Special Projects

Football looks for win against UNT in C-USA opener

Before Rice football’s game against the Texas Longhorns last week, Head Coach David Bailiff stressed the importance of that game was to prepare for conference play. This week, Rice will open their Conference USA schedule against the University of North Texas.According to Bailiff, this week’s game will be the first step toward Rice’s ultimate goal of winning the conference for the first time since 2013.“That’s what it’s all about,” Bailiff said. “Winning Conference USA.”The Owls (1-1) will travel to Apogee Stadium in Denton, Texas to take on the Mean Green (0-1). Founded in 1890 as a teachers’ college, the University of North Texas enrolls 29,723 undergraduates. The football program has won two Division I bowl games in its history. Most recently, the Mean Green won the Heart of Dallas Bowl in 2013 to cap a 9-4 season. Although the North Texas football program began in 1953, Rice and North Texas did not play each other until 1988.In their sixth meeting with North Texas since that 1988 game, Rice will attempt to bounce back from a 42-28 loss to the Texas Longhorns Saturday night.According to Bailiff, the loss, though disappointing, provided some positives to carry into this week’s game.“Even in the loss, we can learn a lot of lessons to improve this football team,” Bailiff said. “I think this is [a game] that will strengthen our resolve.”North Texas will be looking to make improvements of its after a season-opening 31-13 loss to Southern Methodist University. Senior quarterback Andrew McNulty threw for 128 yards and ran for 50 more and senior running back Antoinne Jimmerson ran for 40 yards and a touchdown as the Mean Green led 13-10 entering the fourth quarter. The defense, however, surrendered 21 points in the final 15 minutes of the game to send the Mean Green to their 16th season opening loss in the last 19 seasons.North Texas’ roster has changed significantly since a 4-8 season last year. They return five starters from an offense that ranked No. 79 in Division I in points per game. The returners include McNulty, senior tight end Marcus Smith, senior wide receiver Carlos Harris, junior wide receiver Darvin Kidsy, and sophomore center Kaydon Kirby. The defense, however, returns only two starters: senior cornerback Kenny Buyers and junior linebacker Fred Scott.This new-look North Texas defense will be tasked with stopping an Owls offense that has averaged 502.5 yards in its first two games, including 314.5 rushing yards per game.Freshman running back Samuel Stewart said that practice with the other Rice running backs has led to this success.“It’s a competition everyday,” Stewart said. “Everyday in practice we’re pushing each other and making sure we’re good in pass protection, ball security, making our reads in the zone game, all of that.”Stewart was not the only one to stress the value of practice. Last week, Bailiff noted that the players were excited to begin watching film and practicing for the Texas game. After a spirited performance this past weekend, Bailiff said he hopes the team can keep its motivation high.“We’ve got to go to North Texas with the same demeanor and the same effort we displayed [against Texas],” Bailiff said.Rice will try to ride that effort to a victory in its Conference USA opener this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Apogee Stadium in Denton, Texas. The game will be televised nationally on Fox College Sports.

Authors discuss legacy of Vietnam War at Baker Institute

Four award-winning authors who served in the Vietnam War examined the lasting legacy of the war by reading excerpts from their works and by participating in a panel discussion at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy on Sept. 10. The authors included Philip Caputo, Larry Heinemann, Tim O’Brien and Tobias Wolff.According to Heinemann, an interesting consequence of the war was the proliferation of veterans who became writers, poets or scholars.“It is a remarkable irony of the war that I became a writer,” Heinemann said. “If it hadn't been for my war years, I'd be driving a bus like my old man. This irony is something that I share with a number of other Vietnam veterans who came home.”Wolff said joining the war seemed like a natural path to follow because he grew up in a working-class environment surrounded by veterans.“You saw it as an opportunity to distinguish yourself, but it wasn't my motive when I went in,” Wolff said. “I enlisted when I was 18 largely because I pretty much screwed up my life at that point. I didn't have a high school diploma, and I didn't have any prospects.”On the other hand, Heinemann said he reluctantly joined the war because he was drafted.“I was distinctly not interested in being in the army,” Heinemann said. “The harassment we were treated to offended me.”Caputo, who served for a time as a casualty reporting officer, said his worst experience on the job was having to identify the body and report the death of his best friend, Lieutenant Walter Levy.“His death affected me very deeply and does to this day,” Caputo said. “Not too long ago, I was at a reunion in Washington, and I went to the wall and saw Walt's name there, and 40-some years after the event I just started bawling like a child.”When asked if he would partake in the war again, O’Brien said he views the war as an evil, but is unsure of his own response.“It was sinful,” O’Brien said. “We were killing people. Veterans are too often looked upon as victims, but we are participants. I wouldn't participate again, but until you are in the circumstances, you really don't know.”According to O’Brien, the years following Vietnam have shown how the driving forces behind wars can be misleading.“Wars are always sold to us as pending catastrophes,” O’Brien said. “If we don't go kill people, horrible things will ensue. We lost the war. Where is the catastrophe? We have shirts that are made in Vietnam.”Emily Rao, an event attendee, said she appreciated hearing the speakers share their different perspectives.“The four authors had four very distinct styles and were unsettlingly honest about their experiences, and I just feel lucky to have heard them speak,” Rao, a Baker College sophomore, said.  Dean of the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business William Glick said the event was meant not only to observe the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War but also to recognize the growing number of veterans at Rice University.“Together with the Jones School, we have set a goal of being the most veteran-friendly MBA program,” Glick said. “The veterans have taken on tremendous leadership roles within the student body and have gone on to be highly valued graduates. They enrich Rice. They enrich Houston and the broader community.”

Soccer loses consecutive games in Ohio

Lads look to reload in 2015

After two consecutive berths to the Club Soccer National Tournament, the Rice Men’s Club soccer team, known as the Lads, has set a new bar for success. With the team’s recent achievements, making Nationals is no longer an unattainable goal, but rather an expectation.

Former Owl makes debut for Houston Texans

Football falls to Longhorns

Behind every art, a science

Navigating up the (music) stream: music apps for your every need

Gone are the days of iTunes gift cards, Limewire and burning CDs from your friends’ music libraries. We have entered the music-streaming age. Never before has it been cheaper or easier to have the world of music at your fingertips, and it doesn’t look like we’ll be turning back anytime soon. However, choosing how we listen to music has never been more difficult. With a myriad of streaming services available, all offering unique and exclusive features, how is a lazy college student to choose? Here is my opinion on the best music streaming options for every occasion.

Mayoral candidates present platforms

The Houston mayoral election will take place this fall as Mayor Annise Parker’s final term comes to a close. With no incumbent running for the position, Houstonians will have the opportunity to vote for new hopefuls on Nov. 3. The two winning candidates from the general election will compete in a runoff election in December.

Students flock to Bernie Sanders kickoff event

Rice students came together to “feel the Bern” at the Rice Students for Bernie kickoff meeting at Willy’s Pub on Thursday. Despite the heavy rain, over 100 students were in attendance to support Bernie Sanders for United States president in the 2016 election, according to Student Chapter Leader Alex Amari.

Rankings are a chance to prioritize and refocus

Like clockwork, the U.S. News and World Report have released their annual college rankings. Rice improved one spot: It is now tied with the University of Notre Dame at 18th after ranking 19th last year.  We do not care about this. Or, rather, we should not care about this. Gallup and Purdue University have been conducting a multi-year study of college students and the satisfaction they derive from their education and employment outcomes — in other words, what we should care about. The product is the Gallup-Purdue Index, a measure of recent college graduates’ beliefs that they have “great jobs” and “great lives.” New York Times columnist Frank Bruni received advance access to the findings and detailed them in his Sept. 12 column. Of the five dimensions of life the survey attempted to measure — relationships, physical health, community, economic situations and senses of purpose — 10 percent of all college graduates described themselves as “thriving” in all five dimensions. 11 percent of graduates of U.S. News’ top 50 universities and 13 percent of graduates of U.S. News’ top 50 liberal arts colleges said the same. What, then, is the purpose of the U.S. News rankings if they seem to be a bad predictor of long-term satisfaction? Why do both academia and non-academia continually perpetuate this system of value?  It’s probably driven by a combination of factors, including the impressionability of prospective students. Universities are incentivized to capitalize on this impressionability — assuming they want the best students, which they do — by rising in the rankings. Rice is not immune to this phenomenon; it’s subject to the same system.  The U.S. Department of Education has semi-concurrently released their own college “scorecard” that subverts the U.S. News method. Instead of ranking colleges, the government guide provides data about average cost of attendance for federal financial aid recipients, four-year graduation rates and salary 10 years after matriculation for federal financial aid recipients. Rice falls around the average annual cost, way above average on four-year graduation rate and significantly above average for salary.  The scorecard does not generate rankings; instead, it encourages comparison. It presents data that allow users to make value judgements. Rice should take a cue from the Department of Education scorecard and the Gallup-Purdue Index. Instead of participating in self-perpetuating systems that reinforce problematic notions of hierarchy and prestige, it should prioritize and refocus on what matters most to students: the university experience and Rice’s uniqueness.  Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the Thresher editorial staff. All other opinion pieces represent solely the opinion of the piece’s author.

In response: Urban integration not required at Rice

In response to last week's opinion by Justin Raine, Rice must improve its urban integration.

Sahai: Cons outweigh the pros for O-Week coordinating

Coordinating Orientation Week made me an infinitely better person. I spent the last eight months of my life predominantly thinking of people who weren't me. It frightened me that every decision I made would directly impact about 90 new students I had never met. The gravity of this control was scarily humbling, and as a result, Kush, Monica and I did not at any point hesitate to make whatever sacrifice needed — personal or otherwise. Only after eight months of acting in this mindset did I understand what "It's All About the New Students" actually meant: to put aside your own desires in the genuine interest of somebody else’s well-being. I am incredibly thankful for this experience, and cannot articulate how much I've grown.

Desai: The ugly side to O-Week coordinating

Like every student-run organization/leadership position, much of coordinating is thankless. It takes a certain person to want to do this job, and while motivation may only be part of the formula, the camaraderie among coordinators and ability to shape the culture of one’s college makes this experience worth it. No words convey how I feel when I see new students running to hug one another in the Lovett commons, or advisors jumping at the opportunity to spend time with their new students. But an ugly side to coordinating exists: New students you’ve been dying to meet feel intimidated by you, advisors think they can complain about a job they didn’t do and the administration hounds you on one end as your peers criticize your conservative decisions on the other.

Alem: O-Week student-run, not student-led

If you had asked me seven months ago what my favorite aspect of Rice was, I would have undoubtedly responded “anything that can be student-led, will be student-led.” As an Orientation Week coordinator who has experienced what is one of the most stressful weeks for 32 students, I have to reconsider my response. I do not take issue with the value of student leadership, but the reality of the ideal of “student-led,” especially when it comes to O-Week.

You want a healthy Hoot?

Since the move from West Servery to the Student Center I have found myself going to the Hoot less, partially because I can be a bit lazy and it's a longer walk, but also because I know I'm not a huge fan of late night energy drinks and ramen noodle soup. After having an amazing smoothie from Rice Coffeehouse (No, they aren't paying me), I remembered thinking that if the Hoot served smoothies, I would definitely be a more regular customer. In general, I think some healthy food options could boost sales by more than a little; more importantly, when people get hungry they tend to eat what's available and having some fresh fruit and veggie cups in the mix might lead to healthier habits for our late-night campus snackers, myself included. I don't know about the rest of the campus, but toasted peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches and very berry smoothies sound pretty tasty! If you feel the same you should give a Hoot a holler. Puns aside, speak up: If the Hoot gets enough requests for new food, they may experiment with an expanded menu.

Rice climbs back to 18 in USNWR rank

Rice climbed one rank in the U.S. News and World Report Best Universities ranking, placing it at number 18, as it was ranked in 2014. Rice had previously been at rank number 17 from 2005-2013, then fell to 18 in 2014, and again to 19 in 2015.The ranking places Rice just behind Cornell University, Vanderbilt University, and Washington University in St. Louis, all tied for the 15th place. The University of Notre Dame is similarly ranked at number 18.According to the USNWR website, the rankings are calculated based on a number of quantitative factors, including academic reputation, retention, student selectivity and faculty resources, which are weighed most heavily. Alumni giving rate is the least heavily weighted, factoring into five percent of the overall calculation.This year, according to the USNWR website, there were two changes in the calculations. The rankings included survey results from two years, spring 2014 and spring 2015, instead of one and the high school counselor scoring average used three years of data instead of two.  The USNWR states this is to reduce year-to-year volatility in the results. The data used for the calculations is almost entirely provided by the universities themselves.The listing does not include liberal arts colleges, but does include both public and private universities.

Band logistics dictated Sid '80s date

The ‘80s are coming just a day earlier this year. Sid '80s will be held today, the same day as Screw-Yer-Roommate, instead of Saturday due to scheduling issues with the party’s live band, Molly & the Ringwalds, according to Sid Richardson College President Lauren Schmidt.“The live band is booked six months in advance,” Schmidt, a senior, said. “We use the same band each year. We have a good relationship with them, and they’re a part of what we love about [Sid] ‘80s.”Schmidt said the lead singer of Molly & the Ringwalds was due to have a baby soon, and a replacement vocalist was only available during weekdays.“[The rescheduling] had to happen to preserve the party’s culture,” Schmidt said.Typically, Screw-Yer-Roommate and associated festivities occupy all of Friday evening. Schmidt said she is unsure of how the rescheduling of Sid ‘80s will affect turnout or reception.“I don’t think [the Sid Richardson socials, who plan the party,] realized Screw was the same day,” Schmidt said. “We were focused on scheduling the band. I’m guessing there might be more turnout, or maybe more people will come with a group already. We’ll probably have more costumes than usual from a different century though.”

Football ready for matchup with Texas

During his “We choose to go the Moon” speech on Sept. 12, 1962, former United States President John F. Kennedy asked the crowd “Why does Rice play Texas?” and explained, “Because it’s hard.” According to Head Coach David Bailiff, Kennedy was right.“I think [Kennedy] summed it up,” Bailiff said. “It’s because it’s hard.”On Saturday, Rice (1-0) will travel to Darrell K. Royal — Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin to take on the University of Texas, Austin (0-1). Despite the daunting challenge, senior running back Luke Turner said Rice is relishing the opportunity to go up against the Longhorns.“It’s really exciting,” Turner said. “Not every game we get to play in is against a big opponent like Texas.”Texas plays in the Big 12 Conference, one of the “Power Five” conferences. Texas’ football stadium holds over 100,000 fans, and its student body with 38,463 enrolled undergraduates dwarfs Rice’s student body with only 3,965 undergraduates. The Longhorns have won four national championships, most recently in 2005. The last time Rice faced off against Texas was in 2011 when the Owls fell to the Longhorns 34-9. Though it has been four seasons since their last matchup, Rice and Texas have a long-standing rivalry. From 1914 to 1996, both schools belonged to the Southwest Athletic Conference. After playing against each other for the first time in 1914, Texas and Rice have faced off 93 times. Texas leads the all-time series 71-21-1. The last time Rice beat Texas was in 1994, and the Owls have fallen in all 12 games since then.According to Bailiff, Rice needs to focus on itself rather than the stature of their opponent.“We don’t really have to worry so much about them,” Bailiff said. “We’ve got to worry about us, just play our game and be the best team that we can be this week.” Going into Saturday’s game, Rice will try to maintain its momentum from a 56-16 win over Wagner College last weekend. The win was the first season-opening victory for the Owls since 2008. The Longhorns, meanwhile, will try to rebound from a loss last week. Led by second-year Head Coach Charlie Strong, Texas fell to No. 11 Notre Dame 38-3. The Longhorns managed only 163 yards of offense in the defeat, passing for 106 yards and rushing for 60. Junior quarterback Tyrone Swoopes led the passing offense, going 10 of 19 for 93 yards passing, and senior running back Jonathan Gray was the Longhorns’ leading rusher with 40 yards rushing on eight carries. Despite Texas’s loss, Bailiff said Rice is not approaching the game any differently.“When a team struggles like that, they’re going to turn around the next week,” Bailiff said. “You know those are proud young men, that’s a proud program and I really feel like we’re gonna see a very different University of Texas team.”Texas has undergone significant roster turnover since last season, losing six starters from last year’s defense that allowed 23.8 points per game, the 32nd best in the country last year. Returning starters on defense include senior cornerback Duke Thomas, senior linebacker Peter Jinkens, junior nose tackle Hassan Ridgeway, junior safety Dylan Haines and sophomore safety Jason Hall. Rice will be wearing special white helmets for the game in Austin. On the back, there is a circular black sticker emblazoned with the word “Froggy” in honor of legendary Rice player Froggy Williams. Williams, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the “unofficial historian” of Rice Athletics according to Bailiff, passed away this summer. While stressing that the purpose of this game is to prepare for Conference USA play, Bailiff said he knows playing Texas means a lot to him and his team. “This [game] is one you go into dreaming big,” Bailiff said. “We’re dreaming big right now.” Rice will try to make those dreams come true Saturday night in Austin. Rice will matchup against Texas at 7 p.m. on Sept. 12 and the game will be televised on the Longhorn Network. 

Soccer star reflects on goals, career

Aside from her 5-foot-10-inch frame, senior soccer player Lauren Hughes’ most distinguishing feature on the soccer pitch is the number seven stamped across her jersey. Her number, typically reserved for an attacking soccer player, fits her play style perfectly. She nervously laughs as she explains that her number decision was not a soccer decision, but rather one Hughes made at a young age in an effort to replicate her older brother’s teammate and her first crush.  “I have two older brothers who both played hockey and I would always go to their games,” Hughes said. “There was a guy on my oldest brother’s team, and he was my first crush and biggest crush ever. It came time to pick our soccer numbers and I decided to wear number seven because [he] was number seven.”  As soon as she started playing soccer, her coaches saw potential for a future career in the sport. Hughes said she quickly fell in love with the game and soon after made her first competitive team at age eight. “When I was 10 years old, I had a coach who pulled me and my mom aside and said ‘Lauren can go as far as she wants with soccer,’” Hughes said. “That’s when I was realized I could go play soccer or go play pro.” An interconnected chain of opportunity and coincidence took Hughes from Ottawa to Houston for her college soccer career. Her road to Rice began when her club team, the Ottawa Fury, competed in Florida during her sophomore year of high school. There, John Adams, an assistant coach at Houston Baptist University, saw Hughes play and contacted her. The following year, Adams became an assistant coach at Rice and led the way for Hughes to join the Owls’ soccer team. Hughes decided to come to Rice without ever stepping foot on campus, a move Hughes said was “a huge leap of faith.”  According to Hughes, the decision to come to Rice was not very informed. “At first I had never heard of Rice but my dad and I looked into it together,” Hughes said. “I didn’t even have an unofficial visit, which is unheard of.” Hughes said the academic reputation of Rice was a primary concern as she worried about the workload and difficulty of the university.  “Academically, I was really nervous,” Hughes said. “Obviously, athletes have a different standard to get into Rice. I found the transition academically to be fine. I am challenged but I am not in over my head.” Hughes quickly impressed players and coaches around the conference and began her stockpile of awards. She was named to the All-Conference USA second team and shared the team’s Rookie of the Year Award with teammate Holly Hargreaves during her freshman year. She followed up with an impressive sophomore year performance in which she was named to the All-Conference USA first team. In her junior year, she led the conference with 14 goals en route to another All-Conference season and a Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year award.  According to Hughes, the Offensive Player of Year award is especially important to her due to the process through which rival coaches vote to select it. “Last year, winning Offensive Player of the Year was really cool because it is an award that the coaches in your conference vote on,” Hughes said. “It is cool to know that I am respected as a player in this conference.” Hughes has already left her mark on the Rice record books and is the current all-time leader in goals scored with a current total of 36 and almost a full season left to go. She said holding school records is a significant personal achievement, but she hopes future players will strive to one day pass her. “It’s just great to be able to make an impact on the program,” Hughes said. “And I hope people come in and break my records.”  Nicky Adams, the head coach since 2011, has coached Hughes throughout her college career at Rice. Assistant Coach Allison Martino has also been a large influence on Hughes’ soccer game, especially her current transition to occasionally occupying the midfield role, where the Owls have not found a permanent starter after the departure of players such as Quinny Truong (Will Rice ’14). According to Hughes, she credits her coaches for her level of success at Rice. “Ever since I got to Rice, Nicky and Allison have challenged me to be a big player and win awards and break records,” Hughes said. “Nicky is so passionate and it is awesome. I have never seen anyone love the game of soccer so much. Allison has also been helping me learn the role of midfielder more.” Hughes, a Will Rice College senior, said the residential college system has complemented her student athlete experience at Rice. “I love Will Rice,” Hughes said. “I think the college system is so awesome because there are so many people I wouldn’t have been able meet. Some of my best friends are people I matriculated with at Will Rice and I never would have met them if it weren’t for the college system. I just would have been in the athlete bubble.”  Hughes also said the college system, particularly at her college, supports athletes with a fan base and a culture of inclusivity. “Athletes for the most part do a good job of being around and Will Rice does a good job of supporting its athletes,” Hughes said. “There are always Will Ricers at our games and I love going to Will Rice for meals. This is my first year not living at Will Rice but Will Rice has made me want to come back and hang out.” As she looks to graduate with a double major in sport management and sociology and a minor in poverty, justice and human capabilities, Hughes said she is looking to play professional soccer after graduation before pursuing a career in her academic field.  “I think I’m going to try to keep playing soccer,” Hughes said. “I am going to be only 21 when I graduate and I don’t want to get settled down and rooted into a career and regret not trying to pursue soccer.” However, Hughes said she is still not certain in her long-term plans after a summer playing for a Christian soccer team in North Carolina, during which she began to strongly consider a life in sports or youth ministry. “This year, I have definitely been questioning whether that is what I want to do,” Hughes said. “I am thinking that after soccer, I may want to get into ministry. I never would have thought I would have wanted to go into that before this summer, but it was super rewarding and something I could totally see myself doing.” For now, she is working toward her plans of playing in a European women’s soccer league, as playing soccer in the U.S. would require her to leave Rice before graduating. According to Hughes, she would play in a semi-pro league until the European league’s signing period in August.  “I want to play in Europe and don’t have much of a desire to play women’s pro soccer in the U.S.,” Hughes said. “I’ve always wanted to travel so why not use soccer? I think that’s the plan, but who knows?” Hughes and the rest of the Rice soccer team will look to continue their five-game unbeaten streak beginning Sept. 11 against the University of Dayton.