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NEWS 3/11/25 11:16pm

Expanded meal swipe, Tetra donations open mid-semester

By Hope Yang

Following record donations last month, students will be able to donate meal swipes and Tetra until March 14, according to an Instagram post by the Student Association in collaboration with Student Success Initiatives, the Student Association and Housing and Dining.

NEWS 3/4/25 11:25pm

Current RMC to remain, second building to open in 2027

By Riya Misra

A brand-new, second student center will open by Fall 2027, president Reggie DesRoches announced in a March 3 email to campus. The current Rice Memorial Center will not be demolished, and will continue to house Rice Coffeehouse, Pub and student media during construction over the next two years. It will undergo renovations after the second building is complete. 

NEWS 3/4/25 11:25pm

SA voting delayed by one day after ballot errors

By James Cancelarich

The Student Association election ballot was recalled just an hour after it went live Feb. 26 after voters found errors. At the end of the ballot, voters were presented with five different constitutional amendments, which proposed varying changes ranging from grammatical fixes to raising the Blanket Tax. The original ballot only allowed students one vote instead of five individual ones, presenting the amendments as a bundle.

NEWS 3/4/25 11:25pm

Rice rebrands DEI office amid federal scrutiny

By Viola Hsia

Rice has renamed its Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to the Office of Access and Institutional Excellence, announced in a Feb. 28 campus-wide email from Provost Amy Dittmar. This change arrives as universities across the country adapt — often altering or erasing diversity statements entirely — to federal anti-DEI legislation.

NEWS 3/4/25 11:24pm

Students petition for immigrant student sanctuary policies

By Abigail Chiu

Students are petitioning university officials to declare Rice a sanctuary campus, which offers protections to international and undocumented students and, notably, does not cooperate with immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant. The petition garnered over 400 signatures by March 4, said Conner Schultz, the co-chair of Rice’s chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America. Rice YDSA spearheaded the petition, which has now been co-signed by campus organizations like Students for Justice in Palestine, Planned Parenthood Generation and Rice Urbanists.

NEWS 3/4/25 11:24pm

Admin agrees to $10 min. wage

By Hongtao Hu

The Student Association’s Labor Commission received a verbal commitment from Dean of Undergraduates Bridget Gorman Feb. 10 to raise the student minimum wage from $7.25 to $10 an hour. This change will be applied in July 2025 for the start of the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

NEWS 2/27/25 11:18am

SA voting delayed one day after ballot errors

By James Cancelarich

The Student Association election ballot was recalled just an hour after it went live, after voters found errors in the ballot’s language. At the end of the ballot, voters were presented with five different constitutional amendments, which proposed varying changes — ranging from grammatical fixes to raising the Blanket Tax. The ballot only allowed students one vote instead of five individual ones, presenting the amendments as a bundle.

NEWS 2/26/25 12:06am

SA candidates debate Blanket Tax, DEI

By Noa Berz

Candidates for Student Association president, internal vice president and external vice president took to Pub’s stage Feb. 24 to answer questions about their candidacy and the future of the SA. They debated topics like SA efficacy, budget concerns and national politics.

NEWS 2/26/25 12:05am

Dastur runs for EVP uncontested after Zahra withdraws from race

By Abigail Chiu

Mahtab Dastur, a current Duncan College New Student Representative, is campaigning for External Vice President uncontested. She was previously running against McMurtry College sophomore Lajward Zahra, who announced her withdrawal from the race, citing “unforeseen personal circumstances,” at the Student Association debate Feb. 24. At the debate, Zahra endorsed Dastur for the role.

NEWS 2/18/25 11:00pm

Rice testifies for lawsuit against ‘devastating’ federal funding cuts

By James Cancelarich

Rice joined 70 other universities supporting a lawsuit against the National Institutes of Health, which may reduce research funding by billions of dollars. A Feb. 7 NIH memo announced a drastic cut to indirect costs, which covers overhead for research institutions; including funding for lab spaces, water and power bills and paying subcontractors, according to testimony from Provost Amy Ditmtar.

NEWS 2/18/25 10:58pm

Federal grant cuts jeopardize $4 million of research funding

By Saahithi Sreekantham

Rice could lose up to $4 million in research funding due to cuts to National Institutes of Health grants, according to analysis by the New York Times. On Feb. 7, the NIH proposed a drastic slash of funding for indirect costs, which include administrative and lab upkeep. The proposal was blocked by a federal court Feb. 11. 

FEATURES 2/18/25 10:57pm

Students react to Trump’s second term

By Noa Berz

Donald Trump’s second presidency is off to an unprecedented start, with over 60 executive orders signed as of Feb. 12. Students shared their opinions, thoughts and worries about the new policies in action. 

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