John Fry started his tenure as Temple’s 15th president on Nov. 1 following multiple periods of unstable university leadership. Fry’s presidency follows a lineage of three presidents, Jason Wingard, JoAnne Epps and Richard Englert, in less than four years.
Members of the Temple community need to be able to trust their leaders and voice their concerns when necessary, especially after the unstableness of the presidential position.
The Editorial Board urges Fry to listen to the Temple community and prioritize communication efforts. Students, faculty and residents of North Philadelphia alike deserve clarity on institutional operations and their potential consequences. Some areas of concern include campus expansion, tuition increases and union relations.
The Temple community expressed what they wanted to see throughout Fry’s tenure. Forty-seven percent of students and faculty express their desires for improved community relations, according to an October 2024 poll by The Temple News.
Despite Wingard’s efforts to appear approachable through an increased social media presence and promise of moving to the North Central neighborhood, the Temple community found Wingard inaccessible.
Toward the end of his presidency, 92% of students disapproved of Wingard’s performance and believed Temple was not heading in a positive direction, according to a March 2023 survey by The Temple News. In the poll, students criticized Wingard for being impersonal, not interacting with the student body and having superficial concerns.
Temple needs a president with a genuine presence on campus. Fry should work with neighborhood outreach programs, student organizations and campus unions to strengthen his communication with the student body and foster an authentic relationship with the community.
In previous years, Temple presidents have addressed community members, students and faculty through a formal State of the University address. The last address was given in September 2019 by Englert, where he brought up concerns on sustainability, enrollment changes and campus development.
Though the practice stopped, Fry has the opportunity to reintroduce the State of the University address to the new generation of students. These sessions could take place at the beginning and end of each semester, instead of its previous annual deliverance. If Fry chooses to reinstate the addresses, students and other members in attendance should be allowed to speak directly to the university administration to relay their concerns.
By listening and communicating Fry can cultivate a prosperous and equitable Temple environment for students and community residents.
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