By Jack Grauer (Philly Living) – In addition to several buildings like Burk that Temple owns but doesn’t use, the school also holds about three acres’ worth of vacant property, yet still spends money to acquire more each year. Temple spent nearly $36 million to purchase almost four acres of real estate in the past five years, according to data from Philadelphia’s Office of Property Management.
Temple has also spent about $1.04 billion on construction between 2008 and 2013. Construction costs outpace the university’s combined total expenditures for student aid, public service and research by a decent margin.
Student tuition, meanwhile, subsidizes this feverish construction and expansion in growing proportions. Between 2009 and 2013, Temple’s total revenues increased by almost $556 million despite a $330 million cut in public subsidies. Tuition, fees and board for one year at Temple have increased by a total of $2,232 per in-state, full-time undergraduate student between 2009 and 2013.
The Philly Declaration 
