Editorial: Let’s be honest about why Rice Owls must “give back”
Every year, the Rice Annual Fund solicits donations from students for the Rice Owls Give Back campaign. One reason is to foster a “tradition” of giving back; another is to measure student satisfaction and boost the school’s ranking. Many students, however, aren’t sure why they should donate in addition to the thousands in tuition they already pay. Instead, they are often pressured into coughing up a dollar or two. Contrary to how the program is often portrayed, the amount of money raised only about equals the amount spent to encourage donations.
The very name of the campaign suggests that something valuable has already been given to students. But current students, especially freshmen, might not feel that they have tangibly received anything from Rice besides admission (and attempting to enroll in 600 percent full classes).
Ideally, the Fund would be less duplicitious in their messaging and more cognizant that many paying students aren’t eager to be targeted by a fundraising campaign. Maybe when students graduate, they will “give back” to the school that boosted their careers. However, current Rice students are simply that: students, buried by mountains of loans and coursework.
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Start by paying the students who need it most
Student Association president Solomon Ni presented a motion during the March 20 senate to pay voting members of the SA essentially $8 every senate in session, which they are required to attend. Our new cohort of SA representatives near-unanimously shot the motion down.
The Student Association is DEAD, long live the Student Association!
The Student Association in this past year has been disappointing to say the least; the discourse and lack of engagement I have seen reflects that disappointment. The Student Association’s reckoning has been a long time coming. The organization is in need of urgent reform in order to be more receptive to all the students it represents.
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