At noon on Friday, John A. Fry’s wife texted him: “How’s it going Owl?”

“So far, so good!” Fry replied.

It was the first day of school for Fry, who officially became president of Temple University, home of the Owls, on Friday. He wore a cherry red tie with a “T” for Temple—one of his own predecessor Richard M. Englert frequently dressed – and a pin with the scales of justice and the words “leadership” and “integrity” in his honor the late President JoAnne A. Eppsthe former dean of the law school who died suddenly last year.

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

“When I was getting dressed, I was thinking about the two of them,” said Fry, 64, who led Drexel University in West Philadelphia for 14 years. before crossing the city to take the helm at Temple. “I’m following in the footsteps of some really great leaders.”

It was a busy day: he met with the provost and vice-provost for enrollment management and learned that applications are coming in force. He listened to student government leaders present what he felt were very constructive improvements to campus shuttle service. At a meeting of the presidential transition team, plans were made to expand shuttle service to campus if a SEPTA strike appear.

There was lunch with Acting President Richard M. Englert, a personnel matter to deal with, and a visit to the College of Liberal Arts, where he stopped for a few classes and heard a promising pitch from Dean Richard Deeg about expanding educational opportunities abroad in Latin America. and Africa. He took a tour of the main campus led by student ambassadors, was walked by a student rally for the basketball team at the Bell Tower and met with about 40 Department of Public Safety officers and leaders.

Fry announced on a welcome to campus video that campus and neighborhood safety would be his first priority.

” READ MORE: As Temple’s next president, John Fry says safety will be ‘an early priority’

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

Temple’s campus has been rocked in recent years by the shooting death of the former student Samuel Collington outside his off-campus apartment in 2021 and Temple Police Sgt. Christopher Fitzgerald in 2023, providing a new safety efforts and a decrease in aggravated assaults, robberies and thefts around campus.

Fry said that while he focused on safety at Drexel and in a previous job as executive director at the University of Pennsylvania, he is not too familiar with North Philadelphia. He called for the help of the officers.

“I have to go out on patrols in different shifts so I can really learn the geography,” he said. “I got to know the neighbors, the campus, the dynamic between the neighborhood and the campus.”

” READ MORE: As the new semester begins, Temple cites the drop in crime alongside new crime-fighting measures

Fry’s focus on safety was welcome.

“We are pleased and appreciative that President Fry has made public safety his first 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 the welcome video, Fry cited enrollment as another of his top five priorities. Temple has seen enrollment decline by about 25 percent since 2017. But this fall, the university received 4,926 first-year studentsan increase of almost 30% compared to last year. And while total enrollment is down 1.7 percent, it’s a much smaller drop than last year, which may signal Temple may be turning a corner.

Fry recognized the benefit of having both improvements in safety and enrollment as he begins.

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

” READ MORE: Temple sees a 71 percent increase in black students in its fall freshman class

Finance seniors Conor McCabe and Alex McShane cited public safety and enrollment as two major issues they would like to see Fry 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 it,” agreed McCabe, 21, of Havertown.

Both said they were looking forward to meeting Fry on Friday. The two help manage Temple student investment funda project in which students oversee some of Temple’s endowment, and Fry is scheduled to come to their class, they said.

Fry also cited universities and 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, making sure the team is built the right way. I got to meet thousands of people. This buildup will take some time.”

Rounding out his priorities, he cited the aspiration for an innovation corridor that stretches from the main campus up Broad Street to the medical school campus less than two miles away. But he also said in his video that he’s considering a move south to Center City.

” READ MORE: College President as Town Planner

He said during the interview that Temple is interested in potentially buying some of them University of Arts closed” primary property when sold in bankruptcy. Temple has a Center City site at 15th and Market Street.

“Should we have a more visible role and place in Center City? To be determined,” he said.

After UArts abruptly closed in June, Temple tried to negotiate a purchase, but the Hamilton Family Charitable Trust, which contributed about half of UArts’ endowment, opposed the transfer of Temple’s endowment. Now the matter is at the Court of Orphans.

” READ MORE: The University of the Arts asks the judge to distribute the endowment with the partner schools

Several students said they hope the start of Fry’s tenure will bring stability to the top job going forward resignation of Jason Wingard in March 2023, after less than two years and Epps’ death in September 2023.

“We haven’t gotten to see any leadership cohesion on campus yet,” said Kate Pavlovcak, 19, an advertising major from Richboro.

She hopes the school can now focus on issues like helping students who don’t have enough to eat.

Despite spending the past 22 years as a college president, 14 of them leading Drexel and eight at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Temple marks Fry’s first semi-public university.

This is “part of my learning curve,” he said.

Fry wants to develop a good working relationship with the board; Drexel’s 63-member board was about twice the size of Temple’s, and he said he never felt like he was crossing the line from governance to leadership.

He learned from previous presidencies that a balance is needed between “getting out of the gate quickly and making things happen” and listening and learning.

“I’m going to get a lot of advice early on … which I’m going to absorb and respect, but ultimately, it’s going to be my job to synthesize all of that and then at some point make my point of view based on what I hear, but also on my own intuition,” he said.

He also notes the importance of getting to know people personally and professionally early, building trust, credibility and friendship.

“It pays off later,” he said.

But on the unseasonably warm November day, Fry enjoyed walking the campus he now oversees, taking in the views from up and down Temple’s main walks.

“I felt extremely lucky,” he said.