Temple Board of Trustees approves “Forward With Purpose” Strategic Plan Jan. 28. | FILE / THE TEMPLE NEWS
Temple’s Board of Trustees approved the university’s latest strategic plan, Forward with Purpose: Temple Strategic Plan, in its Jan. 28 meeting.
The project intends to elevate the university’s national standing as an urban public research university by Temple’s 150th anniversary in 2034. The plan includes a new campus development initiative, a rebranding strategy and educational advancement. The university will also expand its honors program to an honors college through philanthropic contributions.
“The introduction of the strategic plan is really a watershed moment for us as an institution,” said President John Fry during the Board of Trustees meeting. “It has been no secret that I am very confident when it comes to the university and its potential to set the standard as one of the most consequential urban research universities in the nation. And now we have the blueprint to help guide us towards that goal.”
Building Connections, the campus development plan, includes construction of a new residence hall at Broad and Norris streets – the former home of Peabody Hall – and renovations to Johnson and Hardwick Halls. The plan also outlines the creation of a new STEM research facility as a reimagination of the Biology Life Sciences Building. University administration will decide whether to build or remodel an existing building in the coming months.
It also outlines plans to develop Main Campus’ greenspaces by adding greenery near the site of the Caroline Kimmel Pavillion for Arts and Communication and a quad adjacent to the Bell Tower, where Beury Hall stands.
Beury’s demolition will begin this summer. Plans for a quad at the site were first introduced in the university’s 2014 Visualize Temple plan.
They also outlined plans to create a multi-use building that will include student housing, retail, recreation spaces and learning facilities.
At Temple’s Health Science Campus, the plan creates a new ambulatory care center and expands the existing medical research building as well.
The university plans to use these developments alongside the recently acquired properties in Center City and on Girard Avenue to facilitate a “multi-dimensional innovation corridor” along Broad.
“As part of this plan we have worked to reimagine our role as a catalyst and a partner, especially a partner, along Broad Street, which represents the spine of Philadelphia,” Fry said.
Temple also plans to continue its rebranding initiative under the “Temple Made” slogan. The initiative was launched in October as a relaunch of the initial Temple Made campaign in 2012 and included new advertisements across Philadelphia as well as spotlights on notable alumni.
Temple will develop more specific metrics and timelines for the Strategic Plan now that it has been approved by the BOT.