Temple's president on moving to campus: "We need to be here"
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Temple University President Jason Wingard, his wife Gingi and their teenage son plan to move to a North Philadelphia home to get closer to campus.
The Wingards are moving from their current home in Chestnut Hill into a home on North Carlisle Street owned by the university.
The announcement comes in the wake of a rash of violent crimes near campus.
"We need to be here, on campus," Wingard told CBS Philadelphia. "This home and this move is going to give us the opportunity to really engage with our students, with our faculty and staff and with the neighborhood residents and business owners here in North Philadelphia in a way Temple University president should."
The Wingards' move is expected to happen this spring as they put their current home in Chestnut Hill on the market.
"We've always felt that it's very important to be a part of the community and to serve the community," said Gingi Wingard, Temple University's first lady.
The home, which has four bedrooms and two bathrooms, is undergoing renovations.
Students who live on the block are looking forward to their new neighbors.
"It's a nice statement to have him a part of the college community here," said Jore Bagdonas, a Temple sophomore.
"I think that'll be really cool, I think that it's really beneficial that he'll live on the local community," said Max Liang, a Temple senior. "See how Temple students are living, see how the local community's living."
Being in the community also means facing the issues at hand, like the recent spike in crime near campus.
There were three home invasions last month that police said appeared to target Temple students.
An off-campus home where students lived was firebombed.
Just over the last week, there were two separate incidents of students held up at gunpoint near campus.
Wingard was asked if he has any concerns for his own safety living there.
"I don't have concerns for our own safety. Look, when we talk to our students, we talk to them about protocols, safety measures that they should follow to make sure that they are safe, to make sure that we are all safe," Wingard said. "And our police department here at Temple University does a phenomenal job."
