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NEWS 10/1/24 11:18pm

Rice launches 10-year strategic plan

By Viola Hsia

The university launched a new strategic plan that will develop investments in research and teaching over the next decade. The plan, titled “Momentous,” was announced at an Oct. 1 event. 

NEWS 10/1/24 11:18pm

Sophomores debut AI nutrition app Diagnos

By Abigail Chiu

Diagnos, an AI-backed nutrition-tracking app, launched in the Apple app store Sept. 24. The app, designed by Ifty Ahmed and Thun Silpsamrit, provides AI-based calorie and nutritional estimates based on users’ pictures of their food. The app also provides nutritional estimates of food on servery menus.

NEWS 10/1/24 10:49pm

Rice SJP critiques antisemitism training

By Maria Morkas

Administration, staff and faculty participated in a half-day antisemitism awareness training Sept. 13, sponsored by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The seminar was led by the Academic Engagement Network, a nonprofit organization that “mobilizes networks of university faculty and administrators to counter antisemitism [and] oppose the denigration of Jewish and Zionist identities,” according to its website.

NEWS 10/1/24 10:45pm

Fondren unveils fresh technology

By Sophie Garlick

Fondren Library revamped their ‘how-to’ Canvas module and website and soundproofed the audio and photography rooms after student suggestions. Smart locks and preferred name displays are currently under beta testing and could launch as early as January.

NEWS 10/1/24 10:44pm

Hidden in plain sight: New wasp species discovered on campus

By Hope Yang

A new wasp species, Chrysonotomyia susbelli, has been identified by a Rice research team in a ZooKeys research paper published Sept. 18, over two years since the discovery of the Valhalla wasp on campus. Chrysonotomyia susbelli is the 18th new species found on campus.

NEWS 9/25/24 12:25am

Lovett to permanently move into new building by fall 2026, adjacent to twelfth college

By Riya Misra

Lovett College will permanently move into one of the two new residential college buildings, President Reggie DesRoches said in a Sept. 18 email to campus. The buildings, initially intended to house new twelfth and thirteenth colleges, are projected to finish by fall 2026. Lovett will stand adjacent to the unnamed twelfth college, and there are currently no plans for the thirteenth.

NEWS 9/25/24 12:24am

Rice ranks No. 18 in U.S. News

By James Cancelarich and Riya Misra

Rice ranks No. 18 in the the U.S. News and World Report’s 2025 national university rankings tied with Vanderbilt University and the University of Notre Dame. Rice has also placed No. 8, 9 and 29 in the Niche, Forbes and Wall Street Journal rankings, respectively.

NEWS 9/25/24 12:24am

Financial aid settlement form released

By Belinda Zhu

Claim forms for the class action financial aid “cartel” lawsuit Rice settled were released Sept. 13. The suit alleged that Rice and 16 other top universities “illegally conspired” to restrict financial aid. Students can submit a claim on the court-approved settlement website https://financialaidantitrustsettlement.com/submit-claim by the Dec. 17, 2024 deadline. 

NEWS 9/24/24 11:58pm

Students frustrated over limited parking access

By Aisha Khemani

Students with paid parking permits are expressing frustration over the difficulty of finding available spaces in West Lot. These concerns arrive after complaints in Nov. 2023 when the parking office oversold permits for North and South College Lots.

NEWS 9/24/24 11:54pm

Students given Grammarly AI as Honor Council adapts

By Charlie Cruz

Rice began offering Grammarly Premium access to all students. Initially made available to graduate students, the service is now available to the entire student body in line with the Honor Council’s 2023 decision to allow ChatGPT usage with proper citation and instructor permission.

NEWS 9/18/24 12:37am

Academic quad officially opens with celebration

By Sarah Knowlton

The redesigned academic quad had its grand opening Sept. 12. The ceremony included speeches, a ribbon cutting and guided tours for attendees to learn about new quad features.  Speakers included President Reggie DesRoches, board of trustees chairman Robert T. Ladd, landscape architect Thomas Woltz and several alumni.

NEWS 9/18/24 12:35am

Students, staff remember 9/11

By Maria Morkas

A memorial honoring the lives lost during the 9/11 terrorist attacks was held Sept. 15 at the Rice Memorial Center Chapel. A flag-raising ceremony followed in Ray’s Courtyard. Guest speakers and attendees also placed small U.S. flags in a 9/11 formation to “honor the fallen.”

NEWS 9/17/24 11:07pm

Rice renovates Brown and Jones Colleges

By Richie Su

Rice started a renovation project this summer to modernize existing colleges ahead of the construction of two more.The renovation is a multi-year project set to finish in the upcoming summer.

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