​LEAP is not what’s best for Rice

Intention and purpose are two very powerful things. Unfortunately, these two values are missing from the Student Association’s Lifetime Enrichment Activities Program proposal. LEAP is a proposal to replace the current one-credit hour Lifetime Physical Activity Program graduation requirement with a new one-credit hour LEAP requirement. To fulfill LEAP, students can choose a one-credit hour course from any of the following categories: cultural enrichment, physical activity, mental well-being, financial literacy, leadership and civic engagement. The rationale provided by the students proposing the change, which if passed by the SA will need to be approved by the Committee for Undergraduate Curriculum, is that such a change would “cultivate a diverse community of learning and discovery that produces leaders across the spectrum of human endeavor.” The resolution for the proposal also includes the statistic that “more than 70 percent of Rice students are involved in some kind of athletic activity.” Finally, they conclude by saying that Rice’s current requirements could be improved by giving students more autonomy.