On Friday afternoon, John A. Fry’s wife texted him: “How’s it going, Owl?”

“So far, so good!” Fry replied.

Friday was the first day of school for Fry, who is officially president of Temple University, home of the Owls. He wore a cherry red tie with the letter “T” for Temple. his predecessor, Richard M. Englert is often worn – and a pin with the scales of justice and the words “leadership” and “integrity” in its honor. late president JoAnne A. EppsThe former law school dean who died suddenly last year.

” READ MORE: As Drexel’s John Fry is selected as Temple’s next president, here’s what he plans to do.

“I was thinking about the two of them as I was getting dressed,” said Fry, 64, who led Drexel University in West Philadelphia for 14 years. before crossing the city To take over Temple. “I follow in the footsteps of truly great leaders.”

The day was full: He met with the director and assistant director in charge of enrollment management and learned that the applications were coming in heavily. He listened to suggestions from student government leaders that he felt were very constructive improvements to campus shuttle services. Plans to expand campus shuttle service were made at the presidential transition team meeting If there’s a SEPTA attack occur

Had lunch with outgoing president Richard M. Englert, had a personal matter to resolve, and visited the College of Liberal Arts; there he stopped by for a few lectures and heard a hopeful talk from dean Richard Deeg about expanding study abroad opportunities to Latin America. and Africa. He took a tour of the main campus led by student ambassadors, attended a student pep rally for the basketball team at the Bell Tower and met with about 40 officers and leaders from the Department of Public Safety.

Fry made a statement welcome to campus video campus and neighborhood security is his first priority.

” READ MORE: Temple’s next president John Fry says security will be ‘a top priority’

“Public safety is the cornerstone of every institution,” he said. “If people don’t feel safe, if they don’t feel like they’re in a good public environment, that really distracts them from the work that they need to be doing as students, faculty or staff.”

Temple campus has been rocked by the shooting deaths of former students in recent years Samuel Collington outside his off-campus apartment in 2021 and Temple police Sgt. Christopher Fitzgerald in 2023 Provides new security efforts and a decrease in aggravated assaults, robberies, and thefts around campus.

Fry said he focused on security at Drexel and previously worked as an administrator at the University of Pennsylvania, but he wasn’t very familiar with North Philadelphia. He asked for help from the officers.

“I have to patrol different shifts to really learn the geography,” he said. “I need to get to know the neighbors, the campus, the dynamic between the neighborhood and the campus.”

” READ MORE: As the new era begins, Temple states that there is a decrease in the crime rate as well as new crime-fighting measures.

Fry’s focus on safety is welcome.

“We are excited and grateful to have Mayor Fry make his first public safety meet and greet on his first day,” said Jennifer Griffin, Temple’s vice president for public safety. “His words were inspiring, and we look forward to supporting his vision for Temple.”

In his welcome video, Fry cited enrollment as another of his five priorities. Temple has experienced a nearly 25% decline in enrollment since 2017. But this fall the university Hosted 4,926 first-year studentsIt increased by approximately 30% compared to last year. While overall enrollment is down 1.7%, it’s a much smaller decline than last year, possibly signaling that Temple is turning the corner.

Fry initially acknowledged the benefit of achieving improvements in both security and recording.

“There is a sense of confidence — not overconfidence — but confidence and momentum,” he said. “There is a really strong hope that I can work here. … What I want to do is build on that momentum.”

” READ MORE: Temple sees 71% increase in black students in fall freshman class

Senior financial experts Conor McCabe and Alex McShane cited public safety and registration as two key issues they want Fry to address.

“I’d like to see more smart kids come here with full rides,” said McShane, 21, of Phoenixville.

“When you see students go above and beyond, it inspires other students to do the same,” said McCabe, 21, of Havertown.

Both said they were looking forward to meeting Fry on Friday. The two help run Temple student investment fundThey said it was a project in which students were overseeing some of Temple’s endowment, and Fry was scheduled to come to their classrooms.

Fry also named academics, research and philanthropy among his top priorities. He said it’s not too early to start thinking about a fundraising campaign that will culminate in Temple’s 150th anniversary in 2034.

“There’s a lot of preparation that needs to be done,” he said. “Feasibility studies to make sure the team is formed correctly. I need to get to know thousands of people. This build-up will take some time.”

Listing his priorities, he expressed his desire for an innovation corridor stretching from the main campus to Broad Street to the medical school campus, less than two miles away. But he also said in his video that he predicted a move south toward Center City.

” READ MORE: University president as urban planner

During the interview, he said Temple was interested in potentially purchasing some of the products. University of Arts was closed prime property when it comes up for sale through bankruptcy. Temple has a Center City site at 15th and Market Streets.

“Should we have a more visible role and space in Center City? “The decision will be made,” he said.

After UArts abruptly closed in June, Temple tried to negotiate a buyout, but the Hamilton Family Charitable Trust, which contributed about half of UArts’ endowment, He opposed the transfer Donation to the temple. Now, the issue At the Orphans’ Court.

” READ MORE: University of Arts asks judge to distribute donations to partner schools

Several students said they hoped the start of Fry’s tenure would bring stability in the top job. Jason Wingard’s resignation less than two years later in March 2023 and Epps’ death in September 2023.

“We have yet to see unity in leadership on campus,” said Kate Pavlovcak, 19, a sophomore advertising major from Richboro.

He hopes the school can now focus on things like helping students who don’t have enough food.

Although he spent the previous 22 years as a university president (14 of those while leading Drexel, eight at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster), Temple has the distinction of being Fry’s first partially public university.

It’s “part of my learning curve,” he said.

Fry wants to develop a good working relationship with the trustees; Drexel’s 63-member board was about twice the size of Temple’s, and it never once crossed the line from management to management, he said.

He had learned from previous presidencies that a balance was needed between “getting out the door quickly and getting things done” and listening and learning.

“I will get a lot of advice at first… I will absorb it and respect it, but eventually it will be my job to synthesize all of it and then put it out there at a certain point in time.” “My perspective is based on both what I hear and my own intuition,” he said.

He also points out the importance of getting to know people personally and professionally early on, building trust, reliability and friendship.

“It will pay off later,” he said.

But on the unusually warm November day, Fry enjoyed walking around the campus he now manages and taking in the views up and down Temple’s main walkways.

“I felt extremely lucky,” he said.