Temple Police are investigating a hit-and-run involving a 22-year-old female student that occurred at Diamond Street and Park Avenue earlier tonight.

Executive Director of Campus Safety Services Charlie Leone said in an email that the student was traveling southbound on her bicycle around 7:10 p.m. when she was struck by a vehicle. After the crash, the vehicle fled west on Diamond Street and then north on Broad Street, he added.

Leone said the vehicle was described as a silver-colored Mitsubishi Galant, and that three black males were seen inside. He added that there was possible windshield damage on the passenger side of the vehicle.

The student was taken to Temple University Hospital, Leone said. The Philadelphia Police Department’s Chief Inspector Scott Small told the Daily News the student was in “very critical condition,” having suffered multiple head injuries and a fractured leg. Small added that surveillance cameras from university buildings near the scene captured the whole incident.

Anybody with information about tonight’s hit-and-run is encouraged to contact Campus Safety Services at 215-204-1234.

Steve Bohnel can be reached at steven.bohnel@temple.edu or on Twitter @Steve_Bohnel.

SEXUAL ASSAULT REPORTED IN MORGAN HALL

A sexual assault said to have taken place in Morgan Hall in October 2014 was reported to Temple Police Thursday, Executive Director of Campus Safety Services Charlie Leone said.

The victim, a female student, knew the attacker – a male student – “very well,” Leone said. Alcohol was believed to be involved in the incident.

The victim was taken to the Philadelphia Police Department Special Victims Unit and can decide if she wants to pursue prosecution, Leone said. Temple has interviewed the suspect in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.

“We’ve had a few [sexual assaults] reported this year, but it’s unfortunate, it’s one of the few we’ve had where the victim knew the attacker,” Leone said.

-Joe Brandt

BURGLARY REPORTED ON CAMAC STREET

A property on the 2200 block of North Camac Street was burglarized last Wednesday, a Philadelphia police spokeswoman told The Temple News.

The spokeswoman said the residence was broken into through a gated bedroom window, and items were taken from each of the five tenants. The items included a MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, along with other valuables valued at a total of $6,500, she added.

As of Monday, Philadelphia police are still investigating the incident.

-Steve Bohnel

FORMER EDITOR IS PULITZER FINALIST 

Ali Watkins, a former reporter for The Temple News who served as assistant news editor for part of the Fall 2013 semester, was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist in the national reporting category. The results were announced Monday.

Watkins, along with Marisa Taylor and Jonathan Landay of McClatchy Newspapers, received accolades for their coverage of the Senate Intelligence Committee’s report on CIA torture. The Washington-based Watkins now works for the Huffington Post.

In a brief phone interview on Monday night, Watkins said she was grateful to all the people she met along the way who helped her reach her potential, many of whom were active about the honor on social media.

“When big stuff like this happens, you realize all these people, even five to 10 years down the road, are still following along,” Watkins said. “That’s just really humbling.”

According to a press release from the School of Media and Communication, eight alumni have won Pulitzer Prizes. Three of them worked on “Assault on Learning,” a 2013 Inquirer story on violence in the Philadelphia School District.

-Joe Brandt

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS SHOW OFF THEIR RESEARCH AT TURF-CREWS

On April 16, several undergraduate students presented research dedicated to a wide range of topics at the university’s annual Undergraduate Research Forum and Creative Works Symposium, according to a university press release.

TURF-CreWS, now in its 22nd year, featured subjects ranging from fighting in ice hockey, the success of Korean pop bands and iris recognition in Android phones.

Emily Moerer, assistant vice provost for undergraduate studies, said the annual event allows undergraduates to show off their hard work on a variety of subjects.

“Part of the act of creating knowledge is also communicating it,” Moerer said in the release. “So we want to give our students the opportunity to showcase and communicate the wonderful work that they’ve accomplished under the mentorship of Temple faculty.”

Students were nominated by their faculty mentors to participate in TURF-CreWS, and that the presentations are a result of research done in the classroom, as well as work done through a university-wide undergraduate research program, like the Temple Merit Scholarship and Educational Enhancement Stipends.

-Steve Bohnel

CHRONICLE ANALYZES CANDIDATES’ STANCE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Last week, the Chronicle of Higher Education released a report focusing on four declared 2016 presidential candidates’ stances on issues pertaining to higher education.

Hillary Clinton, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and Rand Paul were profiled, as the Chronicle analyzed their positions on college affordability, immigration and science – three topics important to colleges. All four candidates declared their intention to run for the Oval Office during the past couple of weeks, according to multiple news outlets.

Concerning the issue of college affordability, Clinton has endorsed President Obama’s plan for free community college, and criticized “for-profit” colleges that put students and families in debt. Rubio has also sided with Obama, calling for an updated federal student-aid system, and added that student debt is a major obstacle for current students in higher education.

Cruz has also stated that student loans are a problem, but has not yet laid out a framework on how to lower higher education costs or how to manage student debt. Paul has focused more on K-12 education than higher education, but has opposed Obama’s free community college plan, while proposing that college tuition be made fully tax-deductible.

-Steve Bohnel

St. Joseph’s Prep football player Ryan Gillyard collapsed and died during a workout earlier this morning, the Inquirer reported.

Gillyard, a 15-year-old freshman from Upper Darby, was warming up with his teammates at the team’s practice field on Cecil B. Moore at 11th Street, the Inquirer reported. Shortly after warmups concluded, he collapsed, said school spokesman Bill Avington.

No information has been released yet about what caused Gillyard’s sudden collapse. He was rushed to Temple University Hospital with several of his coaches, where he then died, the Inquirer reported.

Avington said the school will be holding a mass tomorrow in his remembrance, and that counselors will be available through the weekend and on Monday when students return for classes.

Steve Bohnel can be reached at steven.bohnel@temple.edu or on Twitter @Steve_Bohnel.

Temple is investigating a recent incident that involved a Delta Zeta sorority officer using a racial slur during a Greek Week event on Main Campus last Saturday.

According to a university statement, “Temple has addressed the issue with the Greek organization, which has taken strong action against the individual … The university is also using this incident as an opportunity to discuss our expectations for student behavior with the members of the Greek community.”

Temple Student Government also released a statement on the incident, detailing its own investigation.

“After meeting with the appropriate individuals in Student Affairs and the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Leadership, Temple Student Government is supporting administrative staff in properly executing the steps needed to resolve this situation,” the statement read. “As the incoming Temple Student Government leadership, we do not condone this incident nor any use of racial slurs or intolerance. We now call on our fellow Temple students to embrace the diversity that this university offers, abide by the Student Code of Conduct, and live by the TUnity statement.”

Temple has 14 sororities out of its 30 recognized Greek organizations on or near Main Campus, five of which are part of Temple’s Panhellenic Association.

Check back for updates, and a more detailed story in next week’s print edition.

Steve Bohnel can be reached at steven.bohnel@temple.edu or on Twitter @Steve_Bohnel.

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

CITY ANNOUNCES GREEN ROOF TAX EXEMPTION FOR LOCAL BUSINESS

On March 26, City Council passed a bill to double Philadelphia’s Green Roof Tax Credit, according to a press release from Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown.

The bill, which was proposed by Brown, will increase the current tax credit for green roofs – which can increase the lifetime of roofs by 100-200 percent – from 25-50 percent, with a cap of $100,000.

“Green roofs bring a sizable value to the property owner and the city,” Brown said in the release. “They control stormwater, help curtail flooding, grow fresh fruits and vegetables, pump clean air back into the atmosphere and save property owners money by extending the life of the roof.

Philadelphia is one of 12 cities to currently offer such an incentive for businesses which install green roofs/stormwater management systems. Brown’s bill will go into effect July 1.

-Steve Bohnel

CHINATOWN TOWER FINANCED BY FOREIGN INVESTORS

A 23-story residential and office building is set to be built in Chinatown, the Inquirer reported Saturday.

Anthony Rodham, the brother of Hillary Clinton, has marketed the project to foreign investors, who fund similar types of construction known as EB-5 projects, which use money from these investors.

These projects have gained popularity nationwide because they provide cheap money for public-works projects and private real estate developments.

One of the projects that used this type of funding model is Temple University Health System. The current Chinatown building is headed by developer Ahsan M. Nasratullah and the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, the Inquirer reported.

Nasratullah founded the organization which provided the funds, Global City Regional Center, in 2013, and is the chief executive of Teres Holdings, a real estate development firm located on Kelly Drive.

Teres Holdings has built several properties in the city, including the stores on Liacouras Walk at Temple and the Distrito Restaurant near the University of Pennsylvania’s campus.

Construction will begin later this year, said Joseph Hoeffel, a political science professor at Temple involved with the development.

-Steve Bohnel

CCP TO OFFER FREE TUITION

The Community College of Philadelphia will offer free tuition to more than 400 area students, the Inquirer reported Sunday.

The program will be available to all seniors graduating from a Philadelphia high school this spring that also have low-enough family incomes that qualify them for Pell Grants, and meet other specific requirements.

“There are far too many students who, even with financial aid, are unable to meet the gap that exists between the financial aid they get and what final tuition would be,” CCP President Donald Generals told the Inquirer.

By its third year, officials estimate the program will allow more than 800 students to attend CCP free of tuition costs. Named the “50th Anniversary Scholars,”  Generals told the Inquirer that he hopes more people attend CCP because of it.

In order to stay on the program, Gregory Murphy – CCP’s vice president for institutional advancement and executive director of the foundation – told the Inquirer that students will have three years to complete their degree, and must retain a 2.5 GPA at the end of each academic year. To be considered, students must file their FAFSA by June 1.

-Steve Bohnel

Shooting during a house party on the 2300 block of North Park Avenue sent two men, ages 18 and 23, to Temple University Hospital around 1:30 a.m Friday, police and residents said.

The 23-year-old is in critical condition and was shot multiple times. The 18-year-old was shot once and is in stable condition.

A resident who lives on the block said he heard shots and looked out his window to see a man chasing a few others down the street with a gun and shooting. The official police report states that the shooting occurred in the 2200 block of Watts Street, closer to Broad Street.

Another resident said his roommate saw and heard the first shots fired on the porch of the house hosting the party.

The weapon has been recovered from the scene, but no arrests have been made, police said. No TU Alert was sent out, but some Temple Police were at the scene with Philadelphia police, residents said.

The Temple News will follow up on this story throughout the day as more information becomes available. Follow us @TheTempleNews on Twitter for updates.

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

LAW STUDENT ORGANIZATION FELL ILL AFTER BANQUET IN CHINATOWN

About 100 people suffered bouts of sickness after eating at a Chinatown restaurant on Feb. 27 during a banquet hosted by a Temple student organization, according to a philly.com report.

The Asian Pacific American Law Student Association’s event drew about 250 people to Joy Tsin Lau at 11th and Race streets. About two days afterward, several attendees experienced symptoms of food poisoning.

“Many, many people fell horribly ill,” user Antima C. wrote on restaurant-review site Yelp!. “This was the worst case of food poisoning I’ve ever witnessed,” she said. Yelp identifies users only by their first name and last initial, but philly.com identified her as Antima Chakraborty, an assistant district attorney for the City of Philadelphia.

Chi Mabel Chan, owner of Joy Tsin Lau, told philly.com she did not believe the diners got sick at her restaurant.

“It was not a problem with my restaurant,” she said. “Maybe they got cold or drank too much.”

The restaurant, well known for more than 30 years for its dim sum cuisine, has also faced several health inspection violations.

The APALSA supports Asian Pacific American law students in finding career and networking opportunities.

-Joe Brandt

AMBLER CAMPUS EXPERIENCES POWER OUTAGE, CANCELS CLASS

Temple’s Ambler Campus experienced a power outage on Friday morning, according to a TU Alert sent out around 11:45 a.m.

Ambler’s Facilities Management and Public Relations offices could not be reached for comment Monday on the cause of the outage.

Because of the outage, classes were canceled for the remainder of the day. A second TU Alert sent out at around 12:45 p.m. on Friday stated that power had been restored, but that classes and activities remained canceled for the day. The university’s shuttle service remained operational through the outage.

-Steve Bohnel

TEMPLE JAPAN STUDENTS MEET U.S. AND JAPAN’S FIRST LADIES

On March 19, Temple Japan students Shoko Ito and Aiko Shigeta met with First Lady Michelle Obama and Akie Abe, the wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in a joint Japan-U.S. Event on Girls Education, according a press release last week.

The event, held in the Iikura Guest House of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, focused on the importance of education for women, especially between those in Japan and America.

According to the release, only a few students spoke at the roundtable discussion, including Shigeta, who said she was thankful for having the opportunity to talk with Obama and Abe.

“It was evident from the discussion that both of them are very serious about the issue of girls not having access to education, and the importance of female students like us stepping up and taking action,” Shigeta said.

“This experience has left us to reflect on the significance of the issue and the importance of solving it,” she added.

The event was part of a three-day trip in Japan for Obama, who was promoting the “Let Girls Learn” initiative – a plan that aims to better education opportunities for women worldwide – the Washington Post reported.

-Steve Bohnel

MAYORAL HOPEFUL OLIVER SLAMS ABRAHAM FOR INTERNAL POLL

After a recent poll conducted by Democratic mayoral candidate Lynne Abraham’s campaign indicated 30 percent of respondents favored the candidate above the rest, Doug Oliver released a statement on the incident.

Oliver cited his own satirical poll which put him at 60 percent, far above other candidates Jim Kenney and Anthony Hardy Williams, who were each given 10 percent. Other candidates including Abraham were given 1-percent ratings.

“The survey utilized a gym-membership registration-based sample which models the likely electorate that we chose to create,” the statement, which was primarily satire, read.

The polling results “unsurprisingly indicated whatever [Oliver] wanted them to indicate,” the release read.

The Abraham poll gave Oliver just 2 percent of the vote, while Kenney and Williams were each given 14 percent. Nelson Diaz and T. Milton Street Sr. were reported at 6 and 5 percent, respectively.

The poll also showed that Abraham drew 24 percent of African-American voters, compared with 22 percent for Williams and 7 percent for Kenney.

The Next Mayor reported Sunday that TV ads would soon be ramping up for the candidates, with Kenney and Williams ads beginning to air Friday. American Cities, a political action committee operated by three Main Line financiers, purchased $560,000 in ad space on behalf of Williams.

-Joe Brandt