Five years later: tracing COVID-19

By Josh Stallings     3/11/25 10:35pm

Five years ago, high schools and universities across the country went on spring break a few weeks early. Then, spring break never ended.

On Feb. 5, 2020, the then-novel SARS-CoV-2 made front-page news at the Thresher: “Concerning the coronavirus; Rice suspends sponsored travel to China.” 

“Rice Crisis Management suspended all university sponsored-travel to China,” the article reads. “There were more than 24,000 confirmed cases of the virus worldwide … 99.1 percent of the cases have been identified in Mainland China; 11 cases have been confirmed in the United States.” 

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Six members of the Rice community had recently traveled to China at the time of the article. Although they displayed no symptoms, they began self-isolating upon their return. 

On March 11, 2020, the Thresher released its last print publication of the school year amidst the cancellation of university events, classes and closure of student-run businesses. 

“For the first time in its 64-year history, Beer Bike is canceled with no current plans to reschedule,” headlined the March 11 issue.

The following semester began with two positive Covid-19 tests as the old Sid Richardson College building was converted into isolation housing. Incoming Sid Richardson freshmen were displaced across other residential colleges into so-called “Sid Blocks,” the Thresher reported on Aug. 26, 2020.

Anthony Nguyen ’21 said his Orientation Week 2020 co-advising experience took place across campus. 

“For O-Week groups we were assigned certain breakout rooms that were throughout the [Rice Memorial Center], Duncan Hall, Keck [Hall] … in total, usually we were half split between the [RMC] Grand Hall and the tent by Hanszen,” Nguyen said. 

According to a Sept. 2, 2020 article, campus life during a pandemic meant a strict culture of care: every student was expected to abide by an agreement to mitigate the spread of the COVID. 

Students breaking this agreement, with infractions ranging from unmasking to prohibited gatherings in dorms, could face referral to Student Judicial Programs or the COVID Community Court, with penalties varying by case. 

“The COVID Community Court, in partnership with Student Judicial Programs, is a new court composed of 11 student representatives from each residential college … Infractions can be reported by any student through the SJP website,” the article read. 

Elaine Hwang,’22, was on the COVID Community Court and saw six reports of misconduct in the first week of classes. The majority of them were related to mask-wearing and student-gatherings in dorm rooms, according to the article.

“I think a lot of the time most people don't have bad intentions, they just forget, so if they are reminded by the COVID Community Court then they will remember for the rest of the semester … So I think [the COVID Community Court] is a particularly useful way to guide students,” Hwang told the Thresher in 2020. 

However, reactions to this student-run court were mixed. Rahul Popat ‘21, then-President of Will Rice College, said he disagreed with how the COVID Community Court was implemented. 

“It's not my role or our CJ's role to be monitoring people, because we aren't here to be the police and tell people what to do. That is something we have taken up right now, but in the long term, that is not something I see my role being.” Rahul told the Thresher in 2020.  

Despite the pandemic’s challenges to social life, students found ways to keep Rice's annual customs alive, notably, “Screw Yer Roommate,” where students set up their roommates on blind dates.

“We were told to go walk around with our popsicles and dates for 30 minutes [and] then leave the location. I think everyone followed that.” Luke Stancil ‘24, told the Thresher in a Sept. 30, 2020 article titled “Screw Yer Roommate goes hybrid in response to COVID restrictions.”

Another tradition that stayed alive and well during COVID was the Baker 13 Halloween run, which saw around 150 students make their hallowed route across campus according to a Nov. 4, 2020 article. 

“We split up the groups into groups of 35 max based on the sign-ups, and they [were led by] Baker 13 regulars and captains. We'd have a group for Lovett, Will Rice, Hanszen, [and] Wiess,” Nick Lester ‘21, a former Baker 13 co-captain, told the Thresher in 2020.

Beer Bike also made safety changes to exist in the middle of a pandemic, per the March 24, 2021 article. 

“There will be six bikers and six chuggers per team, instead of the usual eight, and two pit crew members only to throw, not catch,” read the article. The event took place across two days, with only three teams on the track at a time. 

By the end of the spring 2021 semester, university administration had begun rescinding various COVID-19 restrictions amidst increased vaccination rates. 

By April, 87% of undergraduates, 61% of graduate students, 72% of faculty and 72% of staff were vaccinated, according to an April 28, 2021 article. Fully vaccinated individuals were no longer required to take weekly Covid-19 tests, and the social distancing guidelines were halved, from six feet to three, the Thresher reported. Still, the pandemic had taken its toll on the university and its community.

“There were students, international students in particular, who could not even come to campus,” then-Rice president David Leebron told the Thresher in 2021.  “Not everybody has the same technology at home. Not everyone has the same number of bedrooms.”

Leebron said that, despite these challenges, Rice was able to offer flexibility to students and faculty. 

“Rice has been seen as one of the most successful universities in handling the pandemic. I think a lot of that credit goes to our students,” Leebron told the Thresher in 2021. “This has been a very hard year, but I think there is a lot of joy in our community.”

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