'LuOwl' offers tropical break

By Scott Norgaard     12/3/09 6:00pm

If you're in need of a stress-buster before finals period kicks into full gear, Sunday's President and Dean's Study Break, which runs from 9-11 p.m., will offer an opportunity for just that.This year's Hawaiian-themed event is entitled "LuOwl" and is sponsored by the Rice Program Council. Approximately 1,400 students are expected to attend, Assistant Dean of Students Boyd Beckwith said.

Those who attend can expect free coffee from Dirk's at Brochstein Pavilion, hula hooping and free ice cream at the RMC, and yoga and dance lessons at the Barbara and David Gibbs Recreation Center. The break will feature Hawaiian food, gyros, ice cream and cookies, RPC Traditions Committee Head Sara Millimet said.

This year's study break will shift the focus away from food and onto entertainment and stress relief, Beckwith said.

---

---

"Over the years, we were spending less on food and working on coordinating stuff like free massages," Beckwith said. "Now, there is much more entertainment than in the past. The main thing is stress reduction."

In past study breaks, silly and entertaining games were hits with students, Beckwith said, especially a fishing game that involved students throwing a line over a screen to win a surprise reward.

Altogether, the event will cost a little under $10,000, which reflects a 5 percent budget cut from last year, Beckwith said. In the future, the study break budget may be cut by as much as 50 percent in conjunction with other campus-wide budget cuts.

Despite potential cuts, Beckwith said he was optimistic the study break could continue to be successful in the future.

"We're confident that we can maintain the goal of the study break - stress relief - without spending as much on food as we have in the past," Beckwith said.

In order to work around this difficulty within the smaller budget, planners are thinking about shifting future themes towards a breakfast event, since breakfast foods are usually less expensive than dinner and late-night meals, Beckwith said.

Students were divided about whether these cuts would adversely affect future study breaks. Sid Richardson College sophomore Nick Hartley said he did not think cutting money from the study break was a good idea.

"I think that we'll have a lot of angry students because it is one of the best events [the university] does during study days," Hartley said.

However, Sid Rich President Sam Wang said he could see why the study break budget might be cut.

"They have to make budget cuts somewhere," Wang, a Sid Rich senior, said. "I would prefer that they take it out of the study break rather than other places. I really don't need that much ice cream."

Sara Millimett, a Sid Rich junior, said RPC is looking to the student body to come up with creative ideas to make future study breaks successful on a limited budget.

"What is important is that [the students] let us know what they like," Millimet said.

Planning for this year's event has been underway since mid-October, Beckwith said. The study break is coordinated by the Traditions Committee of the RPC, which is advised by Beckwith and Student Center Assistant Director Erin Dement. Meetings involved representatives from the Wellness Center, the Marching Owl Band, the student center and the Recreation Center. The first challenge the group faced was coming up with a theme and logo. After some debate, the Hawaiian theme was chosen by Dement, who also came up with the logo, Millimet said.

The Traditions Committee planned appropriately themed food choices to go with the budget and student tastes.

Hartley, who will be playing holiday music with the symphonic band at the event, expects the event to be a success.

"We are going to be playing a lot of Christmas tunes and a Hanukkah song," Hartley said.

Hartley also mentioned that he would not mind a breakfast theme for future study breaks.

Student feedback is requested on the RPC Web site, www.rpc.rice.edu.

---