SAFE RICE
Addressing Sexual Misconduct on Campus
SEXUAL ASSAULT How much do you know about the resources available to survivors of sexual assault at Rice? How about the options for pressing charges? Read our rundown inside.
volume 100, issue no. 4
student-run
since 1916
See pg.2
wednesday, september 16, 2015
Mayoral candidates present platforms Jaecey Parham Thresher Staff
photo courtesy qixuan huang
The Perfect Fit
Wiess College freshman Hannah Campo and Jones College freshman Grant Chambers find the key to their happiness during Rice Program Council’s Screw-Yer-Roommate on Friday, Sept. 11.
Students flock to Bernie Sanders kickoff event Anita Alem News Editor
Rice students came together to “feel the Bern” at the Rice Students for Bernie kickoff meeting at Willy’s Pub on Thursday. Despite the heavy rain, over 100 students were in attendance to support Bernie Sanders for United States president in the 2016 election, according to Student Chapter Leader Alex Amari. Amari, a Jones College sophomore, said the Rice chapter is one of 200 university chapters for Sanders across the United States and Canada. He said his interest in the campaign sparked in July, when he was the sole applicant to the Sanders campaign for leading a chapter at Rice. “It’s a cooperative group effort of a lot of people getting together trying to support the campaign, increase political activism on campus and just in general start a discussion,” Amari said. “He is
the head of the political revolution that is sweeping this country in the name of Sanders.” Amari, a history major, said he believes the middle class in America has been suffering for the past 40 years, with evidence in the wage gap between upper and middle class as well as growing student debt. “Bernie Sanders is the best chance we have to turn this country around, to make a government that works for the middle class,” Amari said. “This is sincerely what we, Bernie supporters, believe.” Will Rice College junior Abraham Younes attended the event and said he found the considerable number of students at the event encouraging. “Rice has been a relatively apathetic campus in recent years, but that can always change, and this campaign in particular feels like a window of opportunity,” Younes said. “Young voters are a huge part 0see BERNIE, page 3
The Houston mayoral election will take place this fall as Mayor Annise Parker’s final term comes to a close. With no incumbent running for the position, Houstonians will have the opportunity to vote for new hopefuls on Nov 13. The two winning candidates from the general election will compete in a runoff election in December. There are a total of 13 candidates running in the general election, but according to Baker Institute fellow in urban politics and professor of political science Robert Stein, seven candidates are strong contenders. “[They are] officeholders, well financed; all but one have raised close to or a million dollars,” Stein said. “[They have] been on the ballot on different occasions and all have what I call a ‘loyal base’: people who have voted for them before.” Five of the seven leading candidates — Chris Bell, Ben Hall, Sylvester Turner, Adrian Garcia and Marty McVey — were present at the Houston Mayoral Candidate Forum held Sept. 12 in Sewall Hall. Candidates Bill King and Steve Costello were not present. The event was hosted by the Emerging Latino Leaders Fellowship, Mi Familia Vota, the Hispanic Association for Cultural Enrichment at Rice and the Student Government Association at University of HoustonDowntown. According to Stein, one of the most important issues on the ballot for this election is the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance. HERO would prohibit discrimination on the basis of 15 different characteristics, including an individual’s sex, race, sexual orientation, gender identity or religion, in city employ-
ment, housing and business services. “The equality ordinance is highly controversial and salient to groups of people,” Stein said. “However, is it unclear how it [HERO] will affect the election [results].” All but one of the seven credible candidates, Hall, declared support for the passage of HERO. Hall, who ran for mayor in 2013 and lost to current mayor Annise Parker, previously served as Houston city attorney. According to Hall, although he opposes HERO, he is familiar with discrimination as an African-American who grew up in the segregated South and won several discrimination court cases. “I know better than any of these candidates what discrimination is. I also know what the law requires,” Hall said. “I oppose the HERO ordinance because it is a dangerous and bad law. It has an imprecise definition of male and female, therefore it makes people have to turn into gender police.” Garcia said he created policies during his time as sheriff in Houston to protect members of the LGBT community while they were in custody and he believes HERO will protect all Houstonians and the city’s economy. “Everybody here that is willing to work hard, play by the rules and contribute to the success of our city ought to be respected, supported, protected and well served and I believe HERO does that,” Garcia said. McVey said the ordinance is needed so that those affected by HERO may be protected. “Over 200 cities across the country have similar ordinances,” McVey said. “By voting no on HERO, you are unprotecting 13 classes of people which includes veterans, pregnancy, women, 0see MAYORS, page 3
Rice returns to #18 in US News and World Report rankings
#18
2016 US News
National Universities Ranking as determined by the following criteria
22.5% Undergraduate academic reputation 22.5% Retention resources 20.0% Faculty (class size, average salary, etc.) selectivity 12.5% Student (test scores, acceptance %, etc.) resources 10.0% Financial (average spending per student) 7.5% Graduation rate performance 5.0% Alumni giving rate
Anita Alem News Editor
Rice climbed one rank in the U.S. News and World Report Best Universities ranking, placing it at No. 18. Rice had previously been ranked No. 17 from 2005-2013, then fell to 18 in 2014, and again to 19 in 2015. The ranking places Rice just behind Cornell University, Vanderbilt University and Washington University, St. Louis, all tied for the 15th place. The University of Notre Dame is also ranked at 18. According to the USNWR website, the rankings are calculated based on a number of quantitative and qualitative factors, including academic reputation, retention, student selectivity and faculty resources, which are weighed most heavily. Alumni giving rate is the least heavily weighted, factoring into five percent of the overall calculation.
This year, according to the USNWR website, there were two changes in the calculations. The rankings included survey results from two years, spring 2014 and spring 2015, instead of one, and the high school counselor scoring average used three years of data instead of two. The USNWR states this is to reduce year-to-year volatility in the results. The data used for the calculations is almost entirely provided by the universities themselves. The ranking does not include liberal arts colleges, but does include both public and private universities.
USNWR Ranking of Rice over the Years
‘99 - 18 ‘00 - 14 ‘01 - 13 ‘02 - 12 ‘03 - 15 ‘04 - 16
‘05 - 17 ‘06 - 17 ‘07 - 17 ‘08 - 17 ‘09 - 17 ‘10 - 17
‘11 ‘12 ‘13 ‘14 ‘15 ‘16 -
17 17 17 18 19 18
2
NEWS
wednesday, September 16, 2015
the Rice Thresher
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AND RESOURCES Navigating a case of sexual misconduct is daunting. The Thresher believes that an understanding of the processes and options available to students in these sensitive situations is critical to creating a safer campus environment. We sat down with a panel of representatives from resources at Rice relating to sexual misconduct in order to shed light on a system that is critical to students’ well-being. The following breaks down the various services, options and procedures pertaining to sexual misconduct cases at Rice. This is not intended as a comprehensive guide; rather, we hope this serves as a starting point for further understanding. For more information, visit safe.rice.edu or contact any of the resources listed below.
WHAT CAN YOU, THE STUDENT, DO?
The following resources are available to all Rice students. In cases involving sexual misconduct, students have the ability to choose how they wish to utilize these resources. For example, a student may pursue a sexual assault case through Rice’s Student Judicial Programs, or the criminal justice system, or both, or neither.
RESPONSIBLE EMPLOYEES
(RICE EMPLOYEES EXCEPT FOR RICE COUNSELING CENTER AND HEALTH SERVICES) Required to refer reports to a Title IX official, who will coordinate a response.
SUPPORT SERVICES - Includes walk-in counseling and therapy services. - The Student Wellbeing Office can help survivors through the Rice Counseling Center and Student Health Services. - The Houston Area Women’s Center provides independent counseling and aid. - Use of these resources is confidential.
RICE UNIVERSITY POLICE DEPARTMENT
STUDENT JUDICIAL PROGRAMS (SJP)
- Focuses on meeting survivors’ physical, medical and emotional needs. - Officers trained to deal with trauma. - Confers with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office to enhance investigation and to obtain outside review. - Reports number of sexual assault complaints annually as federally required by the Clery Act.
- Survivors can pursue a case under the Code of Student Conduct through SJP. - Students can also learn about the process without pursuing a case. - SJP uses a 60-day timeline as a goal for the investigation progress, following federal guidelines. - SJP will record all discussions and interviews during investigations. - Students are prohibited from recording these interactions for privacy reasons. - If the complainant or accused is under the age of 18 when an assault is reported, the administration will contact the parents or guardians of both parties. - Although students are not technically granted amnesty unless they meet the requirements outline in the Rice Alcohol Policy, alcohol consumption or possession is not the primary concern of a sexual misconduct investigation. So, students involved in these cases are not typically charged for alcohol violations.
TITLE IX SUPPORT OFFICE AND COORDINATORS - Receive reports and oversee responses to sexual misconduct. - Can grant or authorize accommodations such as changing classes, rooms or colleges. - Explain procedures and resources relating to sexual misconduct.
WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS? COMPLAINANT Are you entitled to a Title IX Navigator?
ACCUSED
YES
Are you entitled to an additional support person (e.g. family, friend or individual of choice)?
YES
Can you view case files, statements and witness testimonies?
YES
HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT May share information on sexual assaults involving students with RUPD.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM Survivor can choose to bring criminal charges in the Harris County court system under Texas law.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? TEXAS PENAL CODE
YES
YES
YES
GLOSSARY
As defined by Rice’s Sexual Misconduct Policy
sexual assault nonconsensual sexual contact, including but not limited to intercourse. unwanted sexual contact nonconsensual sexual touching that does not necessarily constitute a sexual act. sexual harassment another type of sexual misconduct including unwanted sexual advances and conduct creating an “intimidating, hostile or offensive” environment. sexual misconduct an umbrella term in the Rice sexual misconduct policy that encompasses sexual assault, sexual harassment and unwanted sexual contact.
PROCESS
Court system, involves legal representation
DEFINITION OF CONSENT
Code of Student Conduct, includes support person and Title IX Navigator
Absence of force, drugs, use of power
Active, ongoing, enthusiastic consent
DEFINITION OF ASSAULT
Penetration must occur
Nonconsensual sexual contact
STANDARD OF PROOF
Beyond a reasonable doubt (more stringent)
Preponderance of evidence (“more likely than not”)
POSSIBLE SANCTIONS FOR ASSAULT
2-20 years in prison, more for aggravated assault
Rustication, suspension or expulsion
CONTACTS Rice University Police Department 713-348-6000 (24 hours a day)
Houston Area Women’s Center Rape Crisis Hotline 713-528-7273 (24 hours a day)
Rice Counseling Center Office 713-348-4867 (24 hours a day)
Student Wellbeing Office, and to request a Resource Navigator 713-348-3311 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
consent consent that is active, ongoing, clearly communicated by actions or words and a voluntary agreement by participants.
Student Judicial Programs
preponderance of evidence a “more likely than not” standard of proof; a lower burden of proof than “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Student Health Services
Title IX a federal law prohibiting sex discrimination, including sexual misconduct, at federally funded educational institutions such as Rice. Among other stipulations, Title IX requires Rice to have a procedure for rapidly and fairly addressing complaints of sexual misconduct.
RICE SEXUAL MISCONDUCT POLICY
713-348-4786 (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) 713-348-4966 (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) Sources: Don Ostdiek, Johnny Whitehead, Kate Noonan, Kate Hildebrandt, Allison Vogt, Emily Garza, Rice Sexual Misconduct Policy, Rice Student Code of Conduct, Texas Penal Code Title 5 Chapter 22, Title IX
TEXT BY YASNA HAGHDOOST AND DREW KELLER, DESIGN BY CARRIE JIANG
wednesday, September 16, 2015
0MAYOR FROM PAGE 1 people of color. This is access to equal justice. This law allows complaints to be heard in a municipal court.” Lovett College sophomore Nicky Joseph, a native Houstonian, said he supports Chris Bell. “Chris Bell is a native Texan and has extensive experience in politics, as both a member of the U.S. Congress and Houston’s City Council,” Joseph said. “His primary focus on making Houston an even better place to live and raise families is an idea that really resonates with me.” Duncan College senior JB Makhani, who worked for the mayor’s office in 2012, said he is supporting Adrian Garcia. “[Garcia] has worked in the justice system and helped reduce crime [in Houston],” Makhani said “More importantly, he is a strong supporter of the equal rights ordinance, and would be the first Hispanic mayor of Houston.” Stein, who said he has polled every Houston mayoral election since 1979, recently polled 1,000 Houstonians. “I am inclined to think that Sylvester Turner and Adrian Garcia will be in the run-off,” Stein said. “I am unsure who will [win].”
0BERNIE FROM PAGE 1 of Bernie’s support base, and I know a good number of Rice students are excited about it, so hopefully the momentum keeps up as we get close to the election.” Amari said he shared the feeling of Rice students being ostensibly politically apathetic, but said students may think themselves to be too busy for political engagement and often lack the outlets to become interested. “As a freshman, I found myself a little frustrated because I didn’t get the impression that there was a vocal political movement of any kind,” Amari said. “Sometimes you feel like there’s a pervasive climate of political
NEWS
the Rice Thresher
3
Houston Mayoral Candidates
Adrian Garcia
Ben Hall
“I want to be the mayor that takes that spirit of opportunity, that can-do spirit, [and keep it] alive and well for the next generation ... I want to make sure that Houston remains a town of opportunity so that dreams can be realized and successes can be had.”
“When I went to high school, my guidance counselor told me, ‘You’re not college material, Ben.’ Despite that kind of prophecy in my life, I went on to college. Not only do I invite you, but it is your duty to take the realms of leadership.”
City Councilman
apathy here. We’re trying to change that.” Rice Students for Bernie has three more major events planned for the rest of the semester, according to Amari. On Sept. 24, the group will be having a photoblast for Bernie event as part of a larger national goal for students all over the United States to document their support in photos on social media. The organization will hold a Democratic debate viewing party as well. “Campuses across the country will have students marching for a few of Bernie’s platforms, that is, college affordability, $15 minimum wage per hour for all campus workers including student workers,” Amari said. “[We’ll have to see if] it actually comes to fruition as a march. I’m hoping we can still have it as an event with a table set-up, sell some Tshirts, make a fuss for Bernie and have some people walking around talking about it.”
jake nyquist/thresher
Jones College sophomore Alex Amari speaks at the Rice Students for Bernie Kickoff, introducing the club to interested students to encourage support for Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign. Amari said he believes the group can fight campus political apathy.
Attorney
Chris Bell
Marty McVey
Sylvester Turner
“The next mayor needs to be a progressive leader for this city … That is why my campaign is based on ideas ... ideas I think will make us [a] more modern, more responsive, more efficient, more transparent and more ethical city.”
“I am thinking about the next 60 years, not just the next 6 years. We need to have equality in this city, we need to have opportunity in this city, we need to make sure everyone has the same opportunities that I had when I came here.”
“In this city ... if you work hard, if you hold on to your values ... you can come from being the son of a maid, go to U of H, go to Harvard law school, be in the legislature, be a lawyer [like me]. I invite you to the table — join me, and we can move this city forward.”
Politician
Entrepreneur
Attorney & TX State Rep
4
Like clockwork, the U.S. News and World Report have released their annual college rankings. Rice improved one spot: It is now tied with the University of Notre Dame at 18th after ranking 19th last year (see p.1). We do not care about this. Or, rather, we should not care about this. Gallup and Purdue University have been conducting a multi-year study of college students and the satisfaction they derive from their education and employment outcomes — in other words, what we should care about. The product is the Gallup-Purdue Index, a measure of recent college graduates’ beliefs that they have “great jobs” and “great lives.” New York Times columnist Frank Bruni received advance access to the findings and detailed them in his Sept. 12 column. Of the five dimensions of life the survey attempted to measure — relationships, physical health, community, economic situations and senses of purpose — 10 percent of all college graduates described themselves as “thriving” in all five dimensions. 11 percent of graduates of U.S. News’ top 50 universities and 13 percent of graduates of U.S. News’ top 50 liberal arts colleges said the same. What, then, is the purpose of the U.S. News rankings if they seem to be a bad predictor of long-term satisfaction? Why do both academia and non-academia continually perpetuate this system of value? It’s probably driven by a combination of factors, including the impressionability of prospective students. Universities are incentivized to capitalize on this impressionability — assuming they want the best students, which they do — by rising in the rankings. Rice is not immune to this phenomenon; it’s subject to the same system. The U.S. Department of Education has semi-concurrently released their own college “scorecard” that subverts the U.S. News method. Instead of ranking colleges, the government guide provides data about average cost of attendance for federal financial aid recipients, four-year graduation rates and salary 10 years after matriculation for federal financial aid recipients. Rice falls around the average annual cost, way above average on four-year graduation rate and significantly above average for salary. The scorecard does not generate rankings; instead, it encourages comparison. It presents data that allow users to make value judgements. Rice should take a cue from the Department of Education scorecard and the Gallup-Purdue Index. Instead of participating in self-perpetuating systems that reinforce problematic notions of hierarchy and prestige, it should prioritize and refocus on what matters most to students: the university experience and Rice’s uniqueness.
Below are excerpts from opinions pieces by three O-Week coordinators. To read their full versions, visit ricethresher.org/opinion Coordinators across colleges dealt with the fallout from overcrowding, ranging from angry parent emails to last-minute separations of carefully crafted rooms and suites to accommodate students shuffled around days before O-Week began. Ultimately, we faced the consequences and stress for decisions entirely orchestrated within Dean Hutchinson’s office. We did not have a single meeting with Dean Hutch to discuss how to best address the issue of overcrowding for our individual college room schemes. Coordinators must be surveyed regularly, including post-training, regarding interview processes such as optimizing the co-advisor applications, and immediately following O-Week to provide a platform not only for improvement but reflection. Coordinators have not yet been formally surveyed even once about our training or experience, although there are plans for gathering feedback within the next few weeks. Would I go back and do it again? A thousand times yes — nothing could replace the surge of pure love I feel every time I see a new Martelian just walking to class, merely existing as a Rice student. But perhaps this time I would warn myself not to be so hopeful about the changes I could make, because until administration and students truly approach O-Week from a level field of understanding and collaboration, it will always be student-run but not quite student-led.
I can’t describe the feeling of watching the new students grow to love Rice and Will Rice, or seeing our incredible advising team face the challenges they did with such good intentions and positive attitudes. Another aspect we struggled with throughout the summer was the role of the administration. Time and time again, I realized my role as a coordinator wasn’t necessarily to be a voice for the existing student population, but to take decisions made by the Rice administration (such as removing Cheer Battle and anti-cheers from O-Week) and present them as our own. I couldn’t be a spokesperson for my fellow students; rather, I felt like a face and a voice for the administration. The top-down changes made without our input trivialized the work and thought we put into how we wanted O-Week to influence our colleges and their cultures. The enormous amount of time this position requires — a semester and a summer of reading hundreds of forms, sitting in hours of meetings and trainings and performing countless administrative tasks — for a onecredit hour class on your transcript is not for everybody. While Rice tries to compensate for your work through free summer housing and five meals a week, I truly hope coordinating O-Week will become a paid position.
Besides the invaluable interpersonal and time management skills I gained this summer, I still have doubts about aspects of the coordinating process. What gives O-Week coordinators the right to pass judgment as harshly as they do on their peers? Watching people share intimate and meaningful parts of their lives and personalities through applications and interviews, only for us to reject them from such a coveted position on campus, was devastating. It’s a little unfair that only so many people are allowed to be present during OWeek, and that (as much as we may deny it) a hierarchy is created based on who can and cannot be here. Isn’t it our job to be inclusive? And how much am I buying into this hierarchical system by being one of the few who got to hand-select those who are a part of Oweek? Was coordinating really “all about the new student” or was it a masturbatory position for students attempting to ascend leadership ranks at Rice? Coordinating brought me more than my fair share of happiness this summer. It introduced me to some of the best people I know at Rice, and the life perspective I gained was worth my sacrifices. As I said in my final remarks at Lovett, I am a firm believer in the statement that the people you surround yourself with have a direct correlation with your happiness.
Anita Alem is a Martel College junior and a Thresher News Editor
Neha Sahai is a Will Rice College junior
Nirali Desai is a Lovett
Letter to the Editor: You want a healthy Hoot?
Since the move from West Servery to the Student Center I have found myself going to the Hoot less, partially because I can be a bit lazy and it’s a longer walk, but also because I know I’m not a huge fan of late-night energy drinks and ramen noodle soup. After having an amazing smoothie from Rice Coffeehouse (no, they aren’t paying me), I remembered thinking that if the Hoot served smoothies, I would definitely
Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the Thresher editorial staff. All other opinion pieces represent solely the opinion of the piece’s author.
Editorial Staff Andrew Ta* Editor in Chief Yasna Haghdoost* Managing Editor Miles Kruppa* Senior Editor news Anita Alem* Editor Drew Keller* Editor Andrew Ligeralde Asst. Editor Amber Tong Asst. Editor Justin Park Designer
College senior
be a more regular customer. In general, I think some healthy food options could boost sales by more than a little; more importantly, when people get hungry they tend to eat what’s available and having some fresh fruit and veggie cups in the mix might lead to healthier habits for our late-night campus snackers, myself included. I don’t know about the rest of the campus, but toasted peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches
and very berry smoothies sound pretty tasty! If you feel the same you should give the Hoot a holler. Puns aside, speak up: If the Hoot gets enough requests for new food, they may experiment with an expanded menu. Andrew Bole McMurtry College Class of 2017
To read a response to Justin Raine’s opinions piece on Rice’s urban intergration, visit ricethresher.org/opinion
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opinions Mitch Mackowiak* Editor sports Maddy Adams Editor Evan Neustater Editor Sarah Nyquist Designer art Carrie Jiang Director Jake Nyquist Photo Editor Jessica Kelly Asst. Photo Editor arts & entertainment Kaylen Strench Editor Walden Pemantle Editor Samantha Ding Designer
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copy Jasmine Lin Editor Julianne Wey Editor backpage Joey McGlone Editor Riley Robertson Editor * indicates member of the Editorial Board
To advocate that Rice needs a vibrant street life misapprehends the existing Rice culture and Rice’s chosen role in its home city. Rice is not the place where you come to play, it is the place where you come to learn. The relative separation from the surrounding city is part of what makes that possible. That the gates are open and the hedges have holes in them is right and appropriate, but is important to have them. Robert Duffield Baker College ‘87
The Rice Thresher, the official student newspaper at Rice University since 1916, is published each Wednesday during the school year, except during examination periods and holidays, by the students of Rice University. Letters to the Editor must be received by 5 p.m. the Friday prior to publication and must be signed, including college and year if the writer is a Rice student. The Thresher reserves the rights to edit letters for content and length and to place letters on its website.
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Rankings are a chance to prioritize and refocus
RetrOspective-Week: Coordinators share gratitude and grievances
Editorial and business offices are located on the second floor of the Ley Student Center: 6100 Main St., MS-524 Houston, TX 77005-1892 Phone (713) 348-4801 Email: thresher@rice.edu Website: www.ricethresher.org Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the Thresher editorial staff. All other opinion pieces represent solely the opinion of the piece’s author. The Thresher is a member of the ACP, TIPA and CNBAM © Copyright 2015
arts
ENTERTAINMENT
5
Navigating up the (music) stream: music apps for your every need
The Official Thresher Guide to Obscure Museums Kaylen Strench A&E Editor
Houston’s world-class museums are awesome. If you haven’t yet frequented the Museum of Fine Arts, the Menil Collection or the Houston Museum of Natural Science, well that’s just shameful, and you should go right now before reading on. That said, Houston is also jam-packed with a bunch of weird little museums that are just as spectacular as the others but far easier to miss in a short four-year stay. Fortunately, their narrow focuses and smaller scales make it easy to hit many of them in a day, making for a perfect Saturday afternoon of museum hopping. So go ahead, grab your best tourist attire and some good walking shoes and use this little guide to see ’em all.
Stop 1: Art Car Museum
Stop 4: Maritime Museum
Address: 140 Heights Blvd. Hours: Open Wednesday - Sunday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Don’t miss: The previous winners of Houston’s Annual Art Car Parade. Why it’s awesome: The Art Car Museum is a small, private museum located in the Heights committed to showing off contemporary art that is often ignored by the “high art” crowd. They rotate their exhibitions frequently, but past shows have spotlighted surreal folk art, political photography and strange sculptures of all kinds that center around a particular obscure theme, like guns or reincarnation. The crowning jewels of the museum, however, are the museum’s namesake: the striking vehicles or “art cars” decorated and outfitted in beautiful and sometimes extreme ways. At the very least, the ACM’s sure to be an art museum experience you’ve never had before.
Stop 2: Health Museum Address: 1515 Hermann Drive Hours: Open Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. Don’t miss: The DeBakey Cell Lab, a new exhibition where you get to look at a bunch of cells under a microscope for no extra cost. Why it’s awesome: Even though it’s walking distance from Rice, the Health Museum doesn’t get as much attention as its larger counterparts off the roundabout. That’s really too bad because it’s just as well-regarded and exciting. Highly interactive exhibitions allow visitors to explore health or just play around through various different perspectives. The coolest exhibit by far has got to be the “Amazing Body Pavilion,” where guests can walk through a giant room designed to mirror the inside of a body, with “organs” that include a 27.5-foot intestine, a jumbo-sized brain you can play with and eyes you can walk inside, “Being John Malkovich”-style. Rad is a bit of an understatement.
Stop 3: The National Museum of Funeral History Address: 415 Barren Springs Drive Hours: Open Monday - Friday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. Don’t miss: The history of Pope John Paul’s embalming. Why it’s awesome: The National Museum of Funeral History may sound a little morbid, but it’s a Houston treasure that shouldn’t be missed. The NMFH is the world’s largest collection of funeral service artifacts and leaves no stone unturned in its mission to uncover every aspect of how humans have taken care of dead people through history. Highlights of the museum include its coverage of ancient mourning rituals and embalming practices, artifacts from famous funerals and the thorough exploration of the funeral industry as a profit-seeking business. The fascinating tidbits you can gather and use at cocktail parties will make it worth enduring the slightly creepy vibe.
THE WEEKLY SCENE The editors’ picks for this week’s best events. Time to explore the wonderful world of Houston.
Address: 2204 Dorrington Street Hours: Open Tuesday - Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Don’t miss: The tiny little model ships inside of the light bulbs. Why it’s awesome: Right behind the part of Holcombe closest to Rice lies a little house that serves as the terribly underrated and surprisingly expansive Houston Maritime Museum. The littlepot is exactly what the name says: an educational center for everything maritime, featuring over 150 model ships representing every era, model drilling rigs and even historical navigational instruments. Sweet, history-loving old men will talk your ear off about the history of maritime navigation, technology and war, but guests are also free to wander about and explore on their own. It’s a great place to learn a ton of stuff about something you know nothing about quickly and quite painlessly.
Stop 5: Houston Fire Museum Address: 2403 Milam Street Hours: Open Tuesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Don’t miss: The fire locker exhibition Why it’s awesome: The Houston Fire Museum’s kind of small, but there’s plenty to keep you occupied for a while. Based in an old firehouse, the museum strives to convey the history of the Houston Fire Department through firehouse relics from every decade, including preserved firetrucks, training and rest facilities and gear. It’s a good place to visit to reconnect with your childhood dream of becoming a firefighter.
Lydia Dick
For the Thresher
Gone are the days of iTunes gift cards, Limewire and burning CDs from your friends’ music libraries. We have entered the musicstreaming age. Never before has it been cheaper or easier to have the world of music at your fingertips, and it doesn’t look like we’ll be turning back anytime soon. However, choosing how we listen to music has never been more difficult. With a myriad of streaming services available, all offering unique and exclusive features, how is a lazy college student to choose? Here is my opinion on the best music streaming options for every occasion. For showing off — Music streaming and social media don’t appear to mix well. You probably realized this the first time you used Spotify and discovered that everyone on Facebook could see how much Britney Spears you listen to at the gym. Cymbal is music and social media done right. The problem with Spotify’s social media platform is that everyone can see everything you’re listening to unless you switch to the private setting. Cymbal, much like Instagram, allows you to put your best face forward and craft a musical identity. Your Cymbal is your favorite track you’ve been listening to and want to share. The album artwork then appears on a seamless newsfeed filled with the Cymbals of your favorite blogs, artists and friends. Just hit play to hear your feed as one continuous stream. When it’s your turn to choose the music — Finding the right music for the party can be a daunting task. Fortunately, there is a number of playlist-generating services available. Songza seems to be tailored to college students’ needs; its home screen “concierge” will automatically show “Putting on My Party Dress” playlists Friday night and “Drinking Gourmet Coffee” playlists Sunday morning. My favorite playlists are actually under the “Brand New Music” tab, which features frequently updated playlists of the most blogged-about music. For being ahead of the game — Get your hipster glasses ready because Hypemachine knew what you’d want to listen to before it was cool. This app tracks the most reblogged and talked-about tracks and sorts them by genre. One cool feature is the “time machine,” which can show you the most talkedabout tracks in, say, September 2009, providing evidence that you were listening to Kendrick before he got big. At the end of the day — Now for the big question: What streaming service should you use to build your library and curate your own playlists? Although Google Play, Apple Music, Rdio and Xbox Music all offer similar features, I’ve narrowed the debate down to Tidal versus Spotify simply because at $4.99 per month for students, they offer the best selection for your money with ad-free streaming. In case you missed the buzz, music mogul Jay-Z unveiled Tidal this summer, highlighting its high-fidelity streaming and exclusive content and branding it as a “platform owned by 0see MUSIC, page 6
DOG DAYS
HOT STUFF
GROOVE FEST
NIGHT MARKET
Doggies of all shapes and sizes are coming to Discovery Green this weekend, Sept. 18-20 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will be athletic competitions, fashion shows and, of course, plenty of dog-watching and petting opportunities. It’s the next best thing to being reunited with your own Fido.
Hot sauce is a crucial aspect of Southwest culture. Embrace your inner Texan by going out to the Houston Hot Sauce Festival this Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, from 12-5 p.m. The festival will include every kind of spicy product, a salsa-eating contest and even the Guns N’ Roses lead guitarist.
Get down and get groovy this Saturday, Sept. 19 at the biggest urban outdoor music festival of the fall. Groove Fest, which will run from 3-10 p.m., will include R&B, soul, funk and hip-hop from both local and nationally known artists. There’s no better way to shake off the stress.
Shopping, art, good food ... What more could you ask for? Enjoy all of this and more at Asia Society Texas’ Night Market and opening of its new exhibition, “Drawn From Nature,” this Friday, Sept. 18 from 6-9 p.m. Have a classy weekend fall night to remember.
Discovery Green 1500 McKinney St. discoverygreen.com/dogdays
The Stafford Centre 10505 Cash Road bit.ly/houston-Hot-Sauce-Festival-2015
Jones Plaza 600 Louisiana St. facebook.com/groovefesthouston
Asia Society Texas 1370 Southmore Blvd. facebook.com/asiasocietytexas
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A&E
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
the Rice Thresher
Behind every art, a science Walden Pemantle A&E Editor
If you’re in the humanities at Rice you’re probably used to hearing (and repeating) this familiar mantra: A liberal arts education is important! Students should be more well rounded! Taking an “easy D1” is missing the point! It’s a good mantra, and all of its points are true, but how often is it reversed? The STEM fields at Rice are already big enough that no one needs to argue that they matter, yet you never hear complaints over other majors taking “Stars for Stoners” instead of BIOC 201 for an “easy D3.” It’s not seen as a cop-out, it’s what’s expected, and that doesn’t bode well for the arts. Art is inextricably entangled with science. We have optics to thank for Realist painting, oxidation and reduction reactions to thank for the invention of photography, acoustics to thank for music theory; the list goes on and on. But when it comes time for humanities majors and budding artists to try out a science, many of us avoid more rigorous courses without a second thought. It makes one wonder what the arts at Rice are missing out on by ignoring the science behind them. Cooking, for instance, has very visible roots in chemistry, yet at some point, chefs decided they didn’t need any more chemistry, only “practical” knowledge that they could use in the kitchen. Then Ferran Adría and Grant Achatz turned the culinary world upside down with molecular gastronomy, a new approach to
cooking that incorporated more chemistry than the traditional methods. Now, even old-school chefs admit that citric acid is perfect for preserving delicate vegetables and that tapioca maltodextrin powder can be pretty delicious. In poetry, writers rarely even consider how math and science might affect their art. But an experimental poet, Christian Bök, decided to study crystallography and apply crystal-like structures to his poems. His book, “Eunoia,” is currently the only Canadian book of poetry ever to become a best seller. Even at the MoMa, installations like the Rain Room, a field of falling water that uses sensors to avoid raining wherever its viewers are, draw eight-hour-long lines and seem to prove that science definitely has its place in art, and it’s an important place at that. Rice supplies more than enough avenues for students to pursue interdisciplinary learning. Beyond courses like The Chemistry of Art and The Chemistry of Cooking, Rice plans on putting “innovation spaces,” rooms stocked with tools like 3-D printers, easels and laser cutters, in residential colleges starting in 2016. It would be a shame if we, as students, lacked the knowledge to take advantage of these resources. So next time course selection rolls around, regardless of what side of the spectrum you fall on, use your distribution classes to challenge yourself. It’s said often to STEM majors but not enough to those in the arts. D3s are more than just a requirement to be fulfilled. They are a chance for science and the scientific methods to lead to new unconventional works of art.
Sacred Geometry
vidya giri/thresher
Students and Houston community members attend “Sacred Geometry,” an artist-led workshop that took place on Sept. 13.
0 MUSIC from page 5 artists.” Although I like how Tidal allows you to watch music videos, Spotify seems to stream better around campus (although both cut out around Keck Hall and the central quad). Additionally, Spotify has what I call “the Facebook advantage.” Google Plus had almost 25 million users within a month of is launch in 2011, and there was much
speculation that it would replace Facebook as the most widely used social media platform. In the end, nobody switched to using Google Plus because everyone had a Facebook already. Tidal isn’t significantly better or different enough to urge me to permanently make the switch from Spotify. I like following my friends’ playlists and being able to see who else is listening to my favorite artists. Tidal might make you feel one small step closer to being in Beyoncé’s circle, but you won’t be able to follow the Beer Bike playlists come spring.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
A&E
the Rice Thresher
WHAT’S HIP RIGHT NOW APP:
FILM:
WellSquad
“The Martian”
courtesy wellsquad
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by kaylen strench
BOOK: “Purity”
courtesy 20th century fox
courtesy jonathan franzen
In a phrase: Tinder for your workout Where to get it: wellsquad.com
In a phrase: Uplifting sci-fi (apparently that’s not an oxymoron) Where to get it: Coming out Oct. 2
In a phrase: Your favorite arrogant asshole intellectual strikes again Where to find it: amazon.com, bookstores duh
Finding a workout buddy is damn hard. Friends and significant others often don’t work: The kindness of a good companion may just enable your quitting or procrastinating tendencies. Or, alternatively, your S.O. could be a marathon-running, weight-lifting, fitness maniac like mine, who inadvertently makes you feel like a flabby sloth during workout dates. Just like there are a million points on our checklist for a romantic partner, the best workout buddy needs to complete us in a very specific way. Fortunately, in our extraordinary, technology-laden world, we don’t have to pick through strangers at our local gyms; no, we have algorithms. Enter WellSquad, a new website and app that matches you with workout mates based on fitness goals, favorite activities, motivation levels and geographical locations. Your excuses for putting off developing that NOD bod are growing fewer and fewer.
What makes Ridley Scott’s new film, “The Martian,” so hip is its unrelenting insistence on being the exact opposite. The main character, an astronaut stranded on Mars played by Matt Damon, isn’t suave or charming. Rather, he’s an intellectual, self-admitted nerd who saves the day with his grasp of scientific principles, not with his ripped biceps and catlike reflexes. The movie doesn’t try to characterize its setting, Mars, by only capitalizing on the inherent awesomeness of space, but instead tries to appeal to NASA nerds by keeping the details as scientifically accurate as possible. The film stands out as a bold attempt to appeal to an audience of Trekkies and space nerds who are often relegated to fringe entertainment. It also boosts support for space exploration at a time when NASA may actually have the technology to send people to Mars for real.
I would think it’s hard to get through an elite university like Rice without knowing who Jonathan Franzen is, but after asking around a bit, I guess it’s possible. Here’s the quick and dirty rundown: He’s the author of several novels that have been declared the “classics of post 9/11 fiction,” including “Freedom” (one of my favorite books of all time) and “The Corrections.” He’s also a neurotic hyper-liberal who is prone to thinking himself into circles (I read his essay collection). Above all, however, he’s a good writer and when he releases books, New Yorker columnists get a little twitchy with excitement, as do I. “Purity,” released this month, is his newest ambitious tome gathering said hype. Among other things, it chronicles the life of an anxious girl searching for her identity. Franzen apparently hits it all: feminism, capitalism, family dynamics, sexuality, etc. It’s a good, modern tale to catch you up on the angst floating around the intellectual circles.
Sports is on Twitter. Get the scoop at twitter.com/ThresherSports
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Former Owl makes debut for Houston Texans Jeremy Reiskind For the Thresher
rachel zein/daily texan
Senior quarterback Driphus Jackson escapes defensive pressure during a 42-28 loss against the University of Texas, Austin. Jackson threw for 139 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in the game. The Owls are now 1-1 on the season and will next face its first C-USA opponent, the University of North Texas.
Football falls to Longhorns Aniket Tolpadi Thresher Staff
UT vs. Rice
42-28 Fueled by redshirt freshman quarterback Jerrod Heard’s effort in his first career collegiate start, the Texas Longhorns were able to overcome a strong individual effort from Rice redshirt freshman running back Samuel Stewart to defeat the Owls 42-28, in the teams’ first meeting since 2011. The game, hyped by many as the biggest of the year, could not have started off worse for Rice: The first three offensive possessions of the game resulted in just one first down. The punts resulting from these possessions were similarly disastrous, as poor special teams tackling resulted in one being returned for a touchdown and another being returned to the Owls’ six-yard line. 12 minutes into the game, Rice was already trailing 21-0. The Owls, however, would not fold. As part of his impressive day, Stewart ran for two touchdowns in the second quarter, cutting the deficit to 21-14. However, Stewart’s performance and Rice’s strong second quarter proved insufficient to overcome its self-inflicted wounds and top Texas’ timely big plays. Rice had five turnovers on the day to Texas’ one, including redshirt senior quarterback Driphus Jackson’s interception on the Owls’ final
drive of the second half, with the team 27 yards away from tying the game. Altogether, turnovers and special teams play explained how Rice lost a game in which they outgained the opposition 462 yards to 277, had 30 first downs to the Longhorns’ 11 and held the ball for over 44 minutes. In the postgame press conference, Head Coach David Bailiff said the team suffered from a poor special teams performance. “We can’t have those kinds of mistakes,” Bailiff said. “We’ve got to take care of the ball better. You can’t come in here and have five turnovers, have three big punt returns, big holding penalties. Everything we did, we did to ourselves; everything we did is correctable.” Jackson said the game could have had a different outcome if Rice had avoided making mistakes. “Everything we did was self-inflicted,” Jackson said. “We had five turnovers today, which we’ve never done as a program. Myself with two interceptions and then us with three fumbles, that’s not the Rice way.” Some of these mistakes, according to Bailiff, could be chalked up to the hype surrounding the game from players and the media alike. “We tried hard to make sure that [we didn’t have excessively excited players] because that was a concern,” Bailiff said. “Sometimes when you’re too jazzed for a game you don’t play well, and I know early in this game we were too jazzed up and weren’t playing the way we were capable of.” Despite the disappointing result, Bailiff and the team were able to find several positives to take
away from the game. According to Bailiff, he was proud in the team’s ability to fight back from a large deficit in a hostile environment. “I’m really proud of how this team fought back,” Bailiff said. “When we were down 21-0 in the first quarter, we just kept working and found our way back into the football game. We believed we were coming here to win a football game, we believed we were the better team.” Many were impressed with Stewart, who rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns on the day. Jackson said the running back showed he will be a playmaker for years to come. “Sam’s going to be a huge asset for this program for a long time,” Jackson said. “He did a great job in protections, sitting down in zones. He did a lot of things for the other running backs to look at.” Despite having to deal with poor field position for parts of the night, redshirt sophomore defensive end Brian Womac said the defense’s effort was strong. “I think we played with a lot of intensity and had guys rallying to the football,” Womac said. “I think we came in there with a good game plan, getting after the quarterback. Not a bad game for us defensively.” Looking ahead to next week, Rice will open Conference USA play with a road matchup against the University of North Texas, a team they defeated 41-21 last season. The Owls will look to push their record to 2-1 on Sept. 19 against the North Texas Mean Green at 1:30 p.m. in Denton, Texas.
Four years ago, 17-year-old Christian Covington traveled from Canada to play football at Rice University. Covington believed that Houston would be a short stop along his journey to the NFL. On Sunday, when Covington suited up to play with the Houston Texans, our east Texas town became the rookie’s new home. When Covington arrived at Rice University in 2011, he was small for his position, but what he lacked in size he made up for in quickness and intellect. Covington’s father, Grover Covington, was one of the greatest pass rushes to play in the Canadian Football League. Grover entered the CFL Hall of Fame in 2000 and passed his football knowledge down to his son. Covington redshirted his first year on campus to get bigger and more mature, as he was only 17. After a strong freshman season in which he tied for the most sacks among Conference USA rookies, Covington had his breakout season his sophomore year. He finished the year with 59 tackles, four sacks and 14 tackles for a loss and was named first-team All CUSA. The nation began to take notice of Covington’s pure skill set, and some believed he could be a first-round talent in the 2015 draft with a strong 2014 season. Before his junior year, Covington was decorated with preseason awards. Covington was projected first team C-USA and appeared on the award watch list for the Outland, Rotary Lombardi, Chuck Bednarik and Bronko Nagurski awards. However, his season would be cut short by two different knee injures, the second of which ended his season. This left Covington with a huge decision: Would he return for his senior season or test his luck in the NFL draft? After much consideration, Covington chose the latter. On May 2, the third day of the 2015 NFL Draft, Covington’s dream started to come true. That day, he was drafted by the Houston Texans in the sixth round, having to move only three miles down the street from his previous football field. According to Covington, it could not have worked out better. “To be able to go from Rice and only have to move down the street to play for a team such as the Houston Texans, I couldn’t have asked for anything better than that,” Covington said. Not only was it an easy move for Covington, but he was put in a situation where he could learn from two of the best defensive linemen in the NFL: J.J. Watt, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, and Vince Wilfork, two-time Super Bowl Champion. According to Covington, they have played a major role in his adjustments to the NFL. 0see COVINGTON, page 10
Soccer loses consecutive games in Ohio Michael Kidd Thresher Staff
After reeling off a five-match unbeaten streak, the Rice University women’s soccer team had trouble adjusting to the unfamiliar and hostile environments at the University of Dayton and at Miami of Ohio University. Rice lost both matches with a total score of 7-2. The winless weekend was the first the Owls have had since October 2013, a span of nearly two years. The Owls have an overall record of 4-3-1 and have now completed all non-conference games in their 2015 schedule. Dayton and Rice had previously played in Houston last season to a 2-2 double overtime final in a back-and-forth game where 47 shots were taken and 18 saves were made. During this matchup, Rice got down early by conceding three goals in a five-minute span. Despite the score line, Rice found themselves on the board when freshman Gabby Martinez headed
home a corner kick in the 32nd minute of the game to cut the lead to 3-1. Behind by a 4-1 deficit at the half, junior defender Jenny Fichera scored the second goal for Rice off a penalty kick in the 51st minute to again cut into the lead. As the game progressed, the Owls created multiple opportunities to score but failed to find the back of the net and Rice fell by a 5-2 margin. For the second match, the Owls held the advantage in shots (13-6) and corner kicks (6-1) but could not capitalize on those opportunities. Two days after conceding a season-high five goals against Dayton, the Rice defense locked down the Miami of Ohio RedHawks offense allowing just a single shot the entire first half. Rice’s offense struggled to connect on shots. The closest opportunity came in the 41st minute of the match. A strike off the boot of senior forward Lauren Hughes on a free kick hit the crossbar and was mere inches from scor-
ing. Miami’s Kat Zalar would eventually break through for two goals in the second half, the first coming in the 56th minute and her second in the 86th minute. For the first time this season, Rice was shut out by an opponent. Head Coach Nicky Adams said she believes the losses revealed areas of improvement for the Owls before Conference USA play begins. “[I am] a bit frustrated overall with the whole weekend,” Adams said. “We’ve been working really, really hard and I put us in a good position [to win] so this is a little deflating for us. I think coming to Ohio shed some light on some real serious areas that we need to work on … [but] we’re going to buckle down … and come back strong before conference.” Hughes, Rice’s all-time leading scorer, talked about getting back into the rhythm of Rice soccer this weekend. She said the unsuccessful weekend of play allowed the team to rally together which in turn improved team bonding. “This weekend showed that our team has a
lot to work on,” Hughes said. “I also feel this weekend improved team bonding [because] we spent a lot of time together and got to know one another better off the field. I think that this week will be used to get us back into the rhythm of Rice Soccer.” According to Hughes, the team has a lot of prove as the Conference USA slate begins in two weeks. Hughes said the prize is punching a ticket to the NCAA tournament for a second consecutive year. “We can’t wait to be back on the field for the beginning of conference in two weeks,” Hughes said. “We have a lot to prove and everyone is excited to start the road to the NCAA tournament by securing that automatic bid.” Rice looks ahead to a weekend of no competitive matches on the schedule. Rice resumes play on Sept. 25 with the conference opener against Western Kentucky University. Following this match, Rice will travel to Huntington, West Virginia to face Marshall University.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
the Rice Thresher
Lads look to reload in 2015 Juan Saldana Thresher Staff
After two consecutive berths to the Club Soccer National Tournament, the Rice Men’s Club soccer team, known as the Lads, has set a new bar for success. With the team’s recent achievements, making Nationals is no longer an unattainable goal, but rather an expectation. Martin Torres, a Will Rice College junior and a starting right back, said the team now expects to make Nationals after two straight appearances. “This year, we’re looking to go to nationals again and we’re looking to compete at nationals again,” Torres said. “We’re operating under the assumption that we’re going to make it.” In the past few years, the Lads have risen in the club soccer ranks from the second division of Texas club soccer to the top division, where they have won their region for two consecutive years. Two years ago, in 2013, the Lads gained a berth in the National Championship Tournament, and won their group to advance to the second round. However, the tournament was then canceled due to weather and the Lads were not able to continue their quest for the National title. Last year, the Lads once again won their region and advanced to the National Championship Tournament in Memphis. This time they could not advance from the group stage and lost to the University of Florida and Michigan State University, the defending national champions. The team’s biggest regret is not the losses themselves; rather, it is not playing to the best of their abilities last year. Torres said last year’s performance in the tournament now provides further motivation for the team. “If we’re [going to] lose, I want to lose because we’re not as good as the other team,” Torres said. “Last year, we could have won those games. We didn’t play nearly as well as we could have played which was hugely disappointing.” JB Makhani, a Duncan College senior and Lads co-captain, said the team is expecting to make Nationals once again this year and put on a dominating performance. “We have been to Nationals the past two years, and that has been an awesome achieve-
ment,” Makhani said. “However, now that we are in the top group in the region and playing against big schools such as Texas and Texas A&M, we not only want to go to Nationals, we want to win it. It starts from doing well in conference, and winning regionals.” Many of the players on the team, including Torres and Makhani, had previously committed to other universities in order to play varsity soccer, but decided to attend Rice instead. Makhani said the Lads provide a high level of play as the only men’s soccer team on campus. “There is no men’s varsity team at Rice because of Title IX,” Makhani said. “Many of the guys on the team decided against playing at schools across the country to attend Rice. Texas and Texas A&M are in the same situation, and as a result, the level of play is extremely high. We all want to win and we train for it.” The team’s competitiveness is further exemplified by the difficulty of joining the Lads. This year, they held tryouts with approximately 30 applicants and only two new players were selected. Brown College sophomore Oliver Lucier and Will Rice freshman Eugenio Mesta are the only new members of this year’s Lads team. Mesta said being the only freshman of the team can be intimidating but the presence of upperclassmen has helped him adjust to college club soccer. “Although it might seem intimidating, the players are great and look forward to helping you out adapt to their playing style,” Mesta said. “What I like so far is that because we don’t have a coach we count on each other to push ourselves in practice and at the games.” Torres said Rice students should attend Lads games to watch quality soccer and enjoy the game’s atmosphere and free refreshments. “We are very successful, compete at a high level and we’re all really cute people,” Torres said. “The Lads are objectively the most attractive student organization on campus.” The Lads were scheduled to begin their season against rival Texas A&M on Sunday but the game was postponed due to weather. That game has been rescheduled for Oct. 2. The Lads first home game will be on Oct. 27 at 3 p.m. against Southern Methodist University.
SPORTS
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10 SPORTS
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
the Rice Thresher
On the offensive
sean chu/thresher
Redshirt senior outside hitter Noelle Whitlock attacks the University of Louisiana, Lafayette’s double block during a 3-0 victory on Sept. 11. The Owls are 8-2 on the season, including a 4-0 mark in Tudor Fieldhouse.
0from COVINGTON page 8 “Both [Watt] and [Wilfork] have shown me what it takes to be a professional in this game, both on and off of the field,” Covington said. “Whether it’s helping me with my pass rush or guiding me through film study, they’ve been helping me progress as a football player.” And if Covington’s playing career doesn’t work out, he might have a shot on Broadway as he has been featured in HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” which is following the Texans’ training camp this season. His most famous moment occurred when Texans Head Coach Bill O’Brien sent Covington back to receive a punt. However, this was not a normal punt return scenario. If Covington caught the punt cleanly, the players would each be able to leave the team hotel and return to his home.
Covington lined up and caught the punt cleanly, which led to a team celebration and someone off-camera saying, “Rice Got Athletes,” which has now become a frequent hashtag for Rice Athletics. Covington has also has been constantly given praise by Coach O’Brien, other players and journalists. Each week he has improved to adjust to the greater speed of the NFL and his role as a nose tackle. However, Covington said he does not look at what the media is saying. “I was told by my dad at a young age to never read your own press clippings,” Covington said. “I try to stay true to that to this day.” Covington might not be reading his name in the articles and box scores, but Rice supporters each Monday will look as he has become a sense of pride for the Owls. Four years later and Covington is still making plays in Houston, but now, it’s on Sundays.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
the Rice Thresher
SPORTS
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BACKPAGE
IZ QU
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
the Rice Thresher
How Rice Are You?
Tally up your number of “Yes!” answers to find out!
Now Buzzing
1. Were you once a BIOC major, but switched to ____ because “that’s where your interests really lie.” STAT, ENGL, HART, EBIO, PSYC, SOCI, RELI, BIOC minor YES NO 2. Is Fat Tony the only rapper you’ve ever seen live? YES NO 3. Do you scroll extensively through the “Rice Missed Encounters” Facebook page with the hopes that your crush has posted about you because you’re too nervous to make a post about him/her? YES
NO
4. Are you more invested in your college’s powderpuff team than the actual NCAA Division I varsity football team at your school? YES NO 5. Would you end your closest relationship by pulling out of a housing agreement just so that you wouldn’t have to be forced off campus and actually face reality “beyond the hedges?” YES NO
18 Things Only South Colleges Will Understand
6. Do you have a can of Barbasol in your room that you haven’t touched since last Halloween? YES NO 7. Do you try and sneak in a U.S. News statistic into every interaction in which you form even a single sentence about your school? YES NO 8. Have you made sweet, sweet, passionate love in the steam tunnels? (*) YES NO 9. Have you thought about awkwardly tonguing in the steam tunnels? (**) YES NO 10. Do you look back at the good ol’ days, when watermelons were shot from Sid, the MOB would piss off the Aggies, and Willy’s statue was turned around and think to yourself, “What happened?” (***) YES NO
Are You A Ping Or A Leebron?
* Stop lying to yourself. You’ve never done this. You never will do this. Go back to Fondren. Nerd. ** There ya go, champ. *** Check out this list of Rice-approved pranks (staff.rice.edu/staff/pranks.asp)!
0-2: AGGIE
3-5: OWLET
6-8: SILLY WILLY
9-10: LEEBRON
Whoohooa! Get your hiney back in class. You could learn a thing or two!
You’ve got a ways to go before you’re ready to fly out of the nest. Sit back and take it all in!
Don’t let anyone stop you from getting down with your unconventionality!
Good gravy! You’ve gone too far. Seriously. Tone it down, for everyone’s sake.
YOUR REACTION?
We Know Your Favorite Servery
179 89
LOL
55
WIN
17
OMG
12
7
7
FAIL
CUTE
WTF
4
4 YAAASS
MORE BUZZ EW
The Backpage is satire and written by Joey McGlone and Riley Robertson. For comments or questions, please email thresher@rice.edu.
CLASSIFIEDS @rice.edu WANTED
Teach for Test Masters! Dynamic and Energetic teachers wanted. Starting pay rate is $20 to $32 per hour. Flexible schedules. We provide all training, all training is paid, and we pay for travel. Email your resume to ricejobs@testmasters.com. Memorial family looking for a part-time nanny for after school pick-ups and occasional evenings. Teri Gordon, teriggordon@ yahoo.com, (480) 747-2980 *EGG DONORS WANTED* Give a family the chance at happiness. Receive $6,000 per cycle. Qualify for FREE Egg Freezing & Storage. Apply at donate-eggs.com
LOOKING FOR TUTOR to help with homework for a 5th grader. Live close to Rice. Contact khuranas@bellsouth.net Female student needed for babysitting job located 3 miles away. Hours: 2-5 pm,3 weekdays per week (negotiable). Responsibilities: interact with children, be a safe driver, pick up from
school (1 mile away), do light housework. $15/ hour. Email kpham12@yahoo.com.
forecasting model. Flexible hours. dweaver@ shaledynamics.com
WE NEED 1-2 female tutors 3-4 times a week. We have three girls going into 7th grade. We will need help with languages, but mostly the focus will be on math and science. maugier2003@yahoo.com
LARGE TOWN HOME for Lease - 3 Bedrooms with 3 1/2 baths. 4 floors zoned air conditioning. Gated with 2 car garage and 1 carport. 4th story balcony (downtown view). Elevator serving 4 levels. Over size walk in closet. Midtown-Montrose location. 4th story game room. 3 blocks from rail. Hardwood floors. Luxury master bath. Prox 3100 square ft.
LOOKING TO HIRE a part time person to take care of my 6 and 10 year old children after school and help out with errands M-Th, help with homework, take to swim lessons, etc. $10/hour. Located in Bellaire. 10 minutes from Rice. dsternthal@seyfarth.com or 832570-7081. EARN MORE THAN $22/hr as a private tutor at Rice alumnus-owned General Academic. You’ll benefit from flexible hours, great clients, and a bike-able office just north of the Rice Village. Apply online at GeneralAcademic.com/Careers. TABLEAU CONSULTANT TO help build energy
ADVERTISING We accept display and classified advertisements. The Thresher reserves the right to refuse any advertising for any reason. Additionally, the Thresher does not take responsibility for the factual content of any ad. Printing an advertisement does not constitute an endorsement by the Thresher. Display advertisements must be received by 5 p.m. on the Friday prior to publication. First copy free, second copy $5.
Washer-dryer furnished. Price below current market, space adequate for 4 persons reduced to $2990 per month. Deposit required. (713)806-9228 (Frank) Good help wanted - Ovations - A showcase Performance Hall in Rice Village seeking wait staff. Very flexible hours/nice environment. Classical, jazz, theatre pieces, etc.. 28 years in business - (713)522-9801 (Kevin) or (713)8069228 (Frank)
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