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NEWS 8/27/15 12:35pm

The “why” of entertainment

By Kaylen Strench

If you’ve been to any leadership training seminar in the past two years, you’ve almost certainly been exposed to Simon Sinek’s minimalist TED Talk, “How good leaders inspire action.” The gist is this: Good leaders start their projects by thinking of their purpose for acting, or “why,” before they consider what they are going to do and how they are going to do it. For instance, Sinek claims Apple is successful because its purpose — challenging the status quo — precedes what it intends to make or how it intends to make them.I think Sinek intended his talk to empower his audience, but it primarily just freaked me out. It implies that if an entity holds a certain central aura we find appealing, we will go along with whatever it produces, even if that output is intrinsically bad. This is especially relevant to entertainment, which has the ability to color our entire perception of the world. Think about it this way: Let’s say that a television channel, like HBO, has a “why” that we trust and draws us in. Perhaps that “why” is to supply well-written dramatic television shows with artistic merit. If we accept this “why,” by Sinek’s logic, we will be inclined to think well of all of HBO’s dramas, at least for a while, even if one is a total piece of crap. If we didn’t buy into HBO’s “why,” we would evaluate each individual show critically, allowing us to avoid wasting hours of our lives watching two seasons of some shitty show just because it was on HBO. In fact, highly respected television critics may be touting inflated reviews of shows right now just because of the branding and “whys” of the people and networks attached to them. Now, I personally don’t like being manipulated in this way, but others might not care much.  Unfortunately, there’s more than time spent watching television on the line here. This became apparent to me when I began following the Donald Trump campaign saga. The numbers didn’t make sense — Trump began leading in the polls, and no matter how offensive he became, his support stayed steady. Though this dumbfounded me for weeks, it started to make sense after (another) screening of Sinek’s talk. Trump captivated his supporters through his “why”: “Politicians suck.” And once exhausted, cynical citizens bought into that fairly innocuous message, they were attached to Trump, regardless of how awful his policies and words seemed to sound to those who hadn’t jumped on board. I think this means Trump strategy is good, but it also means that if my theory’s correct, his supporters have abandoned their ability to stay open-minded and critically evaluate candidates based on their policies and potential to become strong leaders. In general, I think these examples speak to both the power of Sinek’s hypothesis and the dangers surrounding it in regards to entertainment. On the one hand, establishing and maintaining a strong “why” allows the producers of entertainment to gain consumer loyalty and maintain it even if they put out a few flops. On the other hand, if we as consumers buy into “whys” too quickly, we may risk abandoning our ability to tell shit from gold. Though Sinek is correct that “why” may be powerful, how and what matter too.

NEWS 8/27/15 12:24pm

Zelko Bistro satisfies with ethically sourced comfort food

By Walden Pemantle

“Simple, responsible comfort food” is as common a mantra for Houston restaurants as it is rare in reality. Plenty of hip cafes check one or two boxes, serving southern-style comfort food with locally sourced ingredients only to drown out the natural strengths of their dishes by squeezing every trendy flavor possible onto the plate. Likewise, “responsibly sourced” food all-too-often becomes a marketing ploy, with many restaurants doing little more for sustainable farming than talking about how much they do.  Enter Zelko Bistro, a longtime favorite in the Heights known for what chef Jamie Zelko and Manager Dalia Zelko describe as “new American comfort food.” The bistro’s menu stays true to the phrase. Local greens, house-filleted fish and a variety of meats are supported by seasonings that, while never overbearing, stay true to Houston’s eclectic dining scene. The excellent shrimp and grits are typical of Zelko’s style. The usual southern ingredients such as bay shrimp, cheddar grits and bacon all satisfy, but a streak of garlic soy agave sauce around the rim of the plate steals the show. The sauce is sweet and thin with just enough tang to cut through the grits and perfectly complement the sauteed shrimp. The watermelon salad also showcases Zelko’s knack for restrained seasoning. The vibrant chunks of Texas watermelon are good enough to carry any salad, but a dab of honey hibiscus vinaigrette and smoked paprika round the dish into a superb balance of sweet and smoky.When the food falters, it is usually because such details are absent. The chocolate mousse, while plenty rich, seems ordinary in a way that doesn’t quite justify its $9 price tag. The chopped bleu salad also comes off as comparatively dull. The addition of apples, bacon and pecans all help, but none quite redeem the bland bleu cheese or unremarkable romaine that form the core of the salad.Still, many other seemingly ordinary dishes like the Boss Burger and lamb tacos rank among Zelko’s best. Sharp cheddar, hearty bacon and a wonderfully light brioche bun put the boss burger head and shoulders above other local burgers. On the tacos, toasted cumin, raita slaw and a side of candied plantains add nuanced Middle Eastern and South American flare to the tenderly cooked lamb. Zelko’s bar keeps a rotating stock of domestic beer and wines. However, the bistro’s main focus is its signature brunch drinks: the Mimosa Rossa and the Geisha Zing, a Bloody Mary made with sake rather than vodka. Beyond the bar, guests can purchase honey from the Zelko duo’s award-winning Heights Honey Bee Project. Part apiary, part conservation effort, the project relocates bee hives that would otherwise be exterminated in order to harvest their honey and preserve the rapidly vanishing population of honey bees. The project’s honey is used in a number of Zelko’s dishes and has a smooth, fragrant character that pairs especially well with fresh fruit.Between their conservation efforts and locally sourced ingredients, the Zelko duo present an outstanding template. There’s no pretension in their dining room, just sustainable cooking true to its southern roots.Zelko BistroAddress:705 E 11th St, 77008Phone number: (713) 880-8691Price range: $$Website: zelkobistro.comRecommended DishesThe ‘Boss’ Burger, $12Cheddar, lettuce, caramelized onions, bacon, tomato, pickles, dijonaise on brioche with friesLamb tacos, $12Toasted cumin, raita slaw, side of candied plantains

NEWS 8/27/15 12:23pm

Hot Houston spots

By Kaylen Strench

Welcome to Houston, y’all! Whether you are from far-off places or around the block, there are plenty of new, exciting sites to see and experiences to have in America’s fourth-largest city. In fact, there are so many things to do that all of those websites and guidebooks may overwhelm you a bit. To make things a little easier for you, the Thresher has weeded through the good and the bad in order to find the real gems tucked into this awesome place. For the artsy and outdoorsy: Miller Outdoor TheatreLocation: Hermann Park, past the zoo.How to get there: You can walk from campusThe scoop: Nestled within walking distance from Rice is one of Houston’s hidden artsy treasures, Miller Outdoor Theatre. This architectural masterpiece hosts free or low-cost events year-round in all variety of genres, including fireworks on July 4, symphonies, plays, dance performances and much more. Delicious food is often sold on site, and the theater is frequently surrounded by food trucks. Miller’s a great way to explore culture in your own backyard — literally.For hipster concertgoers: House of BluesLocation: 1204 Caroline St.How to get there: METRORailThe scoop: Houston’s overrun with music venues, but this one’s a treat purely because it’s so accessible from Rice. Just hop on the Metro, ride along for four or five stops, and you’ll be there in no time. The other perk of House of Blues is how diverse its offerings are — they host events almost every night of the week and feature acts from every genre of music, from country, to indie-rock, to ’70s throwback. It’s a great place to check out if you want to get off campus and listen to some high-quality live music in a relaxed setting.For the budget-conscious sports fan: BBVA Compass StadiumLocation: 2200 Texas St.How to get there: METRORailThe scoop: Houston’s an amazing city if you like watching professional sports, but sometimes the tickets can get a little pricey. Houston’s professional soccer team, the Dynamos, allows you to get in on the action without breaking the bank. The team plays at BBVA Compass Stadium, easily accessed from campus by the new Purple METRORail line, and tickets go for cheap on resale websites like Groupon. Just because tickets are affordable, however, does not mean you’re not in for an excellent time. The team is playing well and the venue is top-notch, so the games can be just as exciting as an early season Texans or Astros game.For the quirky: Beer Can HouseLocation: 222 Malone St.How to get there: Uber, or get a friend to driveThe scoop: In 1968, a Texas man got very bored, and several years later, Beer Can House came into existence. A Houston institution, BCH is exactly what it says in the name: a giant architectural structure created from over 50,000 beer cans. Though the creator, upholsterer John Milkovisch, swears it is not a piece of art, many would beg to differ, and the site has gained international attention in recent years. BCH is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. for admission and tours. A visit to this attraction is a pretty safe bet if you are looking for a weird adventure during your stay in Houston. For the adventurer: Discovery GreenLocation: 1500 McKinney St.How to get there: METRORail heading northThe scoop: Nestled in the urban jungle that comprises downtown Houston is a little patch of peace and nature. Discovery Green hosts events year round, most of which are free and open to all members of the community. In the winter, the park hosts ice skating and free holiday movie showings. In other seasons, events run the gamut from free tango classes to yoga sessions to wine tastings. The park is also just a great place to lay down a blanket and have a picnic with a friend. Regardless of when you make a visit, you will find something interesting to check out.

NEWS 8/27/15 12:20pm

Welcome to Houston Restaurant Weeks

By Walden Pemantle

Over 100 restaurants are participating in this year’s Restaurant Weeks. Tasting menus range from $20 lunches to $45 dinners and a part of the proceeds from each meal will go to the Houston Food Bank. The menus will only be served until Sept. 7, so with limited time left to taste, the Thresher has picked the top spots to visit before Restaurant Weeks are over.TrinitiThough Triniti’s sister restaurant, Sanctuari, has been getting more press lately for its wildly inventive cocktail menu, chef Ryan Hildebrandt has quietly put together an excellent $20 prix fixe menu at Triniti. Usually among the most expensive menus in Houston, Triniti’s lunch menu for Restaurant Weeks defies expectations by being soulful, simple and elegant for a fraction of the restaurant’s normal price. Catfish hush puppies with bacon jam and summer corn souffle with blue crab soup are both standouts on the savory half of the menu. However, the biggest draw of all may be pastry chef Samantha Mendoza’s dessert menu. The orange dreamsicle, served with kumquat ice cream, cherry meringue and almonds is an especially refreshing end to the satisfying summer lunch.Location: 2815 South Shepherd DriveDeal: Three-course lunch for $20Kubo'sPerhaps the best deal for students is located in Rice’s own backyard. While other establishments opted for bare bones two- or-three course meals for their $35 prix fixes menus, Kubo’s is offering a decadent four-course tasting menu. The highlights include an exotic seafood ceviche, unagi pie, king crab sashimi salad and yuzu cheesecake, as well as Kubo’s signature nigiri and sashimi.Location: 2414 University BoulevardDeal: Four-course dinner for $35.Brasserie 19Brasserie 19 built its reputation on excellent old -school French cooking and its restaurant weeks menu is no exception. Classic dishes like foie gras torchon, trout almandine, duck confit and creme brulee all appear on the $35 prix fixe. Given the prohibitively expensive nature of the regular menu, the Restaurant Weeks menu is likely the best chance students have to try one of Houston’s top French bistros.Location: 1962 West GrayDeal: Three-course dinner for $35.SpringbolkThe self-described “rugby gastropub” Springbok is a change of pace for both downtown dining and drinking. Chef Seth Greenburg’s bold South African cooking translates well to Springbok’s $35 dinner menu. Restaurant Weeks customers can sample antelope in a South African bread bowl, sous vide hanger steak, chocolate stout cake, strawberry soup and even a flight of South African wines for an extra $15 to $20.Location: 711 Main StreetDeal: Three-course dinner for $35, wine pairings optional for $20 or $30 per couple.El MesonEl Meson’s upscale Spanish cuisine has long been luring in diners from its flashier neighbor Mi Luna. Its Restaurant Weeks menu builds on its tried favorites, including theEl signature paella, and adds a number of offbeat appetizers for good measure. Chipirones, cuttlefish cooked in sepia ink sauce and peppers stuffed with lamb, pine nuts and raisins are among the best reasons to try El Meson’s three-course dinner menu.Location: 2425 University BoulevardDeal: Three-course dinner for $35.Dosi Restaurant & Soju BarThe most alluring spot for adventurous eaters will likely be Dosi Restaurant and Soju Bar. The restaurant specializes in neo-Korean cuisine and house-infused soju, a liquor whose name translates literally as “burn liquor” from Korean. Dosi’s Restaurant Weeks menu pairs year-round favorites like kale tapioca chips, seared scallops with black sesame and candied onions and a 12-oz. ribeye with gochjuang butter with a selection of their house soju. The dessert menu is even expanded, offering strawberry cheesecake dumplings and goat’s milk shaved ice in addition to their signature red bean donuts with salted lime glaze and chai pudding.Location: 2802 South Shepherd DriveDeal: Three-course dinner with drink pairings for $35.

OPINION 8/27/15 12:09pm

SA Corner: Welcome to Rice!

By The Student Association

Welcome to Rice!Jazz Silva, SA PresidentOn behalf of the Student Association, I would like to welcome both new and returning students to the new semester. Despite it being the summer months, our team continued to meet and work for you. Now that the fall has arrived, we are happy to reveal our new website and our new monthly page in the Thresher!As we begin this new academic year, I would like to remind each student that they have a voice. This means that at all times students have the ability to make changes they want to see become a reality. From the new off-campus meal plan to the restructuring of the economics department, it’s clear that students have the ability to make a difference when they feel empowered to speak up. I want to see this spirit of engagement continue at full force! For all our new students on campus, I encourage you to apply for the new student representative positions at your respective colleges. This is the easiest way to get a real look at what campus government looks like and to develop leadership experience.As promised in my campaign, the campus-wide senate meetings will now be held in the colleges. So, by the end of this year many of you will attend an SA meeting for the first time. I hope you can see how dedicated our entire team is to working for students. I look forward to a great year and thank you again for letting me serve as your president! New initiative fundThe Student Initiative fund is a new funding opportunity created in light of the recent changes to the blanket tax system. This opportunity is available for all subsidiary organizations and active Rice student organizations. The Initiative fund money will be distributed via an application process that will be made available to all organizations. There will be two opportunities to apply for funding between the second and third SAPP deadlines each semester. Stay tuned for more information in the upcoming weeks on specific dates and application information. If you have any questions regarding the fund please feel free to contact satreas@rice.edu. 

OPINION 8/27/15 12:07pm

Approaching classes: The trouble with hoop-jumping

By Henry Bair

It’s the beginning of a new semester. Among the multitude of excited and eager students, several phrases crop up repeatedly. “I’m taking this class — medical schools love it when applicants have taken it” and “This a super easy filler class — there’s barely any homework” are often tossed around as people settle into their new courses and brag about them over dinner to their friends.These statements typify an attitude toward education that any lover of learning should find troubling. Here we are, at a university with exceptionally few limitations on which classes a student may take, in a country that advocates its liberal approach to education. Yet many of us look at courses not as a platform for examining our intellectual interests, but as entries to fulfil a list of requirements or tools for maximizing our GPAs, that most hallowed of metrics.Most of us know the rhetoric: We are here to learn how to think, and we should strive to think for ourselves and develop our reasoning capabilities through the coursework we choose. Still, I think that deep down, many of us are instead really good at hoop-jumping: We assess a course not so much by how well we think it will enhance our intellects, but by how well we believe we can deduce and adapt to the “formula” for success. We try to answer the question “What does the teacher look for?” rather than “What can I learn from the class?” Sure, we might think for ourselves, but only to appease the professor and earn a satisfactory grade, and only for as long as the course lasts.In other words, we take classes for the most mundanely utilitarian of purposes, to help us attain the grades needed to obtain our first jobs or gain admission into our desired postgraduate schools. These classes satisfy our distribution requirements without being too rigorous. They strike a happy medium between appearing “impressive” and requiring an excessive time commitment. By far the worst offender is the “filler class,” taken because it is apparently the most unchallenging class that fits into one’s schedule and that helps one progress toward graduation.This approach to a class is extremely insolent. It is disrespectful to the professors who devote substantial effort to creating the curriculum and evaluating the assignments; it is disrespectful to other students who take the class out of sincere passion for the material; and most crucially, it fundamentally invalidates the purpose of a university edification by corrupting the honest spirit of academic exploration and intangible merits of education. It is, in summation, profoundly anti-intellectual.Fortunately, not everyone here has this attitude toward education. For those of you who see the challenges of a course as more than the upcoming problem sets, who see the rewards from a class as greater than the sum of all A’s received on the papers written, who see classes as an indispensable segment of the grand lifelong voyage of learning — keep at it.However, maintaining this desirable perspective isn’t always simple. When confronted with a particularly grueling assignment, we may be hard-pressed to consider the enduring benefits to be gained past this immediate task. In moments like these, we would do well to remind ourselves: We are at a time in our lives when our minds are most flexible and receptive to new ideas. We should savour these precious years and the rich humanistic education with which we are being bestowed, and which (as most of us are still vaguely conscious of) is meant not only to make us better doctors, lawyers, consultants and engineers, but also better people. The liberal education we are receiving is a glorious privilege. Why reduce it to a mere credential?The countless hours of reading, writing and problem solving that go into a class allow us to easily forget that the true value of an education lies in cultivating a scholar — a rational and critical thinker — in each of us, something that can hardly be abbreviated into a series of letters. By the time we are into our sixth jobs, the grades we earned here will be nothing more than ink on paper. In contrast, the expansion of our mental fac ulties, sharpened through conscientious reflection on our coursework, will help us lead productive, positive and meaningful lives. As we venture into the new term, remember that we are here to enrich and refine our souls, not to try and trade them for an A.

OPINION 8/27/15 12:07pm

Life's a Mitch: Keep your pens inked, or fingers above the keys

By Mitch Mackowiak

Welcome one and all! Since I took the yoke of Opinions Editor, we have run a few self-ads encouraging readers to write opinions articles. Please note the change in tone of the ad, from a request to a reminder:   As the calls of slammed trunk doors die away and towers of boxes and bins dwindle Between brimmed buckets of announcements poured over our bewildered ears and eyes I wish to share with you some hopes. If you want to shout your thoughts from a roof Fondren’s will garner widest audience, but I hope you think the Thresher a good roof.   If you have saved some public monologues snuck in the corners of your mind, you will find columnists welcome to the Thresher.    Should recent news spark your strong reaction the act of writing allows thorough thought and I hope you think thoroughly through us. If your convictions fall on ears unhearing or everyone seems out of earshot plenty of eyes study newsprint, like yours.   You need no invitation to write us but, as any teacher might subtly threat,  should no one raise a hand, I shall call you as empty opinion sections are lies.

OPINION 8/27/15 12:06pm

College is the time to experiment with your fashion style

By Thu Nguyen

Before matriculating in 2013, I had little hope for finding a large crowd of fashion enthusiasts on campus, and my first semester proved me right. Free T-shirts and sweats was the norm. There was the rare fashionable individual here and there, and the only exceptions to the T-shirts and sweats combo were career expo days and Associates’ Nights.Thankfully, I discovered 6100 Main, the tiny, tiny fashion blog dedicated to our campus. I began to write for it, and envisioned it becoming the campus fashion blog one day. It was an ambitious vision at the time because no one seemed to care about what they, or anyone else for that matter, wore.Magically, the summer of 2014 seemed to instill a sense of fashion upon the majority of our student body. Or the class of 2018 just elevated the entire campus’ style scene in one fell swoop, who knows. I came back to more chino pants and button-downs on the men, and an even more stylish women’s fashion scene. From boho chic West Coast to NYC street to Southern tea time chic, from Asian street to European posh, our campus style was slowly becoming the epitome of our school’s “diversity” mantra. Rice, you had finally proved me wrong. Not only did you prove that you actually do have a sense of dress, but you also showed enthusiasm for styling and fashion — a sort of new and improved attitude toward actually caring about what you look like, what you are wearing. It honestly took me by surprise, especially the exponential increase in recognition 6100 Main had received lately. (For that, thank you!)Another summer has passed, and we welcome a new class on campus. I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that being stylish and fashionable isn’t necessarily a sign of being a snobby rich kid, an airhead, a “Mean Girl” (or “Guy”), etc. I encourage you to continue this upward trend of caring about fashion and trying out new styles. Remember to take chances and wear what you like, whether or not your roommate hates it!College is the prime time to be ridiculous and experiment with your style. Whether it be loud and bold or just plain and old, your style can physically represent a part of your personality. They tell us not to judge a book by its cover, but let’s be honest: We do judge books by their covers. Covers both protect the pages of the book and make a statement. Use fashion to feel put-together even when your life is in shambles, or to make a social statement. I feel like Beyonce 2.0 when I step out in a white button-down half tucked into high rise jeans, paired with black heels. And when I wear all black? Everyone seems to understand: “I don’t bother you — don’t bother me.” (Yohji Yamamoto). Just as music is a universal language, I believe fashion is too.It’s been a great joy to watch our campus style scene evolve, and I look forward to seeing what this new year brings in terms of fashion. If you ever see someone hobbling across the quad in heels and a blazer on the way to lunch, go ahead, laugh and shake your head. Or stop me to say hi and let me take a picture of your #riceootd (outfit of the day) for Instagram!Bonus tips: Guys, I wholeheartedly embrace the “chino paired with short sleeve button-downs” trend. Chino shorts and pants can be dressed up or down, and can be regular-conservative-khakis colored, or progressively-fashionable-pastel colored. While rolled-up long-sleeve button-downs make any person automatically ten times more attractive, short sleeve button downs are your chance to show off those nice arms you’ve been working on. Ladies, most of y’all know the drill already — loose-fitting dresses are your friends and pointy-toe flats give the same leg-lengthening effect as any pair of heels.

OPINION 8/27/15 11:52am

Leebron: The welcome back speech I don’t get to give

By David Leebron

Each year I have the opportunity to address the entering students at a matriculation ceremony held at the beginning of Orientation Week on the first night our new students are on campus.  What I don’t have an opportunity to do is welcome back our returning students collectively in any formal way. So when the Thresher offered me the opportunity to write a short essay for their first issue of this academic year, I jumped at it. Although limited in scope, it presented an opportunity to deliver a message I have always had in the back of my mind.This year I wrote a new matriculation address. After a bit of explanation, I gave the nano-matriculation speech (taking inspiration from Anthony Brandt’s nano-symphony), which went as follows:We are thrilled and grateful you are here.You should be thrilled and grateful to be here.Seize your opportunities.Get to know your classmates.Don’t do stupid stuff.You can change the world.Thank you and welcome to Rice.After thunderous applause received primarily because they actually thought the speech was over shortly after it began, I got back up and delivered a decidedly non-nano address (but shorter than last year).The nano-speech could be turned into an appropriate welcome back speech by simply adding “back” after “welcome” in the last line. But actually, my nano-welcome back speech would be even shorter, along the following lines:We are thrilled and grateful you are back.Thank you for all you do make Rice the special place it is, and for passing that culture onto our new students.(Okay, I probably should leave in the “Don’t do stupid stuff.”) To explain why I think that is the primary message to our returning students (and indeed to those who have graduated), I would refer to the recent Princeton Review rankings. As I hope you know, we came in No. 1 in the country for both overall quality of life and for interaction among students from different racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. We also remained in the top 10 for student happiness. While there are many reasons for our success in these categories, I believe the primary reason is the way our students treat each other — with enthusiasm, acceptance, encouragement, support, curiosity and respect. They create the strong sense of community in which the vast majority of students feel welcomed and included. Two aspects of Rice are critical in creating this culture and atmosphere: O-Week and the residential colleges. I am amazed each year by the outpouring of enthusiasm for participating in O-Week, and then by the sheer joy our students take in welcoming new students to Rice and making sure their Rice experience is as good as it can be. Our upper-year students do this primarily because they care about their new students. But an O-Week advisor I spoke with over the past weekend told me how much he gained from the experience. The realization that he is now a role model, and the responsibility that entails, resulted in a leadership experience from which he learned a great deal. The faculty, staff and administration, and of course especially our college masters, do all we can to support the special Rice culture, a culture that emphasizes inclusion and support, and disdains features of exclusion and elitism such as fraternities and sororities. The success of that culture, and especially its transmission from one group of students to the next, rests largely in the hands of our students, and that is a responsibility that they rise to magnificently. We aren’t perfect, and indeed the moment we believe that we are is the moment we will get worse rather than better. Under the leadership of our student coordinators, O-Week continues to be refined and improved, year after year. And despite many changes in the university, the culture persists and attracts extraordinary students each year.So to all our returning students:We are thrilled and grateful you are back.Thank you for making Rice a special place, and for helping our special culture endure.And, oh yes, don’t do stupid stuff.

NEWS 8/27/15 11:51am

Silva: Flag swap an insult to entire campus community

By Jazz Silva

This summer, Rice rightfully earned the title of No. 1 in race/class interaction by the Princeton Review. Diversity, respect and integrity are community values embedded in every aspect of our campus life. In the occasion that a student violates one of these core values, the entire community holds them responsible. It should be no surprise that students hold every member of campus administration to this same standard.The decision to temporarily remove the Taiwanese banner during the campus visit of the Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong, violated the core of every campus value that students are taught to uphold. In the interest of fairness, this decision made by the Office of Public Affairs was a difficult one to make. The history between Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China is complex and convoluted. In light of this complexity, a decision was made that was “appropriate as a matter of U.S. diplomatic protocol.” However, this decision was not appropriate as a matter of honoring Rice’s culture. If a U.S. protocol violates the core of our community values, clearly this university should not be following said protocol. The thought process behind removing the banner is not difficult for students to understand. If the banner had been left hanging, it could have severely insulted the visiting Chinese official. However, the decision to take it down has severely insulted our Taiwanese students and our entire campus community. Having a high-ranking official on our campus certainly increases our prestige and respect as an institution. However, Rice would have no prestige or basic operation without its students and alumni. If Rice aspires to be a leadership institute, the burden of this cannot rest on the student body. Leaders are taught to make difficult decisions and stick to their morals when it’s easier to do otherwise. In light of this incident, it is not enough to repeatedly say, “Rice is proud of our Taiwanese students.” Actions speak louder than words, and the removal of the banner sent an extremely clear message. The Student Association has a responsibility to advocate for every student at Rice. Therefore, I personally met with the Office of Public Affairs to express student concern over this issue. After thoroughly explaining the complexity of the issue and the plight of our Taiwanese students, I asked a pointed question. “If this event were to happen again in the future, would the banner still be removed?” The response was “Yes.”There is no justifiable reason why any faction of campus administration should be so disconnected and out of touch with the values of the student body. We deserve more than an explanation behind why the decision was made. We deserve an apology and a promise to not let this happen again.

OPINION 8/27/15 11:51am

Hutchinson: Pause and reflect upon who you want to be

By John Hutchinson

Sociology Professor Jenifer Bratter’s Orientation Week faculty address focused on “identity,” how we define ourselves and each other, and how these definitions are flexible. I was inspired by the power of her message, and it seemed to me to resonate with two of the themes I want us to think about and work on this year. In terms of identity, the questions are not “Who are you?” and “Who are we as a community?” but rather “Who do you want to be?” and “Who do we as a community want to be?” And these are not trivial questions.As you begin your year at Rice, if you have not already given considerable thought about the question of who you want to become, now is the perfect time to do so. You are not defined by anything other than your aspirations and your choices and your efforts to achieve both. Your time at Rice is not about demonstrating what you can do; rather, it is about choosing experiences that will help you become the person you want to be and then learning from your experiences, whether they are successes or disappointments or even failures.  Many, perhaps most, of you consider college as simply the next thing to do in your life, another step on the road to wherever it is you are planning to go. Some of you have thought of Rice as a four- or five-year joy ride at someone else’s expense (most likely your parents’). In either case, if these are your narrow goals, I suspect you will succeed. But in doing so, you will have missed the greatest opportunity of your life at the most important time of your life. I strongly encourage you to spend time in reflection, rather than to make assumptions about a fixed identity. And I encourage you to make choices necessary to give yourself the time and space for this reflection. Take fewer courses so that you can get the most from each course. Pursue only a single major enabling you to explore the curriculum with more electives. Engage in the many opportunities for personal and intellectual growth that Rice offers through community engagement, independent study, internships and study abroad. Be an active member of your college and your campus, forming lasting friendships.As for who we want to become as a community, there are too many facets to discuss in this note, so I will focus on a single value we should hold together: honor. Our honor system is one of our longest-standing traditions, if not the single longest-standing. But it is quite easily taken for granted, and as such is quite easily compromised and violated. This year, Faculty Senate in partnership with the Honor Council and the Student Association will undertake an in-depth assessment of the honor system, including policies and processes. This will allow us to reinvest ourselves as a community in this shared value, together answering one of the most important questions of who we want to become. We want to be, now and always, a community where honor is an absolute, with integrity never to be compromised. I encourage every one of you to engage in this conversation so that honor and integrity become a common expectation to which we hold ourselves and one another.It happens that I am writing these words on Aug. 23, the seventh anniversary of the day our family lost Emma Grace Hutchinson. She was 20 and about to begin her junior year at Trinity University, a place that she loved dearly and an opportunity that she cherished. No one I’ve ever known has better understood the importance of experiencing life to its fullest by a willingness to take chances on difficult tasks, on new relationships, on challenging subjects, on once-in-a-lifetime opportunities not to be missed. No one I’ve ever known has more fully embraced her own uncompromising integrity, living her carefully considered values. No one I’ve ever known has more deeply lived life to its fullest with unfailing optimism about what life might bring. My aspiration for each of you while at Rice and in the years to come is that, like the Trinity student whose life I shared, you find your own inspiration to set your sights high and then to use this opportunity to become the person you most want to be.

NEWS 8/27/15 11:50am

Rice gave respect to the highest bidder

By Charlotte Evans

Rice University was recently the top-ranked school for race/class interaction by the Princeton Review. The administration prides itself in its diversity of students that attend from countries around the globe and honors these students by displaying the respective country flags across campus. Except for when it doesn’t. This past June, China’s vice premier, Liu Yandong, visited Rice to attend a meeting between the Chinese and American university presidents. Graduate students and summer scholars noticed something strange in the days prior to the meeting: The Taiwan flags around campus mysteriously disappeared and were replaced with different countries’ flags. When the administration was questioned about this, they responded that this decision was made due to “political politeness.” This quiet “political politeness” indicated to the numerous Taiwanese students on campus that they don’t matter to Rice University. Their homeland, which gave them the foundation needed for their scholarly success, was reduced to nothing because the administration here felt afraid to defend the diplomatic relationship between Taiwan and the United States that has been occurring since Taiwan Relations Act of 1979. To the administration, it was easier to stop showcasing some of the brightest students on campus than it was to simply maintain the standards for which the university claims it stands for.Because of Rice’s motto “unconventional wisdom,” I believed that the institution would not bow down to political pressure and would respect the students it represents. Instead, it clearly demonstrated that respect should be given only to the highest bidder. As a domestic student that works closely with international students on a daily basis, I find it imperative that all students be treated with dignity and respect regardless of country of origin. The students from Taiwan did not get that courtesy this summer. We are all here together, and there are no limits to what we can achieve together as long as each one of us feels like we are valued.

OPINION 8/27/15 11:48am

Overcrowding inevitable, but not unmanagable

By Thresher Editorial Board

Some returning students have been asked to move off campus to make room for an over-enrolled class of new students. In a few cases, new students were switched between residential colleges after already receiving their assignments or had to live in a college different from the one into which they matriculated. The Thresher believes overcrowding is an inevitable and severe issue that demands discussion and preparation among the student body and administration during the year. The Thresher appreciates the administration’s efforts to fill every bed and understands the difficulty of predicting yield. It is not only reasonable but expected that the issue of overcrowding will arise and some shuffling of new students will occur. However, Rice lacks a cohesive plan to address overcrowding in a way that is suited to each of the residential colleges’ unique needs. For example, offering returning students the incentive to overcrowd rooms may work at Sid Richardson College, but is largely ineffective in the single suites at Martel College.  Moreover, incentives that provide monetary compensation to returning students to move off campus are unfair to students who voluntarily chose to move off campus for the following year. While monetary incentives are a viable way of ensuring all new students are accommodated on campus, they must be offered and distributed fairly. This is a tough situation to address but the Thresher believes it can and must be improved to ensure financial fairness. Overcrowding diminishes from new students’ first year experience. The residential college system is designed such that students become almost immediately attached to their home college, and to learn last minute that one has been shuffled between colleges can be disjointing. O-Week coordinators are often forced to bear the brunt of parental anger even though they lack control over the situation. It is understandably difficult to strike a balance so new students do not learn of their residential college assignment too late or too early. However, when new students are informed that their assigned residential college lacks the physical space to accommodate them, Rice and its student leaders, who are the face of O-Week, appear incompetent. One of Rice’s most commendable features is its emphasis on student leadership; however, if these leaders are not immersed in decision-making processes, they must face the consequences of decisions they had no hand in, in a situation they cannot improve.  The student body, administration and college masters and coordinators should collaborate throughout the year to change overcrowding from an emergency situation to an anticipated issue with an established solution. As part of this plan, new students must be informed by the administration that residential college and rooming assignments are tentative. In order to make the new student transition to college as smooth as possible, it is necessary to accept the reality of overcrowding and address it as best as possible for all parties involved.

NEWS 8/27/15 11:47am

University of Houston selling old KTRU frequency

By Amber Tong

Houston Public Media, a broadcasting service of the University of Houston, has made a decision to sell radio station Classical 91.7 KUHA Houston, according to Radio INSIGHT. The station belonged to KTRU Rice Radio prior to 2010.KUHA station general manager Lisa Shumate, as quoted by KUHF, said the decision was based on the recognition that the popularity, broadcast quality and efficiency of digital broadcasting has enhanced significantly.“Placing our focus on high-definition radio and digital streaming for our classical music programming enables us to make the best use of technology and resources to continue providing the music and arts and culture content that our listeners enjoy,” Shumate said.According to the Radio INSIGHT report, finance may have played a part in the resale as well.The report reads: “After a poor fundraising campaign in 2013 the station eliminated four on-air positions and replaced the local programming with American Public Media’s ‘Classical 24’ network.”Three-year KTRU disc jockey Carrie Li said she sees 91.7’s resale as ironic, given the fact that KTRU’s old frequency is being resold while KTRU itself is going back onto FM. “I feel amused, but also a little bitter on behalf of the past DJs who mounted such a tireless campaign to keep KTRU on 91.7,” Li, a Martel College senior, said. “A lot of KTRUvians wanted to see classical 91.7 fail and openly celebrated whenever they encountered technical difficulties or something, but I’m not gloating. It just seems like a massive waste.”Commenting on KTRU’s sale five years ago, Li said its impact on morale is still visible on campus.“I joined KTRU my first semester freshman year and by then KTRU had been broadcasting exclusively online for, I believe, at least two years,” Li said. “KTRU was, and to a certain extent still is, I think, suffering from low morale as a result of the sale.”While the move to online broadcasting is understandable considering people’s preference for streaming, it limits the station’s ability to catch new listeners by surprise, according to Li.“The caveat to streaming online [is] that listeners usually have to know that the stream exists and how to get there,” Li said. “There isn’t that element of discovery when you find a cool new station with your car radio.”KTRU station manager Emily Meigs said traditional analog broadcasting is still the predominant medium for radio stations.“Although digital broadcasting is growing, it is not at a pace that it will overtake traditional analog broadcasting,” Meigs, a Martel College senior, said. “Plus, digital radios can receive analog signals.”Meigs also said because of the unique advantage of broadcasting, KTRU is happy to be on FM again. “KTRU has been broadcasting on HD2 for the past four years, but is excited to make the switch back to the FM and think that it will provide our listeners with an easier way to tune in,” Meigs said.Starting Oct. 2, KTRU Rice Radio will be broadcasting on a new frequency of 96.1, in addition to its online station (ktru.org).

NEWS 8/27/15 11:46am

Rice, UT launch Public Health Scholars program

By Hannah Todd

Rice University and the University of Texas School of Public Health have partnered to offer Rice students the opportunity to start a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science with a Master of Public Health their senior year at Rice. The program, which begins this fall, allows students to finish the MPH in the year following graduation.The program is co-directed by Dr. Kristen Ostherr, a recent Master of Public Health graduate, and Dr. Nicholas Iammarino, a Rice faculty member. According to Ostherr, the program stems from a growing need for public health awareness. “The idea came from a recognition of the growing importance of public health to our daily lives, to the nation’s future and to the careers of future physicians,” Ostherr said. “Because Rice has so many [pre-medical students] who are interested in issues related to health disparities, global health and the environment, a joint program in public health made perfect sense.”Vice Provost for Strategic Partnerships Dr. Daniel Carson said the connection across institutions is what makes the program distinct.“The UTSPH already had similar programs with other UT campuses,” Carson said. “This told us setting this up was possible, but didn’t provide a clear guideline for how to do this between institutions.”Administrative details proved most challenging at its start, according to Iammarino.“Questions like transferring course credit, the financial implications and coordinating our academic years and scheduling all needed to be sorted through,” Iammarino said.The proper handling of these issues was imperative, according to Ostherr.“It’s critical to do it right to help ensure the program’s longevity,” Ostherr said.Besides Iammarino and Ostherr, Carson and Rice Dean of Undergraduates John Hutchinson were instrumental in the program’s creation.“Dean Hutchinson played a key role along with Vice Provost Daniel Carson in working with [Rice’s and UTSPH’s] administrations to solve these issues while also anticipating many unique questions we knew would arise from our students, creat[ing] a special FAQ sheet to begin addressing the questions,” Iammarino said.The 2015-16 cohort is five Rice seniors selected from 20-30 applicants.“This being our first year, we had to hustle to get the word out quickly to obtain applicants at the end of the [2014-15] year but were very pleased at our response and applicants,” Iammarino said. “However, we expect the numbers to grow as students learn about this option and can actually plan for it earlier in their undergraduate careers.”The program will expedite the path to a MPH, according to Iammarino.“The most exciting part of this new program is the opportunity to enroll concurrently in the UTSPH and take up to five courses during their senior year,” Iammarino said. “In essence, they will be able to potentially complete their MPH degree in one year rather than the typical two years.”The program also encourages public health studies across majors and has plans for growth.“We want more cross-fertilization between all of the different divisions on campus,” Dr. Ostherr said. “We deliberately do not limit participation to students from any one major … and will be issuing another call for applicants this fall.”Wiess College senior Brooke Evans is a member of the 2015-16 cohort. Having pursued the Global Health Technologies minor since freshman year, Evans said the program aligned well with her interests and previous experience.“I learned about this program in one of [the Global Health Technologies] classes and was so excited about the opportunity to learn about public health on a graduate school level,” Evans said. “I hope my education in public health will help me understand medicine on a larger scale and critically analyze and work toward improving the health of the greater public.”

NEWS 8/27/15 11:44am

Taiwan flag removed for Chinese leadership visit

By Anita Alem

Rice recently removed the Taiwan banner from its campus when hosting a visit from Chinese officials, according to Senior Director of News & Media Relations BJ Almond. The visit included university presidents and chancellors from China and the United States, as well as China’s Vice Premier Liu Yandong, Minister of Education Yuan Guiren and Vice Minister of Education Hao Ping. “Rice’s two Taiwan light pole banners are not flags, but they include an image of the Taiwanese flag,” Almond said. “Our banners could have been viewed as an affront by Vice Premier Liu, the third-ranking official in the Chinese government. The university’s decision to temporarily remove the ... banners was consistent with U.S. policy, and it was also a matter of diplomatic protocol for a visit by the highest-ranking government official from China to come to Rice.”Rice’s light poles are often adorned with themed banners that are rearranged, replaced and removed for a variety of reasons. The current banners feature the flags of countries represented by Rice students and faculty, including Taiwan.“The banners were replaced right after the visit,” Almond said. “Rice welcomes and values our students and faculty members from Taiwan. That is why we included the Taiwan banners as part of the international display in the first place.”Tim Chang (McMurtry ’15), the former president of the Rice Taiwanese Association, said he believes Rice should state its reasons for the removal and be prepared to respond to questions.“I cannot say whether  the Rice University officials were proper in the removal of the ROC flag,” Chang said. “From a stance to improve tolerance and a chance to possibly establish meaningful conversations, I think the Rice University officials should not have removed the flag.”This article was originally published July 14, 2015 and has since received new quotes.

NEWS 8/27/15 11:33am

Hoot, Whoo Deli, Droubi’s shift locations

By Amber Tong

Hungry Owls returning in the fall may be in for a surprise. The Rice Memorial Center is undergoing renovations to accommodate significant changes in the campus food scene. 4.TacO and The Hoot will be located in what was formerly the window of Droubi’s Mediterranean Grill in the RMC, Droubi’s will move into South Servery and Whoo Deli will move into Sammy’s. According to Susann Glenn, manager of communications for Facilities, Engineering and Planning, the changes are in response to a survey.“We sent out a retail dining survey [to] check in with faculty, staff, graduate students — the people who would most frequent our retail operations,” Glenn said.Glenn said Whoo Deli, a brand owned by Rice and the campus’ top food seller, is moving from its current location at South Servery into Sammy’s lounge in the RMC to increase its visibility and accessibility.“The deli has a loyal following, and moving it to this location centralizes it [in] the campus,” Glenn said. “It also exposes it to some people who may not have ventured down to the south part of campus to eat. With the number of visitors that travels through the student center, it’s just an excellent option.”Chef and Dining Director Johnny Curet said he expects Droubi’s move to the South Servery where the Whoo Deli was located will benefit the restaurant’s operation.“We wanted to give Droubi’s a solid location for some dining,” Curet said. “Some of the things that you as an operator have to deal with is sometimes we [have] to close this area down based on the RMC schedule for events. … [In the future they can] operate more successfully, more consistently.”A.J. Droubi, owner of Droubi’s, said while the interior design has improved, customers are still getting used to its new location.“It is much prettier but too quiet,” Droubi said. “I hope we will be able to have some of our customers back and generate some sales.”However, Droubi said the new location adds exercise to the Droubi’s experience.“My motto now is that the Mediterranean diet has gotten healthier: A few minutes of walking to our new location can keep you in better shape!” Droubi said.According to Brad Thacker, senior operations manager of food services, 4.TacO will move into the serving window that is being emptied as Droubi’s leaves, possibly introducing breakfast options in the RMC.Additionally, The Hoot will combine its South and North operations to one central location in the RMC, the serving window, according to Curet. The Hoot and 4.TacO will use the window at different times.  Joanna Weedlun, general manager of The Hoot, said The Hoot management team is thrilled to announce its relocation. According to Weedlun, operating in one location instead of two will allow the late night food provider to focus more on serving customers.“Reselling hot food is a very tricky business model, and is made even more difficult by having two locations,” Weedlun, a Hanszen College senior, said. “By consolidating The Hoot into one central location, we can strengthen our business model and increase innovation for our customer base.”Weedlun also said centralizing is not a recent idea; previous Hoot management teams have thought about it, and the current team has worked on it for a while.“The process of this move actually began years ago and has been a goal for many Hoot management teams,” Weedlun said. “The Hoot has planned ahead and budgeted for this move.”Rice Coffeehouse general manager Mason Daumas said being under the same roof as The Hoot will likely benefit the operation by increasing traffic.“We expect the Hoot’s new location to increase business at Coffeehouse,” Daumas, a Wiess College senior, said. “When people go to the Hoot to get food, they’ll also have the option to stop at Coffeehouse and caffeinate themselves. That wasn’t true when the Hoot was working out of two locations.”In addition to infrastructure changes, Curet said there will also be new food options.“One of the things that we started with with 4.TacO recently was the Korean taco and, believe it or not, it’s our number one taco now,” Curet said. “[The demand] is more Asian food, more grab-and-go, and more Indian food ... We’re still testing an Indian taco.”According to Glenn, the relocation and expansion of the menu are meant to reflect consumption demands and patterns.“This is all done with a lot of thought and really looking at what trends we’re seeing,” Glenn said. “It’s not just a knee-jerk reaction.”Anastasia Bolshakov, (Duncan ’15) who worked with H&D and was involved in reviewing the survey results, said the feedback helped H&D understand community needs.“I think that a lot of the feedback was really eye-opening, and some of it was contradictory,” Bolshakov said. “It’s important to remember that you are not going to please everyone.”Bolshakov said moving Droubi’s and Whoo Deli will benefit each of them.“Now [Droubi’s will] have their own dining room, a bigger space and a kitchen they won’t have to share,” Bolshakov said. “It is nice that the Whoo Deli is in a more central location now too. People were often complaining that the Hanszen Annex was too far of a walk, and you can’t really get any more central than the RMC.” 

NEWS 8/27/15 11:21am

Welcome to Rice, Class of 2019

By Drew Keller

Just under 34 percent of the 2,865 students admitted to Rice University in 2015 have enrolled in the class of 2019, according to Vice President for Enrollment Chris Munoz. “We’re really selecting on a national level, the best from the best,” Munoz said. “So you can’t even imagine what that must be like for Harvard or Stanford. We’re in that world of the students who apply to Rice.” Munoz said the wide range of nationalities, races, languages and extracurricular interests among the matriculating class shows that Rice students do not fit a specific stereotype. As an example, he pointed to the fact that 44 percent of the matriculating class were involved with varsity athletics in high school.“When you think of Rice in terms of image, they always think our students are a bunch of geeks,” Munoz said. “And they may be, but that doesn’t mean they can’t throw a football. … Our geeks are diverse, they have other things they bring to the table.”According to Munoz, an important characteristic of Rice students is their flexibility.“Our students often are agile,” Munoz said. “We’re not [the California Institute of Technology], this is not Caltech. Our students often may be outstanding in terms of their quantitative skills, but they can maybe write a novel.”Munoz said all segments of Rice’s student population are academically accomplished, comparing science and engineering students to those in other academic schools.“There is no place, in my opinion, at Rice that you could hide anyone,” Munoz said. “The nature of our curriculum, the quality of the students who enroll at Rice, even our humanities and social science students often have academic qualifications that are commensurate with our science and engineering people. As a general rule, their test scores may be a tad lower, but not much, and I think that goes along with the kind of curriculum we offer.”According to Munoz, negative perceptions of Houston and Texas in other parts of the United States pose a challenge to Rice by reducing the number of students who apply and enroll.“[National perceptions of Houston and Texas are] still a stereotype issue we deal with,” Munoz said. “And sometimes when our representatives say provocative things that don’t make any sense it doesn’t help us. When our governor said we were going to secede from the United States, we’re going, oh please, don’t do that. Don’t say that, it’s so stupid.”Stanford University and the University of Texas, Austin have been Rice’s most significant competitors for prospective students, according to Munoz.However, Munoz said that admission trends are positive for Rice, with test scores, admission rate and other measures of the caliber of new students becoming increasingly selective in recent years.“If I were a Rice student, I’d be happy,” Munoz said. “Remember that every class we bring in that’s better than your class, on paper, only increases the value of your degree. It’s like Stanford. There are people who got degrees from Stanford, X years ago, and they have benefitted from its current position. It’s like, ‘Every Stanford graduate is starting a company in Silicon Valley. I read that.’ That’s the buzz, the marketing buzz.”

NEWS 8/27/15 11:18am

New students reassigned colleges

By Andrew Ligeralde

Several new students faced last-minute changes to their living situations due to a higher than expected number of students committing to Rice University this fall. According to Dean of Undergraduates John Hutchinson, as of the beginning of August, 11 new students were initially scheduled to share rooms with upperclassmen in order to secure a spot on campus.“We are seeking to provide incentives to upperclassmen to overcrowd their rooms, some financial incentives for them to do that to make spaces for new students,” Hutchinson said. “I would prefer not to overcrowd the rooms of new students since they don’t have a context for knowing what they’re volunteering for if they do that.”Mark Ditman, associate vice president of Housing and Dining, said the incentives work in such a way to prevent students from taking advantage and overcrowding just to save on room and board.“What we don’t want to do is incentivize people to overcrowd a room to save money,” Ditman said. “We think that can have some bad consequences over time. ... Once a bed became available in the college, you had to unwind the overcrowd, and that person would go in the open bed. If they wanted to overcrowd instead of the open bed they could, but the financial incentive would terminate once a bed became open.”However, according to Hutchinson, in cases where colleges could not accommodate any more students, new students were transferred from their original assigned colleges to other colleges where extra beds opened up over the summer. “Four new students chose to live in a different college because we could house them there, and then chose to become members of that college rather than remain members of the college they were originally assigned to,” Hutchinson said. “Two other students very much wanted to remain assigned to the college they were originally assigned to, and in the end, they were actually able to get beds where they were originally assigned.” According to Baker Orientation Week coordinator Sylvia Omozee, two international students originally assigned to Will Rice College were switched to Baker College the day before O-Week started. “They were basically putting new students wherever there were rooms around campus,” Omozee, a Baker College senior, said. “It just so happened that there were things with upperclassmen at Baker who went off campus and there was a double that opened in Baker ‘New New.’”According to Omozee, while the advisors adapted quickly and the new students have adjusted well, the situation was precarious, especially from the new students’ perspective. “I think it’s unfair to promise new students housing in their specific college without intentions of keeping that promise,” Omozee said. “As a new student, I would’ve been wondering, ‘Why me? Why not another student? Was there something about my roommate form that made them think they didn’t want me in their college?’” Hutchinson said that while administration did in fact receive complaints from several of the new students’ parents, his office addressed them accordingly.“We received a small number of concerns from parents, but not very many,” Hutchinson said. “We certainly made sure that we let parents know that we were attentive to the situation, that we were not worried about whether people were going to be able to get beds or not, but that there were some uncontrolled factors that had to play out before we would know for certain where everybody was going to be housed. And parents seemed to understand that pretty well.”According to Omozee, the situation also put a strain on the coordinators, who worked all summer to match roommates and assign rooms, only to find that the expected number of students was higher. Omozee said that while the coordinators were not specifically at fault, certain colleges received complaints from students and parents.   “One particular college kept getting angry emails from at first a new student, then the student’s parents asking why they didn’t have a room,” Omozee said. “Which is completely understandable to be upset about. So we definitely got some heat from that, not specifically Baker, but we have received a lot of heat that is not necessarily our fault, and there was nothing we could do about it. One thing I’m really proud about was that the other 31 coordinators and was that we handled it in a way that despite the things that happened we could still figure it out and put on O-Week.”Omozee said she thinks overcrowding would have been more successful had the financial incentives proposed to upperclassmen been greater.  “I think [administration] just needs better policies if something like this were to happen again,” Omozee said. “The discount given is not enough. So maybe if a higher discount was given, then maybe a better discount would be a solution to that issue. It was more like, this is what you get coordinators, just deal with it.”According to Hutchinson, only two students accepted incentives to move off campus and create space for incoming students.“We did in fact put incentives out there, and students did not find those incentives enticing enough to want to make a move,” Hutchinson said. “We examined different ways to encourage different students to move, and in the end, it was a relatively small number who moved to make room for some of the entering freshmen. It turned out it was only two students who did that. But it turned out that that was what we needed.”According to Hutchinson, the administration will take steps to reduce last-minute transfers in the future while housing many students on campus as possible. However, uncertainties persist that make this a difficult process. “We will make adjustments next year to try to minimize anxiety, but in the end we knew we were going to be able to house people,” Hutchinson said. “We try to balance two conflicting demands. One is we’d like to have as much flexibility as possible and try to house everybody in a situation that is optimal for them. And we’d also like to have as many people live on campus because people want to live on campus. We don’t want to have a bunch of people living off campus while we have a bunch of vacancies.”According to Omozee, however, as O-Week got nearer, there was not much more that could have been done to account for a higher yield. “I think because the issue of overcrowding wasn’t realized until later in the game, there was no way really to move the date of college assignments without students wondering, ‘Where is my college assignment?’” Omozee said. “It would have been better than people coming to O-week and they don’t know what college they’re going to. In all honesty, I think this was the best case scenario for the situation we were given. I’m not happy with the situation. But at this point it’s done. The new students love Baker, so it’s fine.”According to Susann Glenn, communications manager for H&D, the overcrowding system has existed since before 2000 and has been well received by students.“We haven’t heard any pushback because we incentivize certain things for those who participated in that,” Glenn said. “So if anything, we received eagerness from those who have agreed to help us out. … This isn’t a decision that we make on our own as an administration. We need students, to make sure we’re serving [their] needs.”

NEWS 8/21/15 8:51am

Outreach day to focus on food insecurity

By Amber Tong

The Center for Civic Leadership is presenting a new model for Outreach Day 2015, which will take place on the Saturday after Orientation Week, according to CCL Executive Director Caroline Quenemoen. With the focus on a single topic and a keynote address before volunteering activities, the event may look quite different from previous Outreach Days.

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