Special Projects

Muslim students talk observing Ramadan amid classes and finals

During the month of Ramadan in the Islamic calendar, Muslims fast for 30 days, eating and drinking only before sunrise and after sunset. Since the Islamic calendar is lunar-based, the month of Ramadan falls earlier every year. This year, Ramadan, which lasts from April 12 to May 12, lands in the midst of midterm season and continues through finals. The Thresher caught up with students observing Ramadan right now to find out how they’re navigating the fast during school. 

SA Task Force pursues initiatives for trans and gender nonconforming students

The Student Association’s transgender and gender nonconforming student support task force plans to update a map of bathrooms across campus as a part of their efforts to advocate for increased facilities accessibility. According to task force co-chair Gabriel Saenz, part of this project includes making the map available online for all students.

Practicing polyglots: Rice students talk speaking multiple languages

Learning a second language is never easy, let alone learning a third, fourth or beyond — especially in the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 20 percent of Americans can speak two or more languages — but some Rice students are up for the challenge. The Thresher spoke with four Rice students who speak four or more languages to learn their secrets for success. 

Senior Spotlight: Adulfo Amador talks passion for engineering and mentoring

Ever since Adulfo Amador, a McMurtry College senior, was a young child, he knew he wanted to attend Rice. As a native Houstonian, Amador visited campus often with his family, and when the time came, he applied early. The day he received his acceptance was a memorable one — it quite literally took his breath away. 

Rice rescinds outdoor mask requirement, changes testing policy

Rice has rescinded its mask requirement in outdoor spaces and no longer requires that fully vaccinated individuals take weekly COVID-19 tests. The announcement follows the results of a community survey of vaccination status that revealed 74 percent of the Rice community members have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Lee leads soccer into NCAA tourney in second season

Two years ago, Brian Lee was celebrating a Southeastern Conference soccer title with his team at Louisiana State University. Lee was coming off of his 14th season in Baton Rouge, where he had led LSU’s women’s soccer team to six NCAA tournament appearances and had just been named a finalist for National Coach of the Year. 

Rice rescinds outdoor mask requirement, testing no longer required for fully vaccinated community members

Rice announced today that there will no longer be a mask requirement in outdoor spaces and that fully vaccinated individuals will not be required to take weekly COVID-19 tests, in an email sent to the Rice community by Kevin Kirby, chair of the Crisis Management Advisory Committee. The announcement follows the results of a community survey of vaccination status, which revealed that 74 percent of the Rice community members have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Backpage Spotlight: Unconventional Students

Students respond to RUPD messages regarding unhoused persons on campus

The Rice University Police Department has responded to several reports of unhoused persons seen on campus, with some of these instances involving the same individual, according to RUPD Chief of Clemente Rodriguez. Since late March, people who are homeless have been reported at Baker College, in the Wiess College alcoves, in Will Rice College commons and entering Herman Brown Hall and George R. Brown Hall, according to emails sent by RUPD to Baker College residents and a message sent by a Wiess College residential associate to Wiess College residents. 

‘Yoga is not going to solve my problems’: Students discuss mental health at Rice

In November 2019, the Thresher spoke to students about their mental health challenges in the wake of students speaking up about negative experiences. Over a year later, in April 2021, the Student Association passed a resolution calling for improved support for students with mental health concerns. 

Updated Beer Bike results cause controversial first-place tie in men’s race, second-place tie in women’s

Hanszen College tied with Jones College for first place in the men’s race while also tying with Jones for second place in the women’s race, according to updated Beer Bike 2021 results posted by Rice Program Council. These times were adjusted following a petition submitted by Hanszen due to discrepancies in their own recorded time versus RPC’s time. McMurtry College won the women’s race by almost 40 seconds.

We can’t ignore the headlines, so don’t ignore students’ mental health

For over a year now, it seems like each week has brought with it a new form of trauma and disaster for us to deal with as a society. We have gone through (but not really past) COVID-19, an election, an insurrection and now extreme gun violence has reemerged center stage of the never-ending news cycle that this decade has become.  

Rice approves new undergraduate Operations Research major

The Rice Faculty Senate has recently approved a new undergraduate major and B.A. degree in Operations Research within the Department of Computational and Applied Mathematics. All undergraduate students now are eligible to declare the new major.  

Breaking News: President Leebron Suspends Rice Thresher TikTok

4-21-21 Crossword #2: "Double Trouble"

4-21-21 Crossword #1: "Full Bloom"

No. 22 soccer wins C-USA championship, sets sights on NCAA tournament

This past Saturday afternoon, at a packed Holloway Field, the Rice Owls soccer team won the Conference USA championship for the third time in program history, defeating the University of North Carolina at Charlotte 2-0 in the C-USA tournament finals.  

Seven unique classes to fill your fall schedule

Throughout the ages, countless figures in history have been quoted about food — each saying something different. "Food is fuel," some say, a mere means of getting nutrients. But Josh Furman subscribes to a more complex view on the matter.  

MECH students and faculty express concerns about undergraduate expansion in town hall

If the mechanical engineering undergraduate population grows alongside the recently announced 20 percent student body expansion, the department will need more faculty, more teaching and grading support, greater classroom capacity and additional funds for equipment, according to the Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Advisory Board. The Undergraduate Advisory Board discussed the state of the MECH department and its future at their town hall on April 14. 

O-Week coordinators and directors prepare for expanded and possible in-person O-Week

Orientation Week 2021 is likely to be delivered in a similar hybrid format as O-Week 2020, according to the Associate Director of First Year Programs Araceli Lopez.