Letters to the Editor

10/2/08 7:00pm

Valhalla closing unfair measure

To the editor:Why is Valhalla closed? I have heard many rumors. I read something about a violation by students of a dry campus policy during Hurricane Ike ("News in brief: Valhalla closed indefinitely" Sept. 19) in the Thresher last week. So why is the bar closed? Why has the graduate student social hub been unfairly targeted? As a graduate student, I was not informed of the dry-campus policy. Should I have decided to avail myself of electricity and a shower on campus, and decided to bring one of my rapidly warming beers, would I also have been subjected to the same degree of administrative excess?

I can certainly understand President David Leebron being upset if rules were violated. I can see him wishing to exert certain amounts of authority should rules have been broken. I fail to see how the closing of Valhalla accomplishes either. I'm not advocating that the students be punished. In my opinion as both a student and as an alumnus, their actions do not merit the response generated.

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Additionally, it has made my job harder as a member of the university trying to promote the school to the business community. Valhalla served as the conduit for alcohol that was used during various recruiting events. Now it has become more expensive and inconvenient to try and maintain the same level of service to those firms recruiting here at Rice.

Is this really the message we want to send given the state of the economy? The closing of Valhalla does not simply punish those individuals involved, but the campus and community as a whole. Valhalla provides a valuable service to the graduate students and faculty at Rice University. It is a source of pride for me to be able to describe this unique place on Rice campus to those that who cannot fathom the kind of environment that it engenders.

As an alumnus, this gives me great reserve and distrust about donating to a university that might punitively and indiscriminately attempt to change the culture of Rice University in an inorganic manner. I am shocked that the president of the university has failed to fully think through the ramifications of these actions. I am shocked that he has decided to punish the graduate students, faculty and community for the actions of a few. I am shocked that it appears as though he is potentially utilizing a hurricane to exercise a personal agenda. I am shocked, and I am saddened.

Patrick Porter

Brown '01

MSA an unneeded conduit for tetras

To the editor:

I was outraged by the Thresher's article about Housing and Dining's decision to give members of the Muslim Student Association 15 extra tetra points in order to accommodate students observing Ramadan ("MSA petitions for more tetra points," Sept. 19). From the article, H&D decided to give only MSA members tetra points because of fears that non-Muslims would take advantage of the free tetra points.

The decision is insulting to all students. This policy sends the reprehensible message that only members of campus groups are truly religious. Religion is a private matter, and everyone worships in his or her own way. Just as many devout Christians choose not to join the numerous Christian organizations on campus, many Muslims are not in MSA. Muslims who do not want to starve during Ramadan should not feel obligated to prove themselves to be religious by joining MSA.

The logical alternative to this policy would have been to use the Honor Code. Rice places a sincere trust in the Honor Code, and everyone enjoys the resulting benefits. To H&D, however, students can not be trusted. It seems to believe that students will lie about their faith, disrespect Islam and its followers and steal money from their fellow students' tuition in order to eat servery food.

Michael Lee

Brown junior

Editor's note: Housing and Dining decided to work with the MSA to contact students but did not decide to give only MSA members tetra points out of the fear that non-Muslim students would take advantage of free tetra points. In the article, Martel College Senator Selim Sheikh made the statement that the MSA would help hinder non-Muslim students from trying to take advantage of the plan.

Bike theft speedy but preventable

To the editor:

"How fast could you steal a bike?"

This question was posed to the many students, faculty and staff who passed through the Rice Memorial Center last week to visit the Rice University Police Department Bike Security display. I had several cables and chains which had been defeated by previous thieves on campus to use as demonstrators for this event. As people came to the table, I asked them to choose between chain link, twisted cable or case hardened steel padlock.

Of those who made the attempt, the results were surprising. The 1/4" diameter case hardened steel shackle padlock was defeated in 6 seconds; the 1/4" diameter twisted cable was defeated in 12 seconds; and the 1/8" diameter link chain was defeated in 4 seconds. All of these were cut with a dull set of small bolt cutters measuring 14" in length.

So knowing this, what can be done to secure our bikes? The U-Bolt lock is the most preferred and is most difficult to defeat. In fact, typical bolt cutters will not defeat this type of lock. A twisted cable or case hardened steel padlock with a minimum 3/8" diameter will create additional deterrence to the typical bike thief and can be used to secure the tires and rims.

So, how fast could you steal a bike? It all depends on how much time a thief is allowed and what is being used to secure the bike. Keep in mind, many bike thieves do not carry dull cutters, cutters; theirs are newer and can cut much more quickly.

Many of the bike thieves we have apprehended have their tools in a backpack. Knowing that, how many bike thieves have you passed on campus? They blend in; they look like us. We need to make it harder for them to take what we have so they move on without our property.

Jim Baylor

RUPD Sergeant

Campus bike laws need clarification

To the editor:

I would be pleased to obtain clarification from the Rice University Police Department concerning the acceptable areas where people may ride their bicycles. On separate occasions, and by different officers, I have been told that I am not allowed to bike on the road, sidewalk or grass. One officer cited a city ordinance banning the use of bicycles on any sidewalks.

I looked the city ordinance up on municode.com, and this is what it says: Chapter 45, Article XII, Division 1, Section 45-302. Riding on sidewalks.

(a) No person shall ride a bicycle upon a sidewalk within a business district.

(b) The traffic engineer is authorized to erect signs on any sidewalk outside a business district prohibiting the riding of bicycles thereon by any person and, when such signs are in place, no person shall disobey the same.

(c) Whenever any person is riding a bicycle upon a sidewalk, such person shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give audible signal before overtaking and passing any pedestrian.

My interpretation is that if the sidewalk is in a business district, then bicycles are not allowed. The fact that clause (c) exists means that bicycles must be allowed on the sidewalks in some places, namely non-business locations and other places where signs do not indicate otherwise.

Given the non-profit status of Rice University, I would contend that it cannot be deemed a business. If Rice were to be categorized as a business, they would be expected to pay millions of dollars in back taxes. This is not a loophole, but common sense.

Rice is a small secluded campus which is clearly separated from the urban environment of Houston. The small student population also means that, relative to other universities, the pedestrian traffic is quite manageable. Therefore, the threat to personal safety when bicyclists ride responsibly on the sidewalks is rather low.

I understand that the sight of bicyclists breaking the law has become a bit of a pet peeve for law enforcement officers; however, I believe they can put their minds at ease with the knowledge that riding responsibly on the sidewalk is in fact in consonance with both city law and good common sense.

Seiji Yamamoto

Physics graduate student

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