News

NEWS 4/16/21 2:31pm

McMurtry wins women’s, Jones wins men's race following pandemic-adjusted Beer Bike

By Talha Arif and Keegan Leibrock

McMurtry College claimed first place in the women’s Beer Bike race while Jones College won the men’s race, according to preliminary results posted by Rice Program Council. This year’s Beer Bike took place over two days and was live streamed due to in-person capacity restrictions. Alumni did not participate this year.

NEWS 4/13/21 11:44pm

Owl House Properties excluded from campus housing website due to student feedback

By Hajera Naveed

At this time, Owl House Properties will not be included on the new housing website as a result of feedback from students, according to Elizabeth Leaver, Housing and Dining operations director for the South Colleges. Students who rented from Owl House Properties were recently asked to fill out a survey asking for their feedback on whether or not the company’s properties should be included on the website that H&D launched.

NEWS 4/13/21 11:43pm

Rice will allow guests to attend in-person graduation, commencement location changed to football stadium

By Bonnie Zhao

Rice administration will allow up to four guests per graduate to attend their respective commencement ceremonies, according to an email sent Monday morning. Previously, families and guests could only participate virtually.

NEWS 4/13/21 11:11pm

Professor emeritus Sidney “Sid” Burrus remembered

By Talha Arif

Charles Sidney Burrus, former dean of engineering at Rice, passed away on April 3 at age 86. Burrus is survived by his son, daughter and four grandchildren.

NEWS 4/13/21 10:53pm

Low vaccine survey response rate impedes fall semester planning

By Bonnie Zhao

Only about half of the student body has filled out the vaccine survey sent out in the COVID-19 Response Weekly Update, and the non-satisfactory response rate is preventing the administration from planning for a fully in-person fall 2021 semester, according to Kevin Kirby, vice president of administration.

NEWS 4/6/21 10:20pm

Larry McMurtry, author and Rice alum, passes at age 84

By Talha Arif

Larry McMurtry (class of ’60), a novelist and screenwriter who attended and taught English courses at Rice University, passed away on March 25 at age 84. He is survived by his wife, son, siblings and grandson.

NEWS 3/30/21 11:59pm

Rice receives 4,000 doses of vaccine to distribute, Fall semester expected to be ‘largely normal’

By Rishab Ramapriyan and Rynd Morgan

Rice University announced yesterday that the state of Texas will give the university 4,000 first doses of Pfizer vaccine for distribution on campus. The first clinic will be Thursday, April 1 in Tudor Fieldhouse, according to Vice President of Administration Kevin Kirby.

NEWS 3/30/21 11:50pm

Colleges change Willy Week name due to event restrictions, conversations about Willy’s Statue

By Rynd Morgan

Several colleges have changed the name of Willy Week this year due to the different structure of the week compared to past years, including the restrictions on the types and frequency of events that can be held due to the pandemic, and because of the ongoing conversation regarding Willy’s statue.

NEWS 3/30/21 6:12pm

Rice releases regular decision results, accepts record number of applicants

By Savannah Kuchar

At 5:00 p.m. today, the Rice University Office of Admission released regular decision results. This year, Rice gave a record number of admission offers to 2,749 applicants from all 50 states and 68 countries, according to Vice President for Enrollment Yvonne Romero da Silva.

NEWS 3/29/21 5:22pm

Rice announces twelfth residential college, student body expansion approved

By Ivanka Perez

Rice announced today that it will open a twelfth residential college to account for the plan to expand the student body by 20 percent, which Rice's Board of Trustees has just approved.The undergraduate class is expected to grow to 4,800 by 2025 from its current enrollment of 4,052 students (Fall 2020), according to the press release.

NEWS 3/23/21 11:24pm

Debate team wins national championship

By Bonnie Zhao

Rice University’s debate team won the national championship in the National Parliamentary Debate Association 2021 Championship Tournament. It won first place in Overall Season Sweepstakes, Open (Varsity) Division Season Sweepstakes and Overall Tournament Sweepstakes, according to David Worth, the director of the team.

NEWS 3/23/21 11:14pm

Beer Bike races will follow revised format to ensure COVID-19 safety

By Savannah Kuchar

Beer Bike races will stretch across two days this year, with six separate races featuring two colleges at a time and the winner determined after all teams have been timed, according to Dean of Undergraduates Bridget Gorman.

NEWS 3/23/21 10:29pm

Rice Program Council designs Rondelet to meet COVID-19 guidelines

By Megan Xiao

Due to COVID-19 regulations, the Rice Program Council will be holding Rondelet, an annual formal for Rice students, Friday March 27 at the West Quad on campus by Turrell Skyspace, instead of the typical large, off-campus venue like museums, according to the RPC socials committee.

NEWS 3/23/21 10:26pm

Willy’s Pub remains closed amidst Texas bar reopenings

By Isaiah Hwang

Willy’s Pub remains closed after Governor Greg Abbott’s issuance of an executive order increasing the capacity of all businesses and facilities in Texas to 100 percent and lifting the state mask mandate starting March 10.

NEWS 3/23/21 10:24pm

Union brings attention to alleged worker mistreatment at Ion construction site

By Hajera Naveed

The Rice Management Company’s current construction of the Ion in the Third Ward has continued to spark controversy within the community. During the past year of ongoing construction, the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades has brought attention to the alleged mistreatment of workers from Milam & Co Painters, a company subcontracted by Rice for the Ion construction project.

NEWS 3/16/21 10:30pm

Slavery, Segregation, and Racial Injustice Task Force solicits opinions on Willy’s Statue through survey

By Hajera Naveed and Bonnie Zhao

The Task Force on Slavery, Segregation, and Racial Injustice asked Student Association presidents on March 7 to send out a survey regarding Willy’s statue to college presidents, who were asked to send it to their respective college students. The survey asked if the statue of William Marsh Rice should be removed from the Academic Quad and asked how they reached that answer. Responders were instructed to write as little or as much as they would like.

NEWS 3/16/21 10:24pm

Student-Run Businesses endorse “Down With Willy” Movement

By Hajera Naveed and Bonnie Zhao

Rice Student Run Businesses collectively announced their official endorsement for the removal of the Willy Statue on social media last Thursday. Rice Coffeehouse, The Hoot and Rice Bikes concurrently released a statement on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter outlining their reasons for supporting the movement.

NEWS 3/16/21 9:20pm

Wiess, Will Rice redo elections due to complications

By Ivanka Perez

Will Rice College and Wiess College both reheld elections for certain college positions after facing issues relating to their respective voting softwares, OwlNest and Qualtrics. By holding these elections again, the election outcomes were changed both for Wiess and Will Rice.

NEWS 3/16/21 9:18pm

Students react to RUPD officers seen wearing “Thin Blue Line” masks

By Rynd Morgan

In the past two weeks, students reported seeing Rice University Police Department officers wearing face masks depicting the “Thin Blue Line” symbol on campus, a symbol sometimes associated with the Blue Lives Matter movement and which some students associate with the movement. RUPD Chief Clemente Rodriguez said that he had not seen any officers wearing masks with the words “Blue Lives Matter” written on them, and none of the RUPD supervisors he spoke with saw any RUPD officers wearing masks with messages saying the words “Blue Lives Matter.” However, some officers have worn masks depicting the “Thin Blue Line” symbol, which Rodriguez said was meant to support fellow law enforcement officers.

NEWS 3/9/21 10:54pm

Rice will have in-person May commencement ceremonies, featuring journalist Nicholas Kristof

By Bonnie Zhao

Rice University administration announced on Friday evening that it will host in-person commencement ceremonies for both the class of 2021 and 2020 graduates on May 14 and 15, while families and guests will attend only virtually.

News

McMurtry wins women’s, Jones wins men's race following pandemic-adjusted Beer Bike

Owl House Properties excluded from campus housing website due to student feedback

Rice will allow guests to attend in-person graduation, commencement location changed to football stadium

Professor emeritus Sidney “Sid” Burrus remembered

Low vaccine survey response rate impedes fall semester planning

Larry McMurtry, author and Rice alum, passes at age 84

Rice receives 4,000 doses of vaccine to distribute, Fall semester expected to be ‘largely normal’

Colleges change Willy Week name due to event restrictions, conversations about Willy’s Statue

Rice releases regular decision results, accepts record number of applicants

Rice announces twelfth residential college, student body expansion approved

Debate team wins national championship

Beer Bike races will follow revised format to ensure COVID-19 safety

Rice Program Council designs Rondelet to meet COVID-19 guidelines

Willy’s Pub remains closed amidst Texas bar reopenings

Union brings attention to alleged worker mistreatment at Ion construction site

Slavery, Segregation, and Racial Injustice Task Force solicits opinions on Willy’s Statue through survey

Student-Run Businesses endorse “Down With Willy” Movement

Wiess, Will Rice redo elections due to complications

Students react to RUPD officers seen wearing “Thin Blue Line” masks

Rice will have in-person May commencement ceremonies, featuring journalist Nicholas Kristof

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