Op Eds

​Administration must reconsider public political stances as representatives of the Rice community

It is my hope that President Leebron and Dean Hutchinson reconsider and reverse their official stance on proposed DACA legislation. My issue with the situation is not the DACA executive order itself, but rather that the university is taking an official position on political issues. 

​Per Owlstra ad Astra: Why Rice Should Choose Space

It's time for renewed investment to make good on Rice’s astronomical legacy. 

​Intramural Sports: A Mainstay of the Rice Community

Intramural sports are not only one of the most popular extracurriculars on campus according to the Surveys of All Students, but they are also integral to our community.

​Not our cup of tea: Consent merits more complex discussions during O-Week

Everyone remembers the “tea video” from O-Week. Everyone remembers the feeling of absurdity it invoked. Why do we not refer to it as the “consent video”? 

McMurtry is in tents

Tell me what it really means to be South Asian

I grew up surrounded by Indians who would automatically speak to me in Hindi. Why was I expected to know Hindi? I felt immense guilt and would apologetically explain that I speak Tamil, a South Indian language. 

Bitcoin: The Next Frontier for Accessibility at Rice

Rice should extend our definition of accessibility to include the most marginalized populations on the planet: those outside the jurisdictions of stable governments and without access to reliable fiat currency. We can do this by ushering a new form of payment through the Sallyport: bitcoin.

​Low Income Deniability: Rice must stop taking advantage of international students

Rice cannot claim that it “fosters diversity” if 11.5 percent of its students are denied equal opportunity based on citizenship alone. 

​Not My Beer Bike

I love how much Rice loves Beer Bike. I love the way we call it “Christmas," the platoons of people filling water balloons and building floats, the punning and planning around selecting themes and T-shirt designs.

​Weakness of Course Review Models, not Lack of Student Engagement, to Blame for Poor Course-Specific Feedback

While the editorial board correctly identifies the need for course review reform, the editorial places too much blame on a lack of student engagement as opposed to the weakness of existing student feedback models.

Veganism: A moral imperative for present and future generations

Vegan. This word arouses anxiety among many; however, a deeper knowledge of this philosophy leads to truth.

​Mass shootings must come to an end, and that’s why we must March for Our Lives

Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan once said, “No one is born a good citizen; no nation is born a democracy.

​Rice, will you go to the March for Our Lives?

The March for Our Lives, the protest organized by survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting and their families in support of gun law reform, will take place in Washington D.C. and sister cities including Houston on March 24 at 9 a.m. This is the same time as Beer Bike. Will you go?

​Rice’s continued performance of ‘Vagina Monologues’ limits expression of diverse student experiences

“The Vagina Monologues” makes clear that womanhood and having a vagina are synonymous. The play reiterates the right-wing and trans-exclusionary radical feminist ideology that gender is the product of one’s biology and anatomy.  But what about the women who don’t have vaginas?

On (trying) to be an artist as a Rice student

First off, I know that I’m never going to be rich. If I wanted to be famous, I would have auditioned for “The Bachelor” — it’s way more likely that I will be chosen to be the next Corinne than that a movie that I create will be funded by a major film studio. 

​Misplaced burden: Administration, not affected students, should take proactive role in increasing accessibility

This series of hidden struggles is symptomatic of the way the Rice administration addresses accessibility as a whole. Rather than proactively consider options for increasing general accessibility, Rice often requires students to make the first move. 

SA IVP race puts nonpartisanship on trial

Turner can still have a voice without being the College Republicans figurehead. Elected leaders have traditionally followed a precedent of abdicating their political positions in favor of their non-partisan service to the Rice community at large. 

​Endorsements and analysis from the current SA president

To better inform students, I decided to share my perspective for this year’s Student Association president, internal vice president and treasurer races based on my evaluation of their past experiences, their public campaign posts, Thresher debate performance and one-on-one interviews.

#NEVERAGAIN: After one too many tragedies, gun laws must be reformed

What happened at my alma mater is unacceptable. This massacre was preventable. Students, teachers and administration did everything right. It was our government that failed the 17 people who were murdered.

​Break ice in case of emergency: Reevaluating our response to sexual assault

It’s hard to tell a friend that they are allowed to be scared and hurt and sad; it’s even more difficult to tell a friend that they should feel this way. But that was all that I needed.