Volume 94, Issue 19

Page 1

The Essayist Issue

OUR ANNUAL SPECIAL EDITION FOR personal ESSAYS

A watchdog for the Temple University community since 1921.

TEMPLE-NEWS.COM

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2016

VOL. 94 ISS. 19

History employee was ‘indispensable’ Patricia “Pat” Williams, 64, was found dead in Gladfelter Hall Monday morning.

T

By STEVE BOHNEL JULIE CHRISTIE The Temple News

o many of her colleagues, Patricia “Pat” Williams was known as an employee who made the history department run like clockwork.

Gregory Urwin, however, will also remember her character outside of work on the ninth floor of Gladfelter Hall. “A week did not pass without her asking me how my wife, a cancer survivor, was doing,” Urwin, a military history professor, said in an email Monday night. “She also took a keen interest in my son, a former Temple student who became a professional ballet dancer, and my son’s new wife. Stopping at Pat’s office always put a little extra warmth in my day.” A university spokesman confirmed to The Temple News Monday afternoon that Williams, 64, was found dead on the ninth floor of Gladfelter Hall Monday morning. The spokesman added Williams was an administrative coordi-

Stopping at Pat’s “ office always put a little extra warmth in my day.

Gregory Urwin | military history professor

nator for the department. Jay Lockenour, chair of the history department, said he’ll remember Williams for her dedication to her work. “She was the center of the department,” Lockenour said late Monday afternoon. “She made sure everything ran smoothly.” Lockenour, whose office is located in Room 909 of Gladfelter, said fellow faculty members found Williams in an office down the hall early Monday morning. He added he “went into emergency crisis mode … and had to comfort people who found the body.” “She had a long history of health prob-

WILLIAMS | PAGE 6

STADIUM

Helping victims of local crime North Central Victim Services helps those impacted by violence. By JULIE CHRISTIE The Temple News

HOJUN YU TTN

Patrick Larkin looks on as a community member speaks to the Board of Trustees during the meeting on Monday.

Stadium funds approved The Board of Trustees approved $1 million in funding for the design. By JOE BRANDT EJ SMITH The Temple News

By GILLIAN McGOLDRICK The Temple News Circling around the arches of Sullivan Hall with a banner reading “No New Stadium,” a protest assembled of approximately 80 students and community members outside the Board of Trustees meeting yesterday. This protest was meant to oppose the Board’s vote on an architect for a possible off-campus stadium. Nearly two dozen Temple police officers met the protesters gathered on Polett Walk. The protest was led by students, community members and 15 Now activists in the collaborative organization, “Stadium Stompers.” The group has been meeting bi-weekly in the Church of the Advocate to discuss ways of preventing the implementation of the proposed stadium plans. Six members of the Stadium Stompers were allowed into Sullivan Hall to speak during the public comment portion of the meeting. “We’re at an important junction,” said Rev. Renee McKenzie of the Church of the Advocate during the protest. “When we first started talking about having these community and student meetings, I had a few people from the community who said, ‘You know, the battle is already over. ‘Temple has already won the game.’ I think [protests] have come here to make a real clear, declarative statement that ain’t so.” Protesters began gathering outside of Sullivan Hall around 3 p.m. and stayed until the meeting ended nearly two hours later. With a unanimous vote ap-

BOT | PAGE 3

PROTEST | PAGE 6

TUPD could use body cams

The department is considering the move as the 22nd District is currently testing them. PAGE 2

OPINION PAGES 4-5

The Essayist: stories from our staff

NCVS | PAGE 3

Protesters outside Sullivan Hall strongly opposed the decision.

Recent talks about an on-campus football stadium indicated progress toward construction by 2017, some secured commitments from donors and new proposed retail space around the potential stadium’s site on the west edge of Main Campus. In a meeting yesterday in Sullivan Hall, the Board of Trustees unanimously agreed to make contact with architects and conduct an environmental impact study for the proposed site—bounded by Broad Street to the east, Norris Street to the north, 16th Street on the west and Montgomery Avenue on the south. That impact study, and the correspondence with architects about design, was ordered to cost no more than $1 million, Chairman Patrick O’Connor said in the meeting. The university projects that the total budget for the stadium will not exceed $130 million, and $50 million of that will come from fundraising. President Theobald said Temple has already secured “about $12 million” in fundraising from donors, with $15 million more “in the pipeline.” “At this point, we just know: stadium, and retail, with construction in 2017,” Theobald said. “The goal is to use that stadium every day.” In a presentation to attendees at the public meeting, Theobald suggested that retail space would surround the 35,000-seat stadium on the east and south

NEWS PAGES 2-3, 6

Four-and-a-half blocks off campus, 700 victims of crime have walked into an office in the Women’s Christian Alliance building seeking help. North Central Victims Service provides support and care for victims or witnesses of crime or families of victims in the 22nd district. The center gives victims access to counseling, will provide a support advocate during court procedures and compensates vic-

tims for financial costs or losses as a result of their victimization. “No one asks to be a victim,” said Johnathan Davis, the executive director of NCVS. “It can be a life altering event, not just physically but emotionally. In many ways it’s not short term because when someone has fallen to victimization, they often don’t know how to get back up.” NCVS is only staffed by three people, and relies on volunteers, or “support advocates” to help keep the center from getting overwhelmed. Davis said most support advocates are students from Temple who are there to volunteer, as part of a work study or for a class. Mike Sharpe, a junior marketing major, has been working at the NCVS

BRIANNA SPAUSE TTN

Rob Lawton, a 2013 marketing alumnus, participated in a grassroots campaign to deliver clean water to the residents of Flint, Michigan.

Alumnus aiding Flint By PAULA DAVIS | The Temple News

Rob Lawton drove 60,000 water bottles to the city. When he saw the state of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, Rob Lawton said he felt like he was in a third world country. “It turned my stomach,” he said. “Is this really America?” Lawton, who graduated from the Fox School of Business in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, observed the crisis firsthand when he

LIFESTYLE PAGES 7-8, 14-16

Alumnus runs fishing blog

Historic playhouse closes its doors

A 2014 physics alumnus, Leo Sheng, created “Extreme Philly Fishing” and has several thousand followers. PAGE 7

The Society Hill Playhouse plans to close its doors soon. The playhouse was founded in 1959 by alumni Deen and Jay Kogan. PAGE 9

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PAGES 9-13

traveled to Flint to aid in relief efforts. The idea was brought to him by Nehemiah Davis, Lawton’s friend and founder of The Nehemiah Davis Foundation, a nonprofit community outreach organization. Only three days after Davis originally pitched the idea, Lawton, along with Temple alumna Melissa Robbins, made the trip to Flint with 60,000 water bottles to distribute to residents. According to the Flint Water Study, for more than a year, residents

FLINT | PAGE 14

SPORTS PAGES 17-20


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
Volume 94, Issue 19 by The Temple News - Issuu