Special Projects

Serge Attukwei Clottey talks migration, upcoming Moody exhibit

“Softening Borders” invites you to step into another’s shoes, no matter where in the world they may be standing. 

Predicting the 2020 Grammys: Winners, losers and snubs

It’s that time of the year! Houston continues to deny us a winter and the Grammy Awards continue to deny any representation to rap music! Even as I gripe to my friends about snubs of my favorite artists, I will still inevitably tune into the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards this Sunday, January 26.

“The Realistic Joneses” fails to satisfy

Surrounded by the audience at three sides, “The Realistic Joneses,” a play by 4th Wall Theatre Company, is an intimate production of Will Eno’s script. The play follows two couples with the last name Jones that have moved in next door to each other as they work through similar issues at different stages of life and in their relationships. 

Women’s Basketball should still be considered C-USA favorites

There’s no denying it: Rice women’s basketball had a rocky start to the 2019-20 season. Coming off a historic season last year in which the team won 21 straight games and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005, this year’s team registered a middling 5-6 record against non-Conference USA opponents to start the season. 

Men’s Tennis springs into 2020 season

The last time the Rice men’s tennis team took the court for a match was almost three months ago, on Nov. 3, when sophomore Campbell Salmon and junior Mohamed Abdel-Aziz picked up a pair of doubles wins to close out the Ralston/Neufeld Coaches Challenge and the Owls’ 2019 tournament season. 

Men’s basketball gears up for home games against C-USA foes

Rice men’s basketball will aim to pick up its second Conference USA win of the season this week when the team faces the University of Texas, El Paso on Thursday night at Tudor Fieldhouse.

Facing the STEM Superiority Complex

The modern world doesn’t know how to integrate STEM, the humanities and the social sciences. We’ve come to the point where our society values technological innovation as the best way to solve any and all problems that arise.

Last semester’s TABC charges delay Pub opening

Willy’s Pub will remain closed for the first weeks of the semester as management begins to implement changes to improve its compliance with Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission policy, according to an email from General Manager Emily Duffus. 

Rice admits 19 percent of Early Decision applicants to the class of 2024

Rice welcomed 385 students into the class of 2024 through the university’s binding early decision program, according to Vice President for Enrollment Yvonne Romero da Silva, as well as 55 students through QuestBridge National College Match. This year, Rice accepted around 18.9 percent of the 2,042 applicants on Dec. 12, according to Romero da Silva, a higher percentage of students admitted than last year. 

FIRE takes aim at Rice free speech, judicial policies

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education rated Rice as a “yellow light” school with respect to its free speech policies for the second year in a row, according to FIRE’s “Spotlight on Speech Codes 2020”, released on Dec. 4.

Rice Ph.D graduate known as ‘CRISPR Baby’ scientist sentenced to three years in prison

A Chinese court sentenced He Jiankui (Ph.D. ‘10), who revealed that he had genetically-edited twin girls last year, to three years in prison on Dec. 30, 2019. The questions surrounding his PhD advisor, Rice University bioengineering professor Michael Deem’s involvement in the He’s experiments, remain unanswered. In November 2018, Rice began a full investigation into Deem’s role in the research.

Nine cars burglarized in North lots over finals

Five cars from North Lot and four cars from a lot near Duncan College were burglarized on Sunday, Dec. 15 around 7:24 a.m., as detailed in a Rice University Police Department crime alert sent that afternoon. 

First classes held in Kraft Hall as construction continues

The new four-story home for the School of Social Sciences, Patricia Lipoma Kraft ’87 and Jonathan A. Kraft Hall for Social Sciences, completed a substantial portion of its construction over the break, according to Larry Vossler, senior project manager for Facilities Engineering and Planning. While classes have begun in the building, extractors and remaining debris can be seen on the grounds next to the building. 

RUPD names new chief

Captain Clemente Rodriguez will assume the role of Rice University chief of police starting this Thursday, following the departure of current chief James Tate to George Washington University. 

1-15-2020 Crossword solutions

Amongst “happiest students,” dissatisfaction persists

Last semester alone, students wrote over 35 op-eds and letters to the editor, addressing particularly controversial events at Rice and other salient issues facing the student body: from students donning ICE agent costumes to the use of the n-word at Rice to the university’s decision to let a student who was found guilty of assault graduate.

Booked: Day in the life of a Fondren librarian

When Joe Goetz’s 10-year-old daughter started learning to play piano a few years ago, he knew exactly what he needed to do: skim the Fondren Library stacks for a book written by a pianist.

Senior Spotlight: Freddy Cavallaro talks growth at Rice

Freddy Cavallaro reads a Bible verse daily. He has a 138-day streak on his Bible app, which he said would have been longer if not for a camping trip. He doesn’t take the Bible lightly, and yet his favorite Bible verse is from Romans 14:2, which goes, “For one believeth that he may eat all things. Another, who is weak, eateth herbs.” 

New year, new(s)paper

In the spirit of the new year, we as the Thresher’s editorial board have set a few resolutions and invite y’all as the readers to hold us accountable. Going forward, we want to be more transparent about our operations as well as maintaining the standards and policies we’ve created this year in the spirit of transparency. 

Building a more financially inclusive Rice undergraduate experience

At universities across the U.S., including Rice, conversations about inclusion and the affordability of college are ongoing. The last few years have seen growing attention to financial accessibility and the inclusiveness of the Rice experience, and we are impressed by the positive spirit and heartfelt care that so many members of our community have shown toward others.