Based on the recent directives and guidance from the federal government, Temple has brought together internal and independent external resources to ensure that our policies and practices align with legal requirements while staying true to our mission and values. 

As part of this process, President Fry has convened a broad-based advisory group comprised of faculty, staff and students to help the university navigate this complex and evolving environment. Members of the group include: 

• Jodi Bailey Accavallo, Vice President for Student Affairs  
• Mike Bognanno, Professor and Department Chair, Economics, College of Liberal Arts; Vice President, Faculty Senate  
• David W. Brown, Assistant Dean for Community and Communications, Klein College of Media and Communication  
• Marylouise Esten, Vice President and Deputy Provost  
• Cameron Etezady, Vice President and University Counsel (counsel to the committee) 
• Jason Gallagher, Clinical Professor, School of Pharmacy  
• Michael Gebhardt, Vice President for Administration and University Secretary  
• Josh Gladden, Vice President for Research  
• Nyein Nyein Htay, PhD candidate, Department of Policy, Organizational and Leadership Studies, College of Education and Human Development  
• Angela Polec, Vice President for Strategic Marketing and Communications  
• Sumona Sharma, Undergraduate Student, Department of Finance, Fox School of Business  
• Susan Sullivan, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, College of Liberal Arts  
• Renee Tobin, Dean of the Graduate School

Temple students, faculty and staff should contact the appropriate office based on the questions you have and/or the resources you seek. For questions related to research, please review the 2025 federal funding guidance information on the Office of the Vice President for Research website. 

The White House publishes all executive orders on their website: www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/ 

The university may make organizational changes in the interest of promoting efficiency and effectiveness. Currently, however, we believe we comply with all enforceable orders and any changes we make will result from appropriate alignment of roles within the university. 

We affirm the right of our community members to engage in peaceful and orderly demonstrations, provided they follow these on-campus demonstration guidelines, including but not limited to the need to properly reserve any space required for the demonstration. Students should also review the Student Conduct Code while employees should review the Employee Manual and Rules of Conduct for additional guidance. 

In addition, Temple has made limited but important updates to the Student Conduct Code and the Policy on Preventing and Addressing Discrimination and Harassment (“PADH”). These changes reflect recommendations from the Anti-Defamation League’s Campus Antisemitism Report Card and strengthen our ability to address harmful behaviors when they occur. Specifically, the updates:  

1. Explicitly reference prohibited forms of misconduct, such as antisemitism and anti-Israeli discrimination; and  

2. Identify masked harassment as a prohibited behavior.  

These revisions were made after consultation with colleagues across the university, and they reinforce our commitment to ensuring that every member of our community can learn, work and engage in an environment free from discrimination, harassment and intimidation. 

If you are a student planning a demonstration on campus, your first step should be to contact the Dean of Students Office. The staff there will walk you through the process, help you understand university policies and connect you with the appropriate campus partners on your behalf. This includes working closely with the Department of Public Safety (TUDPS) to ensure demonstrations are facilitated safely, peacefully, and in a way that supports the rights of all members of the Temple community. 

Yes. Most internal and external campus spaces require reservations. To avoid the cancellation or interruption of your event, please ensure that the space is available and reserved properly in advance of any demonstration or protest by going to https://studentaffairs.temple.edu/sfc/plan-an-event. If your desired space is not reservable at that link, please see the building reservations representative for the space you would like to reserve. 

Students should be aware that only registered student organizations (RSOs) may reserve rooms or indoor spaces through Temple’s scheduling system, 25Live. While there is no fee to reserve space, RSOs may be responsible for costs related to services such as audiovisual equipment, catering, or additional staffing. Requests for more complex events—anything requiring more than basic seating or a table—must be submitted well in advance and include a planning meeting with Student Center staff, scheduled at least 20 business days before the event. 

If you are not part of a registered student organization, the Dean of Students Office will still work with you to explore appropriate options for your demonstration, including guidance on outdoor spaces and other resources to help make your event safe and successful. 

Please contact our Office of Global Engagement for guidance. Temple is committed to supporting you and exploring options that may be available to you.  

At this time, financial aid funding for 2025-26 students has not been impacted.   

However, the budget reconciliation bill was signed into law on July 4, which will bring significant changes to the federal loan program, its lifetime maximums and Pell grant eligibility beginning in 2026–27. We are closely monitoring the impacts of this and other recent developments at the federal level. 

No, as of Aug. 21, the university has not received any reports of ICE agents on any of Temple’s domestic campuses. See more information about ICE on campus. 

If law enforcement arrives on any of Temple’s campuses and/or seeks information about employees, students or clinical patients, for any reason, it is Temple’s policy that such information should not be shared without appropriate verification and authority. Instead, the officer/agent should be referred to the Office of University Counsel at 215-204-6542. See more information about ICE on campus. Law enforcement agencies/officers can also be referred to the Department of Public Safety at 215-204-1234. 

ICE agents are allowed in spaces open to the public. They are not allowed, without a warrant, to be in private areas of the university (e.g., spaces that are restricted from public access). For example, secured academic buildings and classrooms are private areas for Temple students and employees only, unless they are otherwise opened to the public. 

Historically, law enforcement, including ICE, provides notice to Public Safety or the Office of University Counsel regarding their activities on campus. 

If you are not sure that this has occurred, please refer ICE officers/agents to the Office of University Counsel at 215-204-6542 or Public Safety at 215-204-1234.  

Please do not interfere with a law enforcement officer conducting official business. Interfering with an officer can result in charges or other legal action against you. 

Providing personally identifiable information (PII) and/or protected health information (PHI) to law enforcement without appropriate authority and documentation could violate privacy laws, such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).  

Release of PII and/or PHI to law enforcement requires an arrest warrant, a search warrant, or other lawful court order to authorize disclosure.  

If an ICE agent asks you a question, you do not have to answer, as you have the right to remain silent. ICE agents attempting an immigration enforcement action on university property regarding our employees, students or clinical patients should be referred to the Office of University Counsel and/or the Department of Public Safety. 

All ICE officers/agents should be referred to the Office of University Counsel at 215-204-6542 or Public Safety at 215-204-1234. If you see individuals that appear to be law enforcement, please also contact Temple University Public Safety at 215-204-1234 or from a campus phone at 1-1234.   

Any employee who receives a warrant, court order or subpoena should forward it to the Office of University Counsel at universitycounsel@temple.edu and should take no further action without further direction. Law enforcement personnel can also be referred to University Counsel at 215-204-6542 and/or Temple University Public Safety at 215-204-1234 for follow up. 

Please do not interfere with law enforcement officials engaged in official actions. Please alert University Counsel and Temple University Public Safety. 

You may receive updates either directly through federal agencies or via amendments on a project-specific basis. The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) will keep you informed, but you may also receive instructions directly from your Program Officer. It is critical to respond promptly to ensure compliance with new terms, as noncompliance could jeopardize funding. Please visit the OVPR website for more 2025 federal funding guidance. 

If you receive a request to sign attestations stating that your grant activities comply with recent executive orders, you should immediately contact your dean and the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) for further information on how to proceed. Note that the turnaround time for signing an attestation may be brief, so be sure to indicate appropriate urgency when contacting OVPR. 

Currently, we do not recommend halting or altering any ongoing research activities without first consulting the Office of the Vice President for Research. If you are not a principal investigator (PI), you should check with your PI. 

As mentioned, we do not recommend halting or altering any ongoing research activities without first consulting the Office of the Vice President for Research. 

The Office of the Vice President for Research, Office of University Counsel and others do, and will continue to, analyze and interpret impacts on our research enterprise as well as monitor agency reactions and implementations. We will share more as information evolves. 

Historically, Temple’s policies, programs and practices have been in compliance with the guidance shared by the U.S. Department of Education, and we remain confident in our approach. We continue to review and evaluate current guidance as it applies to our programming to ensure the university remains compliant. 

Faculty and staff should contact their supervisors, directors, deans and unit administrators, who will elevate questions and concerns to the appropriate university offices.