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NEWS 9/15/20 10:55pm

Rice among minority of peer institutions to hold in-person classes

By Prayag Gordy and Rhea Cho

U.S. News & World Report’s Top 20 colleges have adopted varying reopening plans and testing strategies for the fall semester. Rice, which has maintained a low positivity rate on COVID tests, joins only five other Top 20 institutions — the University of Chicago, the University of Notre Dame, Duke University, Vanderbilt University and Cornell University — in offering a hybrid or in-person classroom experience for the fall.

NEWS 9/15/20 10:20pm

Ronald Stebbings, professor emeritus and former dean, passes

By Talha Arif

Ronald Stebbings, professor emeritus of space physics and astronomy and former dean of undergraduates, passed away on Aug. 27 at age 91. Stebbings is survived by his two sons, Vernon Stebbings (Will Rice College ‘78) and Martin Stebbings (Sid Richardson College ‘83).  

NEWS 9/15/20 10:16pm

New Tech TA program popular with students and professors

By Nicole Lhuillier

To assist instructors with the classroom technology for online or hybrid courses, the Office of Information Technology has hired 160 students as technology teaching assistants. According to the OIT Associate Vice President Diane Butler, faculty have requested Tech TAs for approximately 270 courses. 

NEWS 9/15/20 7:26pm

Visual and Dramatic Arts at Rice goes hybrid this semester

By Skye Fredericks

From filmmaking to sculpture, faculty and students in the visual and dramatic arts department are discovering what it means to create art when COVID-19 restrictions include room capacity limits and social distancing measures throughout campus. For those who are engaging remotely this semester, finding space to work on art at home can be a challenge.  

NEWS 9/15/20 7:22pm

Rice music thrives in the face of adversity

By Keegan Leibrock

The Shepherd School of Music has conducted classes this semester both in-person and remote despite challenges regarding proximity, airflow, and, in the case of wind instruments, the spread of saliva particles. Consistent and exhaustive COVID-19 precautionary measures, specifically designed to restrict the spread of particles while playing instruments, have been enacted to make in-person music classes possible, according to Rice’s Director of Bands Chuck Throckmorton. 

NEWS 9/8/20 10:27pm

CARES Act Phase 2 payments yet to be completed

By Talha Arif

Rice received $3.4 million in funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act this past summer and completed the first phase of payments in June, while the second phase of payments has not occurred yet. 

NEWS 9/8/20 10:26pm

Reckling Park to be on-campus polling location for 2020 election

By Bonnie Zhao

Rice’s Reckling Park will be the on-campus polling location for both early voting and election day this year, according to Lila Greiner, the media relations director of Rice Young Democrats. Harris County officials moved Rice’s polling location off-campus in February due to accessibility concerns for non-Rice voters.

NEWS 9/3/20 1:43am

Administration shares logistics on plans for remainder of fall semester

By Talha Arif

The Faculty Senate met yesterday to discuss Rice University’s plans for the remainder of the fall semester and potential responses to COVID-19 case increases. The meeting follows the passing of a recent resolution expressing faculty disappointment with the Rice administration, due to implicit pressure on faculty to return in-person to campus.

NEWS 9/1/20 9:53pm

Clubs adapt structures to fit COVID rules, include remote students

By Alizay Azeem

The Rice University Student Center held its annual Fall Student Activities Fair on August 29 through an online event platform called Hopin. According to event details on OwlNest, over 150 student organizations participated in the virtual club fair. Many of these organizations have adapted club structures to better cater to COVID-19 guidelines and remote students. 

NEWS 9/1/20 8:55pm

COVID Court sees six reports in first week

By Hajera Naveed

With the semester starting amidst a pandemic, one way that Rice plans to regulate student behavior and ensure adherence to this year’s new Culture of Care agreement is through the new COVID Community Court. The Court handles all low level infractions on campus such as mask wearing and social distancing. 

NEWS 9/1/20 7:38pm

Students say admin unprepared for return to campus in petition

By Ivanka Perez

A student-written petition expressing concerns about the administration's handling of fall semester has reached 442 signatures at the time of print. Students shared dissatisfactions with the administration ranging from those listed in the petition — servery food and a new "medical hold" health status — to concerns about contact tracing.

NEWS 9/1/20 7:34pm

SRBs prepare to reopen with CDC guidelines in mind

By Rynd Morgan

The three official student-run businesses on campus, Rice Coffeehouse, The Hoot and Rice Bikes, all expect to reopen in September after submitting return to campus plans to Rice’s Crisis Management Team, according to the businesses’ respective Facebook pages. The student-owned business East-West Tea will not open in the fall, and Willy’s Pub, which is student staffed, cannot open until statewide restrictions on bars reopening are lifted.

NEWS 8/26/20 11:52pm

Rice braces for Hurricane Laura

By Savannah Kuchar

All campus operations including in-person and remote classes were cancelled from 5 p.m. Wednesday through Thursday in anticipation for Hurricane Laura, according to an email sent to the Rice community Tuesday night, from Chair of the Crisis Management Advisory Committee Kevin Kirby. Students living on campus are also required to shelter in place from Wednesday 10 p.m. until sunrise Thursday, according to an additional email sent Wednesday at 7 p.m.

NEWS 8/25/20 9:37pm

Student leaders adapt O-Week to COVID-19 precautions

By Savannah Kuchar and Rynd Morgan

Orientation Week is a decades-old event at Rice, with traditions that have largely remained untouched. This year, coordinators have had to modify or cut out many traditional O-Week events to comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and university guidelines in light of the pandemic, resulting in a unique experience for the incoming class of new students. 

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