Temple Student Government

Leading a Nationally Growing Campus

“Serve. Unite. Build.” Temple Student Government’s slogan embodies the spirit behind its members who represent Temple’s student body every day. As the university’s rankings rise, Student Body President Ryan Rinaldi said TSG’s role in the university is now more important than ever.

“This has been a historic year,” Rinaldi said. “Our football team’s victory over Penn State and our academics and research rankings are nationally recognized and ranked.”

During his term as student body president, Rinaldi has advocated for approximately 40,000 students while managing budgets and distributions for over 300 student organizations. He said one of his biggest accomplishments has been hosting executive leadership teams with other Big 5 universities — which include the University of Pennsylvania, La Salle University, Villanova University and Saint Joseph’s University — on campus.

Vice President Brittany Boston, a senior journalism major in the School of Media and Communication, has focused her term on encouraging students to get involved in campus life. Boston held a weekly general assembly where all students were welcome to express their concerns and opinions to TSG members.

“We are the voice of the students,” Boston said. “My personal goal is to make sure students know about their resources.”

Boston said Owl Buddies, a project that works to aid students with intellectual disabilities, is one of her favorite resources for students. She said Owl Buddies has encouraged these students to successfully participate in organizations and other aspects of student life.

“Diversity is stressed here,” Boston said. “With such a diverse student body, student government strives to nurture an inclusive environment.”

Boston said social media helps TSG members cater to the needs of the student body, allowing students to voice concerns through tweets and Facebook posts.

“Getting constructive feedback is necessary,” Boston said. “As the liaison between administrators and students, compromise is vital. As an organization we work to find solutions that upholds the needs of both sides.”

Once a concern is brought to attention, Boston said the senior leadership team discusses whether the issue can be resolved or not. When the decision is made, Boston said TSG holds meetings with Temple administration to see what actions and solutions are attainable.

“We do whatever we can to make the Temple experience the best,” Boston said. “There are issues to address, but Temple’s Student Government is sure to listen to the concerns of students and set reasonable expectations on both sides.”

Written by Amanda M. Figueroa Diaz

Photographed by Margo Reed