News

Rice Management Company discusses contentious CBA at SA meeting

Rice Management Company attended last week’s Student Association meeting, updating the Rice community and sparking debate about Rice Management Company’s ongoing development in Houston’s Third Ward. The Ion, a centerpiece of the 16-acre Innovation District, is slated to open later this year, according to Rice Management Company’s manager of strategic initiatives Samuel Dike. 

Guest meal swipe donation program reinstated

Rice University reinstated their Guest Meal Swipe Donation Program this semester after a pause during the Fall 2020 semester. The program serves to mitigate food insecurity by allowing on-campus undergraduates with a Type A meal plan — 20 meals per week — to donate their unused meal swipes to off-campus peers, according to the Student Success Initiatives website. According to David McDonald, approximately 1,443 meal swipes have been donated this semester leading to the reimplementation of the program. 

Vining wins SA presidential election, Sethre-Brink wins EVP race amidst low voter turnout

Kendall Vining will serve as the next Student Association president after winning the election against Jarrett Prchal. Vining received 56.8 percent of the vote (545 ballots) while Prchal received 41.4 percent (345 ballots). A total of 959 ballots were cast for the SA presidential election for a voter turnout of 24 percent, the lowest turnout in the past five years. 

Rice launches new graduate programs in psychological sciences and data science

Rice plans to launch a two-year professional master’s degree in industrial-organizational psychology and a 31-credit professional master’s degree in data science. Both programs will begin their classes in Fall 2021.

Rice Bikes, Hoot & Coffeehouse prepare for Spring semester

Three of Rice’s student-run businesses — Rice Coffeehouse, The Hoot and Rice Bikes — are all expected to reopen in the coming week for the spring semester. There have been no updates released regarding the reopening of Willy’s Pub and East-West Tea.  

Student Association and Rice EMS host Platelet Donation Drive

Over the past weekend, Rice students participated in a platelet donation drive with the Houston Methodist Hospital. This project was organized by the Rice Student Association as well as the Rice Emergency Medical Services leadership.  

Parrot runs uncontested for Secretary reelection

Savannah Parrot, a sophomore from Sid Richardson College, is both the incumbent and sole candidate for the Student Association secretary position.

Bunting Runs as Sole Candidate for IVP

Madison Bunting, a Martel College sophomore, is running uncontested for the position of Student Association internal vice president.

SA Treasurer Candidate discusses platform and new initiatives

Elliot Riesman-Tremonte, a Martel College sophomore, is running uncontested for the role of Student Association treasurer. The voting period starts on Feb. 18 at 12 p.m. and closes Feb. 26. 

Vining and Prchal face off in SA Presidential election

Kendall Vining, the current Student Association internal vice president, and Jarrett Prchal, the current chief justice at Hanszen College, are the two candidates on the ballot for SA president this year. Voting opens Feb. 18 at 12 p.m. and closes on Feb. 26 at 12 p.m.

Brown, Butler and Sethre-Brink vie for EVP position

Three Student Association candidates — Hunter Brown, Jared Butler and Lily Sethre-Brink — are currently campaigning for the position of external vice president. Voting opens Feb. 18 at 12 p.m. and closes on Feb. 26 at 12 p.m.

Off-campus community members lose heat, water among statewide infrastructure failures

Below-freezing temperatures, hazardous roads, power outages and frozen water pipes in the Houston area moved Crisis Management to cancel classes Feb. 15 and 16, with Feb. 17 remaining a scheduled sprinkle day. No classes or exams can be held and no assignments can be due on these days. 

Hundreds of students rush to get vaccinated after Rice receives last-minute vaccine doses

Rice students, staff and faculty dashed to the East Gym amidst the ongoing winter storm to claim one of the hundreds of Moderna vaccines administered on campus Monday afternoon. Harris County Public Health gave the vaccines — which would have otherwise gone to waste due to a power outage at their building — to Rice and other institutions that were already equipped to administer the vaccines. 810 vaccines were distributed to Rice’s campus, according to Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo.

Harris County Health gives 800 doses to Rice amidst winter storm

Rice University received 800 Moderna vaccines that must be administered by 5:00 p.m. today, according to Rice’s Crisis Management Team. Due to the weather and unsafe road conditions, these vaccine doses are designated for those who are already on the Rice campus. Vaccines will be given at the East Gym beginning at 11:15am. 

2021 Candidate Statements and Headshots

Sara Tirschwell, Rice Alumnus, Announces NYC Mayoral Campaign

Sara Tirschwell (Baker College '87) recently announced her New York City mayoral campaign as a Republican candidate. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Economics, Tirschwell pursued a 30-year career on Wall Street as a loan trader and hedge fund manager specializing in troubled businesses. 

New international students rush to find in-person class to fulfill visa requirements

New international students rushed to find at least one in-person class that would begin at the start of the semester to satisfy visa requirements, after most of the classes that had an in-person section pushed back their in-person component to start on Feb. 15. 

Decrease in COVID-19 positivity rates prompts earlier move-in dates and lifting of restrictions

Over the past two weeks, COVID-19 cases on Rice’s campus have been decreasing after a spike in positive tests from late December until the third week of January. In response to this decrease, undergraduates were allowed to move in on campus one week earlier, on Feb. 6 and 7, without needing petitions. 

Rice extends the test-optional policy for the Class of 2026 undergraduate applicants

Rice’s Office of Undergraduate Admission extended the test-optional policy into the 2021-2022 application cycle, according to their website. Vice President of Enrollment Yvonne Romero da Silva said that Rice’s test-optional policy gives students the option to decide whether or not to submit their scores since the pandemic continues to restrict students’ access to testing.

New Sid Rich opens doors to first of its residents

After nearly two years of construction, the new Sid Richardson College building opened its doors to the first of its residents on the week of Jan. 18. The building features ten floors of student housing, spacious common areas including a 4,000 square foot outdoor patio, isolated study pods, an Off Campus lounge and a theatre, according to Housing and Dining Senior Director David McDonald. The magisters’ house, quad and nearby parking lot remain under construction and are expected to be completed in the next two to three weeks.