Cautious Gratitude

Thanks, Temple.

More than 4,200 students will receive diplomas next Thursday, a group of accomplished individuals who will celebrate their graduations during Temple’s 125th year. Those graduating have some thanking to do, but we depart Temple with some concerns.

For those who have been here for at least four years, we’ve witnessed some monumental changes at the school we’ve been proud to call home. With some adjustments, Temple brought in additional resources to make our college experience unforgettable.

For those graduating, we are the last generation of Owls to remember Curtis Hall at 13th Street and Montgomery Avenue or to know that the computer lab in Paley Library was the largest on campus in 2005 – and included dot matrix printing.

Johnson and Hardwick residence halls didn’t have air conditioning just four short years ago.

The entire south end of the Howard Gittis Student Center neared completion at the end of 2005, and administrators attempted to eliminate the incorrectly termed “SAC” from students’ vocabularies.

It’ll always be known as the “SAC.”

Alter Hall and the Tyler School of Art building were nearing their groundbreakings but were still figments of our imaginations in 2006.

The TECH Center opened in January 2006 and attracts thousands of visitors a day, boasting itself as the largest computer lab of its kind in the nation.

However, with any large institution, perfection is hard to achieve.

Over the past few years, students have endured countless construction projects, which provided some eyesores for a few months.

Three years ago yesterday, Ann Weaver Hart was elected president of Temple. She brought a positive energy to campus, but her short tenure has seen bitter contract negotiations between the university and two of its unions.

Another complaint many have is the visibility of Hart on campus. Former President David Adamany occasionally ate lunch in the Johnson & Hardwick cafeteria, and many say Hart is nowhere to be found. More transparency and visibility from the administration would be a welcomed attribute.

Temple has taken strides to accommodate students’ needs in the past few years. But a good university is more than the bricks and mortar that comprise its buildings.

The people are what differentiate a great university from an exemplary one. A majority of Temple students aren’t apathetic – they take pride in knowing the inner workings of the university. This is why it’s disturbing to see the conflict but not fully understand the exact parameters defining it.

Temple provides a phenomenal educational experience, and every student should be appreciative for the resources provided. We hope the university realizes that without a content staff and an informed student body, such a phenomenon may disappear.

Eat your heart out

The current age of technology has spawned a slew of independently created multimedia outlets, including MySpace, Facebook and YouTube, and senior Anthony Turco hopes to have the next big phenomenon with Sauté Sessions.

Sauté Sessions is an independently operated online television show that will film its pilot episode April 15 in the Johnson & Hardwick cafeteria. While the title reveals it is indeed a cooking show, the program focuses on relationships and how we can all learn from each other and our past experiences.

“The idea came to me after I had just broken up with my long-term girlfriend,” said Turco, an entrepreneurship and finance major. “I would go to my buddy’s house, and his dad would always be making food during our discussions about breakups, love, sex – anything regarding relationships – and I realized food is a great means of bringing people together.”

What started as an idea quickly manifested into a goal to try to reach out and help others, all while maintaining a carefree and relaxed environment.

“I view Sauté Sessions as being the anti-Dr. Phil,” said Turco, who will host the show along with co-creator John Ferdinand, a junior business management major. “I definitely don’t want to come off as some sort of ‘expert.’ I don’t think there’s such a thing as a relationship expert. We all experience them in different ways, and we can all learn from each other.”

The show will air as an open-forum discussion. Turco and his staff have come up with more than 35 possible topics for discussion, ranging from funny and off-the-wall subjects to serious, intimate issues.
The panel is also open to audience ideas. In fact, audience participation is not only encouraged but a crucial factor in whether the show will be a success.

“I’m prepared to break the ice with some of my own stories, but this is in no way a lecture,” Turco said. “The students who join our studio audience should be open to the idea of discussing their issues or bringing up pressing questions they have. There is a lot of ambiguity when it comes to relationships, and I want the show and the discussions to allow us to feel free to talk about them.”

Of course, there cannot be a show titled Sauté Sessions without food. The show will have guest chefs from the J&H staff and possibly some Temple students in the future. They will be cooking up “good eats,” as Turco calls them, for both the panel and audience to enjoy.

He also hopes to have guest musicians as part of the experience, as well.

Turco anticipates the show to have different segments, including the culinary-themed “Breaking the Eggs,” “Off the Grill” and “The Hot Stove,” but the laid-back attitude of the show will allow for a multilateral direction, leaving plenty of room for improvisation.

Sauté Sessions’ Web site, SauteSessions.com, will contain the edited episode by the end of the month. The Web site, as well as its Facebook page, also provide other avenues for viewer participation and communication.

“The Web site will pick up where the show leaves off,” Turco said. “All of the topics from the show will be on there, as well as different topics that may not have made it on the air. Viewers will be able to make a user name and post topics, as well comment on other people’s posts.”

Turco, who also owns and runs his own DJ entertainment business, is self-funding both the show and the Web site. If the show and Web site take off, he is open to the idea of using advertisers but doesn’t anticipate accepting any monetary donations from supporters.
“It would mean a lot more to me if people donated their time and energy and helped support the show by watching and participating,” Turco said.

It’s difficult to predict Sauté Sessions’ long-term future, but there is potential for both a television show and an innovative social networking Web site. Regardless of what lies ahead, Turco looks forward to the journey.

“Hopefully, word-of-mouth will continue to circulate throughout campus and maybe farther,” Turco said. “I have a team of passionate people around me, and all we can really do is to see where it goes and, most importantly, have fun.”

Nick DeLorenzo can be reached at nickdelorenzo@temple.edu.

Student put on probation, community service for taking photos

Brian Romanelli, a freshman communications major, received a rude welcome in his second semester at Temple – more than a semester of disciplinary probation and 20 hours of community service.

Romanelli was not drinking or being rowdy, though. He was taking pictures.
The photos were for a class, Photography for Filmmakers.

On March 17 around 5 p.m., Romanelli was sitting on the grass lawn between Broad Street and the Johnson and Hardwick residence halls. He saw a man exposing himself to Temple students walking on Broad Street past J&H. Soon after, two Temple Police officers arrived at the scene.

Romanelli got up from where he was sitting, and walked around the fence separating the sidewalk and the grass, stopping about 10 to 15 feet away to take pictures of the arrest.

He said one of the officers grabbed his arm, pushed him away and said “Get the f–k out of here.”

Romanelli moved back to the other side of the fence and took a few more pictures. Once handcuffs were on the man who exposed himself, Romanelli walked back to the gate, which was about 50 feet away from the police, and took more pictures of the arrest.
The same officer waved him away again, he said.

After the man was in a police van, the two police officers walked over to him.
“You don’t like to listen, do you?” Romanelli said the officer asked him.

Romanelli said the other officer grabbed him by his arm and pulled his wallet from his back pocket.

The police then checked Romanelli’s name to see if he had any outstanding warrants.
“I’m pretty sure I’m allowed to take pictures,’” Romanelli said.

He said the officer who first approached him said “not when the police tell you you can’t,’” Romanelli said.

“He said I was interfering with a police investigation,” he added.

After the officers took down his information, they left, Romanelli said.

“See you at [University Disciplinary Council],” an officer said.

The only witnesses called by the panel were the two officers, Romanelli said.
He called a friend to testify on his behalf.

The panel was made up of three faculty members and two undergraduate students, Ja’Nice Proctor and Chanelle Desir. The chair of the panel was Keith Gumery, an English professor.

The panel unanimously agreed Romanelli was at fault for failing to properly identify himself or to comply with the instructions or directions of a person acting in duly authorized university capacity and gave him disciplinary probation until the end of the Fall 2009 semester and 20 hours of community service, which they recommended he complete with Campus Safety.

Brian Foley, coordinator of the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, said recommendations are “random” to some extent but can be based on the offense the student has committed.

“Sometimes we deal with certain violations that deal with someone not cooperating with police. We might refer them to Campus Safety,” Foley said.

The panel members are volunteers who go through a period of training, he said. The training includes the various violations of the student code of conduct and different kinds of sanctions, among other things.

Foley said there is an appeals process, which varies with the sanction.

Stephen Zook can be reached at stephen.zook@temple.edu.

Spring Steps

March really did roll out like a lamb.

It’s perhaps redundant to say that cliché is overused, but the month of March seemed to seamlessly fade into April. And with that, we enter the final month of the academic year.

It’s the time of year where the trees begin to bud and Mr. Softee sits by the Bell Tower. Spring Fling is around the corner, and classes end May 4. Everything is coming to an end.

This, however, is no excuse to get caught up in the contagious springtime environment.

With all of this said, The Temple News would like to encourage students to take advantage of the final month of the spring semester rather than become absorbed in the excitement.

First, vote for Temple Student Government. Elections for next year’s administration are being held today and tomorrow. While their platforms may be similar and students’ expectations low, TSG is a committed organization that does care about all students. They just need to find a better way of expressing it, so give them a chance.

Lounge on Beury Beach, but don’t skip out on classes. Think of it this way – every class you skip costs $31 (or $57 for out-of-state students). Remember that you’re at Temple to receive an education, not to get a suntan on a faux beach.

Eat at the Johnson & Hardwick cafeteria at least once a week. It seems that a renovated eatery has improved the moods of the workers, many of whom are now delightful and accommodating. And, compared to most school cafeterias, the food is pretty good.

Keep picking up The Temple News. It’s a pretty good paper.

Don’t let Temple shelter you. Get to know and explore the community. Talk to neighbors and locals. Learn about them and their lives, and share something about yours.

And for the seniors – hope that Bill Cosby will return to speak at graduation in exactly a month and a week. We were pleased to see him reappear last year – sources say he showed because of a column in The Temple News – and we can only hope he’ll make another cameo at this year’s ceremony.

We’ve reached a strange period of the year, where the beautiful weather energizes all while senioritis spreads to underclassmen. Prove to yourself that you can find that perfect balance between academics and entertainment.

And one more bit of caution – with a forecasted high of 48 degrees tomorrow, don’t put away those winter clothes just yet.

Sodexo slips up with veggie fare

When Matthew Theisz, a 20-year vegetarian, picked up a plate of collard greens labeled “vegetarian” from the Johnson & Hardwick cafeteria Feb. 26, he didn’t expect to find meat in it.

“Right away, I knew there was something [wrong] with the collard greens,” the senior natural sciences major said. “They tasted like crap.”

Upon further inspection of the dish, Theisz said he found “finely shredded meat,” specifically turkey, among the vegetables.

Management at the Main Campus cafeteria, operated by Sodexo, said the collard greens were part of a special “Soul Food Menu” in a letter addressed to Theisz, given to him the day of the incident.

The letter stated: “Usually collard greens are a vegetarian dish. However, today we added turkey meat to the collard greens. Unfortunately, we used the wrong item identifier, and the collard greens were labeled ‘vegetarian.’”

Theisz, whose vegetarianism stems from his personal religious beliefs, said he has taken vows not to eat meat.

“I feel that vegetarian students have the right to be informed that they have broken their sacred vows, whether religious or ethical, due to the sloppy procedures followed by the university Dining Services,” he said.

In a letter from Sodexo Education Market Senior Vice President Bill Lacey to Theisz dated March 17, he apologized for the incident and said the food service would be “instituting several new steps in response to this incident.” Those new steps include a review of the cafeteria’s labeling procedures and a new system where managers check labels twice to ensure accuracy.

“We will post information at the vegetarian station to acknowledge the error and explain our reinforced safety and labeling commitment to students,” Lacey wrote in the letter.

A sign notifying students of the incident was visible March 17 to 24, said Temple University Dining Services’ Marketing Director Jeffrey Browne.

Browne also said he and two other Sodexo staff members, registered dietitian Julie Rhule and general manager David Tolbert, were available to answer patrons’ questions about the incident during the cafeteria’s peak periods, approximately 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Theisz said he opted for a meal plan at Temple after learning about Sodexo’s reputation for accommodating vegetarian and vegan students.

In 2007, Sodexo, then Sodexho, Inc., was awarded a “Proggy” for being the “Most Vegetarian-Friendly Food Service Operator” from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The “Proggy” is PETA’s progress award, given to “companies, people and products for innovative and animal-friendly achievements,” according to the Web site for the 2008 awards.

PETA, in its description of the food service company for the 2007 Proggy awards, said it “is definitely tuned in to the growing demand for animal-friendly dining options, especially among college students.”
This may not be the case for students’ options on Main Campus.

Jacqueline Palmer, a junior secondary English education major, has been vegan for a year and a half. Six months before she became a vegan, she excluded meat from her diet. Palmer said she eats on campus every day, often at the J&H cafeteria.

“I like when they have vegan options, but I’m still worried every single time that it may contain meat,” she said, “so I end up eating a lot of broccoli.”

Palmer said there are often inconsistencies in the vegan options offered at the cafeteria, saying she has seen “vegan” chili offered one week but “vegetarian” chili offered the next.

“I just have to be careful,” she said.

Melissa Bross, a senior environmental science major, has been a vegan for nine months. She doesn’t have a meal plan or eat at Temple’s Dining Services locations.

“I usually just bring food from home,” she said.

Theisz now joins Temple vegetarians, like Bross, who pack lunches and find alternatives to Temple’s on-campus dining locations.

“I immediately demanded to be released from my food contract,” Theisz said. “They refunded [my] money for the rest of the semester. I really feel [Sodexo] should have refunded all of my money, at least for this semester, as a small gesture of their sincerity and in reaction to my absolute dissatisfaction. They have refused to. So, I have never eaten there again and probably never will.”

“I never would have ate there if I thought it was that sloppy,” Theisz said.

After the incident with the collard greens was brought to the attention of Sodexo employees, Theisz was informed there had been turkey broth in what Theisz thought had been a vegetable dish. The dish contained cabbage and potatoes, and although it wasn’t marked “vegetarian,” he assumed it was.

Theisz said he remembered thinking, “I just ate meat twice today, basically against my own will.”

Dr. Teresa A. Powell, vice president for student affairs, said the university would be working with Sodexo’s district manager “to prevent this from happening again,” in a letter of apology to Theisz dated March 13.

But Theisz said he remains dissatisfied with the ways that both Temple and Sodexo have handled the situation.

“The university needs to uphold their principles of diversity and respect everyone’s religious and ethical beliefs,” he said. “And stand up for the student body when those principles are grossly violated.”

Chelsea Calhoun can be reached at chelsea.calhoun@temple.edu.

J&H to auction off dates

The risk of rejection weighs heavily on an individual’s confidence when he or she asks another out. With a little cash, however, you just might find exactly what you’re looking for without risking rejection.

Johnson & Hardwick Senate is taking Cupid’s wings and trying to spread some love with a date auction Feb. 25 at 8:30 p.m.

Though Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, some Temple students are not feeling love in the air.
“A guy broke up with me because I wasn’t interesting enough to talk to,” freshman marketing major Jonathan Heberlig said.

“A guy broke up with me and told me he was gay,” said freshman journalism major Theresa Regan.

Rejection for freshman finance major Alexander Jones came in written form.

“I asked a girl on a date, and she had just written a note her friend to give to me to tell me that ‘I just don’t think this is what you’re looking for,’” Jones said.

Hoping to open women’s hearts and, more importantly, their wallets, Philip Schorr said he volunteered to be a date in the auction to inform women at Temple that he is available.

“I’m basically participating to help J&H raise money,” the undeclared freshman said, “but also to help the women who are too shy to come up to me and give them an opportunity to go on a date with me.”
J&H Senate, which is hosting the event, bridges the gap between the two buildings by planning activities, working on community service projects and holding talent shows and movie nights. The Senate also raises money to send residents on trips into the city.

The idea of a date auction was suggested by a current resident during a general meeting. The meetings are held in the building’s basement every Monday at 8:30 p.m.

“At Senate meetings, we basically discuss and plan fun events for J&H residents,” said Zenas Walelo, treasurer of the J&H Senate and a freshman civil engineering major.

After the auction, there will be food and live entertainment for students to meet and plan outings with their dates. Auction attendees can also meet other single students.

J&H residents can volunteer to auction themselves off. In addition to helping out their residential community, volunteers will each receive a gift certificate to Saxbys Coffee.

If you are still apprehensive about attending the event, proceeds will benefit breast cancer research.

Matt Petrillo can be reached at mattp@temple.edu.

Residence hall catches fire on students’ first day back

It is the kind of scenario students practiced for months, but never expected to occur.

Upon hearing the alarms, “I immediately thought, ‘which floor burnt the popcorn?’” said R.J. Magee, a freshman theater major who lives in the Johnson and Hardwick residence hall building at Broad and Norris streets.

At approximately 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, alarms sounded in J&H , and they were both evacuated after a fire broke out inside the building.

Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs Michael Scales was at the scene, and said concern was sparked by “a distinct smoky aroma between the buildings in the expansion-joint.” He said the source was not apparent.

Engine 27 Capt. Tim Todd received the call about smoke in the building around 3 p.m. Todd, along with a team of four chief officers, three fire engines, three ladders and a medical unit arrived at the scene.

“The fire was minimal,” he said. “Putting it out was simple, but finding it was the problem.”

Officials advised students displaced by the fire to wait in nearby Peabody Hall to stay warm, but the residents dispersed throughout campus. Saxbys was packed to the point that some students were forced to wait outside, while nearly 70 students packed into Peabody’s television lounge. Others waited at the McDonald’s on Broad Street for permission to re-enter.

Officials blocked the surrounding area from Susquehanna Avenue to Norris Street and west to 15th Street. Noelle Stratton, a freshman secondary education-history major, was parked in the turn-around in front of J&H to move into her residence hall when the fire erupted.

“I came down from my room after leaving a suitcase and $300 of newly purchased books for the semester in my room,” she said, “only for a cop to tell me that I have to move my car because of the fire.”

Freshman theater major Joe Wozniak was in class when the incident occurred.

“It was really cold out and I had just walked across campus and couldn’t enter my building,” he said. “I wish I got a heads up like a text message or something.”

At 4:58 p.m., officials said it was safe for residents to enter the building.

Michael Beachem and Kenneth Jones, the resident directors of Johnson and Hardwick halls, respectively, sent mass e-mails to residents later in the evening explaining the event.

“The fire was contained with minimal damage. However, some administrative offices were affected, including the mail room, although no mail was destroyed,” they wrote.

Students often smoke in a small recessed doorway commonly called “the pocket” between the towers to avoid the cold wind. Investigators have yet to determine a cause, but it is possible that discarded cigarette butts sparked the blaze.

The e-mail also requested, “We are asking kindly that all students and guests suspend smoking on or near the three benches outside the J&H breezeway until further notice.”

Matthew Petrillo can be reached at mattp@temple.edu.

Healthy eating in the dorms

At the thought of a typical college student’s diet, visions of pizza, fast food and Ramen noodles usually come to mind. Temple has made an effort to break this stereotypical vision and promote healthier eating habits by revamping its dining services with $4.5 million in upgrades.

Temple’s extensive renovations to its dining services have increased meal selections and introduced healthier options for health-conscious students.

Jeffrey Browne, marketing director for Sodexo, said every dining venue on campus offers healthy items, some more than others.

“Students have a plethora of healthy options to choose from,” Browne said.

The newly renovated Johnson & Hardwick cafeteria features a 48-item salad bar and vegan and fruit stations to make it easier for students to exclude foods like ground beef and cheese whiz for healthier toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes, onions, rice and beans.

“They like the salad bar and vegan choices, as well as the atmosphere,” Browne said.

All Temple students are welcome to eat at J&H. Browne said the new dining hall has seen an increase in traffic from off-campus residents and commuters.

When they’re not eating in cafeteria, students can still eat healthy while enjoying food from their favorite vendors at the Valaida S. Walker Food Court in the Student Center.

There are the plenty of choices for healthy foods, like the salad bar and the Wrap Up station, but every stand has a few wholesome options. The American Dog offers vegetarian hot dogs and chili- and cheese-stuffed items. Dos Manos is a popular burrito and taco vendor that serves as a healthier alternative to the now-defunct Taco Bell.

Einstein Bros. Bagels also boasts plenty of “carb-conscious” selections. Besides whole-grain bagels and fat-free spreads, bagel lovers can enjoy freshly squeezed orange juice and fruit salad.

Although healthy foods can be pricey, Browne says there is not much discrepancy at Temple between the prices of nutritional fare and junk food.

For Temple, it’s all about providing choices and giving students the means to eat right.
“Students demand more options,” Browne said, “and we want to offer the widest variety of choices that we can.”

Jen Klimowicz can be reached at jenniferklimowicz0001@temple.edu.

GenEd is more than Core renamed, IH is out and Mosaic is in

Incoming students will never know Temple without the TECH Center, the newly renovated Johnson & Hardwick cafeteria, or the Tyler School of Art on Main Campus and their education won’t be complete without the new General Education courses.

GenEd is the replacement to the previous Core Curriculum that is now obsolete for students admitted to Temple for the 2008-2009 school year.

Previously, students took Core classes along with their declared majors.

To satisfy the GenEd requirements students must complete 11 courses under nine different areas within the curriculum.

The fields include Analytical Reading and Writing, Quantitative Literacy, Arts, Human Behavior, Race and Diversity, Science and Technology, U.S. Society, World Society and Mosaic Humanities, which replaced Intellectual Heritage courses that explored prominent literature from the past.

Core credits earned at Temple still apply to students who enrolled prior to this semester. Students enrolled in the Core Curriculum also have the option to take GenEd classes and have the credits applied to their academic records.

While Core classes and those under GenEd may look identical Terry Halbert, director of the GenEd program and member of the General Education Executive Committee, said courses are only similar by name.

“It took us years and years just to decide what could be changed,” Halbert said.

A series of “turf wars” as she called them, were fought between departments on who would get the changes and what would remain the same.

The decision to scrap the Core Curriculum came out of department chairs working with each other, and realizing professors often cross into other subjects within separate majors.

Some of the classes under GenEd were carried over from the original Core classes.

Halbert said it’s because it is still the same professors but a different way of teaching is being implemented.

“Within the last 20 years a lot of research has been done on how people learn and the conclusions showed that it is in groups trying to solve problems or work on issues that they think are important,” Halbert said.

Another new technique brought about by GenEd is that similar courses are offered by different departments. The basic concepts of the course are covered by different departments with some variation. The professor’s academic background is also a factor.

Professor Robert Yantorno teaches “Investing for the Future” in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department. He said students in the past had difficulty locating the course.

“They use to look under the business school and would never think to look under Electrical and Computer Engineering,” Yantorno said.

During the planning phase of GenEd, incorporating Philadelphia into the new courses was important to GEEC .

The city is now included in seven of the nine areas with 34 classes offering interaction with Temple’s urban setting. Course range from studies of arts and culture originating here to the role of law and justice within Philadelphia.

“Truthfully, I’m really interested in building up this Philadelphia experience,” Halbert said.

Mickey O’Malley, a freshman film and media arts major, is enrolled in “Dramatic Imagination,” an Arts course. Students in the class will attend live plays throughout the city.

“If you’re not from the region it gives you a chance to learn the area better,” O’Malley said. “You get to hang out in Philly and earn credits.”

With the 2008 school year just beginning GenEd remains untested, but Halbert said the program is being taught at colleges and universities across the country.

“The GenEd reform trend is nationwide,” Halbert said. “Schools are changing their required curriculum to look at the ways different areas of study blend or mix.”

Greg Adomaitis can be reached at g.adomaitis@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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