Temple has ignored multiple requests from elected officials to discuss the location of Temple’s $10 million medical marijuana research facility, slated to be built in Lancaster County.
Elected officials — including United States Rep. Bob Brady, Philadelphia Councilwoman Maria Quiñones-Sánchez and Pennsylvania Sen. Sharif Street — have urged the university to build the facility near Erie Avenue and 2nd Street to create jobs for North Philadelphia residents. They co-wrote letters to Temple officials, like President Richard Englert and Board of Trustees Chairman Patrick O’Connor.
The Temple News is embarrassed that Englert, O’Connor and other Temple representatives seem unwilling to listen to their state and city officials. Even if university leaders have decided on the location of the research facility, it’s disrespectful to blatantly ignore these requests.
“How do you not take a meeting from your councilperson, your senator, your state representative and your mayor?” Brady told The Temple News. “I’ve never had this happen to me on any level.”
As a state-related institution that relies on government funding, university administrators need to consistently communicate with the state. How can the university expect politicians to take future funding requests seriously when they won’t communicate with elected officials now?
We have lingering questions about the university’s decision-making process regarding the location of this facility — but when we reached out to university officials, they declined to comment.
But as a state-related university, Temple can’t give elected officials the silent treatment for long.
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