Strategic Plan Progress Update | Temple University Strategic Plan | Spring 2025

Plan in Action

Noteworthy progress on the strategic plan implementation

Mural painting of students playing jump rope in a city park

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Community Gateway

The Community Gateway has implemented internal and external engagements to catalyze impact. First, the Gateway has reached more than 2,400 neighbors in North Philadelphia with efforts that include door-to-door connections, town halls, fairs and community meetings. Internally, the Gateway is reactivating a database in the TU Portal, which reports, catalogs and promotes all Temple community-facing programs to increase synergies across the university. This spring, the Gateway will celebrate its one-year anniversary.

View of students walking down Polett walk

BOUNDLESS ACCESS

Student Retention

Starting in Fall 2024, efforts to identify and assist students who need support have been amplified through integrated departmental initiatives, robust data collection, and provision of academic, mental health, well-being, and financial assistance. This approach also involves collaborating with faculty on data-informed strategies, fostering a culture of belonging in the classroom and working to break down traditional barriers that hinder progress. To build on these efforts, we are leveraging the best-in-class student success CRM, Navigate360.

Temple University Kyoto Campus Atrium with flowers and map display

Educational Excellence

Global Engagement

In mid-January, the university celebrated the opening of a new campus location in Kyoto, Japan. In a ceremony attended by university leaders, U.S. and Japanese government officials, and many others, Temple lauded this important partnership and new opportunity for education and research.

In the fall, the Pennsylvania Council for International Education Conference was held at Temple. Central to this conference’s theme of promoting Philadelphia as a hub of education and opportunity for international students is a collaborative group called Philadelphia’s Global Engagement Hub, which consists of partner universities, colleges, globally minded organizations and government.

Laura Toran is a hydrogeologist and faculty member at the College of Science and Technology. She is overseeing the Temple research team, which includes faculty from three different schools and colleges.

Thought Leadership

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

In Fall 2024, a survey was administered to faculty to better understand the landscape of cross-college collaboration. The survey received 618 responses and highlighted widespread enthusiasm, but also barriers to collaboration. In addition to the survey, recommendations from the interdisciplinary collaboration committee are moving forward, including the launch of the FDC-Hub, which provides a one-stop shop for advice and connection to people and pathways that can help guide and advance interdisciplinary efforts at Temple and I-SPARK, which provides programmatic and administrative support for interdisciplinary teams to pursue scholarship, discovery and innovation in any area from the earliest stages of team formation to full proposal submission.

Quick Updates

Tracking the ongoing initiatives across our five strategic priorities

BOUNDLESS ACCESS

Constituent Relationship Management: Undergraduate enrollment management is using Slate for evaluation, selection and decision release.

Mental Health and Wellness: Through the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Temple has received the designation as a certified suicide prevention institution of higher education.

Educational Excellence

General Education Review: The General Education Review committees are developing and reviewing proposals, with the first cohort expected to engage with the new curriculum in Fall 2027.

Thought Leadership

Research Innovation: In the fall, the Grand Challenges event series hosted an engaging conversion on health equity with experts across schools and colleges. In November, Temple hosted a Research Symposium covering cutting-edge discoveries, impactful innovations and thought-provoking discussions.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Violence Prevention: In addition to a refreshed landing page and a new public safety newsletter, there are new programs, including a ride-along initiative that connects students interested in law enforcement with those who protect and serve the Temple community.

Foundation for Tomorrow

Data-driven Decision Making: In the fall, we launched an AI survey to all unit heads to assess usage and aspirations.

Dean Reviews: The new dean review process is continuing, with four reviews completed and two in progress since the policy was approved in September 2023.