To the Temple Community,

Recent incidents have occurred here at Temple University and across the region, making it important that we update our students, faculty and staff with a reminder of our shared expectations as a community.

As a public university, Temple is bound by the principles of freedom of speech articulated in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. We are committed to fostering an environment open to diversity of thought, opinion and peaceful expression, and this includes viewpoints from across the political spectrum.

In addition, it is important to emphasize that threats, incitement of violence and speech that create a hostile environment are not protected and violate university policy.  When members of the Temple community violate university policy, they are held responsible pursuant to the Student Conduct Code and the Employee Manual and Rules of Conduct.

This week we received reports that an individual spit more than once on the window of The Rosen Center, the home of Hillel at Temple. The university’s Hillel strives to support Jewish life on campus, and The Rosen Center serves as a vital space for many members of our community.

This specific incident is deeply troubling, and such conduct is not tolerated. Acts of antisemitism or targeting anyone based on their identity is unacceptable. Temple’s Department of Public Safety has been investigating and reviewing video footage to identify suspects. Any member of the Temple community who is found responsible will be held accountable in accordance with applicable law and university policies.

These events come at a time when we have seen increasingly concerning social media activity from accounts that use Temple’s name but are not university-recognized organizations. Some of the posts have incited violence while others have targeted specific individuals based on their Jewish identity.

Temple has always had a strong, proud history of encouraging free speech, including peaceful demonstrations. We support and welcome speech on campus, as it is an essential part of campus life at universities. We also take seriously our commitment to fostering an environment where all members of the community are safe, respected and welcome. Intimidation, harassment and incitement of violence are not and will not be tolerated.

Thank you for doing your part to ensure that Temple’s value of inclusivity is reflected throughout our campus each day.

Sincerely,

John Fry
President