STUDENTS RECEIVE ‘TERROR ALERT’ IN PHISHING EMAIL
Several students received phishing emails titled “Temple University Terror Alert” and “Notice of Compensation” through their Temple email accounts on Sunday morning, according to an email from Computer Services.
Both emails asked for students’ AccessNet username and password, but Computer Services stated that Temple will never ask for a student’s password in an email, confirming that both were a scam.
The “Temple University Terror Alert” message stated that the university’s “Policy Help Center” needed students to submit their information in order to prevent their email accounts from sending terror threats toward the university.
The message added that if students failed to comply, their email accounts would be deactivated, and emails sent to their inbox would be rejected.
Computer Services states that students uncertain about the legitimacy of any email should forward it to abuse@temple.edu. Students can contact the department with other questions through the TUhelp website at tuhelp.temple.edu, or call 215-204-8000.
-Steve Bohnel
PUBLIC PA. UNIVERSITIES ENDORSE TUITION FREEZE
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education’s board of governors voted Thursday to endorse a tuition freeze that had been proposed by Gov. Tom Wolf, under the condition that PASSHE receives an additional $45.3 million to its appropriation, according to the Associated Press.
Wolf said he was proud of the board’s decision, one that was narrowly finalized by a vote of 9-8.
“Students have borne the brunt of massive cuts over the last four years and today’s action is an important step in giving them a break from constantly rising college costs,” he said in a statement.
The $45.3 million is the first step of Wolf’s budget plan for higher education, which includes raising funding more than $140 million in the next fiscal year, which starts July 1. Because of the jump in funding, he called for the 14 state-owned universities to freeze tuition, and that state-related universities keep it as low as possible.
This first installment is one of two yearly increases that would replace the $90 million cut from higher education during former Gov. Tom Corbett’s tenure. Officials said this sum would raise state funding for PASSHE by 11 percent, according to the AP.
PASSHE’s board of governors has yet to make a “final determination” concerning the initial tuition freeze among its schools. If it were implemented, about 112,000 students who attend the system’s universities would be affected, the report said.
-Steve Bohnel
TEMPLE RANKED TOP 100 IN RESEARCH SPENDING
Temple has jumped 31 spots in the latest research expenditure rankings from the National Science Foundation, according to a university press release from last week.
According to the rankings, Temple is now ranked 94th of 643 institutions, after it spent $224 million on research in Fiscal Year 2013, an increase of $86 million from the previous year.
The report includes university spending on research from both external and internal sources – including federal, state and local governments, as well as businesses, foundations and other nonprofit organizations.
Vice Provost for Research Michele Masucci said a $50 million research investment fund, announced at President Theobald’s inauguration, has played a key role in developing and improving research at Temple, as have new faculty hires. They have focused particularly on genomics and materials science research.
“These faculty members are contributing to a new culture of collaborative research, which, in turn, has allowed us to pursue funding opportunities for larger-scale grants on a more systematic basis than ever before.”
Masucci added that although research has improved greatly, there is still room to grow.
“We expect these research numbers to continue to be strong and the rankings to continue on an upward trajectory,” she said in the release.
-Steve Bohnel
DAVID BOLDT, FORMER TEMPLE ADJUNCT, 73
David Boldt, 73, a former adjunct professor who taught undergraduate and graduate courses in interpreting contemporary affairs, died Sunday in his Pasadena, California home of pancreatic cancer, the Inquirer reported.
Along with teaching at Temple, Boldt served as the editoral page editor of the Inquirer from 1988-98, part of a 28-year career at the newspaper.
Boldt was well-respected for his willingness to take on controversial topics, said former editor Maxwell E.P. King.
“David was from the beginning looked up to as a leader because of his talent, creativity, and great ability,” King told the Inquirer. “But what distinguished him was his courage. He was unafraid intellectually. That’s why [former executive editor] Gene [Roberts, Jr.] tapped him for the Editorial Board – for that courage.”
Boldt also served as an editor for the Inquirer’s Sunday magazine during the 1980s, when it won Pulitzer Prizes for feature photography in 1985 and 1986.
He is survived by his wife Kelly, his son Thomas, his daughter Julia, along with his granddaughter, brother and sister.
-Steve Bohnel
