Temple President John Fry sent an email to all staff and faculty Wednesday detailing how the university will proceed following recent executive orders while also sharing updates on other school initiatives.
Many of the initiatives in the email directly addressed President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders on diversity, gender and immigration. Fry’s initiative updates included campus development projects, budget reviews and leadership hirings at the university.
“Temple takes pride in offering a welcoming and supportive environment for all students regardless of their race, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation or identity,” Fry wrote. “This too will not change, and I fully expect that the incoming Class of 2029 will once again be a student body that is reflective of individuals from all walks of life.”
The university will be hiring and altering different positions at the university. The Vice President of Temple’s Institutional Diversity, Equity, Advocacy, and Leadership Valerie Harrison will now report directly to Fry. The office previously reported to the Office of the Provost.
Fry will also create a new position for a vice president of government and community relations in an effort to “reimagine” how the university thinks about community impact and civic engagement.
The university will continue to pursue an “innovation corridor,” a project that stretches from the Health Services Center to Main Campus to Center City. Andy Altman, an urban planner and developer, has been hired as senior advisor for this project, Fry wrote.
Within Fry’s email announcement, Vice President of Human Resources Sharon Boyle and University Counsel Cameron Etezady shared a memo with deans and department heads at the university, outlining additional guidance related to the potential presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and Customs and Border Protection on campus.
The announcement comes after faculty, like the Temple Association of University Professionals, called for the university to publicize its ICE policies.
The memo notes that ICE agents are allowed in spaces open to the public. Without a warrant, they are not allowed in university spaces typically restricted from public access.
In an earlier email sent to the Temple community on Jan. 29, Fry stated that the university has not received any verifiable reports of ICE on campus. Temple’s Department of Public Safety confirmed the same thing to The Temple News a day before Fry’s statement.
The university encourages any sightings be referred to the Office of University Counsel, and that if law enforcement should arrive seeking information regarding any Temple community members, it is university policy that information should not be shared without proper verification of authority.
The policies encouraged individuals to share the office’s guidance, particularly among community members who may encounter ICE due to their position or location.
“There have been a number of executive orders and other actions that have left many in our community feeling targeted, marginalized and not valued,” Fry wrote in the email. “Please know that Temple sees you and supports you. As we continue to work through the changes and challenges that will inevitably arise, I ask that the Temple community continues to lean on and support one another in the months to come.”
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