Monthly Archives: November 2014

Universities split ways with Cosby amid allegations

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Other universities around the country have cut ties with Temple trustee and alumnus Bill Cosby after a recent surge in allegations of rape and other sexual misconduct dating back to the 1960s.

At administrators’ request, Cosby on Wednesday stepped down as honorary co-chairman of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst’s $300 million fundraising campaign. According to the Washington Post, Cosby had through a benefit performance and personal donations helped raise almost $2 million for the school where he received master’s and doctoral degrees in education.

Cosby, who has never been charged with a crime for any of the allegations, also saw High Point University in North Carolina temporarily remove him from an advisory board. Freed-Hardeman University in Tennessee canceled a scheduled appearance at a Dec. 5 fundraiser.

Joe Wiley, president of FHU, told the New York Daily News that “names we have seen in the media represent real people who will be affected long after FHU’s dinner has passed.”

The Berklee School of Music in Boston removed Cosby’s name from a scholarship it awards.

A Temple spokesman told The Temple News last week that Cosby remains a trustee, but declined to comment further on the allegations or the comedian’s future on the Board.

Cosby was re-elected unanimously at the Board’s October meeting.

Joe Brandt can be reached at jbrandt@temple.edu or on Twitter @JBrandt_TU.

TSG discusses amending Constitution, community service in weekly meeting

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On Monday night, Temple Student Government’s general assembly met to discuss community service opportunities, askattendees for suggestions in dining changes, and announce the amendment process to the TSG Constitution.

TSG’s General Auditor Camille Bell will review the organization’s Constitution. The changes will be voted upon after fall break and must be ratified by a two-thirds majority of the general assembly.

One of the potential changes includes a removal of  Section 3 of the constitution, which authorizes the use of TSG funds by the organization’s Officers. All the amendments will be posted on TSG’s website.

“We want to be transparent,” Bell said. “We want to show that we’re not doing anything behind [the assembly’s] back.”

Committees discussed issues within Temple, including possible changes to dining services. Students suggested improvements in Sodexo employees’ customer service, longer operating hours for retail locations like Cosi and the vendors in Morgan Hall, and lower prices and better quality food at the Student Center food court.

Community service opportunities were announced, including the Children’s Holiday Party on Dec. 7 at the Liacouras Center. Volunteers are needed for the event, as well as for wrapping presents prior to the day.

The Battle on Broad Street will be on Dec. 9. The dance battle will be to raise money for the Lucy Fund, the National Foundation for Cancer Research.

The Student Organizations of the Week were Kappa Alpha Psi and Delta Sigma Theta. The two organizations collected 250 water bottles in their water drive last week.

Lian Parsons can be reached at lian.parsons@temple.edu or @Lian_Parsons on Twitter.

Two suspects sought in robbery on Berks Street

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Philadelphia and Temple police are searching for two male suspects in connection with an armed robbery which occurred on the 1600 block of Berks Street around 10:30 p.m. yesterday, police said.

Executive Director of Campus Safety Services Charlie Leone said in an email that a non-Temple-affiliated male was turning onto Berks Street from Willington Street to retrieve items from his vehicle when the suspects approached him and brandished weapons.

The suspects obtained two iPhones before fleeing north down 16th Street in a red sedan, driven by a third male, Leone said. The victim told police that one suspect wore a blue hoodie and the other was wearing orange running shoes.

Detectives from Temple Police are working with Philadelphia police to review security camera footage from the area and search for potential witnesses, Leone said.

A TU Alert was sent out about the incident around 11:00 p.m. which encouraged anyone with information to call 911. The alert said the incident occurred on the 1800 block of Willington Street since the victim was turning off that block onto Berks Street, Leone said.

UPDATE: Leone said the suspects may have been involved in a robbery of three students which occurred near 18th and Diamond streets on Nov. 12 around 11:10 p.m. One suspect from the Nov. 12 robbery ran past the students walking east on Diamond Street and turned around and pointed a gun at them.

The students dropped their bags and cell phones on the ground, and the suspects fled east towards Broad Street in a dark-colored sedan that was parked, Leone said.

Joe Brandt can be reached at jbrandt@temple.edu or on Twitter @JBrandt_TU.

Student robbed near 11th and Susquehanna

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Temple Police responded to the robbery of a student around 11:10 p.m. yesterday at the student’s residence near the corner of 11th Street and Susquehanna Avenue, Executive Director of Campus Safety Services Charlie Leone said in an email.

The student told Temple Police that a 20- to 25-year-old man who was wearing a black hoodie and dark pants pointed a gun at him and demanded his cell phone, which he surrendered before running home.

Leone said the student could not recall exactly when or where the robbery occurred and was drinking a beer when an officer came to his house to take the report. The robbery is believed to have occurred in the 2100 block of North 12th Street around 10:40 p.m.

A TU Alert was sent out about the incident around 11:50 p.m. which said the incident occurred at 11:15 p.m. and urged anyone with information to call 911.

The victim did not want to prosecute and declined to report the incident to Philadelphia police, Leone said.

Joe Brandt can be reached at jbrandt@temple.edu or on Twitter @JBrandt_TU.

 

Attendees at TSG meeting offer opinions on TU Alerts, dining options

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On Monday afternoon, Temple Student Government surveyed attendees at its weekly meeting with a poll via text message. Students were asked about possible improvements in TU Alerts and dining options.

In light of this weekend’s incident in which a Temple student was shot, participants of the poll expressed concerns about TU Alerts. Students suggested faster response times from both the Philadelphia and Temple police, and greater Temple Police presence at late hours.

The poll also surveyed ideas for possible improvements to Temple’s dining choices. Healthier options like more fruit, vegetarian meals and adding a Saladworks on Main Campus campus were popular opinions. Later hours for the dining area in the lower level of Morgan Hall and the food court at the Student Center were also suggested.

During the next week, TSG is filming organizations taking a pledge as part of the It’s On Us campaign, which seeks to keep people safe from sexual assault.

There are around $80,600 available in allocations for events, and it was announced at the meeting that organizations must apply by Thursday to be considered.

The Organization of the Week was Hootathon, which raised more than $119,000 this past weekend for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The organization is also expanding its executive team and is seeking applications.

TSG is considering applications for a new elections commissioner and auditor.

Lian Parsons can be reached at lian.parsons@temple.edu or @Lian_Parsons on Twitter.

Student shot in attempted robbery off campus

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Police are looking for a suspect in connection with a shooting and an attempted robbery which occurred off campus around 1 a.m. Saturday in the 1500 block of North 17th Street.

According to multiple news outlets including The Inquirer and NBC 10, a suspect – described in a subsequent TU Alert and other reports as a male about 35-40 years old wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, red beanie cap and blue jeans – tried to enter a party being held on the block. 

When the suspect was denied entry since he was not a student, the outlets’ websites reported that he pulled a handgun on the victim, a 22-year-old male student. The suspect allegedly fired a round into the student’s hip when he charged at him.

The student was rushed to Hahnemann University Hospital and has since been released, according to The Inquirer.

An investigation is ongoing.

TSG discusses sexual assault in weekly meeting

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On Monday afternoon, the Temple Student Government general body meeting assembled to discuss Temple’s efforts to prevent sexual misconduct on campus.

Ray Smeriglio, student body president, announced an executive update about the university’s steps towards creating a safer environment for students.

Climate surveys have been sent by email to students to gauge how individuals feel about their personal safety on campus. Students have also been asked to join focus groups to discuss issues like sexual misconduct.

“[These] will give a snapshot of what it’s like to be a Temple student here,” Smeriglio said. “Temple is at the forefront of addressing the problem off the bat.”

Smeriglio also said that executive leadership from TSG went to Washington, D.C. to speak with government staff about handling the national issue of sexual violence.

President Barack Obama launched the campaign in September to recognize, identify and intervene when sexual misconduct is occurring.

TSG hopes to launch It’s On Us on campus and include the Temple community in taking the pledge.

Committee meetings discussed various issues of the week, including the election. Government Affairs stressed the importance of voting and considered the reasons why college students typically have a low voter turnout.

Jalen Blot, director of campus life and diversity, announced that a TUnity committee will be created. TUnity was the diversity event held on Oct. 28 at the Bell Tower.

“The TUnity committee is being assembled to make sure that the movement grows and that the campus has ambassadors for it to continue to grow and reach out to other students with different perspectives,” Blot said in an email.

The student organization of the week was the Temple Vietnamese Student Association for a successful Miss Temple Asia pageant last weekend. The Vietnamese Student Association will also be holding a Mr. Temple Asia pageant in the spring semester.

This Saturday is the global day of service as well as the last “Adopt-A-Block” opportunity for the fall semester.

Lian Parsons can be reached at lian.parsons@temple.edu or on Twitter @Lian_Parsons.