Special Projects

Senior Spotlight: Natalie Pellette finds art in civil engineering

Artist, architect, engineer, rock climber and Pub general manager — Natalie Pellette nearly does it all. A Hanszen College senior majoring in studio art and civil engineering, Pellette has immersed herself in various academics and activities at Rice, though she didn’t have a typical start here. Hailing from San Diego, she first attended Scripps College, a liberal arts school in Claremont, Calif. before transferring to Rice. 

​​Review: ‘Priscilla’ is the Anti-‘Elvis’

With Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 film “Elvis” renewing interest in one of the biggest figures in American pop culture history, Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla” has continued the Elvis renaissance — this time from a different perspective. “Elvis” was criticized by some for glossing over many of the uncomfortable and controversial aspects of the star’s life, specifically his relationship with the 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu. “Priscilla” looks at Elvis through the lens of a girl oft-forgotten, providing a view into the turbulent life of Elvis’ wife in a way that’s tender and tactful.

Show me the money: Treasurers balance college funds

From massive public parties to “Board Boards” — committees focused on restocking whiteboards — there are many ways Rice’s residential colleges spend their budgets. However, the nuts and bolts of the budgeting process, like where colleges get their money from, is lesser known.

Turning trash into treasure: Eco Reps make colleges greener

Ever wondered if you’re more eco-friendly than your neighbor? At McMurtry College, Eco Reps will give you a badge for your door to flex your sustainability skills to your floor. Have a bunch of old problem sets laying around? At Lovett College, the Eco Committee offers opportunities to turn your trash into treasure at Eco Craft nights.  

Housing & Dining culinary interns serve up life skills

From prepping gyros at the Mezze in West Servery to making mapo-tofu at the Wok in North Servery, culinary interns at Rice help serve up some of students’ favorite meal offerings. The internship program, offered by Housing & Dining, allows undergraduate students the chance to prep and cook food across various campus serveries.

Robert Englebretson pushes his comfort zone

Aunt or ah-nt, caramel or karr-mul, pecan or puh-kahn: These are debates that are essential to the American dinner table, dorm floor and lunch break conversations. Associate linguistics professor Robert Englebretson has built a career from these curiosities, seeking to understand what drives people to communicate the way that they do. 

NOD reveals a public health crisis. Admin should treat it like one.

Last fall, I was one of the “dumb and irresponsible people” to wake up in a hospital bed after drinking an entire bottle of rum.  In the midst of a panic attack, I recalled memories of my ex-boyfriend sexually assaulting me, resenting my inability to ever get closure. For some reason, I convinced myself that chugging hard liquor would calm me down. I didn’t care about the consequences. Frankly, I was suicidal and too distressed for them to matter. I started to realize, half-conscious, the terrible mistake I’d made as soon as I saw my body on a stretcher. I begged emergency medical technicians not to take me to the hospital, all the while delusionally screaming at my ex-boyfriend thousands of miles away. 

Moderation and safety crucial to on-campus drinking

After seven students were transported to the hospital at Night of Decadence Oct. 28 and the public was shut down nearly two hours early, Dean of Undergraduates Bridget Gorman announced that all publics through spring break would be canceled and Pub Night would be only open to 21+ students until further notice. Many students have responded with upset and even anger at this decision, sharing thoughts on Fizz and creating petitions about the matter. While it is fair to be sad about the loss of some important college traditions, we need to consider how severe the alcohol situation on campus has gotten to necessitate this decision.

Rice Pride Fall Festival encourages connection, visibility

Rice Pride hosted its first annual Fall Festival Nov. 3 to highlight queer art and the arrival of the fall season. The festival consisted of a queer market, pumpkin painting, a food truck and games and took place in the Grand Hall of the Rice Memorial Center. It concluded with a drag show later in the evening, with local and student performers. Local queer advocacy groups also tabled at the festival, including Equality Texas. 

Oversold parking permits prompt student frustration

Rice Parking informed South Colleges Lot parking permit holders that they were allowed to use the Entrance 3 Garage if they are unable to find parking spots, according to a September email obtained by the Thresher.

REMS to hold blood drive in Moody Center for Arts Nov. 14

Rice Emergency Medical Services will host a blood drive in collaboration with the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center at the Moody Center for the Arts as part of Collegiate EMS Week Nov. 14. This blood drive will last from noon to 6 p.m. with walk-ins welcome until 5 p.m. 

Tapia talks affirmative action and program failure

University professor Richard Tapia hosted the “Responding to the Fall and Failure of Affirmative Action” presentation Oct. 31. He spoke about a lack of academic support received by underrepresented minority students at Rice in the engineering department after matriculation and suggested potential solutions based on his experiences. 

Mark Ditman awarded inaugural Y. Ping Sun Award

Mark Ditman was the first recipient of the Y. Ping Sun Award for Outstanding Community Engagement after almost 29 years of employment with Rice as the former associate vice president for Housing and Dining. During Ditman’s tenure, he secured a $100,000 grant for mass timber projects at Rice, including the construction of the New Hanszen College Wing, the first mass timber residential building in Texas. Ditman, who retired June 30, was also instrumental in promoting solar energy on campus and developing the college serveries.

Academic Quad closed Nov. 6, redesign to be completed April 2024

The Academic Quad will be closed starting Nov. 6 to begin construction of the redesign, according to a campus-wide email from Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Kelly Fox. The closure and construction are expected to continue through late April 2024. All entrances into the quad will be closed to pedestrians. Access to buildings that surround the quad will remain open through their covered walkways. A temporary walkway will be added to allow ADA access to Anderson Hall while construction of Cannady Hall continues, according to Bryan Miller, facilities and exhibition coordinator for Rice Architecture.

A case for publics blacklisting

There’s been a worrying trend in Rice publics. The talk of the town is the recent issues at Night of Decadence, where a recent email from Wiess College explained that caretaking resources were so stretched thin that the public was shut down entirely. This isn’t the first time this has happened — recent Pub nights have also gotten so bad that Halloweekend Pub was restricted to 21+. Medical resources at these events have faced high numbers of calls multiple times now, and as much as I want to say that NOD was a one-off instance that won’t happen again, I would not be surprised if NOD isn’t the only canceled public this year. What about Martel Beer Bike or Murt Y2K or Inferno?

Clinton and Baker discuss foreign policy at Baker Institute gala

Former U.S. Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and James Baker came to Rice Oct. 26 for the Baker Institute for Public Policy’s “Raising a Meaningful Voice” 30th anniversary gala. Henry Kissinger was slated to be the third guest of honor, but canceled due to an injury. He gave a short virtual address instead.

NOD shut down early after medical resources ‘overwhelmed,’ police altercation

Emergency personnel, crisis management and the Wiess College magisters ended Night of Decadence nearly two hours early Oct. 29, according to Jeff Falk, Rice’s director of news and media relations. 

Community members protest Baker Institute anniversary gala

Students and community members gathered outside the Baker Institute to protest the “Raising a Meaningful Voice” gala held Oct. 26. A Rice University Police Department officer at the protest estimated 200 to 300 people were present at its peak.

Campus Sustainability Day educates students on sustainable habits

The Office of Sustainability worked with student clubs and community members to host Campus Sustainability Day Oct. 24. The event occurred during Campus Sustainability Month designated by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, of which Rice is a member.

11-01-2023 Crossword Solution