The Temple News

The Temple News A watchdog for Temple University and its surrounding community since 1921.
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03/07/2025

Assistant Opinion Editor Bradley McEntee argues for their peers to realize the political and cultural importance of hip hop following the conservative backlash against Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance.

The conservative reaction to Lamar’s halftime performance is reminiscent of the racist perception of the rap genre that has been prominent since the genre’s inception. The genre serves as a form of artistic expression to write about and critique oppressive societal systems and creates a community around adversity. Hip-hop established a unique culture that involved distinctive elements of rap, breaking and most importantly, authenticity.

Students and fans of rap music in general must identify these problematic ideologies. As the media continues to attack Black artists and historically Black genres, students must understand the importance of rap and hip-hop culture and its impact on modern music and aesthetics.

When guard Aiden Tobiason was deciding where he wanted to go to college, he had offers that guaranteed him a spot in the...
03/05/2025

When guard Aiden Tobiason was deciding where he wanted to go to college, he had offers that guaranteed him a spot in the starting lineup right away. But his love for the game made him unable to settle. He wanted to go to a school where he was going to be challenged and pushed to be better every day — and Temple was the right fit.

Head coach Adam Fisher had a deep roster entering the season and told Tobiason during the recruiting process that he would probably have to redshirt. Tobiason was content with learning from the sidelines instead of the court and only saw a combined seven minutes in the first seven games of the season.

The mental battle of not being in the rotation was tough for Tobiason and he even admitted to losing a little love for the sport. However, he looked back at all the memories he made and how far he had come on the hardwood and knew he couldn’t quit.

Tobiason was given an opportunity to show the work he put in during Temple’s game against Villanova on Dec. 7, 2024 and he did not waste it. He’s been in the starting lineup ever since and hasn’t looked back.

“I knew it wasn’t going to be easy right away,” Tobiason said. “I had that mindset going in, where I’m like, ‘okay, I know I’m gonna be challenged every day and I’m gonna start from the bottom, I’m gonna have to work my way up.’ So I knew that and going into this I knew I had to work.”

Read more at the link in our bio.

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When guard Aiden Tobiason was deciding where he wanted to go to college, he had offers that guaranteed him a spot in the...
03/05/2025

When guard Aiden Tobiason was deciding where he wanted to go to college, he had offers that guaranteed him a spot in the starting lineup right away. But his love for the game made him unable to settle. He wanted to go to a school where he was going to be challenged and pushed to be better every day — and Temple was the right fit.

Head coach Adam Fisher had a deep roster entering the season and told Tobiason during the recruiting process that he would probably have to redshirt. Tobiason was content with learning from the sidelines instead of the court and only saw a combined seven minutes in the first seven games of the season.

The mental battle of not being in the rotation was tough for Tobiason and he even admitted to losing a little love for the sport. However, he looked back at all the memories he made and how far he had come on the hardwood and knew he couldn’t quit.
Tobiason was given an opportunity to show the work he put in during Temple’s game against Villanova on Dec. 7, 2024 and he did not waste it. He’s been in the starting lineup ever since and hasn’t looked back.

“I knew it wasn't going to be easy right away,” Tobiason said. “I had that mindset going in, where I’m like, ‘okay, I know I'm gonna be challenged every day and I'm gonna start from the bottom, I'm gonna have to work my way up.’ So I knew that and going into this I knew I had to work.”

🔗: https://temple-news.com/tobiason-stepping-into-important-late-season-role/

03/05/2025

Mary Burke, Temple’s vice president for institutional advancement, is resigning from the university “to pursue other career opportunities,” according to an email obtained by The Temple News Wednesday morning.

President John Fry sent the email to all faculty and staff at 10:15 a.m. Wednesday and wrote that her last day will be this Friday, March 7.

Fry also held a meeting prior to the email going out with all institutional advancement staff members informing them of the news, a source told The Temple News.

Burke’s status at the university has been murky for quite some time, according to previous TTN reporting. While she did raise more than $100 million in each of the last several years, total donation numbers have paled in comparison to Temple’s peer universities, The Temple News reported. Alumni engagement rates are also considerably lower than other local schools.

In December, Fry announced in an email to the university community that the institutional advancement office would be “thoroughly reviewed” to ensure it was equipped with the tools to celebrate the university’s upcoming 150th anniversary.

03/04/2025

Temple is continuing to safeguard its students and their expressions of gender identity despite the unclear ramifications for doing so following the Department of Education’s updates to Title IX protections.

President Donald Trump utilized some of his first moments in office on Jan. 20 to issue an executive order titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” which restricts gender identity declaration on all federal forms and prohibits the use of federal funds to “promote gender ideology.”

The full implications of the order and their actionable timeline remain unclear, as the Attorney General has not yet issued guidance, and some federal courts have already blocked attempts at its implementation.
“We still intend [to extend identity-based protections],” said Vice President for Community Impact and Civic Engagement Valerie Harrison. “You’ll see programming and protections and safeguards.”

Harrison’s title at Temple, as recently as two weeks ago, was the vice president for diversity, equity, inclusion and community impact. But following separate orders from Trump attacking DEI policies in schools, the university shifted the name of her title.

For the first 11 years of Jeff Brandes’ life, tennis was nothing more than an afterthought. His first love was swimming ...
03/02/2025

For the first 11 years of Jeff Brandes’ life, tennis was nothing more than an afterthought. His first love was swimming but he had his dreams dashed when a chlorine allergy forced him to leave the pool for good.

Needing an alternative way to stay active, he decided to give tennis a shot. Soon after, Brandes’ backup plan had become his biggest passion.

“Luckily I was a decent athlete, I could run and track the ball,” Brandes said. “Eventually after some bad strokes, I started to win matches and I wound up making the part of the team that played matches against the other clubs”

Brandes’ talent on the court led to a competitive collegiate career at the University of Rhode Island, and he never left the court when his playing career ended. He got into coaching in 2005, where he was hired as Drew University’s head coach, leading the men’s team to seven MAC Freedom Conference Championships, six Landmark Conference Titles and five NCAA Tournament appearances.

Now, Brandes has taken the helm of both the men’s and women’s team at Temple, stepping into the shoes of Steve Mauro, who won more than 400 matches in his 20 seasons coaching the Owls. With his proven track record and passion for the sport, Brandes hopes to elevate Temple to new heights.

🔗: https://temple-news.com/brandes-ready-to-help-lead-owls-rebuild/

The Temple News won 11 2025 Student Keystone Media Awards in the Division I category, which includes the largest student...
03/01/2025

The Temple News won 11 2025 Student Keystone Media Awards in the Division I category, which includes the largest student media organizations in the state. Our publication won more than it did last year, and we secured two first place awards.

Our award-winning coverage, photos, designs and podcast touched on high stakes issues that significantly impacted the Temple community during the past calendar year. Our reporting on campus protests, Temple Athletics’ relationship with NIL, the Philadelphia 76ers Center City arena proposal and strikes displays our commitment to upholding the mission to serve as watchdog for the Temple community.

Read more at the link in our bio.

[pencil and paper]: Samuel O’Neal, Editor in Chief

Temple Athletics has officially opted into the House v. NCAA settlement, an agreement that will allow the university to ...
02/28/2025

Temple Athletics has officially opted into the House v. NCAA settlement, an agreement that will allow the university to offer financial benefits directly to its student athletes beginning in the 2025-26 academic year, the department announced in an email Friday evening.

The settlement is scheduled for final approval on April 7, and schools had a deadline of March 1 to opt in.

“This decision reflects the university’s commitment to athletics and our student athletes,” wrote Athletic Director Arhtur Johnson in a press release. “The ability to share a pool of benefits directly with them not only enhances their experience while at Temple but also sets our department up for success in the future.”

The settlement also requires all Name, Image and Likeness deals not established through the university, valued at more than $600, must be reported to a third-party clearinghouse to ensure it complies with market value standards.

“The landscape of intercollegiate athletics has evolved at a rapid pace but one thing that has not changed is Temple University’s continued commitment to supporting our student athletes,” wrote President John Fry in the release. “Our goal will always be to field an athletic program that puts our student athletes first, and that consistently fields teams that compete for conference championships.”

Read more at the link in our bio.

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Temple Football announced its 2025 schedule in a press release and social media post Friday afternoon. The Owls will kic...
02/28/2025

Temple Football announced its 2025 schedule in a press release and social media post Friday afternoon. The Owls will kick off their first season under head coach K.C. Keeler on Aug. 30 when they travel to UMass.

The Owls will then face Howard on Sept. 6 and Oklahoma on Sept. 13 before traveling to Georgia Tech on Sept. 20 to close out their non conference slate. Temple will have a bye week before starting conference play at home against UTSA on Oct. 4 and Navy on Oct. 11.

Temple will face four more conference opponents before having another week off, and then will take on Tulsa and North Texas to close out the season on either Nov. 28 or 29. The AAC Championship will take place on either Dec. 5 or 6, should Temple qualify.

Temple has the toughest strength of schedule in the AAC as all four of its opponents that will play at the Linc are coming off a bowl game. Oklahoma, Georgia Tech, Army and North Texas were also bowl eligible.

🔗: https://temple-news.com/temple-football-announces-2025-schedule/

02/28/2025

Temple Creative Writing MFA director Liz Moore spent years paying her dues as both an English writing educator and, she says, a relatively obscure writer. But Moore’s last two novels, “Long Bright River” and “The God of the Woods,” became bestsellers. And they’ve made her one of the most well-known writers in the country.

Former president Barack Obama listed both books among his reading recommendations. The New York Times reviewed them favorably, arguing prophetically in 2020 that Moore “should be a household name.” And comedian Jimmy Fallon hosted the onetime Hunter, Penn and Holy Family professor on “The Tonight Show” when “The God of the Woods” burst onto the scene in 2024.

Moore still teaches at Temple. But she’s learning a lot herself, even as “Long Bright River” readies to release as an Amanda Seyfried Peacock miniseries. Lesson number one: How to balance the new responsibilities that come with summiting the literati.

“I still, I think, have a kind of scarcity mindset where I’m like, ‘Well, I have to say yes to this because it might not come along again,’” Moore said, but she’s coming to accept that’s not always possible.

When Nya Browne was three years old, her mother signed her up for swimming lessons hoping it would help her daughter bur...
02/28/2025

When Nya Browne was three years old, her mother signed her up for swimming lessons hoping it would help her daughter burn energy instead of running around the house all day.

Seven years later, Browne was still as energetic as ever. Her mother was tired of the ruckus and signed her up for track when she was 10. Brown spent the next eight years running for fun — it wasn’t until she was 15 that she realized she had a special talent, and she was already running for the Barbados national team.

“I started doing hurdles, and this was during COVID,” Browne said. “There wasn't really much of anything happening. But then the following year, this was 2022, that was my second national team and I was doing the event for like two years and I came third. That was when I realized like, ‘damn, I could actually be good and go places.’”

Browne honed her skills and eventually joined Temple as a sprinter in 2023. Despite the success she had in her home country, she felt the pressure of the college level and struggled during her freshman campaign.

Now as a sophomore, Browne has taken a big step forward during the indoor season. That success has helped Browne feel like her past self, and she’s now focused on carrying the momentum into the outdoor season.

🔗: https://temple-news.com/browne-taking-next-step-in-sophomore-season/

02/28/2025

Charles Library transformed into a hub of innovation this week as students, faculty and researchers gathered for the university’s Interactive AI Fair. The event showcased the evolving role of artificial intelligence in academia and beyond.

"The energy around it, the kind of excitement – people weren’t sure what it was, but they were curious," said Brian Hutler, philosophy professor and event organizer. “Even the folks involved in organizing didn’t really know if it was going to work. But we are very happy.”

The two-day event, held on Feb. 25 and 26, attracted more than 150 attendees each day, all intrigued by AI’s growing presence in various industries. The fair featured a variety of activities, including panel discussions, workshops and hands-on exhibits. With expert speakers and interactive demonstrations, the event highlighted AI’s impact on multiple industries and daily life.

02/28/2025

The Temple University Police Department, along with help from student athlete volunteers, donated 3,000 books to Paul L. Dunbar School on Wednesday in anticipation of Read Across America Week, a national celebration focused on promoting the joy of reading among children.

Temple student athletes kicked off the event by unloading the donated books from the truck and setting up the school’s auditorium for the books to be displayed. The room buzzed with positivity and energy as officers, teachers and students came together to organize the books for the students.

After the books were set up in the auditorium, kindergarten to fourth grade students made their picks from the selection. The children poured into the space with huge grins on their faces, eager to pick up a new read. The Temple football team also visited classrooms to hand out books to students from fifth to eighth grade after the initial event.
Jim Hennigan, TUPD’s captain of patrol, spoke about the event, emphasizing the importance of community engagement and forming bonds with local school students.

“We’re excited to foster an environment of reading and learning for the kids, and Temple University Department of Public Safety is here for not only the Temple Community but also North Philadelphia, so this is a good way to give back,” Hennigan said.

02/27/2025

With dorms at full capacity for the 2025-26 academic year, returning students are struggling to secure on-campus housing for Fall 2025 as more students are applying for housing than there are available spaces.

University Housing and Residential Life works with Temple’s enrollment management team every year to make sure the university can appropriately recruit a first year class, setting aside about 80% of beds for incoming freshmen. However, even without enrollment fluctuations, housing returning students has been a recurring challenge, said Brandon Chandler, associate director of University Housing and Residential Life.

Students hoping to continue living on campus after their freshman year have to request a dorm on the university’s housing website, MyHousing, but most are being met with a complete unavailability of rooms.

“I had no issues last year and thought there’d be enough room for returning students,” said Gian Peralta, a sophomore theater, film and media arts student. “There was nothing. Not a single room.”

02/27/2025

In January, inflation rates again crept closer to 3%, rupturing observers’ sense that prices were stabilizing after the end of pandemic-era safeguards sent prices skyrocketing in the early 2020s.

The price of eggs now sits at its highest level ever recorded, and ground beef remains near its all-time high. And the culprit appears to be an outbreak of avian flu on American farms — a shock to the system that regulators and elected officials can’t fully control.

Undergrads struggling to pay for what Baloo would call “the bare necessities of life” long ago became a time-honored trope in American pop culture. But around Temple, students say the price of groceries has never left them more stressed.

“Twenty dollars just doesn’t go as far as it used to,” said junior nursing major Jamie Aguilar.

Opinion Editor McCaillaigh Rouse reflects on her hatred of plaid skirts and her relationship with Catholicism.“I hate pl...
02/27/2025

Opinion Editor McCaillaigh Rouse reflects on her hatred of plaid skirts and her relationship with Catholicism.

“I hate plaid. Specifically, plaid skirts.”

My distaste for this piece of clothing began in a local uniform store when I was 14 years old. I stood in a cramped fitting room, staring at my reflection, wearing a skirt with a crisscrossed green, red, yellow and blue pattern. After I stepped into it, zipped it up and tucked in my Peter Pan-collared blouse, one word came to mind: sham.

The hem of the skirt skimmed my knees and was paired with knee-high white socks and Wallabees. I wore this every day for the next four years at my all-girls Catholic high school.

I was raised Catholic, the whole nine yards. I was baptized, received communion and took on the confirmation name Theresa at the age of thirteen. However, there was an unadorned reality of making a lifelong commitment to religion and taking on my high school’s ideals of being a holy woman.”

Read more at the link in our bio.

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With 11 seconds remaining and the shot clock turned off in a tie game, Temple guard Zion Stanford drove toward the baske...
02/27/2025

With 11 seconds remaining and the shot clock turned off in a tie game, Temple guard Zion Stanford drove toward the basket, took a step back and fired off a shot that was blocked immediately after leaving his hands.

Then, with just seconds remaining, Stanford regained possession and put up a second-chance shot that fell as the final buzzer sounded, sending his teammates and coaches onto the court in a frenzy.

“Didn’t you ask if you get an assist for that?” Fisher joked to Stanford. “You don’t. You asked me that, don’t lie.”

Stanford didn’t get that assist, but the shot temporarily put an end to the Owls’ (16-14, 7-9 American Athletic Conference) month-long freefall, allowing them to sneak by South Florida (13-16, 6-10 AAC) 73-71 and snap a six-game losing streak. The Owls will now turn their focus toward salvaging the best possible seed in the conference tournament, which is less than two weeks away.

🔗: https://temple-news.com/stanfords-buzzer-beater-snaps-temples-losing-streak/

In its last eight games, Temple (14-10, 6-5 American Athletic Conference) has followed the same pattern — two big wins a...
02/26/2025

In its last eight games, Temple (14-10, 6-5 American Athletic Conference) has followed the same pattern — two big wins at home, and then two underwhelming losses on the road to beatable conference opponents.

The Owls beat then-No. 18 Memphis and Tulane at The Liacouras Center on Jan. 16 and Jan. 19 but then lost to North Texas and a bottom-of-the-conference UTSA team on the road. The same thing happened when they returned to North Philly on Jan. 29. The Owls snuck past Charlotte and East Carolina before hitting the road again and falling to South Florida and No. 14 Memphis.

Temple holds a 2-7 record on the road this season despite being a perfect 10-0 on its home floor. Now, the Owls have seven games remaining until their fate is decided during the AAC tournament in Fort Worth, Texas. The team will spend that time frame trying to gain some sort of momentum in games away from The Liacouras Center.

“I think we have really smart fans,” said Temple head coach Adam Fisher, “ They know when to get loud and then when not to and then when to get excited. I hope that again, they can keep coming back. We want to protect home court and that's been a big thing for us this year.”

🔗: https://temple-news.com/defensive-woes-at-the-root-of-owls-struggles/

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When Harrisburg’s CBS21 needed to ask Black men about the false claim Vice President Kamala Harris wasn’t Black, they pulled up on a barbershop. The Democratic Senate Campaign Committee selected a hair salon to cut an ad casting Republican Dave McCormick as a detriment to African American women. To the outside world, the hair styling hub has become a lighthouse for outsiders curious about Black Americans’ politics. Veteran journalist Linn Washington, Jr., argues the barbershop has morphed into a crutch for a white press unable to forge deep connections in Black communities. “It’s low-hanging fruit,” Washington, now a Temple professor, said. But some stylists say the media isn’t wrong to see the cuttery as a hub of candid conversation 🔗: https://temple-news.com/neighborhood-barber-shops-offer-haircuts-and-community/

Every Friday, Queue Rainey opens his home studio to the public in an attempt to develop the North Philadelphia music community. Each week, the event’s attendance and content varies. Turnout has taken a blow since the COVID-19 pandemic, but Rainey is working to rebuild the once-thriving community. His attempts at revitalization vary from his efforts to garner grants from Philadelphia nonprofits to his purchase of an inflatable projector screen, which he sets up outside to show old rap tapes. “In Philadelphia, music seems to be more than just a part of life,” Rainey said. I think it's literally how the younger generation moves as far as clout, stature, being oneself, so to speak, and feeling proud within.”

On this week’s episode of RePrint News Freelancer Aubren Villasenor talks about a state certification the university has received for its efforts into campus mental health. Features Editor, Bayleh Alexander, talks about Temple’s upcoming campus bar and restaurant, The Peabody, which will open by Nov. 4 after two years of delays. All this and more on this week’s new episode of RePrint now available on Spotify and Youtube. https://temple-news.com/september-25-strides-in-mental-health-services/

On Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump faced off in Philadelphia for their first presidential debate ahead of November's election. Students and organization leaders hosted watched parties all across Temple's campus and the city. The Temple News' staff reported live from the ABC media filing center and spin room, Temple Democrats, Temple RISE and Temple Republicans' watch parties, and a gathering held by the Klein College of Media and Communication. Video shot by Kajsa Morse, Ava Campbell, Jeremy Shover and Samuel O'Neal. Edited by Kajsa Morse, Ava Campbell and Jeremy Shover.

Want to keep up with all things Temple Athletics? The Temple News' bi-weekly sports podcast The Playbook is back for the 2024-25 year! The TTN Sports staff returns for season three of the Playbook and kicks off the year by breaking down Temple Football's season opener, Temple Volleyball and Field Hockey's great start, and mixed success from Men's and Women's Soccer. 🔗: https://temple-news.com/september-4-the-owls-fall-to-oklahoma/

Yesterday, Temple's chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine organized a march, demanding the university condemn Israel and divest in monetary support. The march began at Charles Library before protesters moved to Alter Hall and finished by going north up Broad Street to the Hillel Center for Jewish Life. Many Jewish students were in the building as protesters shouted from across the street. Video shot and edited by Kajsa Morse.

Graduation is only a few days away... hear from some of our @TheTempleNews Spring 2024 & Fall 2024 seniors about their favorite newsroom memories from the past four years. The Temple News' 2024 Commencement Issue is out now! Read more at the link in our bio and in newsstands around campus.

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