News In Brief
Attempted robbery
Two men attempted to rob a university consultant early Tuesday morning between Entrance 5 and Wiess College. According to a crime alert sent out by the Rice University Police Department, the men jumped out from behind some bushes and reached for the consultant's backpack but fled the scene after the consultant hit one of the men with his laptop case.
Interim Police Captain Clemente Rodriguez said that while the attack occurred around 5:30 a.m., the victim did not report it until 8:30 a.m. Rodriguez said RUPD has no strong leads to the identities of the two victims and encouraged anyone else involved in a similar situation to report it immediately by using one of the blue light phones around campus or calling RUPD.
"In this case, the victim didn't notify us as quickly as we'd like – he felt it was a situation he'd handled at the time," Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said the consultant did not see the men who attacked him well enough for RUPD to be able to create detailed sketches, but that RUPD's investigators would show images of possible individuals to the consultant to see if he could recognize one of them from those. According to Rodriguez, the consultant described the two as possibly homeless men in their late 20s. One was black and wore glasses and a hoodie, and the other was middle eastern and wore a backward baseball cap.
Rodriguez advised students walking after dark to avoid shortcuts through unlighted areas and be cautious around objects that could be used as hiding places.
"If you're walking after-hours, try to walk in well-lit areas," Rodriguez said. "Also try to walk in a group, and if need be, call RUPD for a security escort."
To request a security escort or contact RUPD, call 713-348-6000 or use one of the blue light phones around campus.
More from The Rice Thresher
Startup incubator unveiled in Ion District
The Rice Nexus in the Ion building was opened to the public Feb. 14. The Nexus will assist selected faculty, student and alumni startups with office space and industry mentorship, free of charge.
Rice testifies for lawsuit against ‘devastating’ federal funding cuts
Rice joined 70 other universities supporting a lawsuit against the National Institutes of Health, which may reduce research funding by billions of dollars. A Feb. 7 NIH memo announced a drastic cut to indirect costs, which covers overhead for research institutions; including funding for lab spaces, water and power bills and paying subcontractors, according to testimony from Provost Amy Ditmtar.
‘Collateral damage’: Houston’s top horn musician allegedly harassed Rice students for decades. And the school knew.
Rice University’s famed horn professor William VerMeulen abruptly retired last spring amid a swirl of sexual misconduct allegations. But dozens of students and industry insiders say “the administration has known for 30 years” — and failed to act.
Please note All comments are eligible for publication by The Rice Thresher.