“Writing on the Virtual Bathroom Wall”

By Christine Fisher

[Originally printed in The Temple News 11/17/09]

If you’ve ever been on Main Campus and heard an offbeat comment – anything from someone being “afraid to drink because she might be pregnant” to someone describing “how hard it is to dance in a dragon costume” – you are not alone.

“Overheard at Temple,” the Facebook group that has a membership rate now close to 3,000, allows students to post things they overhear on campus. And student are posting what they overhear daily – whether funny, raunchy or simply bizarre.

“Overhear something funny in the elevator at Anderson, on Beury Beach, in Paley’s stacks or J&H? Post it!” reads the “Overheard at Temple” group’s description.

“A woman who can wake up and brush her teeth with beer, now that’s wifin’ material,” one student posted as something he overheard.

“The quotes offer relief from the mundane and the many stresses of being a student by putting it into a comedic context, allowing students to connect and embrace ‘college’ ideals,” said freshman geography and urban studies major Trevor Markovitz, who has posted on “Overheard at Temple.”

Freshman biology major Jacob Peters created the group Nov. 5. He said he initially sent out only seven invitations, but without advertising, it grew to 1,000 members within a few days.

This group, which some have compared to textsfromlastnight.com or fmylife.com, is not unique to Temple. Across the country, colleges and universities, including Drexel University and University of Pittsburgh, have similar groups.

“It’s mainly for laughs,” Peters said. “Sometimes someone will post on the wall, and random people will comment. Who knows? Maybe a friendship [could] start.”

Dr. Kareem Johnson, an assistant psychology professor at Temple, warns that groups like these can create a skewed perception of college ideals, drinking and relationships, specifically.

“My concern about this is that it makes these behaviors seem more common than they are. The sense of what is normal is distorted,” he said. “I would caution young folks that just because you see it, doesn’t mean it’s normal.”

Hateful comments and an invasion of privacy may also be causes for concern.

Peters said he posted guidelines, requesting no one post real names, stories or rumors. He said he checks for posts that may be offensive or irrelevant, but so far, he has only removed one.

“A girl’s Facebook account had been hacked, and spam advertisement had been posted on the [group’s wall],” Peters said. “I simply deleted it.”

Travicio Braue-Fischbach, a freshman university studies major, has posted three times. His one complaint with the group is that hateful comments are sometimes made on posts. In a few cases, students seem to have been targeted or ganged up on.

“I would have hoped the page would remain good-natured,” Braue-Fischbach said. “But I suppose it was an Internet inevitability.”

Most students, though, don’t cite public humiliation as a major issue for the site.

“It seems a bit more intrusive because strangers’ conversations are put out publicly, but it’s all anonymous, so no harm [is] done,” sophomore secondary education and math major Moira Hallinan said.

But Johnson warns the posts may not be as anonymous as they seem, and clues may give away identities.

“It’s under the guidelines of anonymity, but Temple isn’t that big of a community. We think it is, but it isn’t,” Johnson said.

Dan Whitman, creator of “Overheard at Pitt,” said while he does occasionally monitor the posts, he has not had too much of a problem with irrelevant posts, which have become problematic for the “Overheard at Temple” group, Hallinan said.

Whitman, a sophomore at Pitt, founded the group about a year ago but said it did not really become popular until about three weeks ago.

Christian Compton, a sophomore at Radford University, founded “Overheard at RU!” about two weeks ago. He said he’s surprised how quickly the group’s membership has grown; already, nearly 2,000 people have joined.

Whitman and Compton both said they got their ideas from other colleges and universities, but it’s unclear where the first “Overheard” group originated. There are also several Web sites, independent of Facebook, based on a similar idea, such as overheardinnewyork.com, overheardinminneapolis.com and overheardatcampus.com.

Johnson said he isn’t surprised at the popularity of these groups.

“It’s very natural to be interested in others. There’s something very captivating about seeing other people’s emotional lives on display,” he said. “The vast majority of human speech is dedicated to gossip. About two-thirds of everything people say is about people not present.”

Johnson recognizes that while such groups provide captivating, entertainment value they can also foster hostility, passive aggressiveness and embarrassment.

“It’s amazing how powerful these social networks can be and how words on a screen can have such a tremendous impact,” he said.

But for most college-aged Facebook users, it seems to be business as usual.

“I think the group is hilarious,” Karl Lewis, a junior mechanical engineering major, said. “It’s definitely a good way to kill some time in between classes or procrastinate on some homework.”

Christine Fisher can be reached at fisher.christine@temple.edu.

First Video Project: Ryan Trecartin Wins Wolgin Prize

This is the first video projected turned in for Audio Visual News Gathering at Temple University, fall 2009. A team of four students, including myself, produced this video.

First Audio Project: Students React to Temple Towers’ Renovation

This was the first audio project completed for Audio Visual News Gathering at Temple University, fall 2009. This project was completed with a team of three others.

“Campus makes for prime jog”

By Christine Fisher

[Originally printed in Temple News 9/15/09]

There’s no need to take the subway to Center City if you’re looking for a good outdoor workout; there are plenty of ideal running routes on and around Main Campus.

Going to school in Philadelphia allows Temple students the exciting option of stepping off the treadmills and indoor tracks and onto the city streets or other areas around Main Campus like the outdoor track.

Temple’s track and field and cross-country teams use the outdoor track at 15th and Berks streets, running trails in Philadelphia and streets in and around Main Campus for outdoor training.

Eric Mobley, coach of Temple’s track and field and cross-country teams, said when the teams head off-campus to practice, they typically run at Valley Green, Belmont Plateau or Kelly Drive.

Kelly Drive stretches the four-mile length extending from the Philadelphia Museum of Art along the Schuylkill River and Boathouse Row.

Mobley is an advocate of running outdoors.

“There’s more to see, different running surfaces, just more options,” he said. “Because of the conditions outside, weather, surface, et cetera, two miles on the treadmill is easier than two miles outside.”

Valley Green and Belmont Plateau are sections of Fairmount Park, a system of 63 regional and neighborhood parks, which boasts more than 215 miles of recreation trails. Getting to certain sections of Fairmount Park from Main Campus often requires some form of transportation, but if transportation is unavailable, Temple students should know they still have options.

“If we are limited to just our feet for transportation, we will run either on the track or down Broad Street straight past City Hall, until it’s time to turn around,” Karrie Finn said. The sophomore biology major is a Temple cross-country runner.

Students can also choose to run west from Temple’s Main Campus, along Fairmount Avenue, to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This route is about two miles long and connects with Kelly Drive. For shorter runs, Shameka Marshall, assistant coach for Temple track and field, said students can run south on Broad Street and turn around at Girard Avenue.

Brian Norton is a leader of Philly Runners, a group that runs together three times a week, and notes that running outside is a good core work out.

“The constant adjustment to pavement, leaves, other pedestrians … keeps the runner moving vertically and challenges you to maintain a steady pace,” Norton said.

Safety is always a factor to consider when running outside. Members and coaches of the cross-country and track and field teams agree, though, that if students take certain precautions when running outdoors, Temple can be a safe and enjoyable experience.

“As a team, we feel perfectly safe running almost anywhere we please,” said Rebecca Mims, captain of the women’s cross-country team.

Still, students who run in the city have a story or two to tell.

“I haven’t really been full-out hit by a car, but I was tapped by one that wasn’t looking while I was crossing the street,” Finn said. “People make ignorant comments as our group runs through the city, and some think it’s funny to join in for a little bit.”

“For ladies, attire may be a factor,” Marshall said, adding that women who run along the city streets may want to don more conservative running gear in order to avoid receiving “interesting comments” from bystanders.

Regardless of where students choose to run, Mobley recommends they stay on busier streets, run with other people and avoid using iPods or MP3 players.

Mims said students should try to vary the surfaces they run on.

“It is important to balance your time on concrete with softer surfaces to avoid injuries if you are running more than three or so miles a day,” she said.

Marshall suggests that in addition to running, students should work out in Temple’s indoor pool to relieve stress from their knees while still achieving a cardio workout.

“Sometimes, it’s good to change up the routine, so you can work other muscles and change your breathing rhythm,” Marshall said. “Running the McGonigle stairs, for instance, is good and doing long sprints in the grass at the track is another option.”

“The main thing,” Marshall said, “ is fitness can be achieved in many ways, so give yourself a variety.”

Christine Fisher can be reached at fisher.christine@temple.edu.

Alumni, professors and students take Fringe stage

[Originally printed in Temple News Sept. 8, 2009]

“A History of Sh*t: Manson in Thebes” is an outrageous, off-color comedy featuring talent including Temple students, recent graduates and professors.

It’s not every day students get to see their professor in a 7-foot turd costume or watch as another brainwashes fellow students to join a colon-cleansing cult, convincing them to go on a murdering frenzy.

The collaboration of Temple minds, the Theatre of Evangelical Scientific Revolution and the 2009 Philly Fringe Festival make these and other outrageous scenes possible – and affordable – with the ongoing production of “A History of Sh*t: Manson in Thebes.”

Photo Credit: Temple News

The Philly Fringe play sends Charles Manson, played by Temple religion professor William Allen, back in time to ancient Greece.

There, he and the God of Sh*t, played by university Mosaic professor Norman Roessler, promote colon cleansing, begin a cult and evoke a killing spree – providing a view of what the production calls “the philosophical implications of poop.”

“It’s ridiculous, tragic and hilarious all at once,” Roessler said.

In addition to starring Temple professors, the play’s success is due to many Temple students and recent graduates. Max Marguiles, a Temple alumnus, was helping Roessler with work for an academic journal when the idea of participating in the Philly Fringe Festival was brought up.

Marguiles is a member of the Theatre of the Evangelical Scientific Revolution, a group of artists and comedians who helped bring “A History of Sh*t: Manson in Thebes” to the 2009 Fringe Festival. He was a major link between the theater group and the Temple students, graduates and faculty who joined the production.

“Max was definitely the center point of it,” Roessler said. In addition to the show’s lead roles, there are 15 to 17 people in the ensemble, and of them, about 10 are Temple students, he added.

Sophomore horticulture major Julie Bare plays Oliviana, one of the women who becomes brainwashed by Manson in the play.

“Whenever William Allen or Norm Roessler are in a scene together, it’s outrageous,” said Bare, adding that there’s even a port-a-potty on stage.

“William Allen does a terrific job,” Roessler said. “A lot of stuff is incorporated from his own religious studies.”

Roessler also contributed his academic knowledge and experience with the study of grotesque realism.
“It’s a real collaboration between everyone involved,” Bare said.

“It’s pretty much like a carnival. Everything is going on at once,” Roessler said about the show, which premiered Friday, Sept. 4.

“A History of Sh*t: Manson in Thebes” will run again at the Rotunda Thursday, Sept. 10 and 17 at 8 p.m. and at the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia Friday, Sept. 11 at 8 p.m. Admission is $5.

“You’ll laugh, you’ll revolt, your Facebook lifestyle will get a jolt,” according to the show’s Web site. “You’ll scream, you’ll cry, and you’ll only kiss $5 goodbye.”

Audience members also have a chance to win a free colonic. The Infinity Health and Wellness Center of East Falls, Philadelphia donated six colonics, which will be raffled off at each production.

Katya Quinn-Judge, a Temple University alumna who graduated in February with her bachelor of arts in theater, plays the mother of the King of Thebes. Katya’s character also gets sucked into the colon-cleansing cult led by a fictional Manson and, as a result, kills her son.

“We don’t take ourselves too seriously, so the audience shouldn’t either,” said Quinn-Judge.

“It’s called the History of Sh*t. I think it’s probably going to attract a strange crowd,” Bare said. “I think everyone will be pleasantly surprised. It’s a hilarious show.”

Christine Fisher can be reached at fisher.christine@temple.edu.

The 15 best student artists:Muhammad Hakim Azly

[Originally published in The Temple News April 7, 2009]

Year: Freshman
Major: Architecture

(Anna Zhilkova/TTN)

Most artists spend years creating an international platform for their artworks, but Muhammad-Hakim Azly began his work as a mural painter on the international level at an early age.

Azly, a freshman architecture major, has already completed five murals. By doing so, he said was able to regenerate a lost spark of interest for art in the community.

Azly was offered the chance to paint his first mural when he was a freshman in high school, after a family friend asked him to design the mural for a school she built in Nigeria.

Soon after, he completed a second mural for another school in Africa. Each theme is based on where the mural is located, Azly said.

In his senior year, Azly completed two murals at his high school in Teaneck, N.J. The first was an honor roll mural, which was meant to inspire students to maintain good academic standing, Azly said.
Azly said his main outlet for artistic expression will most likely be architecture. He plans to focus on designing residential buildings.

Azly will use his artistic talent and passion as an advantage as he goes through the program.

“In architecture, it’s good to have an art background because it gives you an edge,” he said.

Azly said he hopes to make a trip to see the murals he painted in Africa and is considering participating in the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program.

Azly’s main goal in painting murals is to enrich communities where his artwork is featured. Born and raised in Malaysia, Azly said he feels a strong connection to the town of Teaneck.

“It’s my second home,” said Azly, who lived in Teaneck for eight years. “That’s why I wanted to give back to the community.”

After completing his fifth mural, Azly organized a group of students from his high school. The students in the program paint murals in both the school and community. Most of the work is done during school hours when there are free blocks of time.

Azly said the mural-painting group is a productive alternative to going home after school or cutting class.

“The idea is to get the kids to go around the community and leave something, a legacy,” he said. “Ultimately, my hope for this still small yet growing organization is to make all types of art considerably ‘cool’ again.”

Christine Fisher can be reached at fisher.christine@temple.edu.

Temple contributes to the Flower Show

[Originally published in The Temple News March 3, 2009]

With expensive airfare and limited time, it can be difficult for anyone, let alone students, to visit Italy. This week, the 2009 Philadelphia Flower Show is saving students a trip by bringing a sampling of Italy’s finest flora to Center City.

The Italian Renaissance-inspired 2009 Philadelphia Flower Show, which began Sunday, brings fashion, food, performing arts, Italian-themed gardens and an exhibit by Temple’s landscape architecture and horticulture department to the Pennsylvania Convention Center for one week.

The American Institute of Floral Designers is hosting a 2,400 square-foot boutique featuring original work inspired by Italian designers Prada and Gucci, as well as international designers Elly Lin and Alexander McQueen.

The Institute’s team of more than 30 designers has been working to create an array of high-fashion dresses, accessories and perfumes, which are all made of flowers. Those who attend the show will be able to view and purchase items in the collection.

Students at the Moore College of Art and Design have been working with wearable art and the floral concept of the show. In the “Fashion District,” 16 haute couture dresses designed specifically for the flower show will be on display. Inspiration for the dresses was drawn from floral patterns and classic Italian artists.

If floral-based fashion designs are not enough of an incentive to attend the flower show, there are plenty of other attractions that will please a diverse and hungry audience.

Live cooking demonstrations will be held three times a day as part of the “All-Star Culinary Demonstrations” hosted by Chef Joseph Shilling and the Culinary School of the Art Institute of Philadelphia. In addition, Italian cheeses and traditional dishes will be available for sampling throughout the week.

On March 7, Danny DeVito will make an appearance to introduce his brand of limoncello, an Italian lemon liqueur. More than 100 wines from a variety of wineries will be available for sampling. Wines will be sold starting at $7.99.

Twice-daily teas will also be hosted in a flower and music filled setting. Reservations for the tea must be made ahead of time. Tickets cost $28 per person.

Italian architecture and garden displays are features of this year’s flower show. The department of landscape architecture and horticulture prepared an educational exhibit based on the “Bella Italia” theme.

Junior landscape architecture and horticulture students in professor Baldev Lamba’s design studio developed the concept at the beginning of the Fall 2008 semester. They detailed the project toward the end of the semester and began constructing the exhibit after winter break.

“[The exhibit] has Italian influences, but it goes beyond that,” Lamba said. “It does not replicate but brings the underlying principles and spirits of Renaissance gardens.”

The students said this year’s exhibit is environmentally friendly. They incorporated regional, salvaged and recyclable materials and used recyclable construction.

Lamba and his team are investigating how to use the exhibit after the show and plan to donate parts of it to nonprofit organizations like Habitat for Humanity.

Water conservation is another main aspect of the design, which harvests all the rainwater the Convention Center generates to run the exhibit.

Lamba said the extent to which this exhibit conserves water is another creative feature of the Temple students’ design.

Andrew Korzon, a junior landscape architecture major, agreed that the exhibit is an excellent hands-on project for students.

“For four years, most people sit and draw,” Korzon said. “To be able to design and build is invaluable experience.”

Students on a budget can justify spending money on a spring fashion accessory, bottle of wine, traditional Italian food or anything else from the approximately 150 retailers. The flower show generates about $30 million for local businesses by drawing crowds of more than 250,000.

Philadelphia Green, a project that revitalizes parks, vacant lots and community gardens in the city, will receive $1 million in donations from money raised through the 2009 Philadelphia Flower Show.

In addition, students receive a discounted rate of $17. More information about ticketing, the show and features, like private group tours, is available at theflowershow.com.

Christine Fisher can be reached at fisher.christine@temple.edu.

Fitness options not too far from home

[Originally printed in The Temple News March 3, 2009]

It is hard enough to go to class, not to mention the gym, when the temperature drops to 30 degrees or below.

Fortunately, it is easy enough to get a comprehensive workout that doesn’t require walking in the cold, rain or snow to get to the gym. Students living on campus have the added advantage of fitness equipment that Temple provides in every Main Campus residence hall.

A combination of cardio, resistance and stretching provides the best workout geared toward general weight loss and maintenance. The elliptical trainers and treadmills available in residence halls give students the chance to get a cardio workout without having to go out in the cold.

Temple students keep up with treadmills in the upper level of the IBC Student Recreation Center. Many students, however, prefer to work out in their own residence hall (Carroll Moore/TTN).

Tricia DePoe, a fitness coordinator at Temple, suggests students alternate between the treadmill and elliptical trainers or use both on some days.

“You don’t ever want to do the same routine all the time,” she said. “Your body gets used to it, and it’s not as beneficial.”

She also advises students not to hold onto the treadmill when walking or running.

“When you swing your arms, you are increasing your heart rate and getting more of a workout,” she said.

For cardio activities, DePoe tells students to focus on their heart rates, noting that the benefits of increasing heart rates include burning fat, losing weight and strengthening the heart.

Assistant Director of Student Recreation Anne Wilkinson, who also serves as an adjunct professor in the department of kinesiology and the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, emphasizes the importance of working at an increased heart rate.

She recommends working at levels students can keep up with, but that would make having a conversation somewhat difficult.

As for how much exercise, students need to maintain or lose weight, Wilkinson said, as she follows the “Fitness, Intensity, Type and Time,” principle guidelines. By FITT standards, workouts should be between 20 minutes and 60 minutes, as many as three to five times per week.

Wilkinson said the most important thing is to simply get moving. If students cannot exercise for 20 minutes, she said one way to get to this level is to start with three 10-minute exercise sessions a day.
In addition to doing cardio with the treadmills and elliptical trainers available in the residence halls, students can do resistance and stretching exercises without having to leave the building.

Free weights and weight machines can be used when available, but students can use their own body weights for this type of exercise. Push-ups, lunges, squats, sit-ups and back extensions are just a few resistance exercises that can be done without fitness equipment.

Such exercise is important for weight loss because your body burns more fat at rest when it has more lean body mass. Resistance training also tightens muscles, increases strength and tones. It is important, DePoe notes, to work arms, legs and abs into your regular exercise routine.

Wilkinson admits that students will feel minor aches because “if you are doing it right, you will feel it.”
To deal with these aches and pains, Wilkinson emphasizes the importance of stretching. She advocates stretching as a means of reaching a fuller range of motion, repairing muscle and relieving stress.

As with resistance training, stretching can be done almost anywhere and does not require students to walk in the cold, snow or rain to get to a gym.

With any and all types of exercise, Wilkinson advises students to drink water before, during and after working out.

“If you’re thirsty,” she said, “you’re already dehydrated.”

Electrolyte sport drinks, however, should be avoided unless exercising for more than 60 minutes. These drinks provide more calories than health benefits.

Wilkinson also stresses the importance of safety measures such as telling someone when and where you plan to exercise.

As the cold winter months linger, do not let the weather keep you from staying in shape. With a few basic exercises and the assistance of Temple’s fitness equipment, you can stay in and still stay fit.

Christine Fisher can be reached at fisher.christine@temple.edu.

Fitness Series: Spinning Sessions for Stamina

[ Originally pritned in The Temple News http://temple-news.com/2009/03/24/spinning-sessions-for-stamina-sweat/ ]

Spinning, a trademark cycling program, is offered in 17 sessions a week by Campus Recreation, making it the most frequently offered group fitness session at the IBC Student Recreation Center.

Students push themselves to the limit on exercise bikes during the strenuous Spinning sessions at the IBC. The sessions are set to upbeat music and students are often motivated to work hard to burn extra calories during their workouts (Jonathan Braymer/TTN).

Tricia DePoe, fitness coordinator and a Spinning leader, said Spinning is one of the few group fitness sessions to offer 40 minutes of straight cardio as opposed to a combination of endurance, strength and cardio.

Each of the Spinning instructors has been trained through a specialized program, and sessions must follow specific guidelines.

Workouts are all set to upbeat music, starting with a gradual warm up and transitioning into different exercises, which utilize resistance levels and different cycling positions. The time following each standard 40-minute session is designated to cooling down and stretching.

Because it is such a cardio-focused exercise program, Spinning offers a full body workout, instructors said.

Tracey Heckstall, who has been a Spinning leader at the IBC for two years, said since it is mostly a cardio workout, the average person can burn 300 to 500 calories per session.

“The great thing about Spinning is it’s your own ride,” Heckstall said.

Both Heckstall and DePoe emphasized the fact that each person in the Spinning class determines how challenging his or her own workout will be. Spinning bikes can be adjusted for resistance throughout the session.

“Some days, you’ll push yourself harder than other days,” DePoe said.

DePoe and Heckstall also agree that because Spinning allows participants to set their own paces, it is suitable for beginners.

Heckstall said almost everybody is fit enough to spin. She found that Spinning helped her lose weight and enabled her to become fit enough to do other types of exercises as well.

Although you can control how hard you push yourself, some people find Spinning a challenging workout.
DePoe warns some beginners not to start out pushing themselves too hard because they will burn out.
Despite Spinning’s reputation as challenging, it seems to have a fairly loyal following.

“I do see a lot of familiar faces,” DePoe said about the different crowds she sees in the morning, afternoon and evening sessions.

She said the morning crowd has a lot of die-hard Spinners. In the afternoon, there is a lunch crowd with more Temple employees, and in the evening, a mix of people return, some trying Spinning for the first time, she said.

Just as Spinning is accessible to beginners and returning fans, it attracts both males and females. DePoe said more males participate in Spinning than any of the other group fitness sessions offered at the IBC.

DePoe and Heckstall stress the importance of drinking water before, during and after sessions.

Sessions are offered three times a day Monday through Friday and once on Saturday and Sunday. A complete schedule, adjusted by semester, can be found at http://www.temple.edu/campusrec/groupfitness.

Christine Fisher can be reached at fisher.christine@temple.edu.

Students and Politicians Divided after Obama’s 100th Day

PHILADELPHIA- One hundred days into the Obama administration, partisan attitudes are divided at both Temple University and Capitol Hill.

The $1.75 trillion projected 2010 budget deficit, two million jobs lost and 27 bank failures have pushed the economy to the forefront of Americans’ minds. Temple University students share anxieties over the economy, yet opinions toward the Obama administration follow distinct party lines.

Brian McGovern, President of Temple University College Republicans, and Elizabeth Hanson, President of Temple University College Democrats, stand on opposite sides of the aisle, but both express concerns over the country’s economic state.

“What is happening in our economy is unlike anything our generation has ever seen,” Hanson said. “Because there is no benchmark, it is difficult to know how exactly the stimulus plan will affect our economy.”

Hanson’s outlook, while cautious in regard to the economy, is noticeably more positive than McGovern’s.

“I am concerned with the massive amount of debt we are accumulating and planning to leave for our children, and at this point our children’s children, to pay off,” McGovern said. “It is generational theft like never before.”

Hanson and McGovern represent the two major, opposing sides of Temple University’s politically minded students. Much like Democrats and Republicans in Washington, Hanson and McGovern have very different attitudes toward the Obama administration.

Aiming to bridge the capital’s partisan divide was one of Obama’s major campaign points. Critics charge that Obama is focusing on his other goals at the expense of bipartisanship.

“While preaching bipartisanship and civility in his first months, Obama also has shown a willingness to push his priorities through Congress over Republican opposition, as with the $787 billion economic stimulus plan,” Liz Sidoti reported for The Associated Press.

“His quest for bipartisanship was an utter failure, which was no surprise because he hardly attempted any reach across the aisle,” McGovern said.

Both parties worry about the economy, but a major division exists in partisan attitudes toward Obama. Democrats, for the most part, remain optimistic in contrast to the majority of Republicans who are increasingly upset.

“President Obama has truly fallen short of the expectations he set for himself last fall,” McGovern said. “Although he is working with a difficult set of circumstances, I simply cannot accept that as an excuse for all the missteps he has taken.”

Nicholas D’Arecca, Democrat and Temple University political science professor, worries about the growing deficit and the burden it will place on future generations, yet his opinion of Obama’s administration is that of the majority of Democrats.

“He’s doing very well on the leadership part and the symbolic part of the job,” D’Arecca said. “He’s the best president I’ve seen since Reagan, maybe even better than Reagan.”

“The Republicans in particular have no other strategy than to oppose everything Obama does, hope he messes up and then say I told you so,” D’Arecca said. “It’s always easier to be in opposition than it is to be in power.”

Christine Fisher can be reached at fisher.christine@temple.edu.