Temple’s Task Force on Institutional Integrity released its final report last week after more than two months of examining the university’s policies and investigating the issues brought up in Judge Louis Freeh’s report on Penn State University’s handling of the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal.
The task force, made up of 11 administrators and four more who staffed it, focused on finding out if there was any part of the Freeh report that Temple could learn from. The Temple News supports this openness from the university and its commitment to self-improvement.
One area that the university directly played a role in affecting change in a policy was with its overnight guest policy with respect to non-matriculated minors. The task force states that it recommended the university review its overnight guest policy for minors. Temple responded by placing an immediate stop on all overnight visits from minors who aren’t students.
Though, the task force warned that placing a complete ban may hinder a number of aspects of student life. Specifically, it questioned if the policy would impact sibling bonding and student recruitment.
This shows that the task force does not support any hasty action that could have unintended consequences on the university.
While The Temple News supports action, it also commends the task force for being cautious and warning against a total ban on non-matriculated minors overnight at residence halls.
Another aspect of the report focused on reporting mechanisms for inappropriate conduct at the university. It noted that there is an online confidential form, but not everyone may know how to access it. This is important because it shows that the task force was committed to reviewing the checks and balances of the university as well as its reporting mechanisms.
Overall, the task force called for further reviews of Temple’s policies and procedures mainly in the area of non-matriculated minors. The Temple News applauds this commitment to making sure Temple is as protective as possible.
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