The Rice Thresher | Wednesday, August 26, 2020

VOLUME 105, ISSUE NO. 1 | STUDENT-RUN SINCE 1916 | RICETHRESHER.ORG | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 EDITORIAL

Admin’s own actions need to reflect the Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence they demand of students

Rice welcomes

CLASS OF 2024 in-person and online

CHANNING WANG / THRESHER

RYND MORGAN

According to Romero da Silva, 40 percent of new students come from Texas, 50 percent come from U.S. states outside

NEWS EDITOR

Rice’s office of admission saw a greater enrollment of both freshman students and transfer students than last year, with just under 1,000 new students enrolling in total, according to Vice President for Enrollment Yvonne Romero da Silva.

In late March 2,346 students, making up ten percent of applicants, were admitted to the class of 2024. The Office of Admission was still in the middle of processing regular decision applications when campus shut down. Romero da Silva said that international students’ ability to come to campus, students’ desire to stay near their homes at a time of uncertainty and the possibility of increases in deferrals and waitlist changes led the Office of Enrollment to aim for a slightly higher enrolling class.

[Rice’s quick decision] gave students on either side of the coin the confidence in knowing the school they were going to was going to be able to support them.

Yvonne Romero da Silva VP OF ENROLLMENT of Texas and 10 percent are international students.

Romero da Silva said that students’ interest in Rice this year may have been

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

CHANNING WANG / THRESHER

New Kids on the Broch(stein): Little Kitchen HTX KATELYN LANDRY A&E EDITOR

informed by Rice’s relatively early decision to offer hybrid instruction compared to other universities.

“I think where other schools might have delayed the decision-making there and left more uncertainty for the students and the students’ families, with Rice making that decision early on … that really helped me and my job in making sure that students could enroll at Rice and feel confident in the decision they were making,” Romero da Silva said. “I think that gave students on either side of the coin the confidence in knowing the school they were going to was going to be able to support them in the way they wanted to be educated.”

McMurtry College freshman Morike Ayodeji, who matched to Rice through the Questbridge scholarship program, said that she decided to come to campus instead of taking a gap year in late July.

SEE NEW

STUDENTS PAGE 2

Au revoir macarons, howdy macaroni and cheese topped with Cheeto dust.

Little Kitchen HTX, a local family-owned restaurant and catering business, has ushered in a new dining dynasty at Brochstein Pavilion. The restaurant opened on July 27, replacing swank French cafe Flo Paris with a cozy eatery serving up creative takes on classic comfort food.

Owned and operated by Chef Jason Kerr and Becca Kerr, Little Kitchen HTX is a family affair with no shortage of sentimental personal touches. The restaurant’s bright yellow cassette tape logo greets Brochstein visitors, an homage to the Kerrs’ love for ’80s and ’90s culture and emblematic of the nostalgic atmosphere they hope to bring to the pavilion.

“Everything that Becca and I do seems to stem from stuff that we’ve done together, places we’ve been, stuff that we did with our kids or family recipes,” says Jason Kerr. “We want you to feel like you’re in our home or in our brains when you come in there.”

The couple started Little Kitchen HTX in 2017 as a specialty catering business, but in just a few short years, the restaurant has flourished across the city with full seasonal menus and multiple locations, including regular appearances at the Urban Harvest and Heights Mercantile Farmers’ Markets.

This is the couple’s first culinary venture they’ve taken on as a team, allowing them to blend and build off each other’s expertise.

SEE LITTLE

KITCHEN PAGE 6

When you visit return.rice.edu, the university’s online hub for information about reopening plans, you’re redirected to coronavirus.rice.edu. It’s a seemingly harmless swap — “return” becomes “coronavirus” — but one that is indicative of the two incompatible narratives the administration has been feeding its students, staff and faculty. The first is a shiny campaign about how much we’ve all missed campus, how ecstatic we are to return to something familiar and how we will all persevere, together, through these tough times. The second is the story of a global pandemic that has fatally attacked Houston, the country and the world, one that requires taking extreme safety precautions and punishing those who don’t.

This hypocrisy leaves us wondering — which one is it?

President David Leebron first announced plans to reopen campus on May 4, in an email to all faculty and staff.

At that point, COVID-19 cases in the greater Houston area were only a fraction of the terrifying numbers they would become.

Yet, as June and July rolled around and Houston became one of the hardest hit regions in the world by the pandemic, Leebron and the administration only doubled down on their fall plans, over and over and over again.

Of course, the administration acknowledged the importance of taking precautions in these communications.

In his first announcement about the fall, Leebron wrote that “we must undertake this process of reopening with care so as to assure the health and safety of all members of our community.” However, messages of excitement and optimism also came through. The peak of this approach came in a July 28 video from the university called “Return to Rice,” in which, over dramatic and optimistic music, the narrator declares that “We return to Rice University not because it is easy. We choose to do the hard things, because it’s important and makes the world a better place.” The video came on a day when 1,465 new cases of coronavirus were discovered in Harris County.

When the Rice administration announced its intent to return to inperson classes and on-campus living this fall, they were in essence promising students some semblance of a return to normalcy. They framed reopening as the right thing to do, the thing that “makes the world a better place.” It’s not shocking that about 40 percent of students, many stuck at home and deprived of social contact for nearly half a year, chose to live on campus and many others chose to commute from nearby in order to experience whatever campus life remains. If Rice’s goal had been to sell a social and educational product of dubious quality in order to make up for financial losses, they couldn’t have picked a more emotionally vulnerable group of people to market to.

Meanwhile, the administration seems poised to blame students if anything goes wrong — the Culture of Care Agreement, which every student was mandated to sign, demands students model exemplary social distancing behavior and states they will be punished if they do not. Somewhat paradoxically, the friendly-sounding Culture of Care Agreement is being punitively enforced by the new COVID Community Court and Student Judicial Programs, which will use punishments ranging from written apologies to fines to rustication to punish students who violate the agreement.

SEE EDITORIAL PAGE 4

THE RICE THRESHER

2 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

NEWS

Sidizens maintain culture across campus

FROM PAGE 1

New Students

channing wang / thresher

KELLY LIAO THRESHER STAFF

Students from Sid Richardson College who originally planned to live on campus this year, including many new students, have been reassigned to Martel, McMurtry, Duncan and Wiess Colleges based on their preference after Sid Rich was converted to isolation housing for on-campus students who test positive for COVID-19. Despite being dispersed across campus, Sidizens have worked to maintain their sense of connection across colleges.

Isolation housing As of this week, two of the three students who tested positive during Orientation Week have been relocated to Sid Rich. Students who receive a COVID-19 positive test will be given the option to enter into isolation housing unless they make the decision to go home and recover with their family.

According to Susann Glenn, the director of communications for administration, Housing & Dining is staffing Sid Rich with employees who have received special training. Staff working in Sid Rich have specific personal protective gear, which includes N95 masks, face shields, gloves and protective aprons. Glenn said additional training on how to safely use this equipment properly has been provided

by Rice Environmental Health and Safety.

According to Associate Vice President of Housing and Dining Mark Ditman, who will be in charge of the isolation unit, he and his team are trying to make the time students spend in isolation pleasant and comfortable, including delivering meals with surprises such as Chef Roger’s cinnamon rolls or Raising Cane’s chicken fingers.

Each room is equipped with a mini-fridge, microwave, body wash, thermometers and bed and bathroom cleaning kits, according to Ditman. H&D also developed a method for delivering packages from students’ friends and family. Items can be dropped at the H&D office during business hours and the staff passes them on to Derrix Norman, senior operations manager of college food service, and Ditman for delivery. H&D can also accept packages dropped on Sid Rich’s front porch if they are contacted in advance.

Students remain at Sid Rich until they are medically cleared to leave by physicians in Student Health Services, who follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in assessing whether students are recovered and can

return to their regular residence, according to Dean of Undergraduates Bridget Gorman.

Students who are isolated at Sid Rich are monitored and checked daily by Student Health Services through telemedicine appointments, according to Gorman.

Rice University Police Department Chief Clemente Rodriguez, the operation chief for incidents, said that Rice Emergency Medical Services will also provide those students with emergency medical care.

Displaced Sidizens Construction of the new Sid Rich building is continuing on schedule to welcome Sidizens for the spring semester, according to Nia Prince, president of Sid Rich.

Prince said Sid Rich students responded to the isolation housing plan positively.

“It was obviously disappointing that we wouldn’t be able to have our building for the fall semester, but there have been so many students that have just stepped up and really helped brainstorm and make this fall semester good, and now we’re just even more excited for New Sid in the spring,” said Prince, a Sid Rich senior.

Though separated into different colleges, Sid Rich students are able to live in the same area of each new college, which makes up “Sid Blocs,” according to Prince. Prince said new students are still able to develop a sense of community through these blocks.

Ezra Smith, a Sid Rich Orientation Week advisor, who was assigned to a suite close to his new students in McMurtry College, said he is excited about seeing how his new students adapt to Rice.

“I think it’s really fun to connect with inperson students and remote students in this way,” Smith, a Sid Rich sophomore, said.

“I think there’s a huge potential for how this process will look like in terms of social activities.”

Travis Dowd, who lives in a suite with four other Sid students at Wiess College, said he feels lucky because he was assigned to his first-choice college and he can stay with his friends on the same floor.

“Our leadership team at Sid [Rich] did an awesome job of trying to keep Sidizens at the different colleges grouped together in order to maintain our sense of community, and I am extremely thankful for that,” Dowd, a Sid Rich sophomore, said.

Besides arranging “Sid Blocs,” the student government and magisters are working hard to preserve the culture of Sid Rich while students are separated into four different colleges.

According to the Sid Rich Magisters Michel and Melanie Achard, who will be

mostly working from their new home outside Rice, preservation of the Sid Rich culture represents one of the most important issues the magisters are facing this semester.

“We will be working online a lot, with many activities on the Discord channel to make sure that wherever they are, Sidizens feel part of their community,” the Achards said in an email.

Discord is a free digital distribution platform designed for creating online communities for people with various interests. Prince said the platform has a function similar to that of big room space and allows Sidizens to set up channels to play games, study together or randomly chat.

Besides virtual activities, Sid Rich has set up outdoor tents for smaller social events, according to Prince. Dowd, though missing lunches at the commons, said he looked forward to meeting other Sid Rich people at these outdoor tents.

“The main thing I will miss is the Sid [Rich] lunches where the commons felt very welcoming and lively. I would love to be involved in any resemblance of these lunches and other Sid [Rich] events that can be recreated in these tents,” Dowd said.

Besides moving social activities online, the Sid Rich student government also transformed their Rice Health Ambassador in-person “balcony chats” to the online Discord platform, according to Prince. Through a Discord voice channel, students can just jump on and talk to an RHA who is available.

In addition, the treasurer has adapted the government system by organizing students through class representatives and housing status representatives instead of the original floor representatives, according to Prince. There will be equal representation across housing status, including remote, on-campus, and off-campus in Houston.

Prince said she was aware that the following academic year would be challenging since they will be moving to a new building in the middle of the year.

Though being separated into different colleges would add more challenges to her role as the president, Prince said she is overall optimistic when seeing how enthusiastic Sid students are in strengthening their community and maintaining their culture.

“This year will be focusing more on the actual spirit of Sid [Rich] and not just the building of Sid [Rich] and that’s something that we were going to have to drive home anyways this semester because I don’t want them to be invested in the Old Sid [Rich] tower because we’re moving to New Sid [Rich] tower,” Prince said.

“For most of July, I planned on taking a gap year but then my parents were just like, what if things aren’t fully back to normal by next year? Then there’s no point in not coming and then things haven’t changed that much anyways. So, I came, and I’m glad I came,” Ayodeji said.

Will Rice College freshman Arielle Noah, another Questbridge scholar, also chose to come to campus instead of taking a gap year.

“For a little bit, I considered taking a gap year just because of the fact that it seemed a little bit weird to have to go to a really expensive private school for online school, it kind of seems a little bit strange. But then the fact that [with] Questbridge scholarships, I’m not actually paying for it made me feel a little bit better,” Noah said.

In June, the Office of Admission announced that it would not require students applying to the class of 2025 to submit standardized test scores due to disruptions in testing

I don’t think we’re ever going to go back to what things were like in 2019.

Yvonne Romero da Silva VICE PRESIDENT OF ENROLLMENT due to the pandemic. Romero da Silva said that in the future, the Office of Admission will make determinations about extending similar accommodations.

“I think that as educators we’re concerned not only for the current seniors but the students who are currently [high school] juniors, because they’ve also had quite a significant amount of disruption, and it’s not clear what kind of access they’re going to have to assessments,” Romero da Silva said. “We really are seeing this as a pilot, and we’ll make determinations about future classes once we have more information.”

Romero da Silva said that the Office of Admission has learned a lot from going remote, for example how to engage more students.

“I don’t think we’re ever going to go back to what things were like in 2019,” Romero da Silva said. “All of our engagements now are virtual.

And while it’s not 100 percent as good as doing it in person, I think we’re reaching many more students that we might not have been able to reach, who couldn’t either get to us here on campus or get to us when we’re out in the field.”

Despite the circumstances of the past year, the profile of Rice’s entering class is relatively consistent with that of previous years, both in size and in makeup.

“It’s been an interesting year, but again I think that the interest in Rice remains very strong,” Romero da Silva said. “We have a really wonderful entering class, they’re really similar to our previous entering classes, and so in that sense it’s very strong and very exciting to be sure.”

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 • 3

Student leaders adapt O-Week to meet COVID-19 precautions RYND MORGAN & SAVANNAH KUCHAR NEWS EDITORS

Orientation Week is a decades-old event at Rice, with traditions that have largely remained untouched. This year, coordinators have had to modify or cut out many traditional O-Week events to comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and university guidelines in light of the pandemic, resulting in a unique experience for the incoming new students.

Events for all new students were modified to accommodate social distancing; large panels, for instance, were all held remotely.

After Tuesday, when Will Rice College’s O-Week went remote, cross-college events and meals in indoor commons were also eliminated. At some colleges, remote new students were led through in-person events through Zoom, while others had separate remote and in-person schedules.

Anthony Nguyen, a co-advisor at Sid Richardson College, said Sid Rich O-Week had to look especially different compared to other years, with the Sid Rich building now being repurposed for COVID-19 isolation housing. According to Nguyen, most new students were either at McMurtry, Duncan or Martel Colleges. Students who were only on campus for O-Week were at Brown College, and some upperclassmen were living at Wiess College.

“I was living at Brown [College] for advisor training and for O-Week and it was pretty chaotic. I didn’t get my room assignment until the day before I moved in and I came in very much unaware of what was happening,” Nguyen, a junior at Hanszen College, said.

Nguyen said that along with new living spaces, Sid Rich O-Week groups had to find new places to meet since they were without a college commons this year.

“For O-Week groups we were assigned certain breakout rooms that were throughout the [Rice Memorial Center], Duncan Hall, Keck [Hall],” Nguyen said. “As all of Sid Rich O-Week in total, usually we were half split between the [RMC] Grand Hall and the tent by Hanszen. For the outdoor events there were points when we could gather all together.”

McMurtry College junior Rishi Vas coadvised remotely at Will Rice this year, and said his impression of Will Rice O-Week was that it was generally managed well by the

coordinators, despite the two positive cases confirmed among Will Rice advisors during the week.

Isabel Sjodin, a McMurtry advisor and junior, said she felt like the O-Week coordinators successfully kept advisors informed throughout the week, while managing different news and rumors across campus. “[The coordinators] were very open and honest with us,” Sjodin said. “I think they did a good job being upfront with us, saying like, ‘If you hear a rumor ask us, don’t spread it to your kids and cause them to panic.

Approach us and let us know, we’ll do our best to find out what’s happening.’”

According to Vas, the majority of the decisions during O-Week were left up to the discretion of the individual college coordinators.

“In my opinion, when they had like two positive cases, that should have been Rice admin [who came in to shut] down in person O-Week, as opposed to [the [coordinators] or student leadership. They didn’t sign up for that,” Vas said. “I feel like the Rice admin needs to step up a little.”

The Will Rice coordinators did not respond to the Thresher’s requests for comment in time for print.

Varsha Varghese, an advisor at Baker College, said that although this year’s O-Week differed from those in the past and advisors may have missed out on events that were canceled or modified, new students only know the O-Week that they experienced.

“As advisors we knew exactly what was changed and what was not the same, but I think for the new students, they didn’t know.

To them, this is O-Week,” Varghese, a senior, said. “I think all the advisors, especially as a senior, I wish we could have done some of the events that we usually do in a nonpandemic, but it’s totally understandable why we didn’t do it.”

Sjodin said she thinks O-Week was a good introduction to how the rest of the semester will need to be handled.

“O-Week was definitely different than what any of us anticipated, and I think in a lot of ways it was kind of a trial period for people around all of the colleges to see what in-person interactions are actually like now,” Sjodin said. “I think it’ll just be helpful going forward because now we have a group of students who know what the rules are and can enforce them.”

channing wang / thresher

THE RICE THRESHER

4 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

OPINION OPINION

Where are the disabled students in Rice’s COVID-19 plan?

In July, Dean of Undergradutes Bridget Gorman sent out an email to the undergraduate student body which entitled: “Fall 2020 announcement to undergraduate students.” This email highlighted the policies for Rice’s reopening plan for the fall.

It is very thorough and we greatly appreciate the work the administration has put into this plan, but we have a lot of concerns about how it will affect students with learning and physical disabilities, as well as students with medical and mental health issues. We urge the administration to ensure that the voices of students with disabilities’ will be heard and that their needs will be accommodated.

A main concern of ours is ensuring that our student body’s needs and accommodations will be met adequately in this next year. Many students on Rice’s campus receive academic accommodations; one of the most common accommodations is note-taking, which can be inefficient in the best of times. If a student attends class in person one day then remotely another, it will be difficult for them to receive notes for both days in a timely manner, especially since Rice has not included this accommodation in their COVID-19 response.

As the university continues to adjust

to the new remote and distance learning territory, it can be even more difficult for those with learning disabilities to adjust to these new normals. Without in-person contact, those whose learning disabilities increase struggles with concentration, for instance, will have to work twice as hard to maintain focus in a remote setting. We urge the university to consider hiring a learning disability specialist who can work with our professors on best practices for inclusive forms of distance-based learning.

With our current public health crisis, many students are dealing with heightened mental health concerns. It is up to us as a community to not only coexist with our peers, but to support and uplift one another.

That is why we believe that accommodations should be made available not only to those with diagnosed disabilities, but for anyone who may need extra support during this difficult and transformative period.

It is inevitable that many students will eventually contract COVID-19 on campus, and the severity of the symptoms means many of these students will be effectively temporarily disabled. This makes the plan to use Sid Richardson College to quarantine students quite concerning. With Sid Rich’s

tall stair-based entrance, many students with physical disabilities have noted its inaccessibility. As such, in the preparation for the new Sid Rich, discussions regarding the federal Americans with Disabilities Act compliance have been underway. However, our concerns lie in the old Sid Rich and its inaccessibility as well as its elevators as a conduit of spreading the pathogen. How are sick students supposed to navigate Sid Rich using the stairs? Additionally, there has not been little discussion of support systems and accommodations that will allow students, disabled or not, who are diagnosed with COVID-19, to keep up with Rice’s demanding workload. We hope Rice will recognize the difficulty for of students to simultaneously cope with both the physical and emotional tolls of a positive COVID test result.

A centerpiece of Rice’s plan is to have many classes take place outdoors in tents. In the update on June 8, it was written that there will be four temporary “‘hurricane-proof”’ 50-by-90-feet structures with heating, cooling and lighting as well as five opensided tents. While the 50-by-90 structure itself may be able to withstand hurricane winds, Houston rain is often accompanied by flooding. This flooding makes it very

difficult for those students in wheelchairs or with mobility issues to navigate grass.

AsTrue such, how will storms andat other weather anti-racism issues affect their accessibility? Will both Riceoutdoor begins with and tents be these structures wheelchair-accessible?

Unlike the details removing the statue regarding the 50-by-90 structures, there oflittle a slave owner was information regarding the features of the tents. Handling the heat is difficult for anyone in Houston in August, but for those with certain medical conditions, these difficulties can be greatly exacerbated. Will all of these tents have air conditioning?

Lastly, how will outdoor distractions be mitigated in these environments?

We hope that as this new uncertain school year begins, these potential situations and needs for inclusive academia will be taken in stride. We expect Rice to fully live up to its claimed commitments to diversity and its Culture of Care. With this new world of uncertainty, it is more important for Rice than ever to fully address the needs of disabled and medically complex students.

SHANE DIGIOVANNA & EMMA SIEGEL CO-CHAIRS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABLITIES COMMITTEE

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

How we’re handling journalism in a pandemic Five months ago, we sat in the Thresher office, eating chips, chatting and editing articles along with our fellow staffers. During our last in-office work cycle for the spring semester, before everyone began using phrases such as “these unprecedented times,” we were focused on finishing our articles under the wire, wondering how likely it would be for Rice to make classes remote for the rest of the semester.

The following week was the first time since World War I that the Thresher, a 104-year-old organization, stopped printing weekly papers. As brand-new editors-in-chief, we had to navigate the transition to fully remote operations, while continuing to cover daily breaking news and publishing critical stories across our seven sections.

Looking back at previous editors’ welcome letters, you’ll notice a pattern. “There’s never been a more important time for journalism,” says the headline of the 2018 letter by coeditors Andrew Grottkau and Emily Abdow, while last year’s editor-in-chief Christina Tan emphasized the need to support student media efforts. Their words were relevant then, but even more so now.

The COVID-19 situation at Rice is constantly evolving and it is easy for misinformation and rumors to spread. In just the past few weeks, there have been multiple instances of false or inaccurate information about COVID-19 on campus being propagated through GroupMe chats, Facebook parent groups and other channels. Amidst a sea of unverified rumors, we are constantly fact-checking, reaching out to new sources and ensuring that the information we print is accurate.

Perhaps the hardest part of our job is reporting the stories that everyone wants to read, but no one wants to talk about.

We may know that students and faculty members have an opinion on administrative decisions, but it can be extremely difficult to find anyone to speak on the record. In an era where the media is repeatedly undermined by politicians and others, we strive for independent and ethical journalism that answers questions the Rice community is asking. Our stories are intentionally designed to be unbiased and holistic.

However, without the cooperation of sources, especially

student leaders and administrators, we are unable to fulfill our goals — especially during this pandemic, which has made information and sources even harder to access. Our policies for interviews are completely transparent, and we genuinely welcome information from any Rice community member.

We believe in showing empathy to all the sources and stakeholders in any story, and we ask that you do the same for us.

Remember that our editors, writers, designers, photographers and other staff are also undergraduate students, balancing our work as journalists with our responsibilities as students, amidst the anxiety caused by this pandemic. Please be patient with us, and if you have any story tips, comments or criticism, always feel free to share it with us.

For both of us, working at the Thresher has been the single most meaningful experience of our time at Rice. Whether you are interested in pursuing a career in journalism or enjoy being at the center of campus conversations and happenings, we have a myriad of opportunities for you, from writing to design to business management positions. The quality of our coverage rests upon the diversity of our staff, and we are committed to making the Thresher’s platform accessible to any member of the Rice community.

Today, we are proud to bring you the first print issue since the pandemic began. It is our privilege to lead our incredibly resilient staffers who have quickly adapted their storytelling in this rightfully-called “unprecedented” environment, and we hope you enjoy reading our writing as much as we enjoy producing it.

IVANKA PEREZ & RISHAB RAMAPRIYAN EDITORS IN CHIEF

EDITORIAL FROM PAGE 1 The emphasis on punishment, as well as on student responsibility to report the peers they see violating the agreement, weaves a strange, dark contradiction to the administration’s public relations narrative of a responsible, autonomous student community whose members look out for one another. Furthermore, an emphasis on punishment disincentivizes students from disclosing any involvement they may have had in risky activities, a situation which places the greater community at higher risk. Why would a student participate honestly in contact tracing procedures if they run the risk of being rusticated for breaking the rules?

Rice’s promotion of student autonomy is perfectly positioned to blame students for outbreaks and shift the responsibility for the health of campus from administration to students, no matter how the administration has fundamentally created an unsafe environment with its decision to reopen.

To blame large outbreaks of COVID-19 on campus entirely on the student body would be remiss.

The administration has demanded responsibility, integrity, community and excellence from students time and time again, but their own record of instituting these values is far from perfect — is reopening a college campus in Houston right now really the most responsible move, the one that prioritizes the greater community within which Rice exists? The Rice administration should be prepared to take responsibility for its own actions if and when members of the Rice community or Houston in general are harmed by the reopening experiment, instead of creating tools to blame the students they invited back.

Editor’s Note: Thresher editorials are collectively written by the members of the Thresher’s editorial board. Current members include Rishab Ramapriyan, Ivanka Perez, Amy Qin, Elizabeth Hergert, Ella Feldman, Katelyn Landry, Rynd Morgan, Savannah Kuchar, Simona Matovic and Tina Liu.

STAFF Ivanka Perez* Editor-in-Chief Rishab Ramapriyan*Editor-in-Chief Amy Qin* Managing Editor

SPORTS Ben Baker-Katz Editor Daniel Schrager Asst. Editor

ONLINE Mateo D’Agaro Web Editor Audrey Yao Video Editor

NEWS Savannah Kuchar* Editor Rynd Morgan* Editor Talha Arif Asst. Editor Brian Lin Asst. Editor

OPINIONS Elizabeth Hergert* Editor

FEATURES Ella Feldman* Editor Kavya Sahni*Asst. Editor

PHOTO Channing Wang Editor

DESIGN Tina Liu* Director Dalia Gulca A&E Designer Katherine Hui Sports Designer Anna Chung News Designer Yifei Zhang Illustrator Chloe Xu Illustrator

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Katelyn Landry* Editor Sanvitti Sahdev*Asst. Editor

BACKPAGE Simona Matovic* Editor & Designer

COPY Vi Burgess Editor Bhavya Gopinath Editor

BUSINESS OPERATIONS Karoline Sun Business Manager Lindsay Josephs Advertising Manager Arshia Batra Marketing Manager Lily Wieland Distribution Manager *Editorial Board member

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.

First copy is free. Each additional copy is $5.

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 2020

THE RICE THRESHER

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 • 5

FEATURES Fresh Air: Nine outdoor destinations perfect for a socially distant semester

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Traditionally, the end of August signifies an end to a summer of trips, getaways and parties. But the COVID-19 pandemic has put a hard stop to the romanticization of summer break this year, with most (responsible) human beings in the United States restraining their urges to throw a pool party and opting for a solitary swim instead. So it’s probably no surprise that college students who have returned on campus, jaded and sun-deprived, would feel an even stronger desire than before to escape their endless Zoom sessions on the weekends and have a little fun. What’s standing between them and that desire, besides the strict social distancing policies most universities have announced, is the understanding that one needs to sacrifice their own pleasures for the wellbeing of, well, everyone.

However, despite COVID-19 being the end of college parties, socially distancing from others does not have to mean distancing yourself from nature. Finding peace within a leafy urban escape and getting a breath of fresh air away from the stress of academics not only feels good, but is also great for mental health. To help you find your own getaway, here are nine easily accessible, exciting, and beautiful outdoor spaces and trails in Houston to explore freely at your own socially-distant pace. Mask up and enjoy.

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Key

SURAVI SARKAR AND BONNIE ZHAO FOR THE THRESHER

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James Turrell Skyspace Hermann Park Memorial Park The Drive-In at Sawyer Yards Marvin Taylor Trail Brays Bayou Greenway Trail

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Buffalo Bayou Park Trail Seymour-Lieberman Exercise Trail Houston Arboretum and Nature Center Outer Loop Trail illustration by tina liu

to bring along some outdoor games to thoroughly enjoy your weekend!

Memorial Park One of the largest urban parks in the United States, Memorial Park is a more reclusive spot that’s around a 15-minute drive away from campus. Farther away from both the joys and troubles of Rice life, Memorial Park has just about everything Hermann Park has to offer and more. Nestled in greenery, the park’s most distinctive quality is its conduciveness to outdoor sports. The nearby Trail Head in Memorial Park is the start of several trails increasing in difficulty for those who want more of a challenge. If you are looking for a weekend mountain hike, a space for cycling or skating, tennis and volleyball courts for a match with your friends or wilderness for your morning run, Memorial Park is the perfect place for you!

The Drive-In at Sawyer Yards If your vision for weekend escapades involves something more dramatic than letting your mind run free in nature, we present to you The Drive-In at Sawyer Yards — an outdoor drive-in movie theater perfect for car-owning film fanatics devastated by the months-long vacancy of movie theaters. Only a 15-minute drive from campus, it offers a wide variety of movies, from blockbusters to indie films.

The most recent movie list includes films such as “Baby Driver,” “The Princess Bride,” “A Star Is Born” and “Pulp Fiction.”

Fasten your seatbelts, friends, and don’t forget your popcorn.

Marvin Taylor Trail This two-mile trail is a quick hop from Rice: a mere 15 minutes via Metro or a short four-minute drive. Both sides of the walkway are framed by live oaks, promising a much needed shady oasis during humid weekends. The path has a harder granite surface, as well as improved drainage that provides a more reliable surface to run on in case of the unpredictable weather for which Houston is famous. It is also petfriendly, as long your furry friends are kept on a leash. If you’re looking to avoid peak

times, it’s best to visit before noon during the weekends. Foot traffic picks up during weekday evenings as well. Along the way you may see the Bill Coats suspension bridge, which connects Hermann Park and Brays Bayou.

Brays Bayou Greenway Trail Continuing through the Bill Coats Bridge and stretching for 33.8 miles, this next trail follows the Brays Bayou and is made of mostly concrete and asphalt. The trail is only a nine minute ride followed by a nine minute walk using the Metro, or a 14-minute car drive away. It’s great for cycling and is one of many trails part of a larger project called Bayou Greenways 2020, which provides Houstonians with better access to nature. The Greenway Trail can also be used to visit some of your favorite spots along the way, as it actually intersects with the University of Houston, the Houston Zoo and part of the Museum District. Sections of the trail are under construction, so be sure to check the map before you go.

Buffalo Bayou Park Trail A favorite among Houstonians, this trail is known for its lush greenery and various amenities. It is 20 minutes by car or 12 minutes by Metro followed by a seven-minute walk. The Buffalo Bayou Partnership keeps this trail wellmaintained and commissioned several art installations as permanent features, which can make for a great Instagram post. Along the trail, the Buffalo Bayou Waterway offers canoeing and kayaking if you want to switch up your daily walk. Also located along the trail is the Wortham Foundation Grove, which offers the “Dandelion:” a sculpture spraying out refreshingly cold water, and a shady garden should you need to beat the heat.

Another great facility the trail offers is the Eleanor Tinsley Skate Park, which has remained open through COVID-19. In addition to the skate park, there is even a known bat colony located under the Waugh Drive Bridge, making this trail a fantastic, well-rounded experience!

MEET YOUR SA PRESIDENT

NEW TRADITIONS

FRESHMEN VOICES

Anna Margaret Clyburn is the 2020-2021 Student Association president. And she’s here to listen. Read the spotlight on Clyburn by Ella Feldman at ricethresher.org.

As we Zoom into the fall semester, student leaders are getting creative with virtual and socially-distant event planning.

Get the full story by Kavya Sahni at ricethresher.org

This year, Rice had an O-Week unlike any other.

Hear from seven freshmen about their O-Week experience, as told to Kavya Sahni, at ricethresher.org.

James Turrell Skyspace Arguably the most beautiful outdoor sight Rice has to offer, the James Turrell “Twilight Epiphany” Skyspace gleams in soft auras before sunrise and sunset. And even though it’s not technically an escape from campus, the Skyspace fits plenty of other criteria — it’s scenic, serene and allows for proper social distancing.

Bring a blanket and your favorite book to watch the sun rise in the warmth of the Skyspace’s resplendent colors, or have an outdoor chat with your friends after dinner on the spacious seats. After all, Rice’s campus is one of the most highly rated tourist attractions in Houston.

Hermann Park It’s not a true weekend getaway without a picture-perfect picnic at a park.

Luckily for us, Hermann Park is only a one-minute walk away from Rice, making it the most accessible off-campus outdoor destination. It promises a Japanese garden, a fountain that lights up under the night sky, a playground and a lake.

Even though the Miller Outdoor Theater canceled all shows due to the pandemic, the small hill in front of it that used to be occupied by audiences is now the perfect spot for a romantic picnic. If you plan on going there with your friends, don’t forget

5

2

6 Seymour-Lieberman Exercise Trail Located in Memorial Park, this trail is another popular destination that offers shady respite for runners. The trail is located further from Rice, via either a 30-minute Metro ride with a 15-minute walk, or a 15- to 35-minute car ride, depending on traffic. The trail includes a tennis court and a quarter mile asphalt track for those serious about their workouts. Most people tend to run on the evenings during the weekdays and the mornings during the weekends. If it’s too crowded for your taste, you can try the Greenridge Trail if it hasn’t recently rained, as the dirt trail is great for mountain bikes and is tucked away from busy streets.

Houston Arboretum and Nature Center Outer Loop Trail This loop beautifully exhibits the flora and fauna native to Texas. It is a 50-minute Metro ride with an eight-minute walk, or a 15- to 35-minute drive. This trail is completely free and allows pictures, but cycling, running and skateboarding are prohibited in order to protect the wildlife.

The loop is open from 7 a.m. to dusk every day, and aims to teach visitors about the natural environment and the importance of protecting it. The trail features different “Habitat Hikes” which direct you towards the specific areas and plants modeled after one of the five habitats in Houston — prairie, ravine, savanna, wetland and woodland. After COVID-19, many of their events regarding nature education are virtual, which you can find on their website.

Weekend visits are popular, but less people tend to visit during weekday evenings.

Before visiting any of these locations, be sure to check online how their safety measures have changed for COVID-19.

Usually benches, and sometimes restrooms and water fountains, are prohibited and visitors are encouraged to maintain 6 feet of distancing — thankfully, all these locations are just as enjoyable regardless!

We sincerely hope your semester will be as safe as it is fun, adieu!

SEE IT ONLINE

CROSSWORD: YE OLD OCCUPATIONS This week’s crossword by Jayaker Kolli and Nikhaz Omar will test yer old English. Find it at ricethresher.org.

THE RICE THRESHER

6 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT FROM PAGE 1

LITTLE KITCHEN Since 2015, Becca has been at the helm of Eat My Pralines, a small bakery that gained local fame thanks to her mother’s recipe for homemade pecan pralines. Jason has been in the restaurant business for 30 years, with the last couple decades spent here in Houston heading up several restaurant kitchens and what he calls “roguish” underground catering services. After inviting his wife to help him cater a Montrose wedding, Jason realized Becca was a natural restaurateur with a knack for business organization skills that he says chefs like him often lack. “It’s very yin-yang,” Jason Kerr says of being business partners with his spouse. “I’m kind of right brain and she’s left brain, and we just work really well together.”

At Brochstein and on the restaurant’s online ordering site, you’ll find a seasonal menu with all the variety and flair of a real mixtape. There’s a stacked selection of hefty sandwiches, pasta plates, Asian inspired dishes like dumplings and pad thai, soups, salads and dessert options all $10 or cheaper. In addition to their regular menu, the kitchen also offers a catering menu with affordable boxed breakfasts and lunches.

With plenty of vegetarian and gluten free options, Little Kitchen HTX ensures that there’s something for everyone.

“We make food that we would want to eat and that we get excited about,” Jason Kerr

says. “I know the term ‘comfort food’ gets thrown around a lot, but that’s really what we want — we want people to be comfortable and enjoy.”

In addition to offering their tried and true smorgasbord of comfort-style food, the Brochstein kitchen is also taking their first leap into the world of coffee. Jason admitted that while he and Becca are ardent coffee lovers, they’re certainly not baristas, so they enlisted the help of their mutual friend Matt Toomey, founder of local specialty roaster Boomtown Coffee, who Jason dubs a “coffee guru.” You can taste Little Dreamer Coffee, Toomey’s newest brand of coffee blends, when you order from Little Kitchen, which the Kerrs say is created by some of the best baristas in the business.

“If people are looking for an education on coffee or just want an excellent cup of coffee, we’re really proud of the fact that we have three really strong baristas who are so passionate about coffee,” Becca Kerr says. “I encourage people to take advantage of the fact that these are people who see [being a] barista really as a profession.”

Thanks to its catering roots, the kitchen was well prepared for the frequent use of single use to-go containers that have become the norm for eateries across the country during the pandemic. They offer several grab-and-go options that are prepackaged and refrigerated so you can heat and eat your meal in the comfort and safety of your home.

Despite the unique challenges posed by the pandemic for those in the restaurant industry particularly, the Little Kitchen HTX team has taken it all in stride thanks to preexisting rigorous cleaning habits.

“Ourselves and most restaurants are already very sanitation conscious,” Jason Kerr says. “We have always used a lot of bleach, we disinfect and wipe down everything, we’ve always worn gloves — the only really new thing to us is working with a mask on and doing temperature checks before work.”

In accordance with campuswide social distancing protocol, seating inside Brochstein Pavilion is confined to one chair per table spaced 6 feet apart. Even though it’s not the ideal setup, the Kerrs reassure that the pavilion space is so large and open that socially distanced lunches and meetings are still comfortable.

“Unfortunately, the whole communal effect of breaking bread is kind of interrupted by social distancing but at the same time, there’s our own personal responsibility of providing what the community needs, and maybe sometimes that’s just a good cup of coffee and a snack,” Jason Kerr says.

Little Kitchen HTX is located in Brochstein Pavilion and is open for dine-in Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Order carryout online at orderlittlekitchenhtx.com.

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

Black Art at Rice: A Conversation with Preston Branton SANVITTI SAHDEV ASST A&E EDITOR

Editor’s note: The arts & entertainment section is introducing an extension of Black at Rice that aims to shed light on the inspirations, influences, wisdom and work of Black artists.

For our first installment of Black Art at Rice, we sat down with Preston Branton, a third year architecture student who creates visual art, working mostly with charcoal and graphite drawings as well as mixed media collage. Branton speaks on his transition to making more personal art, how he stays inspired, and the role played by animation in imagining a better world. His work can be found on his Instagram art page, @br.u.tal.

The Rice Thresher: Who or what are your biggest artistic influences?

Preston Branton: I’m most inspired by everyday people, so I’m constantly going through Twitter and saving pictures on my phone of artwork that I see, photos people have posted of themselves where I like the background or the colors or the pose that I then pull from when I’m actually making my art. Artists [whose work I love] are Kerry James Marshall, Kehinde Wiley, there’s some tattoo artists. That surrealist painter that I love, Leonora Carrington, she’s amazing.

RT: In what ways do you hope to grow as an artist?

PB: I want to become a bit more ritualistic about working and thinking, like setting aside time to actually think and brainstorm and just let my mind wander and run free and meditate, and do things that aid in my creative process and promote those bursts of inspiration. And I want to just be fully daring — take on larger surfaces, get gory if I need to, go crazy and not really think about the outcome, and just think about the process and that moment.

RT: What’s your favorite piece of yours and why?

photo courtesy preston branton

PB: I think that [this] (pictured above) is the pinnacle of the direction that I need to be heading in as far as my artistic process

WEEKLY SCENES AND SCREENS BYOCHAIR MOVIE NIGHT

RPC OUTDOOR CRAFT DAY

Rice Cinema and the department of visual and dramatic arts will present “Hairspray” in an outdoor movie night on Saturday, Aug. 29 at 8 p.m.

Bring your own chair or blanket by 8:45 p.m. to enjoy the film at 9 p.m.

Register to attend or be put on the waitlist here: https://bit.ly/3aPjT6Z.

Celebrate the new semester by painting, decorating face masks and making postcards with Rice Program Council this Thursday, Aug. 27 from 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. Visit the RPC Facebook event page to sign up for a tent and time slot. RSVP required to attend.

Parking Lot 6 (behind Rice Media Center)

Central Quad

and the actual quality of the work, and the time and care that went into it. I really liked this thing all the way through.

RT: Based on your own journey, what advice would you give to other Black and POC artists in our campus community?

PB: First off, I would say, there is no right way to be Black. There are shared or common experiences, but no one person’s experience is the same. I would inspire all Black and POC artists to really find their unique voice, and really think about their place in the world, all the things that they really value, and just throw it on paper. And watch ‘The Boondocks. ‘That’s my advice. Watch ‘The Boondocks’ and try to find Black and POC animation. I think things are changing now [to] where there are a lot more people of color in animation, and I think that that’s really important to see because animation breaks a lot of problematic tropes of POC and Black people. All the rules of reality can be broken in animation, and I think that that’s really important for a person of color’s imagination — to see themselves outside of this world that hates them and is preying on their downfall. I think being able to see yourself in another world that is so positive or where those problems may not exist is really important.

This story has been condensed for print. Read the full Q&A at ricethresher.org.

ONLINE:

3 guides to local art, reads & eats A Virtual Guide to Art On and Off Campus MICHELLE MIAO THRESHER STAFF

Use this guide of artistic hotspots offering virtual interaction options as a starting point for safely exploring Houston’s vibrant art scene.

How to Support Indie Bookstores in H-Town MORGAN GAGE THRESHER STAFF

To support Houston’s literary community facing financial hardships, consider supporting these five local bookstores.

5 affordable neighborhood noms VICTOR NGUYEN THRESHER STAFF

Check out this list of student favorites and underrated spots with takeout/delivery options and expansive menus that won’t break the bank.

“ACKNOWLEDGEMENT”

LOW-FI RETURNS

Catch Nathaniel Donnett’s outdoor installation, “Acknowledgement: The Historic Polyrhythm of Being(s),” before it closes next week. Backpacks from Houston communities adorn a large fence outside the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston. The installation is on view until Aug. 31 and accessible 24/7 — visit at night to see the backpacks illuminated with pulsing lights.

Join Rice Cinema this Thursday, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. for its first Low-Fi screening of the new academic year, now streaming in a virtual format!

Every Thursday, take a deep dive into the cinema’s archives for obscure, independent films. In honor of the first week of classes, this week’s retro cuts are VHS movies of students heading off to college.

Contemporary Arts Museum Houston: 5216 Montrose Blvd

Tune into the livestream: vimeo.com/ricemediacenter twitch.tv/ricemediacenter

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 • 7

SPORTS

C-USA moves volleyball, soccer seasons to the spring BEN BAKER-KATZ SPORTS EDITOR

When Rice officially canceled the remainder of its spring sports seasons on March 12 of this year, all eyes turned to the fall. As the COVID-19 situation evolved in Houston, the question shifted from how we would finish the spring season to whether we would be able to play at all in the fall. Five months later, we finally have an answer: Conference USA announced on Friday that all fall sports, with the exception of football, have been postponed until the spring, meaning that there will be no conference championships this season.

The postponement impacts Rice volleyball and soccer, the only sports that have their championships in the fall. Sports like golf and cross country, who compete in the fall but have championships in the spring, still do not know the fate of their fall schedule.

Head volleyball coach Genny Volpe said that the uncertainty of the last couple months has been hard for the team.

“This is an unprecedented time,” Volpe said. “We have always had a consistency of when we play our offseason, have our off time and when we play our competitive season. So this is for sure a very challenging moment.”

Volleyball is coming off of one of their most successful seasons in recent years. They finished the year ranked No. 24 nationally, with a 27-4 record. They made it to the Round of 32 in the NCAA

courtesy rice athletics

Junior middle blocker Anota Adekunle spikes the ball in a game against No. 22 Western Kentucky University, on Nov. 10, 2019. WKU will be the Owl’s main competition in C-USA in the spring.

Tournament, getting the better of the University of Oklahoma before falling to Texas A&M University in the next round.

Volpe said that the unexpected time off was difficult for the close-knit team.

“The challenges have been more so a disruption of our normal schedules, training and just getting the chance to be together,” Volpe said. “We are a very close team, and that separation has been hard for our players.”

Currently, the team can do workouts together but can’t fully practice. They meet

and do skill work in small groups, while masked and socially distanced. Volpe said the team misses competing, but they’re trying to keep a positive mindset.

“I have had some days where I am sad that we are not in a ‘normal’ preseason about to compete like usual,” Volpe said.

“But I look at what is happening this fall and think about how we can use this time to become a stronger team.”

The soccer team is in a similar situation. After a 9-5-3 regular season, the Owls fell in the semifinals of the C-USA

tournament to the University of North Texas. Head coach Brian Lee touched on the difficulties of trying to plan a season in a pandemic, especially for the studentathletes themselves. “[The hardest part is] the uncertainty for student-athletes,” Lee said. “Should they opt out? Should they travel back for fall? Are we going to play fall games?

These are tough decisions for families to make and we are all just guessing at where a COVID season heads.”

With their season now pushed to the spring, Lee indicated that there is potential for “developmental, non conference games” in the fall.

Lee also praised the administration’s handling of bringing students and sports back to campus.

“The athletic administration and campus leadership have been great,” Lee said. “The various leadership teams have been transparent, open to input and I think the model at Rice gives us the best chance to make it through a COVID fall.”

Volpe also discussed the specific precautions being taken by the athletic department and applauded the entire sports medicine staff.

“Our facilities team is outstanding,” Volpe said. “[They] work around the clock to keep our work spaces safe and clean.

The COVID precautions are very well thought out and current.”

Now that soccer and volleyball are pushed to the spring, all eyes turn to football and how C-USA will choose to proceed with the season.

BACKPAGE

8 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

The

Essential Backpage-toSchool Dictionary

As you know by now, our return to Rice this year is unlike any other.

But an unprecedented result of these unprecedented times is an unprecedented vocabulary. The student body has been receiving a lot of communications from Rice that make repeated use of certain terms, and on top of that, some terms from years past need to be adapted to our “new normal.” Luckily, the Backpage has put together a handy reference for all of your deciphering needs.

2021

2020 we trust our students phrase Admin will constantly remind the students of the severe punishments in place for breaking the rules because that is what “trust” and “care” means. Things are very much under control, good and safe which is why admin has decided to pivot to a culture of fear now that students agreed to come back. we are in a global pandemic phrase Students must constantly perceive the gravity of the global pandemic despite the fact that the reopening of Rice is completely irreconcilable with this gravity. This pandemic is serious and has taken a serious toll on Houston, the nation and the world, so students will be reminded of this in university communications. However, if you Uno Reverse this argument verbatim to criticize admin, you will be met with “we trust our students” (see above).

Dis-I abbreviation Disillusionment. Derived from the P.P. (pre-pandemic) term “Dis-O” (Disorientation) referring to the Saturday of partying that follows O-Week.

Unlike Dis-O, Dis-I occurs every Saturday, sometimes more frequently, and is characterized by the disillusionment students at Rice constantly face as they understand what the bleak school year will look like more and more.

Syrious Week proper noun The week of all students beginning classes, in which every day is spent adjusting to the serious, grim reality of the semester. Campus is dry, but off-campus students 21 and older may cope celebrate by drinking completely alone in their apartment. Derived from the P.P. term “Sylly Week” referring to the first week of classes in which students receive their syllabi and generally experience a more relaxed workflow accompanied by increased social activities. new normal open compound Literally nothing about this is normal but maybe if this phrase is used enough, community members will get to the point of readily accepting absolutely anything and everything on the pretense that it is “normal.”

Thursday on a Monday proper noun Originally a P.P. name for the Pub Night on the first night of Sylly Week, in which the environment and attendance of a Thursday Pub Night is recreated on a Monday due to a lack of work on the first day of school. The P.E. (pandemic-era) definition refers to the complete collapse of a conception of time that leads to the sense that neither Monday nor Thursday are real, and therefore Thursday may as well be on a Monday.

The Backpage is satire, written by Simona Merriam-Webster and designed by Stormi Webster Matovic. For comments, questions or pronunciation help, please email JamesJoyceLovesFarts@rice.edu

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