Rice University’s Student Newspaper — Since 1916

Wednesday, October 04, 2023 — Houston, TX

Special Projects


OPINION 9/12/23 10:43pm

New scooter policy reflects need to update micromobility infrastructure

Dean of Undergraduates Bridget Gorman and Chief Clemente Rodriguez of the Rice University Police Department unveiled Policy 854, the university’s new regulations on micro-transportation, in a Sept. 7 email. The policy, among other things, prohibits the operation of scooters and bicycles inside and at the entrances of university buildings, in addition to requiring operators of these vehicles to yield to pedestrians at all times. 


SPORTS 9/12/23 2:52pm

Owls can’t cut down the trees, get swept by No. 5 Stanford

Volleyball hosted the No. 5 Stanford Cardinals on Sept. 5 for their third ranked matchup this season. Despite keeping the game close, the Owls were unable to win a set, and lost in straight sets 25-17, 26-24 and 25-21. Their loss dropped the Owls to 2-3 on the season, having now lost three games in a row.







A&E 9/6/23 12:41am

Review: ‘Bottoms’ is a welcome addition to the high-school comedy canon

It’s uncomfortable how rarely straightforward comedies are released in theaters these days. This is not to say that the cinema is devoid of comedy, as quipping has become an inescapable part of just about every blockbuster of the last decade. Rather, it feels that jokes are either buried within CGI battles or relegated to scripts likely created or, at the very least greenlit, by AI. But “Bottoms,” Emma Seligman’s new raunchy teen satire, is bringing real comedy back to theaters. 



A&E 9/6/23 12:27am

A celebration of diversity launches on the edge of campus

Contrasting the modern brick and tile of the Moody Center for the Arts and directly opposite the bland facade of the Rice police department lies a bright and organic structure — the first traditional mudhif ever constructed outside modern-day Iraq. Opening Sept. 9 with an event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the mudhif is a product of the Senan Shaibani Marsh Arabs project.


FEATURES 9/6/23 12:14am

Rice researchers talk media bias, nuance

Sifting through the cacophonous jumble of information available at the tap of a screen can be a daunting task. Modern online socialization means the news we receive is never-ending, multifaceted and sometimes dangerous. What are the implications of the rampant accusations of biased journalism and misinformation in today’s academic climate? Researchers at Rice have some ideas.


FEATURES 9/6/23 12:09am

Hot clubs in your area

The Rice Memorial Center was packed with over 350 booths and crowds of students scanning GroupMe QR codes on Sept. 1. The Student Activities Fair boasted clubs of all kinds. The Thresher has compiled a list of new and returning clubs for anyone on the hunt for another extracurricular activity.







SPORTS 9/5/23 11:50pm

Tommy McClelland still picks up the phone

At Louisiana Tech University’s first football home opener in 2014, fireworks lit up their field — but not for them. In the last eight minutes of the game, their opponents from Northwestern State University had scored 10 points, then sealed their 30-27 victory with a tie-breaking 50-yard field goal. Not anticipating a loss, Louisiana Tech had pre-planned fireworks to celebrate their home opener.


NEWS 9/5/23 11:49pm

Rice Pride extends honorary membership to Texas public university students

As Texas closes the doors of queer resource centers at public universities across the state, Rice Pride is opening theirs. On June 14, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a law banning diversity, equity and inclusion offices and initiatives at state-funded universities in Texas, as well as the hiring or assignment of an employee to conduct DEI office duties. 


SPORTS 9/5/23 11:46pm

Owls horned down by Texas, lose 37-10 in season opener

Rice football led the University of Texas Longhorns for exactly 2 minutes and 40 seconds on Saturday when the teams met for the 97th time. Being ahead may have been unfamiliar, but the final result was not — Rice lost to Texas again, this time by a score of 37-10, for the Owls’ 75th loss against the Longhorns.