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Sarah Rutledge

NEWS 10/29/09 7:00pm

University address requires transparency

By Sarah Rutledge

Each fall since 2005, President David Leebron has outlined the university's progress over the previous year, and its plan for the next, in his State of the University address to faculty and students. The session, which is coordinated by the Faculty Senate, has always been open to the Rice community and a Thresher reporter has always been present to report on Leebron's remarks for a news article the following week.Not this year.

NEWS 10/29/09 7:00pm

With new positions, RPC seeks accessibility

By Sarah Rutledge

In an effort to make the club more open to students, the Rice Program Council is nearly doubling in size as it allows students to join as committee representatives. Last year, RPC boasted the Formals, Socials, Traditions, and Spirit and Morale Committees. This year, the club restructured into Socials, Traditions, Publicity, Concerts, and Arts and Entertainment Committees, RPC Vice President Nicholas Muscara said. Interested students could apply for every committee but Arts and Entertainment, which does not accept members based on applications.

NEWS 8/20/09 7:00pm

Reli professor leaves legacy of compassion

By Sarah Rutledge

Edith Wyschogrod, a former religious studies professor, died July 16. She was 79.Wyschogrod, a native New Yorker, started her career teaching philosophy at Queens College of City University of New York. She advanced from lecturer to a permanent member of their faculty and, in 1967, to chair of the department. She held this position until 1992, when she joined the Rice Religious Studies Department.

NEWS 8/20/09 7:00pm

Rice offers West Lot spaces to aid H-E-B employees

By Sarah Rutledge

In an unconventional venture beyond the hedges, Rice is hoping to have established a beneficial relationship with a local business by appealing to their pocketbooks. The employees from a recently-opened H-E-B Grocery Store, located on Buffalo Speedway and South Blvd., have been parking in West Lot free of charge since the beginning of the month, and will continue to park there until next Monday, Aug. 31.The employees are parking in West Lot 5, the lot adjacent to the police station and post office, off University Blvd. Parking Manager Mike Morgan estimated that the H-E-B employees use 50 to 100 parking spaces at any given time. He said since the lot normally has 180 spaces and is infrequently used, parkers should not be impacted by the spaces temporarily in use.

NEWS 12/4/08 6:00pm

2009 Commencement speaker announced

By Sarah Rutledge

The commencement speaker this May for the class of 2009 will be Zainab Salbi, the founder and CEO of Women for Women International, the Commencement Speaker Committee announced this week. The organization provides women in war-stricken areas of the world, many of whom have lost their husbands, with financial assistance, education and job training to regain their pre-war status. Salbi is also the author of Between Two Worlds: Escape from Tyranny: Growing Up in the Shadow of Saddam, a memoir about growing up in Iraq during Saddam Hussein's regime, and The Other Side of War: Women's Stories of Survival & Hope.

NEWS 11/13/08 6:00pm

Honor Council adds transparency clause

By Sarah Rutledge

Due to student complaints about the vagaries of honor code violation notifications, the Honor Council voted Tuesday to specify the information in the initial e-mail sent to students under investigation. Students will now be notified of the class in which the honor code violation is being contested before their initial investigative meeting with the council. The council hosted a mock trial Tuesday to show students how an honor code violation is dealt with, the result of concerns raised at its Consensus Penalty Structure meeting in October, President Jackie Ammons said. After the trial, the floor was opened to discussion and afterward, the council voted on an issue raised by students in previous weeks about the transparency of the process, Ammons, a Brown College junior, said.

NEWS 11/13/08 6:00pm

Tudor Fieldhouse facelift complete after 15 months

By Sarah Rutledge

The building formerly known as Autry Court now has a new name and a new face, after almost two years of construction. Former Rice basketball player Bobby Tudor (Hanszen '82) fulfilled a longtime dream when he donated $7 million for Autry renovations, which began in February of 2007. Tudor Fieldhouse had its grand opening last Friday and will open for the 2008- '09 basketball season tonight when the women's basketball plays California State University-Northridge. The athletic court itself will keep the name Autry in honor of Mrs. James L. Autry, whose daughter donated to the gymnasium building. Assistant Athletic Director and Media Relations Director Chuck Pool said a new Autry Court has been a dream for a very long time. Bobby Tudor, after whom Tudor Fieldhouse is named, was told that renovations to Autry Court were on the table when he went on his high school recruiting trip to Rice 31 years ago. The plans became a reality when Rice received a $7 million contribution from Tudor and his wife, Phoebe. Tudor is a former Rice basketball player and is now chairman and CEO of Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co., LLC.

NEWS 11/6/08 6:00pm

Lovett College alum wins seat as Harris County Judge

By Sarah Rutledge

Republican Ed Emmett (Lovett '71) won Harris County judge on Tuesday, defeating Democratic candidate David Mincberg. Emmett was appointed to Harris County judge in March 2007 by the Harris County Commissioner's court. In 1978, Emmett ran for the legislature and served four terms in the Texas House of Representatives.

NEWS 10/30/08 7:00pm

Leebron shares faculty hiring plan

By Sarah Rutledge

President David Leebron spoke to a packed crowd in Duncan Hall last Thursday while delivering his fourth State of the University Address.Citing Hurricane Ike and its aftermath, Leebron said the year has turned out to be a historically different year for Rice. On Tuesday, Sept. 16, classes resumed after the hurricane with 75 percent of faculty and staff on campus. Leebron said this showed resilience and compassion in responding quickly to the storm. After Ike, the campus suffered $3 million in damage.

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