The first board of Trustees meeting of the semester took place last Tuesday.
One of the topics many anticipated to be brought up was the proposed stadium. To the dismay of many, President Englert and the rest of the board remained silent on the issue, repeating only what he said during his State of the University Address.
Outside the meeting, the Stadium Stompers–a group of students, neighbors, and staff who strongly oppose the stadium–came out to make their opinion on the stadium heard.
Critical of trustee members, one resident of the area says, “What we think is that the community is a jewel that needs to be protected, not something to be paved over by the whims of the billionaires on the board of trustees.”
Prior to the State of the University Address, President Englert had not discussed the stadium in months. Many wondered where the University stood in the decision process and its feasibility studies.
One neighbor says, “I’m disappointed that they are continuing with their efforts because I don’t feel that a stadium at the heart of a North Philadelphia residential neighborhood is the proper place for it.”
In his State of the University Address, Englert said he believes the stadium will be a financial benefit for the University.
“We believe that owning our own facility rather than renting would result in a net savings annually of 2 to 3 million dollars,” said Englert.
However, one change the University has made to its stadium plan since it was last publicly discussed is the name. President Englert is now calling it a multi-purpose facility.
Ruth Birchett, who was inside the board meeting, says, “I never heard them refer to it that way, so they’re changing it around so that it would be more palatable.”
After the meeting, President Englert told Temple Update reporters that the University is still conducting multiple feasibility studies regarding the stadium. This still leaves unrest to the Stadium Stompers and others who are growing eager for a definite answer to the proposed stadium.
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