Rice University’s Student Newspaper — Since 1916

Friday, March 29, 2024 — Houston, TX

Contingency Committee progress on Honor Council case shows potential

By Thresher Editorial Board     10/8/14 3:49am

Following their inaction in addressing Honor Council’s blanket tax status, the Student Association Blanket Tax Contingency Committee sent a request for documents and a written statement about the organization’s blanket tax on Oct. 5. The Contingency Committee has also made public their planned meeting dates and times (see p.1).

The Thresher commends the SA for finally taking action on Honor Council’s case. The SA now has the opportunity to set precedent for the future handling of similar procedures.

In addition, hopefully the committee’s activity will encourage a broader discussion on the issues surrounding the blanket tax process in general. The system, as it exists now, is broken and does not encourage accountability and responsibility within blanket tax organizations.



The questions the SA has posed to Honor Council directly and succinctly address its financial issues — the amount of money spent at its annual changeover dinner, its consistent practice of rolling over more than 50 percent of its blanket tax revenue and the effect a cut in its blanket tax would have on the organization. Hopefully Honor Council’s responses will shed light on the confusing aspects of its case.

The Thresher also commends the Honor Council for cooperating with the SA throughout the review process. Honor Council has shown that they are willing to address their financial indiscretions moving forward — further cooperation can only improve the outcome for all parties involved.

In the future, the SA should strive to achieve the same level of transparency has now implemented for the Contingency Committee’s meetings and projected timeline.

Making SA information more public, especially when the information must be made public for official purposes, allows the student body to hold the SA more accountable to its promises and procedures, including those involving student money.

Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the Thresher editorial staff. All other opinion pieces represent solely the opinion of the piece’s author.



More from The Rice Thresher

OPINION 3/26/24 11:00pm
Now is the time to understand religious diversity and discrimination at Rice

In the midst of a nationwide increase in religious discrimination and hostility, particularly following the events of Oct. 7 in Israel and ensuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, there is a need to examine how Rice University students have been impacted, how they are responding and the degree to which religious tolerance, religious accommodations, and perceptions of religious discrimination at Rice have changed. 

OPINION 3/26/24 10:59pm
We need to diversify Rice’s foodscape

Rice students have lots to say about access to food while on and around campus.  Rice’s unique foodscape lives and breathes the school’s motto of unconventional wisdom by helping accommodate a diverse group of students.  But to a certain extent, it could benefit from a taste of conventional wisdom.  Implementing other universities’ foodscape features at Rice would benefit our students.


Comments

Please note All comments are eligible for publication by The Rice Thresher.