PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Temple University has hired John Fry of nearby Drexel University to become its 15th president, concluding a search that had been buffeted by the sudden death last fall of acting President JoAnne Epps, the Philadelphia school said.
Fry, 63, has been Drexel's president since 2010 and will start his tenure at the 30,500-student Temple after Drexel names new leadership, Temple said in a statement. The campuses are barely 2 miles from each other in Philadelphia.
Fry’s appointment was confirmed by a unanimous vote of Temple's board of trustees, the university said.
Fry told The Philadelphia Inquirer that improving campus safety at the urban school will be a priority, as will the commercial development of Temple's research pursuits, similar to the work he put in at Drexel and, before that, at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, where he was president from 2002 to 2010.
Epps died suddenly in September at age 72 after falling ill onstage at a memorial event. The “acting” designation was removed from her title in recognition of her contributions during her brief tenure.
Epps, Temple’s former law school dean and provost, took over months earlier from Jason Wingard, who had led the university since 2021.
Wingard resigned shortly before a no-confidence vote by the faculty union, with members citing concerns over falling enrollment, financial issues and labor disputes.
His resignation followed a tumultuous tenure of less than two years and amid a surge of violence that had sent fear through the north Philadelphia campus.
Wingard had a week earlier told a panel of state lawmakers that Philadelphia’s homicide rate has wrought a climate in which students, parents, and faculty and staff members were afraid.
A Temple University police officer was shot and killed near the north Philadelphia campus the prior month.
This undated photo provided by Temple University shows John Fry, who was named the Philadelphia school's 15th president on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, concluding a search that had been buffeted by the sudden death last fall of acting President JoAnne Epps. (Temple University via AP)
SYDNEY (AP) — Tom Wright scored a solo try to give Australia a nine-point buffer in the 69th minute and the Wallabies hung on for a 25-16 win over Wales on Saturday to start Joe Schmidt’s coaching tenure on a positive note.
Schmidt replaced Eddie Jones as head coach in the wake of Australia’s disastrous Rugby World Cup campaign last year, including a 40-6 loss to Wales, and delivered a victory in his first test as coach.
“Yeah, a great result. We weren’t perfect tonight by any means, but the grit we showed out there ... really pleased with that result,” new Wallabies skipper Liam Wright said.
The Wallabies had a 13-10 lead after a grinding first half in a heavy dew that featured a yellow card for both teams.
Prop Taniela Tupou scored the opening try in the 21st minute, barging over from the back of a maul after the Wallabies battered the line, to give Australia a 13-3 lead. Wales prop Gareth Thomas was sent to the sin-bin immediately.
Despite being a man down, the Welsh kicked for touch instead of taking points from a penalty four minutes later and it paid off when they were awarded a penalty try after forming a 10-man driving maul from a close-range lineout.
Australian flanker Fraser McReight was sent to the sin-bin for dragging the maul down close to the line, and Australia clung to a three-point cushion at the break.
Wales equalized at 13-13 six minutes into the second half via a Ben Thomas penalty goal after dominating the period after the break.
But the Australians retaliated quickly, with Filipo Daugunu coming off the blind wing, chiming into the backline between the Wales midfielders and sliding over into the right corner in the damp conditions in the 53rd to make it 18-13.
Wales had a try disallowed five minutes later when James Botham crashed over with his first touch following a lineout, only to be called back because a teammate joined from in front of the ball.
Tom Lynagh, the son of Wallabies great Michael Lynagh, went on for his test debut in the 64th minute and, after Wales cut the margin to two points with a penalty goal, he had a very quick impact on the game.
Lynagh started a counter-attacking move when he sent the ball right to fullback Wright, who burst through a gap and sprinted upfield in a 50-meter solo run before stepping inside the cover defense and diving over for the match-clinching try.
Lynagh converted to make it 25-16 and ensured Wales slumped to an eighth consecutive defeat since the group stage of the World Cup.
The loss extended a drought for Wales, which hasn't beaten the Wallabies in 12 tests on Australian soil since 1969.
AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
Referee Pierre Brousset shows a yellow card Australia's Fraser McReight, second left, during the rugby international between Australia and Wales in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Players react following the first rugby international between Australia and Wales in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, July 6, 2024. Australia defeated Wales 25-16.(AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Wales' Josh Hathaway attempts to catch the ball during the rugby international between Australia and Wales in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Australia's Tom Lynagh leaps to take the ball during the rugby international between Australia and Wales in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Australia's Tom Wright scores a try during the rugby international between Australia and Wales in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Australia's Jake Gordon leaps to take the ball during the rugby international between Australia and Wales in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Australia's Tom Wright runs to score a try during the rugby international between Australia and Wales in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
