Special Projects

NEWS 11/12/19 11:30pm

Right turn on Sunset closed to facilitate pedestrian safety

By Sammi Johnson

list safety near Entrance 1, the right turn from Sunset Boulevard to Fannin Street will be closed off and replaced with a median to facilitate traffic, according to Director of University Relations Greg Marshall.

NEWS 11/12/19 10:28pm

Rice has work to do to improve social mobility

By Thresher Editorial Board

Conversations around wealth inequality on campus have picked up in the past few years, with initiatives ranging from food pantries to stipends for student leaders created with the intent to bridge the gap. However, all the free Beer Bike T-shirts in the world don’t make up for that fact that Pell Grant recipients at Rice face a lower graduation rate than students who do not receive financial aid.

NEWS 11/12/19 10:27pm

The Ion development sparks conversation about addressing inequity in Houston

By Rynd Morgan

Since its creation was announced in April 2018, The Ion has been a topic of discussion for Rice University and the local community, culminating in the formation of a community coalition and their proposed community benefits agreement.

OPINION 11/12/19 10:24pm

Show solidarity against the Bolivian coup

By Jefferson Ren

The military of a South American nation forces a left-leaning president to resign and political violence shakes a nation. Prominent American lawmakers release unfounded statements to discredit the outgoing government and hail the undemocratic transition of power as “allowing the voices of the people to be heard”.

OPINION 11/12/19 10:23pm

The degradation of classical liberalism

By David Getter

Free markets are not very popular on college campuses. As rigid economic regulation has become a staple of leftist politics, another market — the marketplace of ideas — is now being subjected to the same type of boundless regulation.

OPINION 11/12/19 10:20pm

Letter to the Editor: Response to maternity leave policy

The Thresher's Nov. 6 report and staff editorial highlight inadequate maternity leave policies at Rice. We, the undersigned*, agree that institutions like Rice should strive toward "equal maternity leave for all,” including the extraordinary and valuable members of our community whose classification happens to be “staff” or “non-tenure-track faculty.”

OPINION 11/12/19 10:19pm

Our votes, our rights

By Meredith McCain , Maddy Scannell , Hannah Kaplan , Tessa Schreiber , Anthony Saliba and Carolyn Daly

This past Tuesday, Nov. 5, voters across Harris County went to the polls to cast ballots in local elections. Here at Rice, 851 individuals voted at the Rice Memorial Center. Many important municipal positions were on the ballot, including the Houston mayoral and city council races, along with Texas constitutional propositions. However, a number of Rice students who tried to vote at the RMC did not have an equal opportunity due to gross violations of one of our most essential rights.

OPINION 11/12/19 10:17pm

Rice devalues non-tenure-track faculty in primary caregiver leave policy

By Carissa Zimmerman

Last week, the Thresher published a piece highlighting the differences in Rice’s maternity leave policy for faculty and staff. What it left out was that not all faculty are treated equally under the current policy: Tenure-track and non-tenure-track faculty receive different caregiver leave benefits.

SPORTS 11/12/19 9:49pm

Women’s club soccer set for trip to nationals

By Madison Buzzard

Rice women’s club soccer will travel to compete in the Championship Division of the women’s club soccer national tournament from Nov. 21 - 23 in Round Rock, Texas. The Owls qualified for the national tournament by placing first in the Texas Club Soccer League Southeast League and claiming the Region IV South tournament title. During the regular season, the team finished undefeated.

SPORTS 11/12/19 9:48pm

Three takeaways from volleyball’s loss to WKU

By Michael Byrnes

Rice volleyball lost on Sunday to Western Kentucky University, marking the Owls’ first loss in almost two months. Though the match ended on a sour note, it was a closely fought contest, with Rice battling back from an early deficit to force a decisive and dramatic fifth set that featured tense moments on nearly every point. Here are three notable takeaways from the match.

SPORTS 11/12/19 9:47pm

Swimming falls to Texas A&M

By Joshua Anil

No. 12 Texas A&M University defeated Rice in swimming 158-102 on Saturday at the Owls’ first home dual meet of the year. The loss was Rice’s first of the season, dropping the team’s record to 3-1.

SPORTS 11/12/19 9:46pm

Volleyball 13-game win streak comes to an end against Western Kentucky

By Spencer Moffat

On Sunday, No. 17 Rice volleyball lost for the first time since Sept. 14, in a five-set loss against No. 22 Western Kentucky University. The loss to WKU also marked the end of the Owls’ 13-match winning streak.

FEATURES 11/12/19 9:41pm

Black at Rice: Jayson Taylor

By Tomás Russo

Succulent fruits, green vegetables, bright hues and caterpillar-nibbled leaves. Jayson Taylor is a gardener, but he cultivates more than just plants. Taylor began gardening the fall of his freshman year on a friend’s suggestion. Along with the fresh food and the environmental benefits of composting, the tranquility gardening provides has kept Taylor’s thumb green.

FEATURES 11/12/19 9:39pm

Bryant Colin talks being a Forbes Under 30 Scholar

By Grace Kneidel

Bryant Colin, a Hanszen College Senior, was recently selected as one of one thousand Forbes Under 30 Scholars nationwide.

FEATURES 11/12/19 9:38pm

Ahimsa, karma and justice: how religious values shape students’ lives

By Ivanka Perez

If you search the word “church” on Google Maps, the results show at least 40 churches of various denominations within two miles of Rice. Coming from California, Snigdha Banda says she wasn’t used to seeing so many churches.

A&E 11/12/19 9:25pm

Houston Cinema Arts Festival coming to campus

By Katelyn Landry

The Houston Cinema Arts Festival will bring diverse programming, from foreign films to experimental cinema to Rice Media Center this weekend, Nov. 15-18. Eight screening events will include discussion from award-winning filmmakers, and each screening requires a $12 ticket.

A&E 11/12/19 9:18pm

FKA twigs' sophomore album "MAGDALENE" is a masterpiece

By Christina Tan

The creative process of multi-genre singer, producer and dancer FKA twigs (Tahliah Barnett) is one of deliberation and perfection — a quality that has left fans waiting years for new music. Five years after her debut album, twigs delivers with her sophomore album “MAGDALENE,” a nine-track triumph released Nov. 8.

A&E 11/12/19 9:16pm

Second Astroworld Festival lives up to hype

By Sanvitti Sahdev and Smaran Garlapati

“The man who left this city with nothing and conquered the world,” said surprise guest Dave Chapelle as he introduced Travis Scott at the second annual ASTROWORLD Music Festival in Houston’s NRG Park last Saturday.

A&E 11/12/19 9:15pm

Ode to Houston: Bryan Washington reads from debut short story collection

By Sanvitti Sahdev

In the latest installment of the Cherry Reading Series, essayist and fiction writer Bryan Washington created a warm and intimate environment as he read excerpts from his debut short story collection titled “Lot” on Nov. 4.

A&E 11/12/19 9:14pm

Rice Village’s new food hall Politan Row opens to public

By Varun Kukunoor

Last weekend, long-awaited food hall Politan Row opened in Rice Village, expanding nearby restaurant options beyond tried-and-true Rice Village favorites. While most universities boast giant fast-food names like McDonald’s or Subway on their campuses, Rice’s unique culture allows student-run businesses and other smaller eateries to dominate the food scene outside of the serveries.