Author Archives: Joe Brandt

Itchy rash affects more than 100 students

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At least 100 Temple students in the past year reported having a rash on the backs of their legs which caused itchiness, redness and large bumps, according to reports by CBS 3 and the Philadelphia Daily News.

Some students told the Daily News they suspected the rashes were caused by sitting on benches at the Cecil B. Moore subway station while wearing shorts. The direct skin-to-surface contact may have transmitted the rash.

One student who spoke to the Daily News noticed the rash develop within 10 minutes of sitting on a bench at the station. She went to Student Health Services and was given a topical cream and later oral steroids as treatment. She redeveloped the symptoms after sitting on the bench again.

An SHS administrator told the Daily News the rash is not a major threat and there is no certain correlation between the rash and the subway benches.

The Broad Street Line station is one of the last in the city with wooden benches along the platforms instead of metal ones. It is the only location where SEPTA has received complaints about the rash.

A SEPTA spokeswoman told CBS 3 that in response to the complaints the benches were powerwashed, disinfected, painted and then sealed.

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

Six university buildings lose power

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By Joe Brandt

Six Temple buildings lost power yesterday after city crews inadvertently cut a power line while digging in North Broad Street, according to a TU Alert.

A university spokesman said Carnell, Conwell, Sullivan, Shusterman and Pearson-McGonigle halls all lost power around noon yesterday.

Crews from Facilities Management were able to provide power to Pearson-McGonigle around 12:40 p.m., according to a later alert. The building was the only one scheduled to host classes that day.

Office workers in the other buildings either went home for the day or relocated to other buildings, the spokesman said.

Around 11 p.m., crews from Facilities Management successfully rerouted old existing lines to restore power to the remaining buildings.

The spokesman said the old power lines will be replaced in the future.

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

CST adviser sues Temple for discrimination

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An adviser from the College of Science and Technology filed a federal lawsuit against Temple yesterday, the Philadelphia Daily News reported. He says he was denied a promotion on the basis of his race.

Kenneth Ruff, who is African American, advises CST students with last names N through O. He also advises for TUTeach, a program for preparing high school math and science teachers.

According to the Daily News, Ruff said in the suit that he was the only African American among five advisers when the advising program was reorganized in 2010. CST’s website currently lists nine advisers.

The 2010 reorganization established a career ladder and new positions like Advisor I and II, Senior Advisor and Principal Advisor. Ruff’s applications for the latter two were denied. They were potential promotions in both salary and title, the Daily News reported.

According to the Daily News, Ruff’s suit said two people who are Caucasian with “significantly less experience” received the promotions.

One of the people promoted was an adviser for only four months, and the other previously served as an enrollment and retention coordinator.

A request for comment from Ruff was pending.

Additionally, Ruff’s suit quoted from a paper penned by an administrator who denied him the promotions. He presented the quotation as “evidence of [Temple’s] discriminatory intent.” Matthew Campbell, then-director of CST’s Office of Student Services, wrote the paper for his doctoral program.

According to the suit, Campbell wrote “I sense that I am always limited by my identity as a white, middle-class male of protestant background. . . . I’m still suspect of my own intentions, aware of my subconscious desire for self-preservation/promotion and the [white] privilege granted to me unwittingly.”

Campbell now serves as Vice President for Learning and Student Success at Pierce College in Puyallup, Washington. A request for comment was pending.

Ruff wrote in the suit that he obtained a “notice of right to sue” from the federal government’s Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Temple spokesman Ray Betzner said in a statement: “Mr. Ruff, who continues to be employed at Temple, bases his complaint on claims that are roughly four years old. The EEOC has already reviewed his case and closed it after finding no evidence of any violation of law.”

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

Brian Williams to receive SMC award this fall

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By Joe Brandt

Brian Williams, a 12-time Emmy-winner, will speak at the SMC awards ceremony this fall. | Photo courtesy of Justin Stephens, NBC

Brian Williams, a 12-time Emmy-winner, will speak at the SMC awards ceremony this fall. | Photo courtesy of Justin Stephens, NBC

NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams and six alumni will receive honors from the School of Media and Communication this fall, SMC announced Monday.

Williams, who has anchored NBC’s national news program since 2004, will receive the Lew Klein Excellence in the Media Award on Sept. 26. Additionally, six SMC alumni will be inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame.

Among these alumni are musician John Oates, of the duo Hall and Oates, and Tracy Davidson, a reporter and anchor from Philadelphia’s NBC 10.

Williams, a 12-time Emmy-winner, will speak to attendees at a special luncheon held in Mitten Hall.

Proceeds from the luncheon will fund approximately 24 SMC scholarships, according to the school’s press release.  Tickets for the reception and luncheon are currently $150 per person.

Past recipients of the Excellence in the Media Award include CNN’s Anderson Cooper, former “The View” co-host Whoopi Goldberg, Today Show host Matt Lauer and Robin Roberts of Good Morning America.

Oates commuted to Temple in the late 1960s and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1970. Oates and his musical partner, Daryl Hall, recorded songs in the WRTI studio, back when the station was student-run.

Davidson joined NBC 10 in 1996 as a morning anchor and received a graduate degree from SMC in 2006.

The other Hall of Fame inductees will be Gerhart “Jerry” Klein, chairman of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia, Larry Margasak, formerly of the Associated Press’ Washington bureau, Claire Smith, news editor at ESPN, and Meredith Avakian-Hardaway, director of communications and marketing at the Philadelphia Bar Association.

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

Oversight by pilots a possible cause of Katz plane crash

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By Joe Brandt

Pilot error may have contributed to the plane crash that killed Temple trustee Lewis Katz and six others while taking off from an airfield near Boston on the night of May 31, according to a federal report.

The National Transportation Safety Board, a federal entity that investigates transportation accidents, released a preliminary report of the incident on its website Friday, June 13.

The Gulfstream IV was equipped with a gust-control system that could lock certain plane components in place such as the tail flaps, known as elevators, and the wing flaps, called ailerons. The system is intended to protect these parts from potentially damaging wind gusts while the plane is parked, according to the report. The report stated that winds were calm during takeoff.

NTSB analysis of the cockpit’s flight data recorder showed that the pilots performed no control check before the flight, and that “elevator control surface position during the taxi and takeoff was consistent with its position if the gust lock was engaged,” the report read.

Investigation of the cockpit showed that the gust lock switch was found in the “off” position and that a separate latch to gust lock the tail flaps was off as well.

The plane, which was co-owned through a limited liability company and had logged nearly 5,000 hours of flight, never took off and instead went off the end of the runway and crashed through lighting and an antenna before landing in a gulley and erupting in flames.

According to the report, tire marks that indicate braking started 1,300 feet, or nearly 400 meters, from the end of the runway. According to a flight data recorder, numerous braking mechanisms were activated and the plane was going 100 knots, or roughly 115 miles per hour.

The NTSB added that the report is preliminary and subject to change.

The three passengers—Susan K. Asbell, 68, Marcella Dalsey, 59, and Anne Leeds, 74—were all friends of Katz. The crew on-board included pilot James McDowell, 51, copilot Bauke “Mike” de Vries, 45, and flight attendant Teresa Ann Bernhoff, 48 had all worked for Katz for at least 10 years.

Katz was honored in a memorial service held June 4 at Temple’s Performing Arts Center, with speakers including former President Bill Clinton, Governor Corbett, trustee and comedian Bill Cosby and Katz’s family.

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

Current breakdown to Class of 2018 announced at trustees meeting

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Temple’s Board of Trustees held a general body meeting May 13 at the Liacouras Center, confirming the appointments of two new trustees and confirm an administrator, establishing a new professorship and approving the agendas of its committees, which met weeks prior.

In the president’s report, which is made at the beginning of every general body meeting, President Theobald said the current makeup of students accepted to Temple for the Class of 2018 is about two-thirds male, a third minority, and 4.7 percent international students.

Theobald added that many other universities in Philadelphia have extended their application deadlines to make up for a shrinking amount of high school graduates.

“They will continue to recruit prospective students, including those who have already placed a deposit at Temple,” Theobald said.

The board elected Scott F. Cooper, former president of the Philadelphia Bar Assocation, as a trustee and new president of the Temple University Alumni Association, taking over for trustee John Campolongo, who received a resolution of appreciation for his presidency.

“Scott’s going to be a great leader for us,” Campolongo said. “He’s going to challenge us in ways, probably, which I haven’t, which is why we rotate people out.

The Alumni Association focuses on encouraging alumni involvement, Campolongo said, adding that involved alumni “want to give any way they can, and that doesn’t always mean money, it’s volunteering too.”

The board also elected Goldman Sachs Head of Global Compliance Alan M. Cohen. Both new trustees terms began Tuesday, May 13 and end Oct. 10, 2017.

James Dicker, a top fundraiser for Lafayette College in Easton, Pa., was confirmed as Temple’s vice president for institutional advancement after being appointed by Theobald in March.

The trustees approved the establishment of the Selma Lee Bloch Brown professorship in the College of Science and Technology. Brown, who bequeathed $353,000 to CST “to encourage women in the study of mathematics and physics.” The fund will provide nearly $16,000 annually to professors, according to CST Dean Michael Klein’s report.

The trustees will next meet on June 26 in the Feinstone Lounge of Sullivan Hall.

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

Protesters block Broad Street, joined by national scholar

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Nationally-known scholar Cornel West joined students, community members and other notable figures supporting the reinstatement of African American studies professor Anthony Monteiro during a rally in front of Morgan Hall on the corner of Broad Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue Thursday, May 8th.

West, a retired professor of philosophy at Princeton University best known for his book “Race Matters” and his appearances on numerous political commentary shows, made his speech near the close of the rally after Monteiro spoke.

“We’re in the right place at the right time for the right brother,” West said. “There’s a connection between love and justice and I love my brother Tony Monteiro…I want the world to know that when you attack Tony Monteiro, you attack a black man called Cornel West, too.”

West also criticized Molefi Asante, chair of the African American studies department, who the protesters said was responsible for Monteiro’s firing.

“[Asante] and I have done many things together and his work has been a historic contribution,” West said. “But even your friends can be wrong.”

State Rep. W. Curtis Thomas, a Democrat representing the 181st legislative district which encompasses much of North Philadelphia on the east side of Broad Street, criticized the university’s stance that Monteiro’s contract status was non-negotiable and decisions not to renew are final.

“If this is non-negotiable, we’ve got to stay busy until it happens,” Thomas said. “We need to keep it moving. The outcome belongs to us.”

Black Entertainment Television news correspondent, CNN political commentator and Columbia University journalism professor Marc Lamont Hill also spoke at the rally.

“President Theobald can begin a legacy that can make this university great,” Monteiro said in his speech at the rally and added that legacy could begin by reinstating him with tenure.

A total of 15 Philadelphia and Temple police officers were in proximity to the rally. Acting Executive Director of Campus Safety Services Charlie Leone said the Temple police would collaborate with Philadelphia police but defer to them.

“If [the protesters] go in the street or anything, Philadelphia police would decide what they’d do about that,” Leone said.

“Into the street, everyone,” a protester said to the crowd after the rally, many of whom proceeded to block half of Broad Street. Philadelphia police diverted both directions of traffic to the other half while the protesters held up their signs to the passing cars.

Junior secondary education in social studies major Walter Smolarek said the movement will not stop during the university’s summer break.

“If today is any indication, it will only get stronger,” Smolarek said.

A university spokesman declined further comment on the day’s events and said Temple isn’t changing its narrative.

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

Sarai Flores contributed reporting.

BOT committees approve facilities renovations and professors’ tenure

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In preparation for its May 13 general body meeting, Temple’s Board of Trustees’ Facilities, Academic Affairs and Alumni Relations and Development committees met on May 5.  After the public session meeting of the Facilities committee, the trustees moved to executive session, which is closed to the public.

Trustees not on the Facilities committee including Athletics committee chairman Lewis Katz and local philanthropist H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest attended the executive session meeting, likely to discuss plans for developing Main Campus.

The Facilities committee met in public session at noon to approve a 23-item agenda that included spending for demolishing and renovating buildings.

The committee approved a recommendation to demolish the Triangle Apartments near the corner of Broad and Norris streets at a cost not to exceed $1.4 million. The apartments, formerly used as graduate housing, were deemed unsafe by a structural engineer and closed in September.

“There were a lot of safety concerns in the building and they were really not in a situation where they could be repaired or used,” Senior Vice President for Construction, Facilities and Operations Jim Creedon explained to the trustees. “We’ll certainly clean up the site, landscape the area, make sure we get some grass growing, and add some benches and lighting.”

The committee also approved recommendations to renovate central heating and air conditioning systems for Speakman and Anderson halls, fire alarms and sprinklers for Ritter Hall and Ritter Annex and new elevators for the Bell Building, which houses the TECH Center.

The trustees will also improve security for the Telecommunications area on the third floor of the Bell Building to make space for five network employees from Fox Chase.

“The Bell Building is really the last open space area we have,” Creedon said. “We try to use it judiciously.”

The Academic Affairs committee met that morning first in executive session before moving to public session. The committee approved five recommendations, including the go-ahead to Theobald’s recommendation regarding granting of faculty tenure, and also approved tenure for a list of faculty, which is available at the Office of the Provost.

“Some tenure cases were presented to the Academic Affairs Committee,” Assistant Vice Provost of Faculty Affairs and Faculty Development Erin Palmer said, adding that the committee would review them and may disclose the results at the next general body meeting.

When asked if the tenure cases were related to African American studies professor Anthony Monteiro, Palmer said she had no comment.

The trustees will next meet on May 13 at 3:30 p.m.

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

Board selects Seattle-based management for OAR fund

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Temple will hire the Seattle-based Pugh Capital Management to manage its fixed-income Operating and Auxiliary Reserves fund, the investments committee of the Board of Trustees announced in a meeting Wednesday morning.

Pugh, which has $2.8 billion in assets, also manages the investment portfolio for corporations and the University of Washington.

Kaiser told the trustees that his office, with help from Temple’s financial advisors Cambridge Financial Associates, considered five firms and interviewed three before recommending Pugh.

The university will notify Pugh this week and ask for a final fee negotiation, which Kaiser said was currently 26.7 basis points, or 0.267 percent of the managed assets. Investments committee chair and local investment banker Christopher McNichol said that he would like to see the fee reduced, and noted that the committee only approved the selection of Pugh, not the fee.

The OAR fund exists to manage university debts through the use of fixed income sources, Kaiser said.  Since the income is fixed, no risk is involved. “You just need to align your investments with your liabilities,” he explained. Though his office could manage the fund, it was more efficient to leave it to Pugh.

The Investments committee recommended that the OAR Fund, founded in 1984 as the Retirement of Indebtedness Fund, be renamed in a meeting March 26, a resolution waiting for approval at the May 13 general body meeting.  The general body rarely rejects committee recommendations.

The trustees’ audit committee met at 2 p.m. in executive session and lasted about an hour, Kaiser said.

The next trustees meeting is the facilities committee on May 5 at 12 p.m., a newly rescheduled date from the originally scheduled April 30 meeting.

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

Students for Monteiro hold second rally outside Sullivan Hall

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More police officers were present at Sullivan Hall on April 16 than the protest a week earlier.

More police officers were present at Sullivan Hall on April 16 than the protest a week earlier. MARCUS MCCARTHY | TTN

Students for Monteiro, the student coalition supporting the reinstatement of African American studies professor Anthony Monteiro, marched around Main Campus and held a rally with other community protesters Wednesday, April 16.

In anticipation of the protest, Temple police officers were outside Anderson and Gladfelter halls and security guards were checking identification at the doors instead of inside.  The protesters did not march to these buildings.

More police officers were present at Sullivan Hall on April 16 than the protest a week earlier.

“We just want people to feel safe,” Acting Executive Director of Campus Safety Services Charlie Leone said. “We don’t know what [the protesters] are going to do. It’s just a precaution.”

Temple police officers were also posted at the entrance to Sullivan Hall and crowd control barriers were again in place on Beasley’s Walk by the time the protesters arrived an hour later.

Monteiro’s students and community members from his class “Philosophy and Black Liberation,” taught on Saturdays at the Church of the Advocate, attended the rally and joined in the march.

The protesters set up speakers outside Sullivan Hall and about 20 people spoke, including Glen Ford, executive editor at the Black Agenda Report, a Black Left site that Monteiro has contributed to before.

Monteiro, a non-tenure track associate African American studies professor, was notified in February that his contract would not be renewed for the next academic year. Students for Monteiro claimed the decision was a “retaliatory firing” in response to his activism and calls for the firing of College of Liberal Arts Dean Teresa Soufas, student representation on the Board of Trustees and better relations between Temple and the surrounding community.

The rally ended with a 15 minute speech from Monteiro. The protesters then went to meet and discuss their future plans.

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