PHILADELPHIA — Temple College performing president JoAnne A. Epps has died after collapsing at a memorial provider Tuesday afternoon, the college stated.
Epps used to be transported to Temple College Clinic, the place she used to be pronounced lifeless round 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, the college stated. She used to be 72.
Ken Kaiser, senior vp and leader working officer at Temple, declined to take a position about Epps’ well being previous to her cave in.
“We don’t seem to be mindful that President Epps had any well being problems,” Kaiser stated at a information convention.
“There are not any phrases that may describe the gravity and unhappiness of this loss,” Temple board chairman Mitchell Morgan stated within the observation. “President Epps used to be a loyal servant and buddy who represented the most productive portions of Temple. She spent just about 40 years of her existence serving this college, and it is going with out announcing her loss will reverberate in the course of the group for future years.”
Temple College Provost Gregory Mandel choked up as he described Epps.
“We’re all in deep grief and perplexed. To understand Joanne is to be her buddy,” Mandel stated on the information convention. “She used to be one of the crucial remarkably compassionate and being concerned people I have ever recognized.”
Mandel stated the college’s Board of Trustees could be assembly the next day to come to “put in combination a plan for us as we paintings thru this transition.”
Epps, Temple’s former legislation faculty dean and provost, used to be named to the put up in April following the resignation of Jason Wingard, the college’s first Black president, who resigned in March after main the 33,600-student college since July 2021.
Kaiser stated Epps began out operating at Temple’s book place 40 years in the past and devoted herself to bettering the college.
Epps vowed to concentrate on enrollment and protection because of spiraling crime close to the north Philadelphia campus and different problems all through her predecessor’s tumultuous tenure. She advised The Philadelphia Inquirer, which reported enrollment used to be down 14% since 2019, that she believed she used to be decided on partially for her “talent to kind of calm waters.”
“I’m clearly humbled and excited and in reality having a look ahead to having the ability to contribute to the college that I so love,” Epps advised the newspaper. She stated she would no longer be a candidate for the everlasting place.
Gov. Josh Shapiro described Epps as “an impressive power and dependable ambassador for Temple College for almost 4 many years.”
“Dropping her is heartbreaking for Philadelphia,” Shapiro stated in a put up on X, previously referred to as Twitter. “Lori and I are protecting JoAnne’s family members in our hearts at the moment. Might her reminiscence be a blessing.”