Addition Values

There are pros and cons to Temple’s expansion on the Web and on campus.

While The Temple News has been critical of what we consider superfluous spending – last year’s “125 Facts” ad campaign and the addition of talking trash cans in the Student Center food court – we believe a few projects are worth commending.

Finally putting OWLnet to rest is a long overdue provision to the university’s online system. The current archaic system cannot handle a large number of users at one time, something students struggle with the most during priority registration week, when seats in certain classes are limited. OWLnet will be replaced sometime next year with the new Banner system, which will hopefully be easier to navigate.

Regardless of the fluidness of the soon-to-come site, it is important Temple’s technology team create a coherent guide to the new operating system. Otherwise, the switch won’t be smooth for those who are accustomed to the older system.

Both students and technical support should remember communication is key. E-mail may seem like the most effective way of communication, but it is also an easy thing to ignore.

What will be hard to miss on North Broad Street in the next 14 to 15 months, however, will be the newly renovated Pearson and McGonigle halls. The glass-enclosed mezzanine set to be constructed will extend almost the whole way to the street. As much as the university wants people to “Oo,” and “Ah,” it is important to point out the positive and negative aspects of the renovations.

The additional 2,500 square-foot cardio gym and 20,000 square-foot weight room on the second floor of Avenue North are needed additions – there has been a 127 percent increase in the number of swipes at the IBC in the past 10 years.

But since the Student Pavilion, which has four hard courts, is set to be torn down to make way for the “signature building” – which will most likely be a new library – within the scope of the 20/20 plan, Temple is not creating more space for students who play sports in the at times overcrowded Pavilion. It is simply breaking even, which is not what we understand the goal of the 20/20 plan to be.