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Saturday, November 23, 2024 — Houston, TX

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NEWS 9/10/24 11:55pm

Remembering Andrea Rodriguez Avila

By Riya Misra

On a spring night, Andrea Rodriguez Avila was wrapping up her Peer Academic Advisor training. Her close friend, Karen Martinez, wanted boba tea; it was nearing the end of the semester, and everything was "messy and unorganized," she said. The two went to The Tea Nook on campus — Andrea had never been. "We talked the whole way there," Martinez said, and all through their wait in the line.

NEWS 9/10/24 11:02pm

Sarofim Hall construction to begin

By Viola Hsia

Sarofim Hall, the new home of Rice’s art department, is set to be completed next summer, according to university architect George Ristow. Construction of the building enclosure will begin soon, and construction teams are currently laying structural steel, said Ristow.

NEWS 9/10/24 11:02pm

Mixed reviews for Martel’s Texas Party

By Belinda Zhu

Martel College hosted the first public of the year, Don’t Mess with Texas, Sept. 7. Tickets were separated into quad and sundeck locations, with sundeck tickets distributed based on first-come-first-serve priority of Google Forms submissions. 

NEWS 9/10/24 11:01pm

Rice makes major changes to degree programs

By Hongtao Hu

An environmental engineering major and Asian language concentration within the Asian studies major are now offered at Rice. Additionally, the operations research B.A. will convert to a B.S. and the social policy analysis major is now housed within the political science department. These majors are available for declaration this academic year.

NEWS 9/3/24 11:22pm

Rice sees 44% yield for class of 2028

By Sarah Knowlton

With a 44% yield rate, 1,149 students joined the class of 2028 along with 74 transfer students. Incoming classes continue to increase in size ahead of the construction of two new residential colleges.

NEWS 9/3/24 10:43pm

Students speak up about METRO line cancelation

By Amy Li

Students from Rice and the University of Houston spoke against the cancellation of the METRORapid University Corridor Project at a city council meeting on July 23, 2024. The project proposed a new bus rapid transit system, where buses operate at high frequency within bus-only lanes. Service would have extended across 25 miles in Houston, connecting areas like Westchase and Fifth Ward to central locations including the University of Houston, Texas Southern University, the University of St. Thomas and Houston Community College.

NEWS 9/3/24 10:41pm

New architecture building nears completion

By Hope Yang

The William T. Cannady Hall for Architecture approaches completion after breaking ground in September 2022. Cannady Hall is an addition to MD Anderson Hall and is set for dedication on Dec. 5 according to Dean of Architecture Igor Marjanović.

NEWS 9/3/24 10:40pm

Bob’s Banana Bread: Get bread-y for some late-night pastries

By Hongtao Hu

​​While most college students might throw away their overripe bananas, the co-founders of Bob’s Banana Bread turned them into a business. Lovett College juniors Jahnavi Mahajan and Felix Hasson turned a weekly baking session into a new late-night food option for Rice students during the summer of 2024.

NEWS 9/3/24 10:39pm

Owls on the rise: Forbes ranks Rice in top 10

By Belinda Zhu and Maria Morkas

Rice ranks No. 9 in Forbes’ “America’s Top Colleges,” marking the first time Rice has scored a top 10 ranking on the list. Last year, Rice ranked No. 22 — the university’s rise can be credited in part to graduates’ low student debt, Forbes wrote. Rice received an ‘A financial grade,’ reflecting overall low student debt upon graduation. Earlier this year, Rice was also named one of the 10 new private Ivy League schools.

NEWS 9/3/24 10:37pm

Local Foods to land on campus, Brochstein undergoes construction

By Viola Hsia

Texas-based restaurant chain Local Foods will set up shop in Brochstein Pavilion. The pavilion is currently under renovation and set to be completed by the end of September, according to Beth Leaver, interim executive director of Housing and Dining. Family-run catering venture Little Kitchen previously operated out of Brochstein Pavilion, exiting at the end of the spring semester after four years on campus. This renovation is the pavilion’s first major upgrade in 15 years, Leaver said, and will renovate the pavilion’s kitchen and island area. 

NEWS 8/30/24 2:50am

Rice gathers for vigil honoring Andrea Rodriguez Avila

By Riya Misra

Rice students and staff paid their respects to Andrea Rodriguez Avila in a candlelight service, held Aug. 28 in the Rice Memorial Chapel. Over a hundred attendees, including Andrea’s family, filled the chapel’s pews while dozens more stood to the side. The ceremony, hosted by community faith members, opened with remarks from Provost Amy Dittmar.

NEWS 8/27/24 11:05pm

Rice adds ED II to application process

By Belinda Zhu

Rice introduced an Early Decision II plan June 17 that took effect in the 2024-25 admission cycle. Students applying in the ED II round must submit materials by Jan. 4, 2025 and will receive decisions by mid-February. The deadline for ED I remains unchanged from Nov. 1. 

NEWS 8/26/24 7:07pm

RUPD, HPD investigating alleged murder-suicide at Jones College

By Riya Misra and Juliana Lightsey

Rice University Police Department is investigating a potential homicide on campus at Jones College, according to a Rice Alert sent at 5:39 p.m. to the Rice community. Students and faculty received a shelter-in-place notice, which lifted at 6:49 p.m. All classes and activities have been canceled for the remainder of the day, according to a 6:04 p.m. Rice Alert.

NEWS 8/21/24 10:34pm

MLFA files Title VI complaint against Rice, alleges ‘discriminatory treatment’ in university’s tabling of S.RES 02

By Riya Misra

The Muslim Legal Fund of America filed a complaint against Rice with the U.S. Department of Education, alleging the university violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 through “discriminatory treatment of its Muslim and Jewish students advocating for Palestine,” according to an MLFA press release. The complaint was filed Aug. 12, on behalf of two unnamed Rice students, in response to the university’s indefinite tabling of S.RES 02, a resolution urging the Student Association to boycott and divest its spending from Israel-aligned companies.  The Department of Education has already opened a separate Title VI investigation into Rice, launched July 30, according to the OCR’s database of pending cases. The specific nature of the complaint is unknown. A spokesperson for the Department of Education denied a request for comment.

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