Special Projects

Rice paid parental leave policy excludes non-birthing staff

Within Texas, though, Rice is largely in line with other universities, including University of Texas, Austin, University of Houston and Texas A&M, all of which do not offer paid parental leave for their non-birthing parent employees. 

Social sciences offers new STaRT program

Rice University’s School of Social Sciences introduced a new program this year to help students forge connections and learn relevant skills to become better researchers. The program took place from Oct. 8 to 12 and will hold its next event in the fall of 2022.

Rice emphasizing sustainability with new Hanszen College wing

A new college wing is currently under construction for Hanszen College. According to the Rice University website, the building, which will be 4.5 stories tall including 164 beds, is slated for completion in July of 2022. 

Rice community discusses classroom mask policy continuation

Rice reports that the classroom mask mandate will most likely continue for the semester despite there being no evidence of transmission in the classroom, according to Kevin Kirby, the Crisis Management Advisory Committee chair. Some professors have said they prefer for the mask mandate to remain in place, due to the state of COVID in Houston.

Pub expected to reopen Nov. 1 with masks, reduced capacity

Willy’s Pub has scheduled its reopening for Nov. 1, according to General Manager Elizabeth Groenewold. Pub’s doors have been closed since early March 2020 following an alleged hazing incident and the later imposition of Rice’s COVID-19 rules. Pub’s capacity will be 100 students on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and will increase to 150 students on Thursday for Pub Night, according to Groenewold, a Will Rice College senior. Masks will be required unless actively eating or drinking. Pub’s pre-COVID capacity was 299.

Checklist Before Parents' Weekend

Soccer beats MTSU in overtime on senior day

Junior midfielder Delaney Schultz sent Middle Tennessee State University home in the 102nd minute on Friday night as she headed in a corner kick in the match’s second overtime period, earning Rice a 2-1 win. The victory snaps a two game losing streak for the Owls and improves their record on the season to 10-5-1.

Make no mistake, joining the AAC is a great move

The American Athletic Conference, as baseball hall of famer Yogi Berra famously said about the future, ain’t what it used to be. With the University of Houston, University of Cincinnati and University of Central Florida all leaving for the Big 12, the AAC will lose arguably its three most valuable members before Rice plays a game in their new conference. Those three were all key to the AAC’s push to become the sixth major conference: UCF made a legitimate College Football Playoff push with back to back undefeated regular seasons in 2017 and 2018, Houston made the men’s Final Four last year and Cincinnati is currently ranked No. 2 in the country in football. To make matters worse, the University of Connecticut, easily the best women’s basketball program in the country, left the AAC in 2020. The conference that Rice will join in a few years will be a far cry from the AAC of recent years.

Football upsets defending CUSA champs in hectic finish

Rice football picked up a road win this past Saturday afternoon as they upset the University of Alabama, Birmingham 30-24. Predicted to lose heavily, the Owls entered their matchup against the defending conference champion Blazers as 23.5-point underdogs. The win on Saturday puts the Owls with a record of 3-4 on the season, including a 2-1 record in C-USA play. Head coach Mike Bloomgren said that he was proud of the team’s win over a Blazers team that has run C-USA in recent years. 

Review: ‘Dune’ sets up a promising franchise but feels empty

On paper, “Dune” should be one of the best films of the year. It features an all-star cast, has a critically acclaimed director behind the camera and features some of the best visuals I have ever seen in a film. However, it struggles to create a fulfilling story because of its focus on building the film’s world — and it is a huge world — that will be explored in subsequent films. Because of this, “Dune” lacks the three act crescendo to climax structure that is so critical to conflict storytelling, and the movie at times feels like endless rising action.

10-27-21 Crossword: "Spoopy Season"

Magic in Houston: Shop local witchcraft & spiritual supply stores

Last week, the Thresher asked our readers to shop at local businesses. With large department stores selling crystals and sage bundles (don’t buy white sage, not even from local shops, though — it is cultural appropriation and is not being harvested sustainably), it is important to respond to the increasing interest in witchcraft by supporting local shops. Whether you’re looking for a new deck of tarot cards, supplies for a spell or are just curious, here are nine local witchcraft and metaphysical supply stores in Houston for you to explore.

Review: Lana Del Rey impresses with deep introspection in ‘Blue Bannisters’

Lana Del Rey has finally released her newest studio album: “Blue Banisters.” Del Rey’s second album this year, “Blue Banisters” proves itself to be a deeply introspective album, with lyrics that feel like we’re reading from Del Rey’s personal journal. Through this album, Del Rey tackles issues of rocky relationships, family dynamics and friendship, while also taking her chance to respond to her recent critics with a voice as beautiful as ever. 

Art venues located beyond the Museum District

Houston not only houses a premier museum district just outside of the hedges from Rice, but art scattered throughout the city. This art often holds greater variety and uniqueness, allowing for visitors to see new sides of the city and the artists that reside here. Whether you want a reason to explore Houston or are an art connoisseur looking for new museums to venture to, here are some venues to check out all around Houston. 

10-27-2021 Crossword Solutions

Pumpkin Grades: Discussing the Class of 2025’s unique transition to college

When October comes around, students start walking around campus wearing cozy sweaters and holding hot lattes from Rice Coffeehouse. As the cold approaches, something changes within the freshman class as well: talk of midterm exams, projects and pumpkin grades begin. About midway through the fall semester each year, instructors submit midterm grades — nicknamed “pumpkin grades” because of the season — to let freshmen know how they are performing in their classes.

Housing and Dining grapples with “new normal”

As life on campus returns to a semblance of normality, Housing and Dining has been making its own adjustments. The pandemic’s effects might be seen in staffing and supply, for instance. The Thresher spoke to H&D employees and students to better understand how it is currently operating.

Revive the Rice University Farmers Market

Nearly a year ago, I reported for the Thresher on how the Rice University Farmers Market was pivoting in the midst of COVID-19. As Rice readjusted to deal with the pandemic in spring 2020, the Farmers Market hosted on campus every Tuesday was one of the things that had to go. I don’t fault Rice for this; it was an uncertain time, and we needed to prioritize limiting the spread of COVID. However, the Farmers Market has not returned. I come with a simple request: Rice, bring the Farmers Market back.

Rice should expand its parental leave policy to all

Two years ago, the Thresher extensively covered discrepancies in Rice’s maternity leave policies in regards to their treatment of faculty and staff. Specifically, we called for Rice to equalize its maternity leave policies. In addition, we were reminded that Rice’s maternity leave policy discriminates between tenure-track and non-tenure-track faculty, and that the conversation should be centered around parental leave instead of just maternity leave. 

Rice set to join American Athletic Conference

For just the third time in school history, Rice will be moving athletic conferences. Along with five other Conference USA schools, Rice accepted an invitation to join the American Athletic Conference, the AAC announced Thursday morning. Rice will remain in C-USA for now, as the move won’t take effect until a later time which is yet to be determined, although multiple Rice coaches indicated that 2023 could be a possible target date. According to Athletic Director Joe Karlgaard, in the AAC, Rice has found a conference that meets all of its criteria.