Q&A with Temple’s newest president: His most significant mission and how he’ll keep campus safe
Richard M. Englert, who is serving as Temple's president this academic year, said keeping campus safe, driving up enrollment and bringing the campus together are his three main goals.
He came by the job through tragic circumstances, but now Richard M. Englert is focused on moving Temple forward in the tradition of his predecessor.
Englert, 77, took over as Temple’s president last month following the sudden death of JoAnne A. Epps. He had been president once before, from 2016 to 2021, and acting president twice. They were among 17 roles he’s played during his 47 years at Temple. The Cherry Hill resident, who will serve through the academic year, this week talked about issues facing Temple and the path ahead.
» READ MORE: Temple taps Richard M. Englert to serve as temporary president
I know that you and JoAnne were very close. How are you coping with her loss?
It was tough for everybody here. She and I worked together 30 years. ... She’s somebody who I think of often — daily — and she’s somebody who I want to make certain, both for Temple purposes and personally, to take her legacy forward. Her priorities are my priorities.
How does it feel to be Temple’s president again?
I’ve always told the board if ever you need me for anything, I’d be happy to do so. ... I love Temple. I came here from California, didn’t know anything about Temple, and fell in love with it. Fell in love with the mission, fell in love with the people.
» READ MORE: Temple University launches search for new president: Englert to leave after 45 years in 17 roles
How had you stayed involved with the campus before retiring?
I retired from the presidency. I did not retire from Temple University. The board appointed me chancellor, and as chancellor I would help with anything that they needed.
But I also wanted to return to my first love, which I couldn’t do as president, which was to teach. So I taught last semester. I taught a course called intellectual heritage. It’s the core of our Gen Ed program. It’s a course of great readings.
What do you see as your most significant mission or responsibility for the next seven or eight months?
To move the institution forward on the kinds of priorities that JoAnne set. Safety and enrollment. ... But I would add a third one because JoAnne was so good at it: bringing people together. Bringing the campus together in common purpose. That’s so important, especially as we face all kinds of challenges down the road.
» READ MORE: Temple’s acting president, JoAnne A. Epps, has died after falling ill on stage at university event
The university is in faculty contract negotiations. After the school weathered a strike by graduate student workers last spring, what will you do to make sure a strike doesn’t disrupt campus again?
We did make an offer last week to the union, and that offer had several ingredients: one was a 5% compensation increase (4% across the board and 1% for a merit pool. The offer also includes a $200 or 12% increase to the adjunct per-credit minimum plus a $400 lump-sum payment for adjuncts teaching this semester who make more than the minimum. Severance for long-term nontenure track faculty.).
Is that for one year?
For this year, an extension. It’s retroactive to July 1. ... What we want to do is get to the end of the academic year. In exchange, we would make it retroactive.
And, obviously, we would continue to meet [for the next contract]. My hope is that they would accept and we all move forward, continuing to negotiate.
Then you wouldn’t have to worry about a strike this year?
Right, and our faculty deserves it. It’s a good package.
Temple’s enrollment is 30,530, down 9.2% from last year and 22% from 2019. Do you have a plan to address that?
There are things we are very proud of. Fifty-six percent [freshmen] of color. That‘s our highest ever ... 38% of all these incoming students are Pell grant [targeted to lower-income students] recipients. We also have 39% first-generation students. What we’re doing clearly is the Temple mission.
JoAnne hired a new vice provost for enrollment management . ... He’s got a robust game plan. It involves analytics. It involves telling the Temple story. It includes more visitations and contacting potential students. It includes getting people on campus, because as people walk on this campus, the campus sells itself.
Can Temple’s enrollment rebound to its previous high of more than 40,000 students?
Oh, no. I don’t think so. ... Let’s just say that’s not our goal at the moment. We voluntarily tried to get down from that.
Do you have a number in mind?
Not yet, ask me down the road.
Safety has been a big issue. Any new steps that you think are needed to keep the campus safe?
Safety is not just a policing matter. There’s a holistic side to it. ... One thing we are definitely doing and you’ll hear more about it down the road is our community gateway. Think of it as a one-stop service center for a lot of things. Not just violence-prevention programs, for workforce development and other kinds of education.
It’s a difficult time on college campuses right now, following Hamas’ attack on Israel. Has Temple received any pressure from trustees or donors to take a stronger stance for or against Israel?
We’re a public university so freedom of expression is something that is absolutely critical.
So you’re not getting pressure from donors?
No.
There have been concerns about transparency on the board of trustees. ... Do you think the board needs to be more transparent?
Look at the presidential search. I think the board is being very transparent. We have a search firm out talking to so many people. We have board members going out and talking to so many people. I think this is going to be a very transparent search to the extent it can be. You have to realize some [candidates] ... need confidentiality on their end.
» READ MORE: Temple officially launches the search for its next president
You’re not a candidate for the permanent president’s job?
Absolutely no. I said I was going to retire from the presidency at 75. We went a little over. I was 75 and a half, but we need to bring somebody new in.
Will you be involved in the search?
No, I don’t think I should be. You need a fresh look at things.
What do you think Temple needs in its next president?
Someone who understands or at least relates to the spirit of Temple, somebody who relates well to our mission. We talk about opportunity. We talk about engagement. We talk about discovery. ... Somebody who embraces the public mission.
We’re a public university. That means we have special responsibility to the general public that other institutions don’t have. Somebody who is knowledgeable about or who can quickly become knowledgeable about research institutions. ... And I think someone who appreciates the health system. And someone who can interact with the changing higher-ed landscape because it’s going to look different years from now.