The Rice Thresher | Wednesday, January 31, 2018

VOLUME 102, ISSUE NO. 16 | STUDENT-RUN SINCE 1916 | RICETHRESHER.ORG | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2018

NEWS

Changes to Beer Bike proposed

TO HIS OWN BEAT Student musician Kid Fig talks home, creativity

PUZZLE IT OVER Take a crack at the Thresher’s inaugural crossword

FLO-P OR NOT? FLO Paris delivers impressive fare and service, at a price

SEE SPOTLIGHT P. 6

SEE SPOTLIGHT P. 7

SEE A&E P. 8

A LEGEND’S LAST RIDE? Baseball’s Wayne Graham prepares to face the unknown

DREW KELLER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / AJK10@RICE.EDU

Rice’s most hallowed tradition, Beer Bike, has undergone numerous changes in its 60 years of existence — perhaps most notably, chuggers now drink water rather than beer — and this year could see more. Residential college Beer Bike coordinators are gathering feedback on proposals to reduce the number of bikers per team from 10 to six, move the races’ start time from 11:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. and allow college adult-team members to participate in the alumni races.

The proposals arose from a discussion among college bike captains and experienced cyclists regarding how to improve biker safety at a meeting Sunday, according to campuswide Beer Bike coordinators Joyce Moon and Erica Zhong. Moon and Zhong were also in attendance at the meeting, the original purpose of which was to discuss Rice Bikes’ new bike inspection system.

The injuries last year were so awful that we agreed something had to change.

illustration by esther tang

Head coach Wayne Graham is entering his 28th season at the helm of Rice baseball, but he is now in the final year of his contract. Graham won the 2003 national championship at Rice and has led the Owls to 23 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, the nation’s third-longest active streak.

ANDREW GROTTKAU

Luke Howe-Kerr Rice Bikes Operations Manager Rice Bikes Operations Manager Luke Howe-Kerr said he asked to lead the discussion on safety issues and solutions at the meeting. He sent an email to college Beer Bike coordinators detailing three proposals.

According to Moon and Zhong, each college and the Graduate Student Association will have the opportunity to comment and cast one vote on each proposal, though the results of the vote will be nonbinding. Colleges responses will be decided by their Beer Bike coordinators, and some have sent polls to members of their colleges.

BIKE CONT. ON PAGE 4

SPORTS EDITOR / ABG4@RICE.EDU

It’s early in the baseball team’s first intrasquad game of the spring season. There are a few Rice fans in attendance on the overcast afternoon, but Reckling Park is almost silent.

Silent, that is, until a voice bellows from behind home plate.

“Duluc, steal second!” head coach Wayne Graham yells. “Now!” Graham sits down in his seat and the ballpark is quiet again. The only sound is the pitchers in the stands snickering at junior infielder Rodrigo Duluc as he takes his lead off first base. Graham watches as Duluc then dutifully steals second ahead of the throw.

Now 81 years old and in his 27th season at the helm of the Owls, Graham appears as focused as ever. He seldom sits still, pacing between the dugout and the seats behind home plate as the game goes on. His concentration only ever sways from the game to ask his pitchers, who

compile stats when they aren’t in the game, for information.

Former outfielder Jose Cruz Jr. played for Graham in the early 1990s. His son, freshman infielder Trei Cruz, is now on the baseball team.

It has been 23 years since Jose Cruz Jr. last played for the Owls, but after interacting with Graham during his son’s recruiting process, he says the manager is as intense as always.

“He’s a very relentless type of competitor,” Jose Cruz Jr. said. “He wants to do whatever possible to win. That kind of passion definitely rubs off on all the players.”

The Owls showcased their coach’s relentless spirit last season, rallying from a 13-25 start to finish 33-31 and earn a berth in the NCAA tournament with a perfect 4-0 record in the conference tournament. It was the closest the coach had ever come to finishing with a losing record in his 27 years at Rice.

Now, he enters uncharted territory. Graham is in the final year of his contract. He expressed a desire to continue coaching beyond 2018 at

the end of last season, but first Rice must renew his contract. Rice Athletics has yet to comment on whether this season will be Graham’s last. According to sports information director Chuck Pool, this is in accordance with athletic department practice.

“The department’s policy is to not comment on the contract status of current employees,” Pool said.

If this is Graham’s final season, it will not be due to lack of success. In his 38 years as a head coach at the high school, junior college and Division I level, his team has never had a losing season. He has won six national championships: five at San Jacinto Junior College and one at Rice in 2003. The Owls have appeared in 23 consecutive NCAA tournaments, the third best active streak in the nation.

His record at Rice is 1,147-497 for a winning percentage of .698.

Graham’s playing career was not nearly as storied. He played professional baseball for 11

GRAHAM CONT. ON PAGE 11

NEWS

SA to vote on resolution rejecting speaker disinvitations CAMERON WALLACE

ASST. NEWS EDITOR / CFW2@RICE.EDU

This is the time to have that conversation about what our values are.

Justin Onwenu Student Association President

The Student Association Senate will vote on a resolution calling for Rice University to affirm its commitment to diversity of thought by disregarding public opinion and controversy when inviting speakers to campus.

“The reason we’re doing this is because we’re trying to do this preemptively instead of in reaction to some kind of controversy that occurred on campus,” Duncan College Senator Juliette Turner said. “Rice generally is a place where people are very tolerant and

have different views and has great diversity of views and we don’t want to lose this.”

The resolution endorses a letter written by the SA Academic Freedom Working Group, based on surveys they conducted. The letter states that according to the data gathered by the working group, students feel that speakers invited to Rice, as well as Rice students and professors themselves, should be free to express any idea or belief so long as it does not fall outside of legal limits. Prohibited forms

of speech would include direct attempts to incite violence, threaten or defame.

The report that the letter is based on concludes from data collected on a voluntary Google survey taken by over 250 students that student mental well-being is a low priority for responders and freedom of expression is a high priority. The report concludes that data from a survey attached to the Survey of All Students taken by over 2,700 students is inconclusive regarding student prioritization of

mental well-being and freedom of expression.

According to the letter, the results of the survey showed responding students prioritized diversity of thought, freedom of expression, physical safety and the mental well-being of undergraduates when considering inviting speakers to Rice University.

Additionally, the letter states that it is the Rice’s duty to provide students with mental health resources, and to support them.

FREEDOM CONT. ON PAGE 4

NEWS

2

Students pitch ideas, seek advice at president’s office hours AMY QIN THRESHER STAFF / AQ5@RICE.EDU

Students attending President David Leebron’s office hours on Friday raised issues ranging from new study programs to undocumented student advocacy. Once a semester, President Leebron opens his door to allow Rice students to sit down and speak with him. “[Going to Leebron’s office hours] is often on a Rice student’s bucket list,” Lovett College sophomore Ariana Engles said.

For Leebron, his office hours are a chance to engage with students on a more direct level.

“In the office hours, sometimes I’m a source of information,” Leebron said.

“Sometimes I’m an advisor. Sometimes I’m a conduit, a way for people to convey information. Sometimes I might just be an object of curiosity.”

While Leebron asked that the conversations at his office hours be off the record to maintain open conversations with students, the Thresher spoke to several students who attended and followed up with Leebron afterward.

Audrey Cabay, an international student from Singapore, spoke about her concerns regarding both diversifying the body of international students and integrating them socially and academically once they matriculate.

“I’m concerned about the effectiveness of the [Student Association] resolution addressing international diversity] because I’m not sure how the administration intends to attract students of varying socio-economic backgrounds abroad,” Cabay, a Martel College freshman, said.

“English-as-a-second-language people are not rare, but finding large pockets of them to recruit from implies a certain economic standing or a certain nationality.”

Leebron said the Vision for the Second Century II document, which will establish a strategic plan for the university’s next five to 10 years, will address increasing the diversity of Rice’s international population. The main issues, Leebron said, are financial aid and the qualifications of students, primarily their English proficiency and analytical skills compared to the rest of Rice’s student body.

Cabay said she was satisfied with her conversation but disagreed with the latter part of his assessment.

“I’m not convinced by the argument for student quality,” Cabay said. “There are plenty of quality students abroad. There are hundreds of millions of young people

Left to right: Baker College junior Alberto Tohme, McMurtry College senior Colton Cox and Wiess College sophomore Michael McDowell attended President Leebron’s office hours on Friday afternoon. Tohme and McDowell asked for advice regarding the Rice mock trial team.

xinyu chen / thresher

outside the U.S. who could keep up with Rice [rigor].”

Engles, the Lovett senator, asked the president about the existence of any immediate plans regarding undocumented student advocacy beyond Rice. Engles also asked Leebron what he would do for members of Rice’s staff whose Temporary Protected Status may not be in effect any more. Leebron said that he would check with Human Resources.

It’s not every day that you get to hear from President Leebron, unless you follow his Twitter.

Daniel Wang Hanszen College Sophomore “I wanted to encourage President Leebron to provide additional in-house support for any employees at Rice or students on TPS to identify what to do

next, and to ensure that everyone is informed of the situation at hand,” Engles said. “It can be very confusing, especially with differing information coming from the media, to determine what to do next.”

Leebron said that, in order to better represent all of Rice, he does not express his political opinions often and chooses carefully issues to take a stand on that directly relate to Rice’s community.

“That said, there are important issues in which our students, faculty and staff do have a strong interest, and the university takes a position,” Leebron said. “That has included both protection of DACA students and immigration more broadly.”

Engles also asked Leebron about Rice’s annual tuition increase in contrast to the four-year fixed tuition implemented by other schools in Texas, including Texas A&M University and the University of Texas, Austin. Prior the 2009-10 academic year, Rice charged different tuition rates for each matriculating class.

Leebron said that consistency of tuition increases give students a reasonable expectation of what they will be paying in coming years. Financial aid packages also adjust for tuition increases, according to Leebron.

Engles said she accepted Leebron’s explanation as to why a flat tuition would not work, but said that Rice’s administration should be more transparent about annual tuition increases.

“I think it’s unfair to be unable to fully predict the cost of attendance over the course of four years,” Engles said. “Most students I’ve talked to didn’t realize that tuition increased every year.”

Daniel Wang, Hanszen College sophomore and a returning attendee of Leebron’s office hours, came on Friday to ask Leebron about the possibility of a global health major.

“It’s not every day that you get to hear from President Leebron, unless you follow his Twitter,” said Wang.

Leebron said that with the number of pre-med students at Rice, the enrollment and resulting cost of such a program would likely be large, and administration and faculty would need to ensure its sustainability. Global health is a possible priority of the V2C2 plan and potential area for which additional funding will be sought, he said.

LEEBRON CONT. ON PAGE 4

Flu cases increase in worst season in US since 2009

40 cases* D IN

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There’s nothing like influenza to get you behind on your readings. With federal health officials declaring this the most intense flu season since the 2009 swine flu

attention if they have shortness of breath, pain in the abdomen or chest, dizziness, confusion or persistent vomiting.

*REP

Jessica McKelvey Student Health Service Director

symptoms of the flu, citing the significant increase in flu cases reported in Texas during the previous 72 hours. According to the Houston Chronicle, 2,355 flu-related deaths have been reported in Texas this season and local experts predict the flu season is weeks from its peak. Nationally, the number of confirmed cases reported by early December doubled from last year.

According to McKelvey, the worst flu season Rice has had was during the swine flu epidemic in 2009, when there were 165 cases in August alone.

McKelvey said Student Health Services is asking for sick students to remain out of classrooms and serveries until they are afebrile, or don’t have a fever over 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit without fever-reducing medication, for 24 hours. A handout Student Health Services gives to each sick student advises them to seek medical

IN CC

If we could do something to help someone else, we would – which is why we all need to have the vaccine.

epidemic, Rice University Student Health Services is seeing an increasing number of cases, according to Jessica McKelvey, director of student health services.

According to McKelvey, Student Health Services has seen 40 influenza cases in January 2018. There were 74 total influenza cases in the 2016-17 academic year. Out of the 40 cases this month, 30 of those patients had not gotten vaccinated, and the 10 who did had milder cases. Vaccines are still available by appointment at Student Health Services.

“If we could do something to help someone else, we would — which is why we all need to have the vaccine,” McKelvey said.

Professor of biosciences Sarah Bengston sent out a message on Canvas last Saturday to her students advising them to stay home from class and excusing missed in-class activities if they showed

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ANNA TA NEWS EDITOR / ATX1@RICE.EDU

01

8

infographic by sydney garrett

THE RICE THRESHER

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2018

NEWS

3

SA working group seeks to address lack of off-campus engagement How would you like to engage with the Houston community?

If you are interested in engaging with the Houston community but have not yet done so, what has stopped you?

INTERNSHIP

42.8%

LACK OF TIME

31.3%

HOUSTON EXPLORATION

DIRECT SERVICE

LACK OF LACK OF AWARENESS TRANSPORTATION

23.7%

20.5%

19.2% OFF-SITE ADVOCACY

7.58%

“I DON’T WANT TO ENGAGE”

20.8%

LACK OF INTEREST IN EXISTING OFFERINGS

6.7%

3.7%

SCHEDULING PROBLEMS

14.0%

FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS

7.5%

information from sa rice beyond the hedges working group report /infographic by sydney garrett

EMILY ABDOW NEWS EDITOR / ESA2@RICE.EDU

The Rice Beyond the Hedges working group proposed creating stampable passports of Houston museums and landmarks and a campus wide service events calendar to increase students’ off-campus engagement at Monday’s Student Association Senate.

The Senate created the working group chaired by SA External Vice President Revathi Ravella in October with the goal of identifying barriers to engagement off campus and promoting ideas to increase engagement.

The group began by gathering data through questions which received around 3,000 responses on the fall 2017 Survey of All Students and presented their 13 ideas Monday.

“As students in Houston, we have the

responsibility to give back and engage with our community,” sophomore Daniel Koh, Jones College senator and Beyond the Hedges Working Group member, said. “We can help to ameliorate this culture of not engaging outside of the hedges.”

According to the working group report, the main barrier to engaging with Houston, with 31 percent of respondents, is lack of time, followed by lack of awareness about opportunities and lack of transportation, both gathering about 20 percent of responses.

The group reported that 67 percent of students reported they have never engaged in off-site advocacy for social causes, which Ravella said involves advocating for a social issue. About half of students responded they have never engaged in Houston through internships or research and about a quarter

responded they had never engaged in offcampus direct service. Only 13 percent of students said they had never engaged in exploration of Houston.

The group concluded that there is a lack of motivation to engage off campus and a lack of social engagement in Rice’s culture.

“For many students, the issues of the wider Houston community seem very distant,” the report said.

When asked on the survey how students would like to engage with Houston, about 43 percent of respondents answered “Internships or Research.” About 24 percent indicated they would like to engage through tourism followed by 20 percent who wished to engage through direct service. About 4 percent responded they did not want to engage.

Other solutions to increase engagement the

group proposed at Senate included window stickers for vendors who provide discounts to Rice students, shuttle transportation for city-wide social advocacy events and a “Community Week” where students could volunteer at job sites including food banks and local public high schools.

At Monday’s SA senate meeting, McMurtry College President Walden Pemantle suggested promoting the Houston bus system as a comprehensive and affordable way to travel Houston. In addition, the group proposed making off-campus engagement a greater topic during Orientation Week. “[O-week] is the first contact with Rice that our undergraduate body has. So if we emphasize engagement beyond the hedges from the beginning, that will help instill a culture of engagement,” Koh said.

4

NEWS

THE RICE THRESHER

Changes to team size, race time considered BIKE FROM PAGE 1 “Ultimately, it is up the campus-wide coordinators to make the final decision regarding these changes, but it will be heavily dependent on the college-wide poll and further discussion with the bike captains and experienced cyclists,” Moon and Zhong, respectively a McMurtry College junior and Will Rice College sophomore, said.

REDUCING TEAMS SIZE According to Howe-Kerr’s email to college Beer Bike coordinators, reducing the number of riders is primarily intended to reduce the number of inexperienced bikers in the races.

Howe-Kerr, a Lovett College sophomore, said reducing the number of bikers to eight is also a possibility, but meeting attendees had decided to put the most extreme cases to the vote and allow room for comment.

“Reducing the number of riders would mean a larger percentage of the riders competing are experienced with biking on the track because colleges wouldn’t have to pull inexperienced riders at the last minute,” Howe-Kerr’s email said. “Also, because it would make the teams more competitive, there would be more motivation to train, making the event safer.”

The email also argued that shorter races would make them more exciting for spectators, increasing attendance and reduce equipment costs for maintaining bike teams.

Will Rice men’s bike captain Matthew Weatherman said he opposes the reduction.

“Reducing the number of bikers could improve safety, but is not the best method to ensure the safety of bikers,” Weatherman, a senior, said. “The primary focus should be on revamping the biker certification process.

Seemingly everyone agrees that the current certification is a joke and does nothing to ensure a biker on race day is prepared.”

Brown College men’s bike captain Jim Gehrig also said he disagreed with the idea of reducing the number of bikers and that a more stringent certification procedure could be a better fix.

“I would hate to see interested individuals unable to bike because bikers are reduced,” Gehrig said. “Brown would have had to cut interested individuals these past couple years to meet the proposed six-rider team.”

EARLIER RACE START The proposed earlier race time also addresses biker safety and low spectator attendance, according to Howe-Kerr’s email.

“Low attendance has been a significant problem at past Beer Bikes,” the email said.

“Because partying begins so early and there are so many intervening events, people tend to be exhausted by the time the races roll around, sometimes more than eight hours after they’ve woken up and started partying.

Having the water balloon fight right before the races also incentivizes people to go back to their rooms to shower and then stay there instead of coming back out for the races.”

Additionally, the email said, moving the time would reduce the number of bikers who race intoxicated, reduce the probability of windy or rainy conditions and allow bikers to participate in the water balloon fight and other festivities after the races.

The email described moving the race time as the most drastic change of the three and said that an agreement could also be reached to leave the time for this year but move it in the future. Like the number of bikers, Howe-Kerr said the specific time in the morning could be up for debate.

Weatherman said he was neutral on moving the time of the race, though he said

he does not believe moving the race time would significantly impact race safety.

A-TEAM BIKERS The third suggestion in the email was to allow college A-team members to participate in the alumni race.

“Colleges also often struggle to field a full team of alumni, so this would make the alumni races significantly better attended and more competitive,” the email said.

Moon and Zhong said this proposal is actually already present in the race’s official rules. Gehrig also said he currently thought A-team members were allowed to bike in the alumni race, which he said he supports.

“A-team biking [in the alumni race] is an easy yes for me,” Gehrig said. “They are important members of the college and should be able to participate.”

College Beer Bike coordinators took different tacks to gathering feedback on the proposal. McMurtry College’s coordinators sent a poll to college members shortly after Howe-Kerr’s email on Monday night, and other coordinators said they also planned to send polls to their colleges.

At least one email from college Beer Bike coordinators requesting feedback described the proposal as having been made by Rice Bikes. However, while Howe-Kerr serves as Rice Bikes’ operations manager, he said that his involvement in proposing changes was independent from his responsibilities at the student-run business.

I would hate to see interested individuals unable to bike because bikers are reduced.

Jim Gehrig Brown College Senior Howe-Kerr said the proposals originated among concerned bikers after last year’s races, which included a multi-biker pileup shortly after the start of the women’s races.

“The injuries last year were so awful that we agreed something had to change,” HoweKerr said. “Early on this semester, I reached out to the campuswide [coordinators] to see if I could meet with them to discuss a variety of ways to improve the safety of the races.

Everyone agreed that the conditions of last year’s races were unacceptable and that something had to be done.”

Howe-Kerr said he met with the campuswide coordinators last week, and they all agreed that any potential changes would need to be a collaborative effort between all residential colleges.

Howe-Kerr said those present at Sunday’s meeting decided to judge support for the proposed changes through a vote.

Weatherman said those at the meeting also discussed changes to biker certification and track condition improvements that were not included in the voting since they were deemed to be necessary for this year.

According to Howe-Kerr, details such as the difference between six or eight riders were not universally agreed upon at the meeting, but suggestions will be acceptedalong with votes.

“If a girl crashes and has to be rushed to the [emergency room], something has to change,” Howe-Kerr said. “As with any major change, there are drawbacks to any of these decisions, but safety is our number one priority.”

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2018

Leebron responds to student concerns LEEBRON FROM PAGE 2 After a slight pause in conversation, Wang asked if Leebron had recommendations for good tourist spots and restaurants in New York City, where Leebron used to live.

“I wanted to get past the air of official-ness and was curious to get a glimpse of who Leebron is — snippets of himself outside of just being Rice’s president,” Wang said.

The president suggested the World Trade Tower Memorial, cloisters of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Highline as places to visit.

Derek Brown, who plays for Rice’s football team, came to Leebron’s office hours to discuss problems in administration of athletic stipends.

According to Brown, a Baker College senior, the inconsistent timing of payments, which often come too early or late, has created financial planning and budgeting difficulties for studentathletes, especially for those living off campus who must pay for rent and utilities each month.

Leebron said that while he had not known of the issue, he would follow up with responsible administrators if Brown would send him an email after

with more details. He also expressed his concern about the number of studentathletes who choose to live off campus, saying that V2C2 will address the issue of additional housing.

Brown said he respected the president’s response but had wished for more attention to his particular issue.

“I [hoped] President Leebron would have asked more questions of clarification and spent more time addressing this issue in comparison to his time addressing matters such as dinner reservations and tourist ideas in New York,” Brown said.

Alberto Tohme and Michael McDowell, who have recently started a mock trial club at Rice, said they came to ask Leebron for advice and contacts given his career as a lawyer.

Leebron responded by asking Tohme and McDowell to send him an email with more details, after which he would follow up.

“We could not be more pleased about his response. He demonstrated that he cares about the team,” McDowell, a Wiess College sophomore, said.

This article has been condensed for print. Read the full story online at ricethresher.org.

SA resolution supports diversity of thought FREEDOM FROM PAGE 1 The letter endorses a specific portion of the University of Chicago’s policy on free speech, called the Report of the Committee on Freedom Expression.

According to the letter, even if a majority of the student body finds an idea offensive, speakers, professors or students should be allowed to express and discuss it.

“With regard to campus speakers, we believe that Rice University has the responsibility to refrain from disinvitation, while maintaining the right to condemn the proliferation of ideas destructive to Rice’s community values and to encourage students to respond through peaceful protest,” the letter said.

If speech offends students, however, the letter said that students do have the right to protest peacefully and voice dissent.

The letter also states that responding students generally felt that they could engage in controversial, politically charged discussion in classrooms at Rice without fearing university censorship. In the Google survey portion of the report, 75.4 percent of responders answered “sometimes” to the statement “Should professors share their ideological beliefs in the classroom?” and 13.5 percent more answered “often.” “[The working group] has done an amazing job gathering student sentiment but this is really important, because this is not only discussed on a national scale, but Rice has actually had speakers that have been fairly controversial and have created some controversy and conversation,” SA President Justin Onwenu said. “This is the time to have that conversation about what our values are.”

HOW STRONGLY SHOULD THE FOLLOWING BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN A SPEAKER IS INVITED TO CAMPUS?*

64.4%

CONTENT OF SPEECH

52.4%

DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT

46.4%

STUDENT PHYSICAL SAFETY SPEAKER REPUTATION

35.0%

STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH

34.2%

FIRST AMENDMENT

30.9%

SPEAKER AFFILITATION

16.8%

EFFECT ON UNIVERSITY REPUTATION TIME FOR Q&A WITH STUDENTS

14.1%

11.0%

* The numbers reflect that percentage of students who ranked the category was in the top three of importance. Students could rank multiple categories at the same level.

information from survey of all students / infographic by sydney garrett

OPINION

5

STAFF EDITORIAL

The ideal Beer Bike: 10 bikers at 8 a.m.

Three changes to Rice University students’ revered annual Beer Bike are under consideration: reducing the number of bike team members to six bikers from 10 bikers, moving the races’ start time to 8 a.m. from 11:30 a.m. and allowing A-team members to participate in alumni races (see p. 1).

While last year’s multiple injuries did raise safety concerns, reducing the number of bikers on each team is not the best way to address them. Eliminating a history of Beer Bike track times and excluding more students from biking is contrary to Beer Bike’s spirit of college pride and competitiveness.

Proponents say this change would prevent inexperienced bikers from becoming safety liabilities — but if the issue of inexperienced bikers participating in the races truly runs rampant, a better way to improve biker proficiency would be making certification tests more strigent. Breathalyzing bikers is another easily implemented change.

Moving the races to earlier in the day, on the other hand, is a good idea. Many students participate in the water balloon fight then skip the races in favor of showering and sleeping. This proposal has the potential to both increase attendance and excitement

at the races and allow bikers to participate more in the water balloon fight and the day’s parties. While 8 a.m. does not need to be the exact time, we agree that the bike race timeline should be moved up. While the change may be detrimental to alumni who wish to attend, we should prioritize undergraduate attendance at the races.

As for the process of considering the proposals, we’re glad that this year’s coordinators are willing to entertain major changes and are working to include feedback from across campus in doing so. There is some lack of clarity regarding how the final decision will be made and as many voices as possible must be heard regarding such substantial changes to our most celebrated tradition. It would be valuable to find a way to include alumni feedback in making the decision, for example; after all, Beer Bike is an event for the entire Rice community.

Beer Bike is an ever-evolving event that is celebrated by students, regardless of residential college. Though not all of the proposed changes are moves in the right direction, we applaud the efforts to continue making Beer Bike a campuswide event that is both safe and fun.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

In defense of Rice men’s basketball: Keep watching Rice men’s basketball is still worth our time. In response to last week’s column in the Thresher sports section, “A midwinter airing of grievances” (Jan. 23, 2018), I would like to highlight the simple resiliency of this year’s team. The article mentions the team’s exodus of six players, along with their heartbreaking loss to Eastern Kentucky University to begin this season, but I dare anyone to find a team doing more with less than this year’s Rice Owls.

Firstly, let’s start with scheduling.

This season’s schedule was created years ago, with the hope of creating a team led by breakout stars Marcus Evans (now at Virginia Commonwealth University) and Egor Koulechov (now at the University of Florida). Rice’s 2017-18 non-conference schedule, with games chosen by the former coaching staff, included not only power conference teams Texas Tech University and the University of Mississippi, but also potential NCAA tournament teams from smaller conferences such as Georgia State University (16-6, second in the Sun Belt) and a game in New Mexico in their notorious “Pit.” Our schedule was created for a different team.

Still, Rice has competed admirably.

Besides the cited loss to Eastern Kentucky, look at their 69-67 defeat against University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley or their overtime loss to C-USA power Old Dominion University.

In the aforementioned New Mexico game, a controversial out-of-bounds call with 1:20 left in the game ended an improbable Rice comeback. Finally, anyone who attended their Jan. 27 home loss to Florida Atlantic University, where Rice’s Connor Cashaw hit the seemingly game-winning jumper with 3.6 seconds left, only to watch as an FAU player made an unlikely half-court shot at the buzzer, knows how much better this team is than their record reflects.

With the exception of guard Bishop Mency, and save for a couple of low-usage walk-ons and graduate transfers (one of whom, AJ Lapray, has missed most of the season due to injury), this is a team without seniors. Losing close games can be expected with a young team. Head coach Scott Pera and his staff have already secured multiple three-star recruits for next season, but this team is worth noting now. We have a team that does the most with the talent they have, led by a coaching staff successfully motivating the group to continue fighting through adversity, and ultimately competing in every game. If you’re one of those who “keeps the complaints coming” as the article suggests, go to a game this season. You’ll be watching the best 5-17 team there is.

Martin Rather Lovett College Senior

Corrections In last week’s article “RUPD reports fire in Will Rice Old Dorm bathroom Friday morning,” the fire occurred at 2:23 a.m. Saturday, not Friday. The infographic accompanying “SA resolution pushes for diverse international student body” shows the citizenship breakdown of international students in the 2017 matriculating class, not all international students. Also, the segment of the breakdown labeled “Latin America” should have been labeled “Americas.”

STAFF Drew Keller & Juan Saldaña* Editors in Chief Jasmine Lin* Managing Editor Shannon Klein Business Manager news Emily Abdow* Editor Anna Ta Editor Cameron Wallace Asst. Editor

opinions Julianne Wey* Editor arts & entertainment Lenna Mendoza* Editor backpage Joey McGlone Editor Isaac Schultz Editor photo Sirui Zhou Editor Charlene Pan Editor

spotlight Elizabeth Rasich Editor

copy Sarah Smati Editor Catherine Soltero Editor

sports Andrew Grottkau* Editor Michael Byrnes Asst. Editor

online Charlie Paul Web Editor Alice Liu Digital Content Editor

EDITORIAL CARTOON

cartoon by areli navarro magallón and esther tang

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Don’t call me ‘queer’: A reaction to the sexist, homophobic and transphobic rhetoric of the ‘Virginity’ study

On Jan. 10, 2018, the Thresher ran a Spotlight feature on the findings of a student sociological study on virginity. “What is Virginity, Anyway?” employed ignorant and outdated language and theory to frame sexuality and gender identity. In doing so, the feature reinforced harmful sexist, homophobic and transphobic ideology.

Language is never passive or neutral.

To use language is to act upon the reader.

Reacting to language is not sensitivity, and if it were, it would be nonetheless a legitimate reaction. Competent reporting goes beyond simple restatement of individual and group perspectives; it provides information to the reader to contextualize and analyze the perspective’s legitimacy and tone. The duty of a journalist is to consider a story’s context and to provide important reference points to readers. In this regard, the article failed, unwittingly causing the article to be overrun by sexist and homophobic rhetoric.

The Thresher published outdated, transphobic ideology.

The Thresher reported that the student survey had found a relationship between one’s gender and one’s conception of virginity. Women tended to consider that a broad range of activities constituted a loss of virginity. In contrast, men largely considered only sex with penis penetration to constitute a loss of virginity. The conflation of manhood with the possession of a particular set of genitals is archaic and untrue. The student researchers further failed to address the socio-historical power relations in Western conceptions of sex. Instead, the results were framed as intrinsic and biological rather than cultural, historical or harmful. While likely well-intentioned, the Thresher published outdated, transphobic ideology without commentary or critique.

The feature addresses student survey findings on the habits of “queer” men. They reported that a relatively low number of of “queer” men believe that one loses their virginity by anal sex. A student researcher

design Christina Tan Director Sydney Garrett News Designer Marlena Fleck Sports Designer Ellie Mix A&E Designer Tina Liu Spotlight Designer Areli Navarro Magallón Illustrator Esther Tang Illustrator business operations Tom Wang Advertising Manager Sara Lopez Marketing Manager Joey Castro Distribution Manager Greg Campo Distribution Manager Sanvitti Sahdev Business Designer *Editorial Board member

noted that these results were likely influenced by the fact that many “queer” men chose to write in alternative definitions of virginity.

The same researcher said virginity has historically been defined as a heterosexual concept. “Queer” women, however, are not addressed by researcher nor journalist.

The study further suggests that “queer” men are essentially described as more sexually promiscuous than others, but without buffering the claim by strong research, significant data or even historical context. In failing to do so, the study mirrored centuries-old homophobic rhetoric. The student researchers were reported as theorizing that the anomaly could be understood as a product of the lack of compatible partners available to LGBT people. Again, this logic should rationally extend to “queer” women as well — but again, they are ignored.

There is no universal consensus on acceptable language regarding sex, sexuality and gender, but there are standardized and unambiguous norms prescribed to journalists to avoid biased messaging. Yet “What is Virginity, Anyway?” included the following four categories to sort gender and sexual identity: straight woman, straight men, “queer” woman and “queer” men. The term “queer” has historically been an American slur against LGBT people and has now become widely used as both a personal and collective label for people who choose to identify. The use of the term “queer” as an umbrella term for the LGBT community is a controversial issue. For many members of the LGBT community, the term is synonymous with pain, shame and trauma. For others, the reclamation of a slur provides power and comfort. It should not have been used to describe those who do not voluntarily identify.

“What is Virginity, Anyway?” unintentionally promotes sexist, homophobic and transphobic rhetoric within the Rice community. The staff of the Thresher are capable, passionate people who are badly represented by the language of the article. I’m sure greater consideration will be given in the future.

I also never learned what virginity was, anyway.

Arija Forsyth McMurtry College Freshman

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.

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 The Thresher is a member of the ACP, TIPA, CMA, and CMBAM © Copyright 2017

SPOTLIGHT

6

MUSIC ON HIS MIND

TEX-MEX RAPPER

KID FIG PLAY

FOLLOW

...

23,299 LISTENS

ABOUT

Austin Figueroa just can’t live without making music. Here’s a look at why.

PHOTO COURTESY ISAAC NAVARRO

ELIZABETH RASICH SPOTLIGHT EDITOR / EAR4@RICE.EDU

Austin Figueroa is not kidding when he says that within a few minutes of talking to him, you’ll hear something about his hometown in the Valley, the southernmost part of Texas. His home, his background and his family all feature prominently in his songs, which he writes and produces himself.

“When it comes to my culture, when it comes to my home, not only is it what I know, it’s all I know, for the most part,” Figueroa, whose stage name is Kid Fig, said.

His songs, which he describes as “Tex-Mex rap,” are a blend of Spanish and English lyrics that flow seamlessly from one language to the next — but they weren’t always that way. Like many aspiring producers, he began with imitations of other artists until he was able to find his own voice.

When it comes to my culture, when it comes to my home, not only is it what I know, it’s all I know, for the most part.

Austin Figueroa Brown College Senior “I started off doing a lot of covers, and I wanted to rap like this person or the other, and now I feel like I’ve finally gotten to the point where I just rap like myself,” Figueroa, a Brown College senior, said.

Figueroa can’t remember whether he learned Spanish or English first. Growing up speaking them simultaneously — Spanish at home, and English at school — he was able to develop a facility for them both.

When Figueroa plays clips of his songs

NOW PLAYING

on his computer, he is transformed. His hands hover above his knees, tapping notes in the air; his shoulders bob up and down; sometimes he can’t help but sing along. He tries to look up the lyrics for one of his songs, but gets frustrated: He can’t remember if he’s titled the document in Spanish or English.

A tendency to speak in a mix of English and Spanish (sometimes called “Spanglish”) can be associated with the poor and uneducated, Figueroa points out.

“There’s definitely a group of people that frown upon it,” he said.

He hopes his songs help to dispel the prejudice surrounding that way of speaking.

“Just because I choose to speak in a way that other people don’t understand doesn’t mean that I’m not educated, doesn’t mean that I’m not intelligent,” Figueroa said. “I mean, clearly, I’m here [at Rice].”

Figueroa says the blend of languages is just one aspect of his music that reflects his culture;the topics he sings about are also important to his community.

“I just feel like with a lot of conversations sometimes the middle man can get [cut] out, and when it comes to race, I feel like a lot of things are black and white,” Figueroa said. “The Hispanic point of view is kind of lost, maybe partially because of the language barrier for some. I just like to bring attention to that.”

Figueroa said that his hometown feels more like an extension of Mexico than the United States. Immigration and race issues are, Figueroa says, “things that you really live.”

Figueroa feels that his background is uncommon at Rice, and that it gives him a unique perspective. It also makes being on campus feel “surreal.”

“My family is two generations removed from extreme poverty, like dirt floors and no homes, homelessness in a third world country and I’m just like, oh wow, I’m here,” Figueroa said.

His close cultural ties to Mexico —

much of his family still lives there — combined with his upbringing in the United States means his experiences bridge both cultures.

“Because I know [English], I feel like there’s power in that,” Figueroa said.

“I can communicate and I can defend myself, but I see people who don’t know the language, who aren’t as educated, being taken advantage of.”

The Edinburg, Texas native said the week after he brought his girlfriend home to visit, his neighbor was killed in a drive by shooting. He once watched an episode of Gangland, a show that features the culture and history of gangs, that showed people he knew from neighboring Brownsville, Texas.

Still, Figueroa said, he feels safer in the Valley than anywhere else.

“You could put me in the safest city in the U.S. and I’d feel safer at home because my family is there,” he said.

Edinburg is also where Figueroa got his start in music. Although he said he has been writing “little tunes” since he was a kid, rap battles also helped him hone his talent.

At first, he hung back as a spectator and kept his songwriting to himself. Then, as he entered high school, he realized might be able to beat the rappers he was watching.

“You could almost say anything and people were going to get excited, but if you said anything even half decent, the crowd exploded,” he said.

After releasing his first song as a high school senior, Figueroa brought his love for producing music to Rice, where he took a music theory class and continued to write songs.

He said he tends to write and produce late into the night, often losing sleep to work on his music. When school was canceled for the ice storm two weeks ago, he said he spent around 30 hours in those two days working on his songs.

“If I’m working on music and I’m really in the zone, I might skip a meal but I won’t be hungry,” Figueroa said. “It’s weird.

You feel fulfilled when you complete something.”

Although Figueroa spent a summerlong stint at a recording studio owned by Beyonce’s father (and the same one where she got her start with Destiny’s Child), he prefers to record music in a makeshift recording studio in his closet. The audio engineering aspect of music production holds particular interest for him.

If I’m working on music and I’m really in the zone, I might skip a meal but I won’t feel hungry. You feel fulfilled when you complete something.

Austin Figueroa Brown College Senior “[Even if you’re the best live performer in the world,] if you can’t transfer that same energy into a song, then you’re definitely selling yourself short,” Figueroa said. “That’s an art form in itself.”

He also thinks the problem-solving skills involved in being a mechanical engineering major help him produce a quality sound, despite recording in his closet.

“When you’re doing a lot of things yourself, you have to be creative,” Figueroa said.

Figueroa hesitates to call music production a hobby. The word isn’t strong enough to encompass the way he feels.

“If I didn’t express myself in this way, I don’t think I’d be the same person, I don’t think I’d be at peace with myself,” Figueroa said. “There are just certain things that need to be said.”

Figueroa’s music can be found on Soundcloud and Spotify.

IN QUEUE*

*To read about two more Rice student musicians, rapper Youssef Machkhas (‘Big U’) and solo artist/Half Patrick band member Danna Ghafir (‘DANNA’), visit ricethresher.org.

956 & POLITICS KIDFIG

SPHINX BIG U

LEMON STAND DANNA

THE RICE THRESHER

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2018

Famous faces in Rice history

Crossword by Margaret Roddy For the Thresher / mhr2@rice.edu

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Answers will be posted on ricethresher.org and the Thresher Facebook page.

Bolded clues correspond to the theme.

PARTY PATROL: Y2K will rice freshman

AMELIA C.

spotlight editor

business manager

BIZ R. SHANNON K.

categories:

AATMOSPHERE

FOOD & DRINK

MUSIC & DANCING

INTANGIBLES

OVERALL

Extremely sweaty but worth it- props to the girls who stuck it through in their Juicy jackets.

A+

Nothing like Nilla Wafers and Fruit RollUps to remind you of the times when your mom packed your lunch box.

B-

I heard “Untouched”

by The Veronicas and I think my soul left my body. Too bad there was audio trouble all night.

A The photographers did a great job of exposing all the people making out on the dancefloor.

A-

The only thing that would have made Y2K better is more Britney Spears.

B+ Less awkward than my 8th grade dance.

ANot quite as awkward as the middle school dances I remember.

A

C

Saw someone walk by with a piece of pizza but did not partake myself.

I heard good things, though, so I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt.

I mean I ate Play-Doh during actual Y2K, so the snacks were definitely a step up, but I did mourn the lack of cider.

A+

Middle school me would be thoroughly impressed by the expansion of my dance repertoire since I was 12.

A+ The party was more fun from my vantage point sitting on my friend’s shoulders.

Thanks, Collin <3

A

Y2K is basically a chance to return to middle school as your better, hotter self.

Can’t get much more of an ego boost than that.

ACROSS 1 Jason Voorhees 6 Excrete 11 Egyptian sky goddess/ misspelled mixed dog 14 Loud harsh sound 15 First bit of our galaxy 16 Yoko 17 2018 Olympic bobsledder, Rice grad 18 Build tool for Scala 19 Sphere 20 Romans drank this 21 3rd row in a soccer mom’s car 23 Rice Nobel Prize winner 27 Justification 29 Rice student missed encounter descriptor 30 Pls don’t eat this 31 Director Mike Pompeo 33 TBT to algebra and combining fractions 35 Theme: Bending Beliefs on Feb. 20

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SPOTLIGHT

B

Some audio troubles, but was happy to see that college students can dance marginally better than middle schoolers.

A Brought back that fun middle school vibe minus the braces, acne and gaucho pants.

B

Not sure if I’ve glowed up since middle school, but at least it was comforting to be reminded that things do get a bit better.

INFOGRAPHIC BY TINA LIU

8 9 10 11 12 13 20 22 24 25 26 28 32 34

Take in Big space Speedy venomous snakes I would give an ____ and a leg We do it different down in my ___ of the woods Takes care of large birds Still don’t know how to pronounce this “I’m a cotton-headed ninny-muggins!”

Your rich friend does this Nautical rope Zika carrier To relieve someone Destroyed your car 6*10+5 across Best form of starch Defensive wall Carve “It’s the ___ to ignition” Leo or scorpio “A long time ___” Agitate

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7

Rice grad, most days spent in space by NASA astronaut Distance from Wiess to Brown Issues tornado warnings Drummers drumming Up on State school degree The Thinker Lawyer to Willy Margaret or Josh or Walk er or Nicky Second most populous country State in southwest India Administrator, briefly Aunt 2013 Rice grad, drafted

by Seahawks Standardized test Analysis of variance Youths File legal action against Unpredictable Rice baby Awkward senior year photo partner Hindu god of death League of Legends champion South servery staple, make sure to get extra guac Location where you get a broken neck fixed IM architect Touristy method of transportation Can rescue herself from distress, tyvm Peace out Find reaction potential in non-standard conditions Woman laughing with ___ Gain on project, as an ECON major Below soprano College to Australians Coffeehouse employee Night before Short for Lewis

&

ARTS entertainment

8

FILM

‘The Greatest Showman’ prioritizes audience happiness JAKE REINHART FOR THE THRESHER / JDR7@RICE.EDU

GREATEST SHOWMAN Running time: 105 minutes Rating: PG Genre: Drama/Romance FLO Paris replaced Salento as the central vendor at Brochstein Pavillion beginning in January. FLO Paris, which is independent and family-owned, emerged as the top choice for a three-year contract. Its locations in both Brochstein and Rice Village offer cafe fare including coffee drinks, pastries and sandwiches. charlene pan / thresher

FOOD

FLO Paris: High quality at a high price SIMONA MATOVIC FOR THE THRESHER / SEM11@RICE.EDU

FLO PARIS Hours: 7 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. every day Price: $$ Location: Brochstein Pavillion Recommended Dish: Macarons

Rather than the traditional “R.I.P,” the three letters on my Tetra’s tombstone will now be “FLO.” Granted, writing this review meant visiting Salento’s successor more than a typical student would or sustainably could. It does, however, seem absurd that spending less than $10 on a drink and snack requires about as much creativity and precision as tattooing. Nevertheless, I made my way to Brochstein Pavilion after an 8 a.m. class.

As expected at 9 a.m., it was fairly empty and the sun was streaming generously through Brochstein’s floor-to-ceiling windows. The only change FLO Paris has made to the space is the counter in the center of the room. You interacted with Salento’s cashier at a waist-high gap in the 5-foot wall that contains the kitchen and staff. Now, you place your order with a glass shelf stretched between you and the server, and the food displays are far out of sight.

The staff was very courteous, which almost softened the blow of the insane prices. An Americano costs $5 plus $2 more to make it a double (which is confusing given a latte is only $4, and the former is essentially a latte with hot water instead of steamed milk), and an almond croissant is

another $4.50, coming out to $14 after tax.

The croissant was warm and for the first few bites, delicious. The outside was flaky and buttery without being greasy. The filling, which seems to be cinnamon sugar, was too sweet for my taste, although the ratio of sweet spread to fluffy pastry layers was ideal. Notably, the croissant was massive.

Halfway through, I felt like I was forcing it down to get my money’s worth. So, the trick to frequenting FLO may be to share something with a friend. Although you can’t Venmo Tetra to split the steep price, the exceptional quality in a convenient location almost guarantees you’ll want to come back, and you can alternate picking up the tab.

The baguette was crisp, but ‘hot sandwich’ was a bit of a misnomer — despite the bread’s grill marks, the panini was room temperature.

My next trip to FLO was a sponsored one — free food was the incentive for participating in a group student interview of a candidate for a French professorship.

In addition to my rose macaron and cappuccino, the order included two mochas plus raspberry, pistachio and Bailey’s macarons. The cookie struck the right balance of chewy to crunchy, coupled with a perfectly portioned creamy, cool filling.

Its size was modest — one won’t last more than a few bites. All around, the flavors live up to expectations, and at $2.25 per treat, macarons might be the best choice on the menu. The mochas are served in tall glasses to exhibit their striking gradient of foam, latte and chocolate. Everyone paused and admired the aesthetic appeal of what may be the most Instagrammable drinks on

THE WEEKLY SCENE

NEW EXHIBITIONS Come out for the Moody’s second season, whether at the general opening on Feb. 2 at 6 p.m. or the student opening on Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. Admission is free; refreshments are provided at both times.

Moody Center for the Arts moody.rice.edu

MY ART In this film, artist Ellie Shine remakes classic movie scenes. When some of the participants in her work starting falling in love with her, she’s determined not to get distracted from her art. Student tickets are $7, the showings are Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 5 p.m.

1001 Bissonet St. Museum of Fine Arts mfah.org

campus before stirring and happily sipping them. This is a big step up from Salento’s consistently subpar, overpriced coffee.

Ultimately, presentation and service — your order is carried out to your table and your dishes are cleaned up for you — are exceptional.

A few days later I go for lunch around 12:15 p.m., which was awful timing: I waited in line for about 30 minutes. However, I contemplated my order down to the last second. I’m not a vegetarian, but I only eat meat a few times a week. None of the savory crepes were an option. Of the four hot and four cold sandwiches, one of each is meatless. The hot buffalo mozzarella on a baguette and a sparkling water came out to $13. The sandwich and a side salad (or chips) were enthusiastically brought out almost immediately. Its flavors were a satisfying, although typical, Mediterranean blend of roasted pepper, black olives, basil, tomato and eggplant. The baguette was crisp, but “hot sandwich” was a bit of a misnomer — despite the bread’s grill marks, the panini was room temperature.

Additionally, it was slightly soggy, an inevitable effect of the marinated eggplant and olive oil. By the time I’ve eaten less than a third, the bottom slice of what remains of the sandwich was getting spongy. The side salad was fine, but the greens were wilting slightly. Again, the portion was quite big and you could definitely split the sandwich or save one of the sliced halves for later.

A full meal with Brochstein’s new vendor, especially at a popular time, isn’t as impressive as a dessert. All things considered, if you find yourself in the situation where a parent, professor or designated rich friend offers to cover the cost of an on-campus hangout, definitely go with the FLO. Otherwise, a macaron, shared pastry or occasional drink (or one carried over from Coffeehouse) is a more feasible way to enjoy the new establishment.

FIRST SATURDAY ARTS MARKET This Saturday, eat, dine and shop for art outdoors in the Heights. The First Saturday Arts Market features vendors of paintings, sculpture, jewelry, photography and more.

The market is open from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m and will also include live music.

548 W 19th St. firstsaturdayartsmarket.org

The story of “The Greatest Showman” follows P.T. Barnum (played by Hugh Jackman) as he chases his ambition of creating — you guessed it — the greatest show on Earth.

Along the way, Barnum incorporates some of New York’s “human oddities” (including a bearded lady and an incredibly short man) into his act, partners with upper-class businessman Phillip Carlyle (Zac Efron), and struggles against the entertainment snobs and outright prejudiced people of the turn of the 20th century to create the first instance of the modern circus.

Those without my love for musical theater might find it a bit harder to enjoy.

The film’s artistic vision is clearly driven by the P.T. Barnum quote shown at the end: “The noblest art is that of making others happy.”

Michael Gracey’s direction and Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon’s writing mirror the approach that Barnum used in constructing his show: loosening the storyline to near unravelment, taking spectacle over substance at every turn, and hoping that the performances attract more common people than a stuffier, more traditional film (in Barnum’s case, the opera; in our case, “The Post”). That type of film is an acquired taste for cinema audiences who are used to seeing movies with a directorial objective more specific than “make them happy,” but “Greatest Showman” ultimately achieves its goal.

Some might find the movie frustrating because it paints with an incredibly broad brush. It covers too many storylines, and it covers all of them too casually. For instance, the first 10 minutes of the movie cover the years-long love story of a penniless young Barnum (Ellis Rubin) and his affluent future wife Charity (Skylar Dunn as a child, Michelle Williams as an adult), which could easily be its own movie. Furthermore, while the movie does address some of the difficulties Barnum had in bringing his “human oddities” into the spotlight, it fails to cover the internal struggle

SHOWMAN CONT. ON PAGE 9

BANG Debut novelist Daniel Peña will talk on and read from his book “Bang: A Novel” on Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. at Brazos Bookstore.

In the book, a family deals with crime and movement across the U.S.-Mexico border.

2421 Bissonet St. Brazos Bookstore brazosbookstore.com

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2018

THE RICE THRESHER

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

9

ART

In ‘Cosmic Energy’ exhibit, Jorge Deredia meditates on the universe and human nature YE LIM OH FOR THE THRESHER / YO8@RICE.EDU

A human figure emerges from the lofty curves of marble. A measured gleam coats an aura of impenetrability, leaving no signs of distress or rapture in its carefully polished expression. Tenderly couched between the arches of its body lies a sphere, a central motif in Deredia’s oeuvre.

“I understood that the sphere is the circle of Leonardo [Da Vinci],” Costa Rican sculptor Jorge Jiménez Deredia said, as quoted in one of the exhibition texts. His reference is to the well-known “Vitruvian Man,” an anatomical sketch of a man inscribed in a circle. At a glance, Deredia’s statement might seem outdated. Da Vinci’s mapping of human nature onto the geometric exactness of a circle seems too simplistic for a contemporary audience to identify with.

However, it is precisely the persistence of such gracious simplicity that awes those who witness Deredia’s marble and bronze

figures. In the chimera-like sculptures, the sphere is the ultimate source of life, a symbol for the convergence of humanity and universe.

His universal appeal comes from his creative vision and mastery of materials; seamlessly combining indigenous influences with those of the European art world, Deredia realizes Da Vinci’s ideal forms.

Deredia’s fascination with sphere traces back to pre-Columbian art. After finishing his studies in Italy, the Costa Rican artist explored the pre-Columbian artifacts of

the Boruca people, especially the stone spheres of Costa Rica locally called “Las Bolas.” His earliest series of works, “Geneses,” reflects his interest in the sphere as the divine foundation of all existence, both organic and abstract.

What differentiates the spheres of Costa Rica from Deredia’s, however, is a sense of change and flow. Unlike the fixed solemnity that characterizes the stone spheres of Costa Rica, Deredia’s figures are always evolving or on the verge of doing so. In some of “Cosmic Energy”’s more ambitious works, circular plates and smooth spherical surfaces materialize into a face, then a leg, then another sphere, perpetuating the endless cycle of creation. This symbolic circularity of life also includes the images of maternity. Deredia’s feminine human figures often cringe in the fetal position around spheres. By merging an embryonic image with a feminine body, the work evokes the

reproductive cycle — a process that is at once distinctly human and cosmic.

Shifting through themes of harmony, change, circularity and the universe, it would be difficult not to see the religiosity of his work. In fact, Deredia is the first Latin American artist and first non-European artist in 500 years to have his work in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City. His universal appeal comes from his creative vision and mastery of materials; seamlessly combining indigenous influences with those of the European art world, Deredia realizes Da Vinci’s ideal through refined yet simple forms.

“Cosmic Energy” will be on display from Jan. 19 through March 17 at the Art of the World Gallery. The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday.

Admission is free. If you’re interested in global art, I recommend the gallery.

Apart from seasonal exhibitions, it also houses a unique collection of modern and contemporary art.

sirui zhou / thresher

SHOWMAN FROM PAGE 8 these human beings go through to become comfortable being themselves. The movie also doesn’t address how Barnum profited off of audiences laughing at these insecure people.

And yet, despite this approach, or perhaps in part because of it, I still left the theater with a wholesome, happy feeling.

Steering away from such a deep dive into the potential negative psychological effects that joining the circus had on these characters speaks to the movie’s conscious choice to be light and fun above all, undoubtedly how Barnum would have wanted it.

The most potent vessel of happiness in “The Greatest Showman” is Benj Pasek and Justin Paul’s score. The popbent songwriting duo are well-regarded within musical theater, especially for their Tony-award winning musical “Dear Evan Hansen.” For “The Greatest Showman,” the pair used a creative styling that has soared with Broadway musicals from “West Side Story” to “Hamilton,” scoring an otherwise period piece with contemporary music.

The decision results in an exciting set of songs that could easily be on today’s radio, and will certainly be a mainstay on every Broadway buff’s Spotify, but it plays a bit odd, even patronizing, in the cinema.

Furthermore, the cast largely does

justice to both the script and score. I commend Efron in particular for doing a movie-musical and showing no signs of his “High School Musical” past, a particularly laudable accomplishment considering that one number sends his character soaring, flying and singing about love into the eyes of Anne Wheeler (Zendaya).

However, the best performer of the movie was Keala Settle as the Bearded Lady.

Settle, a Broadway veteran but Hollywood newcomer, captained the emotional ship for the ensemble of misfit human oddities.

In a moment of collective self-doubt, Settle breaks into “This is Me,” an anthem for individuality and a rightful frontrunner for Best Original Song at the Oscars.

I personally appreciate the movie much more than my rating might suggest, but I acknowledge that those without my love for musical theater might find it a bit harder to enjoy. If you are looking for a deepthinking movie or yearning for a realistic retelling of the history of the circus, “The Greatest Showman” is a two-star movie at best. However, if you are looking for a film hoping to succeed in the noblest of arts — making you happy — then it is a four-star movie at worst, and as its opening number will tell you, “The Greatest Showman” is “everything you need and more.”

courtesy 20th century fox

Hugh Jackman glows as P.T. Barnum in ‘The Greatest Showman,’ a biographical musical about the creation of the Barnum & Bailey Circus.

SPORTS

10 MEN’S BASKETBALL

SWIMMING

FAU’s buzzer-beater shocks Rice Huston forging MICHAEL BYRNES ASST. SPORTS EDITOR / MEB18@RICE.EDU

frankie huang / thresher

Freshman forward Malik Osborne drives for a layup during Rice’s 63-62 loss to Florida Atlantic University on Saturday at Tudor Fieldhouse. Rice outscored the visitors 40-33 in the second half after shooting just 24 percent in the first half, but FAU took home the win on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.

Moments away from registering its first winning streak of the year, Rice’s men’s basketball team saw its hopes dashed on a heart-breaking, buzzer-beating heave by Florida Atlantic University’s Justin Massey.

The 63-62 loss on Sunday snapped what had been a weekend of positive developments for the Owls. On Thursday night, they closed the game on a 24-11 run to defeat Florida International University at home by the score of 73-64, with four Owls scoring in double digits, including 16 points from freshman forward Malik Osborne. Junior guard Connor Cashaw notched his fourth double-double on the season, with 12 points and 14 rebounds to go with his career-high seven assists.

In Sunday’s game against FAU, Rice struggled out of the gates, scoring just 22 points in a first half where they shot 24 percent from the field. Trailing by eight at the break, they fought their way back into contention in the second half, culminating in a Cashaw jumper to give Rice a two-point lead with just 3.2 seconds on the clock. But Massey denied the Owls a victory with his improbable 30-foot game-winner, dropping Rice to 5-17 on the season.

Head coach Scott Pera said the FAU player deserves credit for the game winner.

“It’s a shot [Massey]’ll remember for the rest of his life,” Pera said. “[Senior forward Bishop] Mency had a hand in his face. You don’t make many of those.”

MEN’S TENNIS IN BRIEF MICHAEL PRICE THRESHER STAFF / JMP12@RICE.EDU

It was an up-and-down week for Rice’s men’s tennis team. Though the Owls were unable to defeat the University of Louisiana, Lafayette last Sunday, losing a 4-2 decision, they were able to bounce back and beat Lamar University handily, winning 4-2.

In their match against UL Lafayette, the men’s team fell behind early, allowing the Ragin’ Cajuns to take a 1-0 lead after losing two out of the three doubles matches.

Despite redshirt sophomore Eric Rutledge and freshman Conrad Russell’s victories in singles, the Owls were unable to recover: The Owls lost three other single matches, securing the Ragin’ Cajuns’ victory.

According to head coach Efe Ustundag,

the Owls have allowed their emotions to get the better of them in recent play.

I think everyone played a little better than they did last week.

Efe Ustundag Men’s Tennis Coach “I think we are pressing at times and that is causing us to play outside our strengths,” Ustundag said. “We are trying to make things happen and when [they don’t], we haven’t handled the frustration from that very well.”

However, the Owls were able to get their

record back to .500 with a victory over Lamar University. Unlike the previous week, this time the Owls took a 1-0 lead, winning two of their three doubles matches. They never looked back, as Rutledge, Russell, freshman Mohamed Abdel-Aziz and freshman Jacob Eskeland all won their singles matches, securing the Owls’ 5-2 victory.

Ustundag said he was more pleased with his team’s play this week than against UL Lafayette. “I felt like it was a good week of practice and I think everybody played a little bit better than they did last week,” Ustundag said. “We really didn’t play too many loose games. Guys that got the lead got off the court quickly.”

The men’s team will face the Louisiana State University Tigers this Sunday at the George R. Brown Tennis Center at 12 p.m.

WOMEN’S TENNIS IN BRIEF MICHAEL PRICE THRESHER STAFF / JMP12@RICE.EDU

The women’s team also bounced back from an early loss as they competed at the ITA Kickoff Weekend tournament in Malibu, California, alongside many of the best women’s tennis teams in the nation.

The Owls lost to the University of Oregon 4-2, but later defeated the University of Maryland 4-0.

The women’s team started off strong against the University of Oregon. The No. 12 ranked doubles team of seniors Lindsey Hodge and Wendy Zhang and the pairing of freshman Anna Bowtell and sophomore Priya Niezgoda won their matches to take a 1-0 lead. However, they were unable to continue their momentum into the singles matches, with Hodge being the only Owl to snatch a victory.

Ultimately, they lost to the Ducks 4-2.

“Conditions were tough out there and I thought in doubles we did a nice job handling the situation,” head coach Elizabeth Schmidt said. “In singles, we just weren’t able to consistently put up enough resistance, some of that due to us getting in our own way and some due to Oregon finding a way to get the job done.”

However, the Owls brushed off the loss with a strong performance the next day, defeating the University of Maryland 4-0.

All three of the doubles teams pulled out victories, allowing the Owls to take a 1-0 lead. Zhang, Bowtell and senior Savannah Durkin each won their singles games in two sets, and secured the four wins needed for victory.

Schmidt said that she was proud of how the Owls played and that she is optimistic about the rest of the season.

“Our team did a very nice job bouncing back today,” Schmidt said.

“They definitely took yesterday’s loss and learned from it. I’m encouraged by where we are headed and looking forward to getting back out on the practice court to continue to improve.”

I’m encouraged by where we are headed.

Elizabeth Schmidt Women’s Tennis Coach The women’s team is on the road again, and will play University of Texas, Arlington on their courts on Feb. 9.

her own path SPENCER MOFFAT THRESHER STAFF / SM114@RICE.EDU

A versatile swimmer in the pool, a kinesiology major in the classroom and an avid volunteer in the city of Houston: Junior swimmer Hanna Huston has all three covered. After breaking into Rice’s top-five all-time list in two events last year, she has shown no signs of letting up this season.

Huston started swimming competitively in elementary school.

“Swimming has always been a part of my life because my dad is [a swim] coach, but it was never forced on me,” Huston said. According to Huston, though she grew up competing in both gymnastics and swimming, she made the decision to focus on swimming in sixth grade. She has now racked up a variety of collegiate swimming accomplishments: In just her freshman year, she recorded two top-three finishes at the 2016 Conference USA championships, finishing second in the 800-meter freestyle relay and third in the 500-meter freestyle.

Huston is primarily a distance swimmer, but she swims in a variety of events. On the first day of the University of Houston Quad Meet, she demonstrated her versatility by swimming in the 1000-meter freestyle and 200-meter freestyle individual events and anchoring the 200-meter freestyle relay.

At the 2017 C-USA Championships, Huston set three personal records, recording times of 16:35.6 in the 1650-meter freestyle, 10:04.98 in the 1000-meter freestyle, and 4:49.90 in the 500-meter freestyle.

“I was excited. It was a much better conference than freshman year,” Huston said.

When I step into the pool... everything that is stressing me is turned off.

Hanna Huston Junior swimmer According to Huston, that performance at the 2017 C-USA Championships combined with the current freshman class catalyzed her excitement for this season.

Huston said she has a number of goals after graduating from Rice.

“I’d like to go to graduate school after and study child life and then become a child life specialist,” Huston said.

According to Huston, she also plans to join the masters team and possibly swim in a few open water meets, events that she is well-accustomed to: she placed third in the 5-kilometer open water race at a recent championship event.

When asked how she is able to balance a tough academic course load, Huston said there is one specific rule she follows. “I set out a rule for myself when I step into the pool or weight room that academics and everything that is stressing me is turned off when I walk in,” Huston said.

Outside of the classroom and pool, Huston said she places an emphasis on community activities. “I’m a leader for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes,” Huston said. “I do a lot of community service.”

Her efforts were recognized her sophomore year when she received the C-USA Service of Spirit Award, just one year after making the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll in her freshman year.

Huston will attempt to break her personal records that she set at the 2017 C-USA Championships as the Rice swim team starts the 2018 C-USA Championships on Feb. 22.

THE RICE THRESHER

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2018

SPORTS

11

see it online at ricethresher.org:

BASEBALL INTRASQUAD PHOTO GALLERY

martin zhang / thresher

TRACK AND FIELD

WAYNE GRAHAM

1,147-497 Career Record 27 seasons at Rice 2003 National Champion 0 Losing Seasons College Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2012 infographic by andrew grottkau

GRAHAM FROM PAGE 1 seasons, from 1957 to 1967. His only major league appearances came in 1963 with the Philadelphia Phillies and in 1964 with the New York Mets, and he played just 30 total games at the major league level. Otherwise, he toiled in the minors. The experience, Graham said, taught him the skills to be a successful manager.

“I had to work my guts out to be a player,” Graham said. “The journeymen, the catcher — they make better managers because they had to work incredibly hard. If you’re a superstar, you don’t see the world the same way. You just don’t. You tend to want to build a hitter in your own image, and most people don’t see the ball as well as you or have the reflexes that you have.”

Despite his immense success, Graham has never been known as a gentle mentor.

His outbursts are famous among players, with the common theme that all include a great deal of yelling. Former catcher Sanjiv Gopalkrishnan (McMurtry ’17), who was a walk on for one season, recalled a couple of instances when the coach called him over in a rage.

“The worst was when I accidentally interrupted a pitch call to ask the coaching staff a question,” Gopalkrishnan said. “We won the game, but afterwards I got chewed out like never before. There aren’t many things more intimidating than an 80-yearold man yelling at you for something [that’s] completely your fault.”

Although he often showcases his fiery temper, Graham’s players say they respect him. Gopalkrishnan said Graham excels at building rapport with players despite his angry outbursts.

“He has an uncanny ability to relate to his players, which brings out the best in them and leads to results on the field,” Gopalkrishnan said.

If Graham is feared due to his intensity, he is respected for his memory. Graham spent a recent interview about the 2003 championship team rattling off the names of pitchers from Rice’s postseason opponents and correctly noting everything from the 2003 Owls’ winning pitchers in their College World Series games to their 0-2 record

against Lamar University. Sports Information Assistant Director John Sullivan recalled a trip years ago to San Francisco when Graham pointed out a statue of Baseball Hall of Fame member Juan Marichal. Graham allegedly yelled to the team bus, “That guy must be good; he struck me out!”

His knowledge extends far outside of baseball. Graham spent nine years as a high school world history teacher in public schools in Houston. The Rice baseball team took a trip to Cuba to play exhibition games in November of 2016, only to have the trip interrupted by the death of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro. In a preseason interview last season, Graham shared what he learned from the journey.

“I developed a more sophisticated look at American imperialism,” Graham said.

“I also learned more about what enabled Castro to conquer Cuba. After he did it, they were a model for other nations’ guerrilla operations.”

He continued to talk about Castro for a full three minutes until a player launched a home run over the hill beyond Reckling’s left field fence. Then his focus turned back to baseball.

If this is Graham’s final year at Rice, he is optimistic about going out on top.

When asked if he believes Rice can return to the College World Series, Graham did not hesitate.

“Oh yeah,” Graham said. “This team, is very solid. So many teams now, you never know what will happen with the pitching.

We’ve got pretty good pitching now.”

The future of Rice baseball will go on with or without Graham. But he has no desire to leave. In an interview with the Associated Press in 2016, Graham said he hopes to coach for years to come.

“Clint Eastwood still loves to direct movies at 85, and he’s directing good ones,” Graham said. “Robert Duvall is [acting] at 85. If you’re doing something you really like, unless you’ve got something in retirement you’d like better, why would you change?”

It will be up to Rice Athletics to decide whether this is Graham’s final year. But if Graham has his way, he will not be going anywhere anytime soon.

Riddle, Jackson shine at UH JOSHUA ANIL THRESHER STAFF / JA47@RICE.EDU

Crack! The starter’s pistol goes off and Rice’s track and field stars are off to the races. Last weekend, the Owls competed in their second meet of the year, the Houston Invitational, hosted by the University of Houston.

On the men’s side, head coach Jon Warren said the team put on a strong performance and gained experience by competing in several events for the first time this season.

“This past weekend, the team focused on our areas of strength and had good performances — especially when you consider that this was the first meet for the vast majority of the team — in the 800 [meter], mile, 3000 [meter], weight throw and shot put,” Warren said.

Senior thrower and two-time hammer throw All-American Austin Riddle set the school record in the weight throw with a heave of 20.13 meters, becoming the first Rice thrower to break the 20-meter mark en route to winning the event.

The team focused on our areas of strength.

Jon Warren Men’s Track and Field Head Coach According to Warren, for several studentathletes, and particularly for senior Scott Filip, this invitational served as a warmup for upcoming meets. Filip is a five-time conference champion and three-time AllAmerican — twice in the decathlon and once in the indoor heptathlon.

“Scott has the school record in the heptathlon and has the second-best mark ever in the decathlon. For this indoor season, Scott is focused, again, on the heptathlon as his main event. This past weekend he

competed, but only as preparation for next week, when he will be competing in a big heptathlon at Texas A&M [University],” Warren said.

Women’s track and field head coach Jim Bevan said the meet was crucial to establishing a foundation for the season.

“We needed to get started as a full team, so yes, [the meet] went well,” Bevan said.

“We are still missing some components of the team and are not 100 percent healthy, but we needed this meet.”

Though the team was not at full strength, Bevan said several Rice women put in strong performances.

“Hannah Jackson was outstanding in the 60-meter dash and 400 [meter],” Bevan said. “Aya Rossano also did well in the pole vault, Camille Little in the long jump and Elsa Racasan [and] Khayla Patel in the mile.”

Jackson, a sophomore, ran the 400-meter in 56.54 seconds to finish first.

She also ran a 7.48-second time to finish third in the 60-meter finals. Rosano, a senior, finished 3rd in the pole vault, sophomore Camille little placed 5th in the long jump, and senior Elsa Racasan and sophomore Khayla Patel placed 4th and 5th in the mile respectively.

The track and field season consists of two portions, indoor and outdoor, with conference and national championships at stake in both categories. Indoor track and field is held in the early part of the spring semester and includes only 17 events, four shy of the outdoor version’s total of 21.

Indoor tracks are typically only 200 meters long, compared to their 400-meter-long outdoor counterparts, and the season is usually shorter than the outdoor season that immediately follows it.

With the indoor conference meet only three weeks away, the Rice track team will have a few more chances to hone their skills: They next compete at the Charlie Thomas Invitational at Texas A&M University on Feb. 2 and 3, with television coverage provided by the SEC network.

AUSTIN RIDDLE

HANNAH JACKSON

WEIGHT THROW:

60-METER DASH:

meter s (RICE RECORD)

seconds

20.13

7.48

infographic by marlena fleck

12

THE RICE THRESHER

BACKPAGE

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2018

EXCITEMENT BUILDS AS FRIDAY FESTIVITIES APPROACH JOEY MCGLONE & ISAAC SCHULTZ BACKPAGE EDITORS / FARTS@RICE.EDU On Friday, the long awaited moment will finally arrive when Rice University President David Leebron will decide whether or not Rice will have six extra weeks of the Rice Owls Give Back campaign.

“It’s my favorite day of the year,” Jones College sophomore Antonia Giralde said. “That moment, when he emerges from the darkness of his house, steps out into the sun and looks around with the wonderfilled eyes of a newborn babe encountering the light of life for the first time – it’s so moving.”

This annual tradition, tracing its origin to Feb. 2, 2005 – the first academic year of Leebron’s presidency – began as a “jack,” back when students actually did them instead of just using them as examples to explain to friends and family how Rice students can actually be cool sometimes instead of total dweebs.

“We thought it’d be funny to try and catch Leebs in that frantic, debasing moment when he’s rushing out the door to get to work,” alumnus Stephen Doria (Lovett ’06) said. “In honor of the day, when we saw his shadow, rolling down the polished steps of his multimillion-dollar house purchased by the university because he was too cool for [Historic] Huff House, we all wrote checks to Rice University.

We figured it was the only way to placate him after intruding on what was now sort-of private property, maybe? I mean, he’s on the other side of Sunset Boulevard, which most students polled as the furthest they’ve been off campus.”

And placate him it did. Each and every year after, students have gathered, hidden in bushes, dressed in full Ghillie Suits or posing as mail men and women, checkbooks in hand, with hopes of catching a glimpse of the president’s now legendary panicked hurry to get to work on time.

christina tan/thresher

“It’s one of those quirky, zany Rice traditions that’s just totally random, and I love it!” Sid Richardson College freshman Rebecca Kaufman said.

It’s one of those quirky, zany, Rice traditions that’s just totally random, and I love it!

Rebecca Kaufman Sid Richardson Freshman

“Of course, Leebron knows there’ll be a crowd by now,” Wiess College junior Jenny Nguyen said. “We’re really just showing up to see Leebron acting

like he’s surprised to see everyone.

Which you can clearly see he’s not.”

But Nguyen’s favorite moment isn’t finding out whether she’ll be signing that check or not. It’s Dean Hutchinson’s speech.

“When he picks the president of this university up by the pits and addresses the crowd, I think that’s when the spirit of the holiday really shines through,” Nguyen said.

The tradition has changed greatly in the 15 years of its existence. Two years ago, Rice Program Council took over the planning of this annual event, leading to new parameters such as the need for one caregiver per every 10 attendees, as well as a 1:1 ratio of students to both gallons of water and

large cheese pizzas from Dominos, catered by The Hoot. But don’t think you’ve seen it all before. This year’s event promises new and exciting twists, according to RPC, like “tasty beats spun by DJ Friendzone” and free boba – “but not until you’ve joined the RPC listserv to receive extremely relevant hourly updates, like how to find your true love at the Crush Party.”

The event starts at 8:30 a.m. and ends promptly at 8:32 a.m.

Although freshmen will wait in anticipation for the results, the rest of us know the outcome – the Rice Owls Give Back campaign from last year still hasn’t ended. “All festivities aside, we are in serious need of funding, even if it means spending even more money to get it,” President Leebron said, as he live-tweeted the event.

The Backpage is satire and written by Joey McGlone and Isaac Schultz. For comments or questions, please email farts@rice.edu.

CLASSIFIEDS WANTED

TEACH FOR TESTMASTERS! 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 rice-jobs@testmasters.com.

P/T, F/T WORKERS For special needs behavior/learning program. Private behavior/ academic learning program for children ages 2-12yr, primarily those with autism, in Museum District seek university students to learn our unique program combing behavior & social skills training with Montessori methods, Call 713-528-2343 or send resume to Director at marys.mcclure2@gmail.com GREAT PART TIME OPPORTUNITY for a guitar player/lover. Looking for a person to manage the website WWW.USAGUITARS. NET This will entail managing inventory.

(Adding, deleting, editing) Packaging and

shipping. Organization. Handling inquires, etc... Beginning with organizing inventory.

Photographing and listing. After that most work can be done from home other than packaging and shipping. Approximately 10 contract hour/week. Email to rickc@socousa.com with the word RAHAN in the subject line to tell me why this would be a great job for you.

RICE ALUM HIRING tutors for Middle & High School Math, Natural & Social Sciences, Foreign Language, Humanities, and SAT/ACT prep. Reliable transportation required. Pay is based upon variety of factors. Contact 832428-8330 and email resume to sri.iyengar@ sriacademicservices.com SEEKING PART-TIME CHILDCARE assistance for our 7 month old son. M-Th afternoons/ evenings, 10-15 hour per week at $15 per hour. Flexibility for additional weekend

hours ideal. Infant experience preferred. Responsibilities include daycare pickup, caring for infant, light household chores. Dependable transportation required. Daycare in Upper Kirby and home in West University. Please contact Claire at Claire.earll@gmail.com

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