PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — JoAnne Epps, Temple College’s loved performing president, died on Tuesday, the college mentioned. She was once 72 years outdated.
Epps changed into unwell all over a memorial carrier at Temple for Charles L. Blockson, a curator of the Blockson Assortment. She was once then taken to Temple College Health facility for additional remedy and pronounced lifeless at round 3:15 p.m., the college mentioned.
“She had a terrific talent to be the calming power in bothered waters and pull everybody in combination and was once a excitement to paintings for, made each day getting into paintings amusing and was once steerage the Temple send in the appropriate route,” Ken Kaiser, the senior vice chairman and leader working officer of Temple, mentioned. “I feel it is only a intestine punch presently. It is arduous.”
Temple officers did not expose a reason for Epps’ dying. A physician from Temple College Health facility mentioned Epps, who first joined Temple’s college in 1985, suffered a “unexpected episode” all over the development and resuscitation efforts were not a success.
Gregory Mandel, the senior vice chairman and provost at Temple, mentioned the Board of Trustees will meet on Wednesday to place in combination a plan because the college manages during the transition length.
The college could have a vigil on the Bell Tower at midday on Wednesday to honor Epps.
“We are all in deep grief and perplexed. We grieve for JoAnne’s circle of relatives, her buddies and our Temple group,” mentioned Mandel, who was once emotional all over the inside track convention at Temple Health facility.
Mandel mentioned after Epps’ unexpected passing, he began pondering of recollections all through his time on North Wide. He mentioned Epps was once a chum ever since he joined Temple’s legislation college in 2007.
“We have labored in combination in numerous other capacities over time,” Mandel mentioned. “She’s been an ordinary chief, she’s been a mentor for me and lots of others, she’s been an in depth confidant.”
“President Epps represented the most productive a part of the Temple group, devoting just about 40 years of her lifestyles to supporting us, as my colleague Ken mentioned in guy other capacities,” he added. “We will be able to all get via this. The college has a spectacularly robust group and we can get via this in combination.”
Epps did not retire and went directly to turn into Temple’s performing president in April after Jason Wingard, the college’s first Black president, resigned because of her “love for the college,” Mandel mentioned.
Epps, a Cheltenham, Pennsylvania local, had a number of roles at Temple. She was once the dean of Temple Beasley Faculty of Legislation from 2008-16 till she changed into the college’s govt vice chairman and provost in 2016. Epps was once ultimately changed through Mandel because the provost in 2021.
Epps was once additionally an assistant U.S. Legal professional in Philadelphia and a deputy town legal professional in Los Angeles.
Sooner than Temple named Epps performing president, Wingard’s tenure was once full of criticisms from scholars, college and alumni because the college group handled crime round campus and the deadly taking pictures of Temple College Police Sgt. Christopher Fitzgerald.
Wingard’s time at Temple lasted lower than two years.
The Temple Affiliation of College Pros (TAUP) approved a vote of no self belief in March for the college’s management on the finish of Wingard’s tenure.
Kaiser recalled Epps getting into the position “there was once a collective sigh.”
“I feel over remaining six months, you noticed all of the college group pull in combination, regardless of all the ups and down Temple has confronted over this time, everybody was once therapeutic and everybody felt nice about Temple and glad for JoAnne,” Kaiser mentioned.
The college introduced a countrywide seek for the president in a while after Epps stepped into the position.
After Epps’ unexpected dying, condolences poured in over social media.
“JoAnne Epps was once an impressive power and loyal ambassador for Temple College for almost 4 many years. Dropping her is heartbreaking for Philadelphia,” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro posted on X. “Might her reminiscence be a blessing.”
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney additionally launched a remark about Epps passing.
“Heartbroken through the unexpected passing of @TempleUniv,” Kenney wrote on X. “Performing President JoAnne A. Epps. She was once a passionate and steadfast chief who impressed many. I believe lucky to have identified her. My middle is with the Temple group and JoAnne’s circle of relatives and family members.”
TAUP additionally launched a remark with reference to Epps’ unexpected dying:
“The Temple Affiliation of College Pros (TAUP) is deeply saddened through the unexpected and sudden passing of Dr. JoAnne Epps. She was once a real Temple icon, and her loss is a vital one for our college.
All over her profession at Temple, many people got here to understand her as a colleague and as a chum. Her tireless carrier to our college, as a member of the legislation faculty college, as Dean of the Beasley Faculty of Legislation, after which as provost was once outstanding. And, when she was once able to retire, she replied the decision to function our Period in-between President.
“JoAnne’s calming presence gave Temple a reset this spring after we wanted it essentially the most,” notes Jeffrey Doshna, TAUP President. “I consider her strolling into my administrative center this April, and speaking to me one-on-one about how shall we paintings in combination to make Temple a greater position. That more or less private manner makes her loss much more profound.”
We prolong our heartfelt condolences to the Epps circle of relatives, and all of the Temple College group. As all of us grapple with this loss, we honor her legacy through proceeding to paintings to make Temple a extra equitable position for all.”
Cherelle Parker, the Democratic nominee for Philadelphia mayor, launched a remark about Epps’ passing:
“It’s with a heavy middle that I write this, having realized of Professor Epps’ unexpected passing previous nowadays. The cases of her dying are tragic, however it’s going to no longer overshadow the lifestyles and legacy of a colossal determine.
“For many of us throughout our town, our area, and our nation, Professor Epps was once a pioneer in her method to legislation. For the ones people who stroll within the footsteps alongside the trail reduce through the Professor Epps of the sector, she represented the dream many people by no means concept was once in achieving distance. Epps was once a fierce suggest for ladies and minorities all through her profession, who noticed herself as a automobile to uplift the scholars who handed via her study room. In reputation of her paintings, she was once awarded the 2015 Spirit of Excellence Award through the American Bar Affiliation, the 2015 M. Ashley Dickerson Award through the Nationwide Affiliation of Girls Attorneys, and the 2014 Justice Sonia Sotomayor Range Award through the Philadelphia Bar Affiliation, to call a couple of.
“With this information coming at the heels of the passing of every other indomitable determine, Dr. Constance E. Clayton, I do know many people are feeling a heavy sense of loss nowadays. There are not any phrases of mine that may be able to reduce the grief that all the folks she touched are feeling, nor can my phrases do justice to the legacy of this outstanding Black girl. So I will be able to name upon the phrases of Maya Angelou:
“And when nice souls die, after a length peace blooms, slowly and at all times irregularly. Areas fill with one of those soothing electrical vibration. Our senses, restored, by no means to be the similar, whisper to us. They existed. We will be able to be. Be and be higher. For they existed.”