Dear Students and Colleagues, 

This year, and specifically this summer, has been a momentous one for the city of Philadelphia. We celebrated the 250th anniversary of our nation, hosted an MLB All-Star Game and welcomed the world to our region as Philadelphia served as one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It is also a momentous time for us here at Temple University. 

The vibrancy of our campus was on full display as new and returning students arrived, marking the start of a new academic year. It has been refreshing to watch our students both reunite with old friends and make new ones as they moved into residence halls over the last several days. This morning marked another milestone as our new undergraduate first-year and transfer students started their academic journeys by taking part in our Convocation ceremony in the Liacouras Center.   

Establishing Student Success as the keystone priority of our strategic plan, Forward with Purpose, goes beyond words on a page. It is an institutional commitment to reimagining how we support our students on their educational journey. Under the direction of our Senior Vice President and Provost Libby Wentz, this work will be spearheaded by Jodi Bailey Accavallo, vice president for student affairs; Heather Servaty-Seib, vice provost for undergraduate education; and Evelyn Thimba, vice president for enrollment management. 

We must be intentional and thoughtful in our efforts to foster an environment where our students are empowered, challenged and equipped to succeed both academically and personally. To our faculty and staff members, please know that you are critical to this process. You are gifted teachers, mentors and intellectual leaders. Our students thrive and persist because of the myriad ways you support their holistic development. Forward with Purpose is an ambitious strategic plan, which is achievable because of the many outstanding faculty and staff members across the university, all of whom will play a key role in helping us accomplish our goals. 

As we begin the 2026–2027 academic year, several new initiatives and investments demonstrate how that commitment is taking shape across Temple. 

Christopher and Julie Barnett Essential Needs Hub 
One of the strongest demonstrations of our commitment to student success is the Christopher and Julie Barnett Essential Needs Hub, which was created thanks to the incredible generosity of University Trustee Christopher Barnett and his wife Julie Barnett. As of this week, the second phase of construction on the Hub is now complete, and it is fully operational. 

Located on the lower level of the Howard Gittis Student Center, the 26,000 square-foot Hub brings together new and expanded support for food, housing, transportation, clothing, benefits and financial resource navigation, health and well-being, technology access, and other essential needs.  

The Hub offers critical resources that help students address fundamental needs, navigate challenges and connect with support across the university. By removing barriers that too often interfere with students’ ability to persist and graduate, we make it easier for them to get help when they need it. 

Dream Chasers Summit 
As you may have seen, we are delighted to partner with Philadelphia native and multiplatinum hip-hop artist Meek Mill to host the Dream Chasers Summit, which will be held Thursday, Sept. 10, at the Liacouras Center. 

This is a tremendous opportunity for our students, as the event will consist of a series of interactive panels and discussions featuring some of the biggest stars across the music, sports and entertainment industries. Throughout the course of the day, student attendees will hear directly from Meek and other high-profile guests, each of whom will discuss their own professional journeys, sharing insights on how they have overcome challenges to reach their success. 

Students can find more information about the Dream Chasers Summit here. 

Creating a respectful and welcoming environment 
As we begin a new semester, we also share a responsibility for maintaining a campus where members of our community can learn, work, engage and express differing viewpoints safely and respectfully. Temple is deeply committed to honoring the First Amendment and fostering an environment open to a diversity of thought, opinion and peaceful expression, and we affirm the right of our community members to engage in peaceful and orderly demonstration. 

It is imperative that any demonstration follows these on-campus demonstration guidelines and does not create a hostile environment for others. These guidelines are in place to ensure the safety and well-being of the community while also encouraging and preserving freedom of expression. As these guidelines note, any demonstration must not disrupt the educational process or business operations of the university.  

Students are also encouraged to review the Student Conduct Code while employees should review the Employee Manual and Rules of Conduct, which both provide further guidance. Thank you for doing your part to ensure that every member of our community can learn, work and engage in an environment free from discrimination, harassment and intimidation. 

Uber pilot program 
As part of our efforts to provide students with more transportation options and additional flexibility, we are pleased to announce the launch of a new pilot program with Uber. 

Beginning Thursday, Sept. 10, students will be eligible to receive three Uber vouchers (up to a $10 value per ride) for use during the fall semester. The pilot program will be available to all full-time degree-seeking undergraduate, graduate and professional students whose primary campus is Main Campus, the Health Sciences Center campus, Temple University Center City, the School of Podiatric Medicine or Temple Ambler. 

We have received consistent feedback from students who have expressed a desire for an on-demand, door-to-door rideshare service and in recent years we have seen a decline in Flight’s ridership. To complement the new Uber pilot program, Flight, the university’s nighttime fixed-route shuttle loop service, will continue operating from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week, but shuttles will now arrive at each shuttle stop every 30 minutes instead of every 15 minutes. All 50-plus Flight stops will continue to be serviced, and riders will still be able to track the locations of each shuttle in real time using the TransLoc app. 

Through the combination of Flight plus the Uber pilot program, we have an opportunity to evaluate how students use both options and gather feedback, which will ensure our transportation decisions continue to be responsive to student needs. 

Introduction of campus quad 
As you may have seen, we recently completed the first phase of our work to create a true campus quad that will serve as a multiuse and functional area to promote socializing, recreation, outdoor learning and events. Located across from Paley Hall, the space further expands Beury Beach, which was already a hotspot for gathering and student interaction. 

The first phase of the new quad is a tremendous addition and helps create a place where our community can naturally connect and enjoy beautiful outdoor space at the heart of campus. 

Cheering on our Owls 
In closing, I want to encourage you all to cheer on all our Temple student-athletes regularly throughout this academic year. Our fall sports schedules can be found on the Temple Athletics website, and I hope you will join me in showing up for our Owls across all of our sports this year.  

As a reminder, Temple football kicks off its season on Saturday, Sept. 5, against Rhode Island. Students can get free tickets to this game, and all contests throughout the season, including the Sept. 12 matchup against Penn State. 

Additionally, all Temple University and Temple Health employees are invited to take advantage of a special ticket offer for two exciting home games during the 2026 season: the Sept. 5 game against Rhode Island and the Oct. 10 Homecoming game against UConn. 

Once again, I want to wish everyone a productive and positive start to the fall semester. I look forward to all that we will accomplish together this year. 

Sincerely, 

John Fry 
President