hall, the rooms in J&H underwent a makeover.

Bergman said over the past two years, all new furniture and air conditioning units were installed in the rooms.

After J&H’s being one of the less popular dorms, Bergman said students are now excited to live there.
“It is an extremely popular place. It used to be a hard sell to students, but not anymore.”

Alter Hall
“Alter Hall is this grand building that is going to be home to the business school,” Bergman said.
Speakman and Alter halls will be connected to allow students to fully utilize the new space. The new business building will have the largest stock ticker room of any university in the country, Bergman said.

“Temple’s business school is offering a modern, today education and the building shows that,” Bergman said.

Eighteen months of construction will pay off when Alter Hall opens for classes in the spring semester.
Alter Hall cost an estimated $80 million, with $25 million donated from the state and approximately $20 million from private donors.

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

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