Top 10 columns of 2016

Read our columnists’ stances on the university’s and world’s biggest issues of 2016.

Columnists from top left: Alex Voisine, Angela Gervasi, Cierra Williams, Jayna Schaffer, Jasmine Fahmy, Jenny Roberts, Paige Gross, Victoria Mier, Siani Colón and Darryl Murphy.

1. Gentrification contributes to ‘plunder’ in North Philly by Alex Voisine

Plunder, or exploitation, is visible in North Philly, our columnist argues. Temple, he says, plunders the surrounding community through gentrification. Voisine calls for the university community to become aware of this exploitation.

2. Lack of budget could ‘change what Temple is by Angela Gervasi

The budget impasse in the Pennsylvania legislature loomed earlier in the year, and Temple faced the possibility of not receiving its state funding — $175 million. Our columnist argues that students should use their voices and encourage change. The budget was eventually passed.

3. Students: understand TU Alerts by Cierra Williams

Cierra Williams urges students to learn about how the university’s TU Alert system works before complaining about it. She also calls for better communication between Temple University Police and students.

4. Flight: still a work in progress for TSG by Jayna Schaffer

Jayna Schaffer urges Temple Student Government to tackle persisting problems with Flight, a university shuttle system that allows students to request rides to and from Main Campus using the app TapRide. Schaffer argues that students’ safety is at risk as Flight’s reliability and promptness continues to falter.

5. Deans need more diversity by Jasmine Fahmy

Jasmine Fahmy reflects on the lack of racial and gender diversity among the deans of Temple’s 17 schools and colleges. She notes Temple is not alone in its need for more diverse leadership, but calls on the university to be an agent of change.

6. Students need religious education by Jenny Roberts

Jenny Roberts calls for the university to create a religion requirement in the General Education Program. This requirement would allow students to learn about the religious traditions of their peers and to understand how religion impacts society at large.

7. In defense of the hard-working millennial by Paige Gross

Paige Gross rebuts a Philadelphia magazine article about how “millennials” are ruining the workforce for older adults.

8. Try to understand invisible illnesses by Tori Mier

Our columnist asks readers to be understanding of students with invisible illnesses like hers. Professors and peers, she said, can show compassion by acknowledging the pain of those suffering from an illness not easily detectable to outside observers.

9. Language lost in translation by Siani Colón

Students shouldn’t appropriate language or slang from other cultures, our columnist argues. Instead, she calls for students to work to understand the cultures from which they are borrowing.

10. Stadium undervalues black lives by Darryl Murphy

Our columnist details the ways in which a proposed on-campus stadium would continue the university’s legacy of undervaluing Black lives through gentrification. He also argues the university has not taken an active enough role in helping combat North Philadelphia’s reputation for crime and poverty.

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