Classes are too big, and students don't have enough resources, staff say at a 'rally for Temple's future'

Kristen Graham, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Oct 14, 2026

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PHILADELPHIA — Waving signs and chanting, more than 100 Temple University students and employees rallied Wednesday to protest cuts across the university and health system.

“Who makes Temple work? We make Temple work!” they shouted.

Temple laid off 300 workers and raised tuition 3.4% this year. President John Fry said at the time the decision was necessary to close a budget gap as Temple — like colleges nationwide — copes with enrollment declines amid a shrinking pool of applicants and federal policy changes that resulted in lower numbers of international students.

The cuts have gone too far, said Jeffrey Doshna, president of the Temple Association of University Professionals, one of several unions that organized the “Rally for Temple’s Future” in advance of a university trustees meeting.

With austerity measure after austerity measure, “is there any wonder that we have a student retention problem?” Doshna told a cheering crowd. “There aren’t enough advisors for students to get appointments. There aren’t enough librarians and library staff to help students complete their research projects. There aren’t enough staff, faculty, so that students can get the classes that they need.”

Del Doktor, a faculty union official, said those who rallied are the real heart of Temple.

“We believe in its promise, its mission to provide affordable but quality education, and we know that these austerity measures, unfairly distributed, prohibit us from doing our job,” said Doktor. “I just want to do my job.”

Before the group marched around Sullivan Hall, where the board meets, a coalition of Temple unions presented demands, including increased staffing levels at the university and throughout the health system, open meetings to discuss budget matters, and a third-party public performance review of the current Temple leadership team.

Several politicians showed up to support the staff and students’ rally. City Councilmember Nicolas O’Rourke said he understood the need to make tough financial decisions, but he is “disgusted” by the cuts.

“A demand for safe and responsible staffing across the university and health system is just common sense,” O’Rourke said.

In a statement issued late Wednesday afternoon, the university said it “welcomes peaceful demonstrations like what we saw today,” noting a commitment to “open communication and engagement with our university community while we navigate the current financial challenges.”

Later, at the board of trustees meeting, officials were expected to move to collapse Temple’s School of Theater, Film and Media Arts and fold the programs into other schools. The Department of Theater will move into the Boyer College of Music and Dance, and the Department of Film and Media Arts will move into the Klein College of Media and Communication. Under the plan, the School of Theater, Film and Media Arts will cease to exist on July 1, 2027.

“This realignment reflects the fast-changing landscape of the media and entertainment industries and ensures that our graduates are best positioned to thrive,” the university said in a statement.

“It is important to emphasize that for this year and next, all of the academic programs in TFMA will continue as usual. Any future curricular changes will be guided by faculty and administrators in the two colleges for implementation in 2028-29 and beyond.”

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