TTN Video: Student Reaction to Green Fee

Video by Matt Huber and Matt Petrillo

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.

Lessons learned from lifespan as an Owl

My four years at Temple will come to an abrupt end in nine days when I graduate. Much time is spent easing you in – campus tours, orientation, placement tests – but the adjustment to the real world is much more sudden. Technically, I’ve had four years to prepare for this, but I like to think I’m not the only one who feels surprised by the finality of it all.

I’ll adjust quickly enough to the bills, student loans and likely unemployment partly because I feel fulfilled by these last four years.

It took me four years to build up this reservoir of advice, and if I didn’t share it, I’d be hindering those who aren’t quite done here.

YES, COLLEGE IS EXPENSIVE.
I’ve never felt more financially taken advantage of than during college. It starts with the application fees, and I promise you, it won’t end until your loans are paid off.

People who know me can tell you I’ve spent countless hours complaining about giving Temple my money. I have Student Financial Services’ number memorized after spending the last four Septembers tracking down my loan refund. People got earfuls when I paid a technology fee for my summer internship and fees for graduation and the commencement cap and gown.

You’ll complain, too, but universities are businesses. We’re their best customers. Remind yourself of that next time you buy a $50 Temple sweatshirt or a $4 fruit cup from the food court.

SCHEDULE SOME FREE TIME.
Leisure time is important, but so are those precious few minutes between classes. I’ve tried several roster variations over the years, and there are definitely some that work better than others. I was lucky enough to have Fridays off early in my sophomore year, and I’ve never looked back – sometimes to my detriment.

Last spring, I took five consecutive classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, leaving the other days open for work, internships and fun. I was miserable two days a week, running from the 11th floor of Anderson to Ritter Hall, eating squished sandwiches I packed the night before and lugging my books around for eight hours. Sometimes, a 50-minute break matters more than a Friday off.

WE ALL KNOW OWLNET SUCKS, SO MOVE ON.
Quite pathetically, one of the best feelings of my life is knowing I never have to register for classes on OWLnet again. I relish never having to sit at my computer at 11:58 p.m. with a knot in my stomach, hoping I can crawl into bed before 2 a.m. with a completed roster. For now, OWLnet is a cruel reality that you just have to deal with. Try to do it gracefully.

TEMPLE IS IN PHILADELPHIA. EXPLORE.
Temple students have no excuse for being bored. We’re in the middle of a city of 1.5 million, with way too many neighborhoods to count. Get over your fears and assumptions about Philadelphia, and see it for yourself. Skip what you saw on the third grade field trip, and get a real feel for the place. If you graduate without getting to know the city, you’re missing out.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FREE STUFF.
Temple offers tons of free stuff. For starters, the annual barbecue for the graduating class. I spent Friday afternoon drinking free beer and eating free food while hanging out with the Class of 2009. Not too shabby.

But there’s plenty to enjoy now. Try Free Food and Fun Fridays at the Student Center, which is exactly what it sounds like. And, thanks to the Tyler School of Art, we have a built-in art gallery on campus.

Keep these things in mind, and find new things to pass along to those who come after you.

Shannon McDonald can be reached at shannon.mcdonald@temple.edu.

Layoffs, budget cuts loom on horizon

Ongoing financial issues at the state and university level are forcing Temple to take a hard look at its finances and relationship with Harrisburg.

Temple’s exclusion from the proposed Pennsylvania Tuition Relief Act and a cutback in appropriations have Chief Financial Officer Anthony Wagner worried.

“It makes me feel like we’ve got a bit of a bull’s-eye on our backs,” he said. “Is it inconceivable to say that the state could be in a situation in two to three years where they’re saying, ‘Temple, we can’t afford to fund you at this level anymore’?”

The university has already cut its budget by 5 percent, and Wagner said further cuts would seriously hurt Temple. The administration is trying to minimize the impact of the cuts on students and Temple’s academic services as much as possible.

Wagner said there will be layoffs, but tenure and tenure-track professors will be protected. There will be layoffs on the administrative side. Adjuncts who teach one or two classes a year could also be subjected to the cutbacks.

“Typically, they would be people that have other jobs, and they may teach a course a semester. They may not even teach every semester. They might teach in the fall,” Wagner said. “We’re going to evaluate all of the workloads and try to understand if there’s any way to be more efficient.”

Efficiency is key for Temple during this budget crisis. The university is in the midst of streamlining its administrative systems.

Wagner said the technology will improve how Temple does administrative chores.

“All of those things go into how can we do the same amount of work with fewer people,” he said. “There’s really no way to take a cut at the university and not have personnel involved cuts because we’re so personnel intensive.”

Seventy percent of Temple’s budget goes toward personnel expenses like salaries and benefits, and with decreased appropriations, the university must be careful with its funds.

“We have to be very careful how we navigate Temple through these waters. We have to plan for the worst, hope for the best, and if things start turning around and we really see a positive impact, then certainly the president and Board of Trustees will take that into consideration,” he said.

Planning for the worst could mean state-related schools get less money from the commonwealth than they have been.

Temple’s budget has been cut five times in the last 10 years. In the governor’s most recent budget, Harrisburg proposed $178 million for Temple. In 2001, the university received $179 million.

“That’s treading water in absolute dollars, but if you do an inflation figure,” he said, “we’ve actually lost $40 million in buying power from our state appropriation over the last decade.”

Wagner expressed disappointment about Temple’s exclusion from the Pennsylvania Tuition Relief Act. The proposed act could deliver more than $9,000 in aid to students at community colleges and state-system schools. Temple, the University of Pittsburgh, Penn State University and Lincoln University were not on the list of schools included.

“It’s always a good thing when the governor decides to invest in higher education. We want everyone to benefit from state investments if possible,” Wagner said. “But to have the community colleges and the state-system high education universities included in the program and to have Temple, Pitt, Penn State and Lincoln excluded and treated like private universities, is of very great concern to us.”

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

Union Dissent

Temple’s members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union are lashing out against their negotiation team after going without a pay raise for more than a year and a half.

AFSCME union’s contract expired Oct. 31, 2007. AFSCME consists of more than 750 campus professional and technical employees, including laboratory managers, programmers, analysts and accountants.

“This is very frustrating for employees because we have no power or say. Both the university and AFSCME are at fault for not compromising,” an AFSCME member said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “There are people who would like the current contract to be signed and move forward rather than keep waiting. We’re concerned that this could continue for a year or more, which is very discouraging in this economic climate.”

Throughout the course of the past few weeks, AFSCME members have been voicing their disdain with the union on a listserv created by the university.

Paul Dannenfelser, president of AFSCME, said the listserv is distracting.

“Members are trying to do their jobs and get work done, and they’re being bombarded with e-mails,” he said.

Many of the e-mails were sent anonymously, he said, although a source familiar with the listserv said many more AFSCME members voiced displeasure while using their actual names.

George Moore, university counsel, said the university initially sent out a communication on its listserv in response to inquiries from AFSCME members regarding the status of negotiations.

“When it became clear that AFSCME members were using the listserv to communicate amongst themselves, the university did not believe it was appropriate to interfere,” he said. “The university did not encourage or intervene in those discussions. AFSCME members have First Amendment rights to talk to their colleagues and share opinions. This is consistent with the usual exchanges of ideas on a university campus.”

Dannenfelser said Temple is not negotiating in good faith.

“They really want an anti-union atmosphere. They’re using tactics that are questionable in legality and ethics,” he said. “Most members didn’t even know that it’s a university listserv. It’s not a union listserv.”

Last fiscal year’s final proposal was made to the union on May 19, 2008, said Sharon Boyle, assistant vice president of labor and employee relations. This included a pay increase scheduled to take effect in November 2008.

She said AFSCME was asked to take the proposal to its members in order to obtain a vote. However, the union failed to obtain a vote and did not schedule another meeting with the university’s negotiating team.

“The membership calls for a vote, not management,” Dannenfelser said.

“Since [November] came and went, we met again Dec. 18 to touch base,” said Boyle, a university negotiating team member. “There is still no movement, but we’ve said that we’re open to listening.”

“I would certainly like to come to an agreement,” Dannenfelser said. “The university needs to negotiate and not dictate to us.”

Because AFSCME did not accept the contract, the previous offer of giving members retroactive pay for the 2007-2008 fiscal year is no longer on the table, Boyle said.

Dannenfelser said they want “an across-the-board raise and merit pay on top of that and fair-share pay.”

Fair-share means all members of the bargaining unit would be required to pay dues. The university, however, maintains that 85 percent of the bargaining unit must already pay dues in order for it to require that the remaining 15 percent do so.

Between 60 percent and 65 percent of the bargaining unit currently pays dues, Dannenfelser said.

AFSCME member Beverly Frantz, coordinator of the criminal justice initiative in Disabilities, said she has been trying to leave the union since the contract expired. She was told she could only leave the union if she had given notice 15 days prior to the end of the contract, she said.

Frantz said she then began trying to work with the executive board of AFSCME on broadening that.

“There should be some kind of means to allow members to leave,” Frantz said. “The contract really forces you to stay in the union. I can’t imagine why someone would want someone in the union who doesn’t want to be. It’s not even the money, it’s the head count. If someone decided now that they wanted to leave the union, they could end up waiting four or five years. They would have to wait for the contract that hasn’t even been settled to then expire. It’s forced membership. There needs to be a way for members to leave the union in a respectful way.”

“They need to meet with the membership and keep us abreast on a weekly basis,” another anonymous AFSCME member said. “I’m unhappy because we’re not allowed to know exactly what is going on.”

“We haven’t put out specifics as to numbers because we feel they shouldn’t be in public,” Dannenfelser said. “They should be at the negotiating table.”

Dannenfelser said they have communicated with the membership through brown bag lunches and six letters throughout negotiations. He said they personally met with more than 250 members and solicited input prior to negotiations. He said they also always respond to members’ phone calls and e-mails.
Negotiations began in September 2007, and Dannenfelser has been the president of AFSCME since January 2007. Elections are held every three years.

According to UnionFacts.com, the president of Temple’s AFSCME makes approximately $21,330 per year in addition to his salary. This statistic was recorded in 2006.

Dannenfelser said he shares the feelings of bargaining unit members about not having a pay increase. AFSCME has not, however, submitted a proposal to the university since early in the negotiations, he said.
“They know what it will take,” he said.

Non-dues-paying members have voiced complaints on the listserv about being harassed by dues-paying members to join the union.

Frantz said she had a similar experience upon beginning her job at Temple.

“I’m not against unions,” Frantz said. “They play an important part in the economy, and we need them, but I don’t want to be a part of this union. I don’t think the union knows how to negotiate without bullying tactics and threats and badmouthing. That’s not the way you negotiate in the 21st century.

“I don’t see it doing anything except hurting me, and it’s costing me much more money to be in the union because we haven’t gotten pay increases. I understand that the university can be difficult, but I think they’ve been fair with what they’ve offered.”

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

TTN Video: Owls beat Rhode Island 68-62

Keeping Count

The first semester’s tuition for law classes at Temple in 1884 was $12.

Inflation really sneaks up on you sometimes. That’ll happen over the span of 125 years.

The Temple News is proud to bring you this special edition, featuring coverage of Temple’s 125th anniversary.

Each of us is here for a reason. For some of us, Temple was our top college choice. For others, it was farther down the list. And a select few might have come kicking and screaming.

Regardless, we are here receiving a top-notch education during the school’s 125th birthday.

When it comes down to it, we all deserve to celebrate this anniversary equally. Without Russell Conwell, none of us would be here. From the administration to the freshman class, we should all feel fortunate to be at Temple during this significant time, and we should all have an opportunity to reflect on the storied history of this university.

However, celebrating is hard to come by right now. The struggling economy has had an impact on most of us in some fashion, and Temple University is no different. Just a few weeks ago, The Temple News reported the university must cut $40 million from its operating budget for 2009-2010.

Where’s that money going to come from?

The university has already cut about $11 million. A hiring freeze is in place, and out-of-state travel is mostly restricted. Grants have been lost, and jobs may be in danger.

All the while, tuition is on the rise. This is nothing unusual, as tuition rates for many colleges across the country rise annually.

But anything that is perceived as frivolous spending will be perceived as coming from our bank accounts. Dollars that could have gone to scholarships or other academic needs were instead spent on tablecloths and special flags. We hope it doesn’t come to that.

Reaching 125 years is a milestone worth commemorating, but in these tough economic times, a close eye will be placed on the administration to see where money is going. Anything that seems excessive will be questioned.

Sacrifices must be made by everyone. As students, we should understand if the luxuries we once were given – Liacouras Walk picnics, ice skating at the Bell Tower – are temporarily put on hold.

Temple almost reached its goal of raising $350 million. Let’s see that money go more toward our academics and less toward party favors.

Temple Alumni a force in the Peace Corps

With more than 450 Temple graduates having served in the Peace Corps since 1961, the volunteer group promoted itself at a Study Abroad Fair.

Unlike the majority of the booths, the Peace Corps had a different route to offer at the fair held last Tuesday. Instead of studying at a university, it offered to become a member of a community.

Last year, there were 21 Temple graduates and 10 undergraduates in service.

Jennifer Bert, a 2003 Temple grad, served from 2006 to 2008 in Castleton, Jamaica. She said the Peace Corps prepared her for graduate school at the University of Pittsburg for master’s degree in Public and International Affairs.

“It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be,” Bert said.

Bert worked at the Castleton Botanical Garden, where she was the main facilitator of the Clay Pottery Project, which sold locally-made clay cups and bowls to thousands of tourists. She also wrote a grant for a bus shelter that was destroyed by a drunken driver.

“It showed me I was really part of the community,” Bert said.

The Peace Corps is searching for applicants who are independent, understanding, patient and proficient in various languages. Volunteers can serve among 70 countries, training locals and promoting a better understanding of Americans.

Volunteers assist countries through education and youth development, HIV awareness, environment conservation practices, business advancement and information technology. They receive financial support during their service and afterwards.

Kenneth Nicholson, a 1968 Temple alumnus, served two terms in the Peace Corps. Prior to his service, Nicholson moved from Arlington, Vermont to study at Temple. He earned his master’s degree in science education.

“[Temple] allowed me to expand my horizons in science education to teach in my hometown,” Nicholson said.

Nicholson and his wife first joined the Peace Corps from 1971 to 1973. At the time the couple was permitted to bring their 2-year-old and 4-year-old children to St. Lucia. Although they were unlike the other 100 volunteers who were recent college graduates, their difference allowed them to integrate better with families.

Nicholson taught biology to 6th graders and teachers who were earning their secondary degrees. At the time, anyone could become a teacher after graduating from the 6th grade. He helped young teachers discover new methods. St. Lucia had a suffering economy that could not support institutions with science text books or materials. He said he taught teachers “how to use the natural environment as a platform” and how to perform simple experiments.

After the first mission, Nicholson and his wife returned to their reserved teaching positions. In 1997, he retired from teaching.

From 2001 to 2003, he and his wife embarked on another Peace Corps mission. This time they went to Shumen, Bulgaria.

Despite a slight language barrier, Nicholson said he and his wife adapted to the community of retired Bulgarians. He taught at a selective secondary school where he organized an ecology club, which conducted field trips to international conferences in Berlin, Germany and Odessa, Ukraine.

On explaining his return to the Peace Corps, Nicholson said, “When we went back 30 years later. The idealism and ambiance was the same. It had not lost any of its idealism.”

Bert said the Peace Corps was her ticket to experience a different part of the world.

“It’s not time out of your life,” Bert said “It is your life.”

Arty Kern can be reached at arthur.kern@temple.edu.

Changes in minorities at ‘Diversity University’

Diversity is a goal that many colleges strive for. Ranked as the Princeton Review No. 8 school for diversity, Temple has been ahead of the game.

Though Temple is recognized as a diverse university, student profiles show that ethnic diversity among students has changed over the years.

In the university’s 2005 student profile, African-American students represented 18.7 percent of undergraduate enrollment. Asians ranked as the second highest minority group with 8.7 percent, and Hispanics ranking third at 3.5 percent.

The 2007 student profile shows that African-American and Hispanic enrollment slightly decreased representing 17.3 percent and 3.4 percent, respectively. The Asian population, however, increased to 9.5 percent. White students account for 57.8 percent of undergraduate enrollment.

“I haven’t been to other schools to see what their campus populations look like, but I feel like colleges are either [Historically Black Colleges and Universities] or majority white schools,” said Suzanne Solberg, a sophomore education major. “I don’t feel like there are any in between. I think we’re diverse, but not as much as we could and should be.”

The number of white students enrolled at the university has been nearly 58 percent for the past three years, but percentages for minority enrollment have decreased.

“There are more white students in general applying to college so more are accepted. The question is how to get more African Americans, Hispanics and even American Indians to apply for higher education,” said William Black, the senior vice provost for Enrollment Management at Temple. “The number of African-American, Asian and Hispanic students graduating from high school is rising. For the university to remain its healthy diversity we need to work hard finding these students to encourage them that Temple may be the place for them.”

“I first came to Temple in 1989, and it was quite different in terms of racial and ethnic demographics,” said Terry Rey, associate professor and chair of the religion department. “The black population was much higher then.”

Rey said the decrease of black applicants could be a result of academically rigorous admission standards implemented during David Adamany’s presidency.

Rey said he is proud of Temple’s efforts to expand diversity on campus.

“I believe in the university’s commitment to the local community,” he said. “Diversity is one of the great appeals with this university, and you can use it as a means for learning about the world.”

Diversity on campus is not limited to race and ethnicity, but also geographical location.

A majority of Temple students are from Pennsylvania. In 2005 the undergraduate Pennsylvania residency population was 71 percent. It remained the same in 2007.

“We have an ethical and moral commitment to the Philadelphia community. Our major market is the four county areas of Philadelphia,” Black said.

“There is an increase of urban school popularity,” said Rhonda Brown, assistant vice president for the Office of Multicultural Affairs. “Suburban kids think urban schools are hot right now, so applications are up from suburban schools. Students are applying here who wouldn’t have applied here years ago.”

Temple accepts more students from suburban areas because the suburban applicants are meeting the university’s academic criteria and requirements.

“Suburban schools get better funding, so the test scores are generally higher,” Brown said.

“The Philadelphia school district is not particularly strong but Temple is working along with Mayor Nutter to better the school system,” Black said.

Black said Temple has adopted a new program to development better enrollment strategies.
“This program is a telecounseling effort with [RuffaloCody LLC] to understand the quantitative side of marketing and admissions. Its primary target groups are students representing diversity and academic excellence,” Black said.

“The university’s commitment to access and excellence is our highest priority,” Black said. “We are trying to give opportunities to students from other places to come and experience Temple.”

Taara Savage-El can be reached at taarasavage-el@temple.edu.

Recruiting agencies often harmful to students

Applying to college can be a daunting task. It is even harder if you are applying to a school halfway around the world.

For many of these students, the process of applying to the United States to study abroad can be a tedious and time consuming process, and very expensive. Often international students pay recruiting agencies to help them fill out applications and other required documentation in order to receive their visas to come to the United States.

According to the Office of International Affairs, 1,864 international students from 127 countries were enrolled at Temple in 2007.

Though enrollment of international students steadily increases, the university does not use recruiting agencies due to ethical issues.

“Agencies bring a financial variable that puts pressure on the family and student unnecessarily,” said Timm Rinehart, associate vice president for enrollment management.

Rinehart said there is also a concern that recruiting agencies may not represent the university appropriately.

“Temple University is becoming more aware about the role of agencies and will determine in the near future if and how to engage them,” Rinehart said.

Instead of using an agency, international students can access admission applications for free on the Office of International Services Web site, Rinehart said.

The Office of International Services provides information and assistance to international students to help answer any questions regarding the application process.

“Although Temple doesn’t have a campus in China, we do have a program in China in collaboration with Tsinghua University,” said John Smagula, director of Asian Programs at the Beasley School of Law.

Staff at both the Beijing office and Philadelphia office work together “to try and raise public awareness about Temple programs, to create a buzz about Temple, and to generate interests in Temple.”

Smagula said a key component of recruiting prospective law students is word of mouth.

“When prospective students have questions about the program, we will have alumni call them to answer questions,” Smagula said.

“The American Bar Association discourages [agency] use, especially if there are contingency fees,” Smagula said. “However, this issue comes up frequently at the American Association of Law Schools annual conference, and we’re planning to learn more about other schools’ experiences in exploring what the permissible scope of use could be.”

Temple uses two agency companies, the World MBA Tour and MBA Tour, to arrange and host college fairs around the world.

The companies have Web sites that allow students to register for the Graduate Management Admissions Test.

“People inquiring about the GMAT or signing up for the exam can come to the MBA tours or fairs. It is an opportunity for the prospective students to interview and have face time with a school counselor,” said Chris Butto, director of graduate admissions operations for the Fox School of Business.

Butto said technology is changing the way colleges and universities have recruited students in the past.

“A new breakthrough in Internet service products are virtual catalog brochures that are tailored to a particular person,” Butto said. “Students can go directly to college Web pages and access customized tailored pages about particular programs.

“Traditional media are moving toward more electronic and efficient ways to market to individuals. The use of view books or thick catalogs that colleges used to mail and ship have virtually gone away.”
Butto does not encourage students to use agencies.

“We would prefer students research schools themselves,” Butto said.

He added that admission directors or advisers would prefer to see more of the “real student” and less of the consultant.

In the past, Butto said he received application forms from agencies that have inserted the wrong school name.

To combat unethical agencies, the American International Recruitment Council was incorporated in Washington, D.C., in June.

The council’s goals include developing ethical practices regarding international student recruitment to American educational institutions, providing training for agencies and creating a certification system for consumers to effectively evaluate recruiting agencies.

“As school processes become more transparent because of the Internet,” many of the unethical and marketing scams will go away, Butto said.

Sue Ann Rybak can be reached at sueann.downey@temple.edu.

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