University Business - November 2006 - (Page 55)

The long-abandoned Armstrong World Industries property V I TA L STATS: in Lancaster is an important part of Fry's plan to breath new life into the campus neighborhood. Playing fields and multi- use space are planned for the area. John A. Fry Title: President, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, Pa., 2003-present I think it was helpful to learn Prior positions: Executive vice firsthand the different ways president, University of Penn- sylvania; consultant with the people cope with challenges. former KPMG Peat Marwick; partner in the former Coopers & Lybrand's National Higher be completely committed, 365 days a year, for the long term. $400,000 for increased security Education Consulting Practice in the area. This is in addition to Education: Lafayette College, other security improvements Working from Experience Pa.; New York University Stern Fry is no stranger to this challenge. In his former post as executive such as installing lights and se- Business School MBA vice president of the University of Pennsylvania, he was instrumen- curity cameras in trouble-prone Family: Wife, Cara, and three tal in revitalizing the university's West Philadelphia neighborhood. areas the college has put in place children The area was plagued with deteriorating housing, few business op- over the last three years. portunities, and an unsafe environment. Fry built a coalition of I think a lot of the things we university, business, and governmental support for a multimillion are doing are just extending what has already been done, as op- dollar investment program that breathed new life into the area. In posed to just reacting to this and throwing up our hands, he says. just a few years, residential property values have gone up around Other security improvements include extending the campus UPenn and the crime rate has dropped. network of emergency call boxes into the surrounding neighbor- Now he wants to repeat the Penn Model, as it has become hood, and having campus security officers patrol the area streets. known, at Franklin & Marshall. The college has its sights set on F&M will also pay for additional officers from a private security the long-abandoned, 47-acre property once owned by Armstrong company to patrol local streets on bicycles and accompany stu- World Industries. The property was transferred from Armstrong to dents on campus shuttle buses. the Lancaster Economic Development Company in September, and, The incident has been a temporary setback to the progress following demolition of the Armstrong plant, much of the area will made since Fry arrived, but it has made him more determined to be developed as playing fields and multiuse space for the school. help turn Lancaster's fortunes around. Adjacent to the campus and near the Armstrong site, work The minute you let your guard down is when you get demol- began this summer on construction of the $30 million, 200,000- ished, he says. You've just got to stay on top of these things. I often square-foot retail and residential complex called College Row. tell people that, in terms of strengthening community, you have to universitybusiness.com November 2006 | 55 Stars.indd 55 10/24/06 10:37:11 AM http://www.universitybusiness.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - November 2006

Table of Contents
College Index
Company Index
Advisory Board
Editor's Note
Stats Watch
People Watch
Sense of Place
Viewpoint
Marketing
Human Resources
Money Matters
Community Colleges
Wireless: The "n" is Near
TECH Central
Rising Stars
Coming Back from Katrina
Business Technology
What's New
Calendar of Events
Direct Connect
End Note

University Business - November 2006