Rice University’s Student Newspaper — Since 1916
Monday, May 19, 2025 — Houston, TX

Special Projects

OPINION 2/25/20 9:39pm

The dangers of a single Student Association story

By Grace Wickerson and Anna Margaret Clyburn

When you’re the only media organization in a given space, you have a lot of power. We appreciate the platform the Thresher has given stories like “Black at Rice” and “In Their Own Words” this year — and recognize their meaningful contribution to the campus dialogue. However, speaking from our individual experiences in the Student Association Senate, we think it is important to note that the Thresher presents information in an environment in which there are few external checks on the narratives that it creates. 

OPINION 2/25/20 9:30pm

Primaries are here — and not just for the president

By Thresher Editorial Board

Early voting ends this Friday, Feb. 28 and Election Day is next Tuesday, March 3. If you have the privilege of being registered to vote, get out the vote on behalf of yourself, your communities and everyone who is institutionally excluded from our election processes. Political apathy is rampant in this country and on our campus with only 42 percent voter turnout last year.

FEATURES 2/21/20 2:54pm

Natural disasters, voting and environmental justice: Catching up with Al Gore

By Ella Feldman and Rachel Carlton

Three years ago, former vice president Al Gore visited Rice and sat down with the Thresher to discuss a future marked by the climate crisis. Gore came back to Houston this week to speak at a rally organized by the Climate Reality Action Fund at Texas Southern University on Feb. 19. The Thresher and other local news organizations sat down with Gore before the rally to talk about our rapidly changing world. 

OPINION 2/20/20 7:09pm

Reform U Court to prevent further erroneous SA rulings

By Nick Jerge

Being a former Student Association parliamentarian on a year abroad during election season has felt like watching a car crash in slow motion, my eyes glued to the Thresher’s feed as the student government once again makes a circus out of its yearly duty to choose its leadership. 

NEWS 2/20/20 3:22pm

U-Court rules Ledig eligible to run for RPC president

By Savannah Kuchar

Ending a weeklong controversy, the University Court ruled 6-3 that Will Ledig, a candidate for Rice Program Council President, was eligible to remain on that Student Association election ballot that was released today. According to the case abstract obtained by the Thresher, the UCourt majority agreed that the definition of membership is not made clear enough in the RPC constitution to justify excluding Ledig from the ballot. 

OPINION 2/19/20 8:04pm

LTTE: In response to ‘Clarifying misconceptions about Rice Program Council’

By Will Ledig

In fact, instead of being open to “constructive criticism” (as they claim in their opinion), in response to the changes presented by my campaign and the prospect of me winning the election, members of the RPC executive council threatened to impeach me upon my election at Monday’s meeting of the Student Association Senate. For the record, the RPC constitution has no method for impeaching the president. 

OPINION 2/18/20 11:04pm

Giving back as easy as giving someone a break

By Travis San Pedro

Who can deny the first thought that comes to mind most often when one hears the term “giving back to one’s alma mater” is the opening of your checkbook. One might also think of donating one’s time, be it through volunteering to serve on the Association of Rice Alumni board of directors, interviewing prospective students via Rice Alumni Volunteers for Admission or spearheading a committee in a regional alumni group.

OPINION 2/18/20 11:02pm

Why we're not endorsing IVP

By Thresher Editorial Board

Last Sunday, Ashley Fitzpatrick began a write-in campaign against the previously uncontested internal vice president candidate Kendall Vining. While the Thresher’s editorial board normally endorses candidates in contested races, we were unable to reach a consensus on endorsement for the IVP role of either Vining, a Martel College sophomore and former new student representative, or Fitzpatrick, a Martel sophomore and current senator. 

NEWS 2/18/20 10:49pm

Ledig passes SA vote, faces UCourt

By Savannah Kuchar

The Student Association Senate voted on Tuesday evening to allow Will Ledig, a Hanszen College junior, to remain on the ballot as a candidate for Rice Program Council president, despite issues of ineligibility and constitutional violations.

NEWS 2/18/20 10:45pm

Anna Margaret Clyburn runs uncontested for president

By Savannah Kuchar

Anna Margaret Clyburn, current president of Martel College, will be the only candidate on the ballot this year for the role of Student Association President following Jones College senator Drew Carter’s withdrawal from the race. Current SA President Grace Wickerson and former SA President Ariana Engles have expressed concern over the implications of an emerging pattern of a lack of presidential candidates. 

NEWS 2/18/20 10:42pm

Candidates argue efficacy of SA and definition of roles within the organization at Debate and Town Hall

By Rynd Morgan

Student Association Internal Vice President candidate Kendall Vining and write-in IVP candidate Ashley Fitzpatrick debated the functions of roles within the SA and the SA’s relationship to the student body, and presidential candidate Anna Margaret Clyburn discussed similar issues in the SA Election Town Hall and Debate on Monday, Feb. 17, hosted by the Thresher.

NEWS 2/18/20 10:41pm

Accessibility issues affect first month of Kraft Hall use

By Sammi Johnson

Due to the delay in the installation of automatic doors at the Kraft Hall for Social Sciences, students with disabilities faced difficulties entering the building and getting to classrooms during the first four weeks of the semester. According to Larry Vossler, senior project manager at Facilities Engineering and Planning, the delay was due to an issue getting the permit for the lock on the door from the city of Houston. 

OPINION 2/18/20 10:17pm

The Senate’s “independent” jurors aren’t even pretending anymore

By Dan Helmici and Harry Golen

Donald Trump is an innocent man, at least according to the United States Senate. Congress has decided that Trump didn’t abuse his power to solicit derogatory information about his political opponents, bribe Volodymyr Zelensky with the withholding of nearly $400 million in crucial foreign aid necessary for Ukraine to defend itself against Russian aggression or obstruct Congress by defying mandatory subpoenas and covering up the aftermath of his misguided dealings. 

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