The Rice Thresher | Wednesday, September 20, 2023

WSJ ranks Rice 64th, U.S. News and

Niche rankings dip slightly

SIMONA KAO & BRANDON CHEN FOR THE THRESHER & NEWS EDITOR

Rice ranks No. 9 in the Niche.com “2024 Best Colleges in America,” No. 17 in the U.S. News and World Report “Best National University Rankings” and No. 64 in the Wall Street Journal’s “2024 Best Colleges in the U.S.”

All placements represent a decrease from last year, when Rice ranked No. 6 and No. 15 for Niche and USNWR, respectively.

The WSJ did not rank colleges in 2023, and has since changed their partner, surveying and methodology; in 2022, the WSJ and Times Higher Education ranked Rice No. 18.

Provost Amy Dittmar said that she is proud of the undergraduate education and experience reflected in the rankings.

“In addition to being the top university in Texas and the 15th highest-ranked private university in the U.S., Rice ranked No. 5 on the list of the nation’s best values in higher education, one spot higher than last year,” Dittmar wrote in an email to the Thresher.

“That’s important because as Rice grows, we want to ensure that a Rice education is accessible and affordable to students with the academic credentials to succeed here. The Rice Investment and our commitment to no loans in financial aid packaging is critical to this.”

Multiple other universities previously ranked highly by the WSJ have fallen significantly this year.

Johns Hopkins University dropped from No. 9 to No. 99. Carnegie Mellon University has also fallen from No. 21 to No. 70. On the opposite spectrum, some schools saw a dramatic increase in their standing such as Babson College, which now ranks No. 10, up from No. 126.

These shifts reflect a change in the WSJ’s college ranking methodology.

In 2022, the WSJ and Times Higher

Education gave colleges a numerical rating based on a variety of factors: 40% of the score came from student outcomes, 30% from academic resources, 20% from student engagement and 10% from the learning environment.

For the 2024 rankings, produced by a partnership between the WSJ and research company College Pulse, student outcomes accounted for 70% of a college’s total score, while learning environment accounted for 20% and diversity accounted for 10%. Academic resources and student engagement were no longer considered.

think that graduation rate is probably the most important thing. I agree with that being factored in, but not necessarily the salary.”

Rijuta Vallishayee MARTEL COLLEGE SENIOR

The student outcome analysis used graduation rate and “salary impact,” in which the median annual salary of a college’s graduates was compared with the median annual salary of high school graduates in the same state.

“The differences in [the Niche, USWNR and WSJ] rankings illustrate the challenge in basing too much on any one ranking,” Dittmar wrote. “Every ranking is different, and we cannot ensure that rankings accurately reflect the quality and value of education without understanding more about how they are derived, particularly with a new ranking [system].”

In response to the WSJ’s emphasis on student outcomes, Brown College freshman Brandon Martz said the percentage of students with industry opportunities upon graduation may be a better indicator of student outcomes than salary.

“My goal with my degree is not to make as much money as I can, so I feel like that’s not a great indicator of what success is, in terms of student outcomes,” Martz said. “I

R2 to host open mic Sept. 28

Founded in 2004 by Writer-in-Residence

In comparison to the WSJ, the USNWR ranking methodology placed less emphasis on student outcomes. Instead, the rankings prioritized graduation rates, which made up 16% of a college’s total score. Other factors included first-year retention rates, graduation rate performance — which measures actual graduation rate against its predicted value — graduation rates for first-generation students and peer assessment scores. Even though Rice’s performance in the USNWR rankings was similar to last year, the USNWR also used a different ranking methodology this year. Factors like class size, high school class standing and alumni donation rate were removed from consideration, while first-generation graduation rates and first-generation graduation rate performance were added.

“The rankings reflect Rice’s unique commitment to undergraduate education, for example with our low student-to-faculty ratio and residential college system, and our commitment to excellence across disciplines,” Dittmar wrote.

“Some of the other top-ranked schools … focus solely on STEM, whereas Rice is also strong in the humanities and social sciences,” she added. “That’s a strength for us, because solutions to the challenges that the world is facing with energy and climate, AI and computing and health care and disparities will require interdisciplinary collaboration.”

SEE RANKINGS PAGE 2

Nearly a year ago, friends and art lovers alike filled Ray’s Courtyard, listening, laughing and maybe even crying along to poetry, prose and music. Held for over a decade, R2: The Rice Review’s Open Mic Night has celebrated Rice student’s creativity. On Sept. 28, these scenes will return from 7 to 10:30 p.m. when R2 hosts their annual open mic night, again in Ray’s Courtyard.

The Open Mic Night also serves as the magazine’s annual launch event, allowing students to pick up the first copies of the publication, as well as hear student performances in literature, music and comedy. Students can register to perform, and there will also be a limited number of signups on the day itself.

“It’s very rare that you see an event of this caliber [at Rice that is] very big and very diverse in terms of the acts,” Ariana Wang, one of R2’s editors-in-chiefs, said.

Justin Cronin, R2 is the award-winning literary journal on campus. This year’s magazine is led by the three student editors-in-chief — McKenna Tanner and Katherine Jeng, along with Wang — as well as Ian Schimmel, the faculty sponsor and a Duncan College resident associate.

“We publish the best student poetry, creative nonfiction, fiction and artwork yearly,” Jeng, a Hanszen College junior, said.

Tanner, a Hanszen senior, said that R2 prides itself on being a publication put together solely by Rice students.

“R2 is by Rice students, selected by Rice students and published by Rice students,” Tanner said.

This exclusive focus on student work extends to all aspects of R2, including the editors’ submission review processes.

“We also have enough time to give [writers] constructive feedback on the pieces, which is something that is rare [at] other literary

Big first quarter propels Rice to 59-7 victory over Texas Southern

ANDERSEN PICKARD FOR THE THRESHER

Despite the bleak weather at Rice Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 16, the Owls jumped out to an early lead over the Texas Southern University Tigers and never looked back. The defense forced several turnovers and the offense delivered quick-strike touchdowns, propelling Rice to a 59-7 win.

The victory built on a Week 2 win over Houston and vaulted the Owls to 2-1 this season. Their only loss this year came on the road in Week 1 against a Texas Longhorns team that now ranks No. 3 in the country, per the latest Associated Press coaches poll.

Rice had previously faced Texas Southern just once in 2021, defeating them 48-34 at home. In Saturday’s game, DraftKings favored the Owls by 35 points.

According to redshirt junior linebacker

Rice is far from perfect, obviously. I do think that one of the things that it does well is provide opportunities for people who are first generation.

HUGO GERBICH-PAIS THRESHER STAFF

It’s very rare that you see an event of this caliber [at Rice that is] very big and very diverse in terms of the acts.

Ariana Wang R2 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

JENNIFER LIU / THRESHER

FROM FRONT PAGE RANKINGS

Martel College senior Rijuta Vallishayee said one of Rice’s strengths is its resources for first generation students.

“Rice is far from perfect, obviously. I do think that one of the things that it does well is provide opportunities for people who are first generation,” Vallishayee said.

This greater emphasis on firstgeneration students and removal of class size consideration in the USWNR rankings methodology rewarded many larger public universities — for instance, California State University, Fresno climbed 64 places to No. 185.

Matz argued that many people place too much emphasis on college rankings.

“Being at a prestigious university, we’re a little too focused on rankings and where we place,” Matz said. “At the end of the day, I feel like we’re taking the same classes [as in other universities].”

Dittmar said that while the rankings reflect Rice’s mission of providing an unparalleled undergraduate education and being a place that values access and opportunity, they do not describe the full scope of the student experience.

“I’m an economist, so I love data and metrics,” Dittmar wrote. “I also know they can’t tell the whole story. Rankings can help guide prospective students and their families, but the ultimate decision should come down to which college experience offers the best fit for each student.”

Rice pulls the brakes on micro- transportation devices

PRASI DESAI FOR THE THRESHER

Rice has limited motorized microtransportation devices, such as electric scooters, to roadways and parking lots, via Policy 854 issued Sept. 6. Other policy changes include requiring non-motorized micro-transportation, such as skateboards and manual bikes, to stay on designated routes and out of covered walkways.

Dean of Undergraduates Bridget Gorman said there were multiple complaints about scooters and bikes inside buildings that prompted a response from administration. She also said the increased amount of electric scooters, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, was a key factor behind this decision.

“[There were a] rising number of situations where people were having near-miss experiences with fastmoving scooters,” Gorman said. “We’ve traditionally been a very pedestrianfriendly campus, and we really want to maintain that.”

As Rice expands its enrollment, the student population will grow and exacerbate existing issues with microtransportation devices, according to Gorman.

In an email to the Thresher, Rice University Police Department Chief Clemente Rodriguez said the new policy was, in part, motivated by officers observing more accidents between electric scooters and pedestrians on sidewalks.

Another function to consider while talking about campus transportation, Wiess College freshman Keshav Chandrasekhara said, is adequate bike and scooter storage. Rodriguez said more scooter racks have already been ordered and are scheduled to be installed this semester.

“Whenever there is continued growth

on campus, there will be a need to evaluate transportation trends and make improvements as necessary,” Rodriguez wrote.

With the new policy in place, Chandrasekhara said a protected bike lane would be a worthwhile consideration for bike riders on campus as the amount of micro-transportation on campus increases. The University of Texas at Austin, for example, has special lanes for bikes and scooters.

Melanie Navaratna, a Rice Bikes employee, is in favor of Rice’s Policy 854 but said that she’s skeptical about how effectively it will be enforced.

“We should keep the bikes and scooters off the places where it’s dangerous for them

to be,” Navaratna, a sophomore at Hanszen College, said. “[But] so far, I have still seen people riding scooters indoors [and] riding their bikes in tiny little covered hallways.”

Manav Lund, a freshman from Jones College, disagreed with the policy, saying that scooters should be able to stay on the sidewalk if users are careful of pedestrians.

“I think [everyone] should just be aware and watch where they’re going,” Lund said.

Many other universities have taken stricter action to the rise in electric scooters, with some institutions like Columbia University and Boston College banning them altogether. Gorman said that this is not the aim of the new policy.

Rice Health Advisors talk new website, engagement

KEEGAN LEIBROCK SENIOR WRITER

Rice Health Advisors have launched a new website that includes a description of the RHA role on campus, a list of RHAs across campus and a compilation of curated resources.

A central feature of the website is its “Find an RHA” feature, which allows users to connect with RHAs across campus with experience in 34 subjects. Categories range from general feelings of depression and anxiety to more specific issues such as finding a sense of belonging and feelings of homesickness.

“Once you click on an experience

or emotion you may be feeling, it’ll take you to a page with pictures and bios of certain RHAs across campus,” Yuv Sachdeva, a Jones College Head RHA, said. Sachdeva, a junior, led the project’s development. “The RHAs who show up have not only expressed interest and experience in that topic, but also a willingness to talk about it with you.”

Allison He began working on the project as part of a Rice Design for America group project, where students develop design solutions to real-world problems. She said the website was developed after researching various options to increase awareness of the RHA role.

“[The Design for America team] specifically worked on addressing why there was a lack of visibility of RHAs on campus and how we could find a solution to increase engagement amongst students with RHAs,” He, a Hanszen College junior, said. “The entire semester, we reached out to students [and] the wellbeing office and talked to all these different users and stakeholders of the RHA program.”

Sachdeva said the new website is part of a broader effort to increase awareness and use of the RHA role and maintain RHA engagement over time.

“Something that we learned from conducting interviews to form the website is that people don’t have the highest perceptions of RHAs … [even though] we’ve been trained in issues of mental health, first aid, CPR, suicide prevention and conflict resolution,” Sachdeva said. “After their training, [RHAs] hope to be used as a resource, but we found that a lot of RHAs lose their commitment over time.”

Jasmine Beveridge, a Lovett College Head RHA, said the website will also allow students to connect with external RHA resources that don’t exist within their own residential college.

“The website also makes RHAs more

of a campus-wide thing — something that isn’t just dependent on your college,” Beveridge, a senior, said. “With the website, you can get the people and resources from different colleges that may be more suited for whatever you need help with.”

Assistant Director of Wellbeing Programs in Education Elisa Moralez helped oversee the project.

“It can sometimes be challenging for students to feel comfortable reaching out to anybody. Mental health can be really hard to talk about, regardless of your age or even the topic you’re discussing,” Moralez said. “We’re hoping that through the website, it’ll be easier to find your fellow students to talk about your desired topics.”

Moralez said the Wellbeing Office will revisit the project’s results to see how the RHA role is affected by the new website.

“[The Wellbeing Office will] have a better idea of future goals for the RHA program after a couple of months of seeing what the website is able to do,” Moralez said. “If it uncovers some otherwise unknown need, or if it addresses some of the accessibility concern [of RHAs], that would be a good sign for us.”

LILY REMINGTON / THRESHER

MARLO

The website also makes RHAs more of a campuswide thing — something that isn’t just dependent on your college.

Jasmine Beveridge

LOVETT COLLEGE HEAD RHA

Liftoff for the Biotech Launch Pad

The Rice Biotech Launch Pad accelerator was announced on the 61st anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s moonshot speech. This initiative aims to develop new research and emerging technologies into practical clinical applications by bridging the gap between researchers, medical companies and healthcare professionals, Omid Veiseh said.

Omid Veiseh, an associate professor in the department of bioengineering and a biotechnologies entrepreneur, serves as the faculty director of the Launch Pad. Veiseh said the Launch Pad will support new discoveries through navigating regulatory procedures, manufacturing and business development.

“Our vision for this launch pad is to create the necessary infrastructure … to [think] about what the actual product would look like,” Veiseh said. “Our hope is now that we have the Launch Pad, we can bring in additional people from the university working on ideas that they wish to translate, having the structure and support.”

The current projects at the Launch Pad expand upon existing research at Rice and the Texas Medical Center such as cell therapy modality, which uses living cells to treat disease.

Veiseh said he hopes the Launch Pad’s projects will result in real differences for patients in the near future.

“We work closely with the clinicians, who help identify where the unmet needs are,” Veiseh said. “It’s really important to get that clinician’s perspective because they are the ones that ultimately will be using the new technologies.”

The Launch Pad is currently working on three projects. The project’s goals are to produce usable medical technologies using the Launch Pad’s resources.

Normalizing Timing of Rhythms Across Internal Networks of Circadian Clocks is a collaboration funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency that aims to create an implant to mitigate disrupted sleep cycles through biological cues initiated by bioengineered cells. Regenerative Electronic Platform through Advanced Intelligent Regulation, also funded by DARPA, aims to create a smartdevice to expedite

Rice celebrates ‘Our

the body’s natural healing process by releasing healing mechanisms directly into the wound. Third, the Cell Factories for Durable Protein Expression project, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, works to create an implanted device with antibodies to protect against infectious diseases. This project is focused on HIV protection for people without reliable access to healthcare services.

Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Jacob Robinson serves on the leadership council for the Launch Pad. He said he is excited for the new entrepreneurial opportunities that the Launch Pad will support.

“What we’re doing is very capitalintensive and requires a lot of expertise,” Robinson said. “Action energy is really high and the skill sets are specific and niche.”

Robinson said a strength of the Launch Pad will be the ability to help new companies navigate the complexities of the biotechnology industry, including the challenge of finding regulatory partners, venture capitalists or lab space. Robinson said there is great opportunity in Houston, considering the combination of research at Rice, the expertise and activity at the Texas Medical Center and the overall economic environment.

Vice President for Innovation and Chief Innovation Officer Paul Cherukuri is working on moonshot programs, encompassing innovation in medical technology, environmental studies and data sciences. The Biotech Launch Pad is part of this initiative.

“[We’re aiming] to really solve problems at scale,” Cherukuri said. “Most universities bury innovation … [President Reggie DesRoches] wanted it at the presidential level so we can drive change in a big way, as Rice is one of the top universities in the entire country. I think Reggie [DesRoches] creating the [innovation] office and engaging students in this way is one of the most noble things we have ever done as a university.”

Cherukuri said he is looking to increase student involvement in research, innovation and development.

“Undergraduates at Rice are thrilling,” Cherukuri said. “We need every single ounce of undergraduate brilliance to help us really drive this forward and change the

Heritage Month’

Rice is celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 to recognize the achievements of the Hispanic American community, as well as their contributions to the culture in the U.S. and at Rice. This year, the Hispanic Heritage Month planning committee has renamed the event to “Our Heritage Month.”

Luziris Pineda Turi, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion associate vice provost and one of the co-chairs of OHM planning committee, said this name change mainly functions to honor the diversity of the Latino community.

along with the use of ‘Our Heritage Month’ was proposed, discussed and finally brought to life.”

Ultimately, Turi reaffirmed that the word “Hispanic” doesn’t disappear. Instead, it is used with other panethnic terms for greater inclusivity and acceptance.

We want to encourage our

“We want to encourage our community to use whatever term makes them feel their best,” Turi wrote. “Language is not fixed. Terms will change in meaning over time, and being at Rice, where unconventional wisdom is lauded, it is exciting to be at the forefront of finding ways to open doors (hearts) to all of our community members.”

Turi said the term ‘Hispanic’ is limiting from a historical perspective and that the discussions surrounding which term to use are still controversial today. In an email to the Thresher, Turi said that the U.S. government — which only had the category “Mexican’”in their census until the 1970s — landed on the term “Hispanic” as a blanket identifier.

“Hispanic refers to countries where Spanish is spoken or the communities left by Spain’s conquest of the Americas,” Turi wrote. “In this way, it erases the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, the people brought by force to the Americas who were mostly from Africa and the diaspora of peoples left from the Spanish colonization of the Americas who don’t all speak Spanish.”

To better promote the representation of Hispanic and Latino peoples, Turi said the OHM committee met monthly for the past six months studying articles that articulate the questions, tensions and possibilities raised by potential terms used to refer to the identities recognized by this event.

“To choose between Hispanic, Latino/a, Latine, or Latinx could potentially be exclusionary,” Turi wrote. “So the creation of a heart with all of the pan-ethnic labels used so that no one’s preferred label was erased

While the OHM planning committee is organizing the event, students and faculty also responded to this change in their own ways. Graduate student Kirsten Hilson said she believes the new name is more inclusive.

“[Being] fourth generation in a Mexican immigrant family, I sometimes feel that the [previous] narrative isn’t very indicative of Mexican and Hispanic Americans’ experience and assimilation and what that process [of assimilation] is like,” Hilson said.

Ithzel Rubio, a first-generation student ambassador, said she would like to continue using the name OHM.

“I personally really like the switch to Our Heritage Month,” Rubio, a Jones College junior, said. “I never personally identified with the term Hispanic all that much, and focusing on only one label within such a diverse community only divides us further … I see [the label OHM] as an opportunity for unity we’ve never had before and, hopefully, will keep having in the future.”

Turi said that, like its name, OHM’s programming also aims to promote the inclusion of various Hispanic and Latino identities and minority groups. The upcoming month will see events like activist roundtable talks, a ‘Make Your Flag’ activity and a poetry reading.

community to use whatever term makes them feel their best. Language is not fixed. Terms will change in meaning over time, and being at Rice, where unconventional wisdom is lauded, it is exciting to be at the forefront of finding ways to open doors (hearts) to all of our community members

Luziris Pineda Turi

OFFICE OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY

AND INCLUSION ASSOCIATE VICE PROVOST

RICHIE SU FOR THE THRESHER

JAMES CANCELARICH FOR THE THRESHER

Undergraduates at Rice are thrilling. We need every single ounce of undergraduate brilliance to help us really drive this forward and change the world.

Paul Cherukuri VICE PRESIDENT FOR INNOVATION AND CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER

COURTESY CEOLA CURLEY

Students line up for the kickoff event of Our Heritage Month at the Multicultural Center.

The Thresher tours the new O’Connor building

PRAYAG GORDY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The O’Connor Building for Engineering and Science was officially inaugurated in a Sept. 14 ribbon cutting ceremony.

Named for Ralph O’Connor, a late Rice trustee and philanthropist, the building has an indoor and outdoor event space on the fifth floor with a panoramic view of downtown Houston, Rice campus and the medical center. Inside, light passes through a cascading series of cutouts in the main part of the building, illuminating conference rooms, meeting spaces and kitchenettes. There are two classrooms on the ground floor, both with a capacity of 108 students. The basement includes additional study spaces, along with showers.

Sustainability was a design priority, according to Susann Glenn, the communications director for finance and administration. The showers in the basement encourage staff to bike to work, and natural light is abundant.

“This building is built to the LEED certifications,” Glenn said. More than a dozen of Rice’s buildings meet the silver or gold standards in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.

The O’Connor building is Rice’s largest investment in research since the BioScience Research Collaborative opened in 2009, Provost Amy Dittmar said at the ribbon cutting ceremony. The O’Connor building was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the same architecture firm that led the BRC project.

The new Advanced Materials Institute will live in the building, along with the departments of electrical and computer engineering, materials science and nanoengineering, chemical and biomolecular engineering and chemistry, according to Brad Thacker, the building’s operations director. Other focus areas for the building’s approximately 50 labs include the Quantum Initiative, urban research and the Carbon Hub.

“This remarkable facility realizes our unified

vision of the engineering quad and sets the highest bar for innovation and collaboration,” President Reggie DesRoches said.

Labs are still moving into the 250,000 square foot building, Thacker said, and construction is expected to continue through at least 2025. Rice has not yet filled all the spaces — the brand-new labs will appeal to prospective faculty, according to Thacker.

The estimated total cost of the O’Connor building is $190 million, Angie Chen, the project manager, told the Houston Chronicle.

In his memorial plaque in the main hall of the building, O’Connor is quoted advocating for donating wealth. His estate left a universityrecord $57 million gift toward the building, part of the $85 million O’Connor donated to Rice.

“It’s important to give because we’re all in the same boat together,” O’Connor’s plaque reads. “What are you going to do with [wealth] if you don’t give it away? Sit on it? It’s not going to hatch.”

Watch a video of the Thresher’s tour on Instagram @ricethresher.

CALI LIU / THRESHER (left) The O’Connor Building for Engineering and Science, pictured from the engineering quad, was officially inaugurated in a Sept. 14 ribbon cutting ceremony.

ANDREW LIN / THRESHER (left) DesRoches and Ralph O’Connor’s widow, Becky O’Connor, participate in a ceremonial ribbon cutting Sept. 14.

CALI LIU / THRESHER (left) Light streams through the main lobby of the O’Connor building, looking east. An art installation will hang above the ground floor, Thacker said.

CALI LIU / THRESHER (left) A U-shaped staircase anchors the west side of the building. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the architects of the O’Connor building, also designed the BRC and the Skyspace.

CALI LIU / THRESHER (right) The O’Connor building will have a cafe staffed by an outside vendor. Thacker declined to name the prospective company, but said they will accept Tetra.

CALI LIU / THRESHER (right) Workers are continuing construction on the lab spaces in the O’Connor building. Thacker said the labs will be part of Rice’s pitch to new engineering faculty.

CALI LIU / THRESHER

(right) The fifth-floor deck wraps around the southern half of the building, offering views of downtown Houston, the Texas Medical Center (pictured) and the rest of Rice campus.

CALI LIU / THRESHER (right) The O’Connor building is the largest on Rice’s historic campus at approximately 250,000 square feet. The pictured carving was part of the original Abercrombie Engineering Laboratory.

EDITORIAL

Focus on the students. The rankings will follow.

Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal released their list of the 2024 Best Colleges in the U.S. This ranking features a brand-new methodology that prioritizes student outcomes, graduation rate and median annual salary. Rice came 64th.

On the other end, U.S. News and World Reports ranks Rice at 17 and Niche at nine. All these rankings use wildly different methodology emphasizing different factors of the college experience. WSJ stresses postgraduation metrics, Niche focuses on academics and USNWR now takes into account the outcomes of first-generation students.

As Rice’s national profile has widened, the university has focused on growth — larger enrollment, more research institutes and newer facilities. We applaud any effort toward improvement, but it is crucial that Rice remains focused on what makes Rice Rice. We should not let the rankings, good or bad, define us.

In fact, sometimes it seems as if insecurity is the bedrock of Rice. When we talk about ourselves, it’s often in conversation — and in comparison — with other highly-ranked schools. We’re colloquially known as the “Harvard of the South.” Last week, Executive Vice President for Research Ramamoorthy Ramesh bemoaned Rice’s inability to measure up to research giants like Stanford and MIT. Conversations

about restructuring Rice’s visual arts department looked to peer institutions’ theater programs as a blueprint.

But we are not Harvard, nor are we Stanford or MIT. And that’s fine.

If there is anything this year’s rankings show, it is that Rice should promote what makes us stand out, and create a space where prospective students of all majors can feel prepared for success. Growth at the price of becoming generic is no improvement at all.

EDITORIAL STAFF

* Indicates Editorial Board member

Prayag Gordy* Editor-in-Chief

CORRECTIONS

We should absolutely learn from the Wall Street Journal. Rice scores a 67 out of 100 on career preparation, a deficit that certainly has been criticized by students. We at the Thresher have often discussed Rice’s lack of career preparation for journalism or other writing endeavors. In a similar vein, our salary impact received another 67.

Our learning facilities scored a bit better with an 83 — this week, Rice

formally unveiled its $190 million dollar O’Connor Building for Engineering and Science. But this good score alone should not pause Rice’s capital improvements; this effort should be expanded to all departments on campus.

By no means are we saying that Rice should divest from the rankings. It’s no secret that prospective students across the country look at these rankings while applying to college — and while Rice is sharply selective and well-resourced, these rankings put us on the map.

However, we recognize that the breadth of a student’s four years at Rice can’t be captured in a single number. When Rice students graduate, they’re not just armed with a diploma from a top-20 school but also the memories they made and the relationships they formed. When trying to improve our school, then, let’s prioritize what students want to see.

Highlight students’ voices in the RMC’s redesign. Introduce more humanities programming at the career fair. Allow more dining spaces for graduate students. Create more support resources, like the new Owl Access program for first-generation and/or lowincome students. Our rankings will rise as student life improves.

Editor’s Note: News Editor Brandon Chen recused himself from this editorial due to reporting on the corresponding story in our news section.

Riya Misra* Editor-in-Chief

Nayeli Shad* Managing Editor

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The Rice Thresher, the official student newspaper of Rice University since 1916, is published each Wednesday during the school year, except during examination periods and holidays, by the students of Rice University.

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In “Mr. Worldwide: CLIC offers study abroad in eight countries,” CLIC offered programs in six countries, not eight. In “Museums & mission control: Rice students take on unconventional summer internships,” Jackie Huang received the Mellon Undergraduate Curatorial Fellowship, not Elizabeth Fessler.

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Sometimes it seems as if insecurity is the bedrock of Rice. When we talk about ourselves, it’s often in conversation — and in comparison — with other highly-ranked schools.

A well-known mind in ecological studies, pen pal of Icelandic singer-songwriter Björk and English professor at Rice, Timothy Morton is a modern-day philosopher. With over 15 books published and translated in over 10 languages, Morton said they’ve spent their career learning how to help people talk about environment, ecology and inherent meaninglessness.

“I study meaning, and it doesn’t look like much compared to thermodynamics or fluids or laminar flow, but actually it’s everything,” Morton said. “Humanities is about, ‘How do you create a fact at all?’ … So I do the best job in the world, which is how to create meaning, which is based on how to tolerate the meaningless.”

Morton grew up in Southeast London near the Battersea Power Station, which they noted is the location depicted on Pink Floyd’s 1977 album “Animals.”

After coming to the United States for a postdoctorate position at Princeton, Morton ended up with a visiting

professorship at New York University, then a job at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

“It was pretty much then that I realized I’d moved to America by accident,” Morton said. “[But] accidents are what makes life life as opposed to just some sort of mechanism.”

In fall of 2010, Morton found themself at Rice for the first time lecturing to a group of graduate students.

Morton said the move to Houston was in part inspired by Jeffery Kripal, a religion professor at Rice.

“I read my first thing by Jeffery Kripal in 2011 and I was feeling a little dispirited about where I was working, and that made me think ‘Wow, I really want to come to Rice,’” Morton said. “I never do this but I wrote [Kripal] a fan letter … and then as luck would have it, a few months later I got this lovely job.”

Although they now consider themself a proud Texan, Morton said the state still has work to do in regards to acceptance of identity and diverse expression.

“There’s so many things about Texas that are good. Texas is a place where really feeling it is important,” Morton said. “[But] there’s a lot of homophobia here because people are trying so hard to perform masculinity, and you can’t really do that because it’s the performing of not performing. You put all this bling on your car, and suddenly your car is in drag. ‘Oh my god, now I have to attack nonstraight people because my car is in drag.’ I think that’s my theory.”

The main aim of their current work is to make environmentalism and ecology more multi-dimensional, focusing on the way we talk to the public about environment. This work began for Morton with the understanding that early ecocriticism was a conservative and reactionary field.

“Have you ever noticed that a lot of environmental speech can be a bit racist and misogynistic but in a very quiet way?” Morton said. “One of the things that’s going on right now in environmental speech in America is a huge disconnect between pretty much everybody. And I think yelling doesn’t work.”

From books like “Ecology Without Nature” to “Hyperobjects: Philosophy and Ecology after the End of the World,” Morton’s work focuses on philosophy, environment and the coexistence of humans and nonhumans. Morton also explores these and other topics in explicit relation to race and gender, something they said philosopher Jacques Derrida appreciated about their work.

“It’s one of the things that Jacques Derrida loved about my first book — we were officemates at NYU. He read my book and said it was magnifique,” Morton said. “[It was] embarrassing but also lovely because he was the first important scholar who ever really paid attention to me.”

Morton’s upcoming book builds on similar topics and is titled “Hell: In Search of a Christian Ecology.” Inspired deeply by the writings of William Blake, Morton described their new release as the “eco-version” of Blake’s “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell” that seeks to understand Christianity’s role in the climate crisis.

“I’m a deconstructor. I like to find things in weird places and I like to disarm things so they can’t hurt people anymore,” Morton said. “So let’s go inside evangelical Christianity and find the goodies in it. You go inside the bomb and you cut the blue wire and the green wire, and suddenly, it’s this nice thing that won’t hurt people anymore.”

Morton said the idea for this book was sparked when their daughter came into the kitchen one day distraught about the hellish heat.

“She very much cares about ecology and said, ‘Daddy, we’re in hell,’ and she meant it. She wasn’t being metaphorical,” Morton said. “It’s hellishly hot because of global warming, we just survived the heat dome and the heat wave … and in the name of heaven, some people are ready to create hell on Earth.”

Morton also said an important part of “Hell: In Search of a Christian Ecology” is an understanding and acceptance that people are the cause of many ecological issues.

“[Taking] responsibility for being a grownup that screwed up the Earth doesn’t hurt,” Morton said. “Realizing that you are the evil is how being a really good person feels, just the same as realizing you’re a bit of a rubbish student is how being a good student feels.”

Morton’s new book confronts this responsibility and is a complex exploration of religion and theology, as well as the ways these subjects can be applied to ecological thought and action.

“[It’s] a call for a worldwide, antiracist environmental movement, a marriage of science and Christianity that doesn’t reduce one to the other, a lavish and loving guide to living with the help of William Blake and a weirdly simple fusion of biology and mysticism that puts race and gender issues front and center,” Morton said.

Morton said they feel like understanding and implementing ways to get others to care about the environment in this way is their calling.

“If there is a God, then they were saving me to do this,” Morton said. “I’m on a mission. I’m kind of going to do this until I’m dead.”

ACROSS DOWN

When doubled, a panda’s name

Microsoft search engine

Couple

Liar’s month

Slushy brand

It’s often buckled?

Polynesian Disney princess

Keats’ work, perhaps Informal negative

Humanity’s grim reminder?

Opposite of NNW

Makeshift explosive, for short

Cartoon Network’s rival “___ out!”

Parisian pal

River in Portugal

Genderswap time travel?

Clothing lines?

Brainy course code

Follows Shake or Radio

Delle Donne’s pro org.

Kevin McHale’s character in “Glee”

An idol and her kids?

“Euphoria” network

“The ____ the limit!”

Hard wood

It always comes first

Background music, abbr.

“thank u, next” singer, to fans

Boy eats demon fingers?

Russian ruler

Pickle

Hatred

Buckeye state

Beer Bike round

“Game of Thrones” door holder

Slimy fish

Sephora alternative

PLO rival

Circles on a dog, perhaps Ticked off 1492 ship

Massive ice chunk

Two-legged stand

Tinder’s flame, for example Backwards teen?

Star twins

Calculus

HADLEY MEDLOCK A&E EDITOR COURTESY

SKARNULYTE

RITA SHEA GUFFEY CHAIR IN ENGLISH

Timothy Morton likes to find things in weird places

Quirky college traditions to sweeten your week

Leigh and Cam Yearty and their two dogs BoBo and Braes.

Sundae Sundays

Every other Sunday, McMurtry College’s culinary committee hosts a do-it-yourself sundae bar on their fifth floor sun deck. They have a diverse array of flavors, catering to the picky (classic vanilla) and the adventurous (espresso chip and Mexican hot chocolate) alike, plus tons of toppings. Show up with your own reusable bowl and you’ll get three scoops instead of two. However, the event is popular, and they often run out of ice cream before the end of the hour. If you’re not a Murt, maybe hang back for this one unless you’re lucky enough to get an invite.

“We try and keep it to Murts, just from a budget standpoint,” McMurtry President Jackson Hughes said. “But if there [are] friends around, we’re happy to serve them.”

Milkshake Thirsty Thursdays

Wine Wednesdays

Another weekly favorite is Duncan’s Wine Wednesdays, hosted by this year’s suite 4D. If you’re looking to unwind from an exhausting first half of the week or celebrate getting through Hump Day, Wine Wednesday is perfect. Just don’t expect high class.

“They set up a charcuterie board but it was American cheese and Ritz crackers still all in the plastic,” Duncan freshman Meara McCarthy said. “The wine was just cheap boxed wine and then they started passing around the bag and then chugging from it, so everyone was dripping wine from their white t-shirts.”

Mani Mondays

Looking to put your best foot – or hand – forward this week? A manicure is a simple, easy and relaxing way to update your look. Whether you want to try out that new color you were curious about or slather on the old faithful, there’s something for everyone at Duncan suite 3D’s Mani Mondays.

We all love Radio Free Sid and Baker 13, but are you feeling tired of the same old songs and shaving cream year after year? Here’s a list of lesser-known college traditions that might break up some of the monotony. Grab a snack while you’re at it.

Baked Goods and Bitchin’

Being a Rice student can be tough to handle. Whether it’s stress from exams, extracurriculars or anything in between, there is a universal need to

rant about your jam-packed week whilst stuffing your face with brownies. That’s why Sid Richardson College Resident Associate Shannon LaBove started Baked Goods and Bitchin’, a biweekly meeting during which students can munch on LaBove’s fresh baked treats and, well, bitch.

Dogs and the Doctor

Maybe dessert therapy isn’t for you. Sid still has you covered. On Mondays, Sidizens head to fourth floor commons to watch not one, but two episodes of the acclaimed sci-fi series “Doctor Who” with Sid Richardson RAs Kasey

What better relief from Houston’s oppressive heat than a cold milkshake? Next time that Southern sun has got you feeling queasy, stop by Duncan College’s 3B suite for a shake of your own creation. The suite’s residents offer shakes in a variety of flavors and mix-ins, as well as consistencies from liquidy to “thicccccccc.” Be sure to ask for the “Dhruv special,” a mystery milkshake originally concocted by Duncan junior Dhruv Patel. According to Duncan sophomore AJ Jacobs, the special is popular among Thirsty Thursday attendees, although “nobody but Dhruv knows what’s in it.”

“They have, like, a shit ton of nail polish,” Jacobs said. “You can just go in there and paint your nails, or they’ll paint your nails for yout’s really fun.”

NOAH BERZ FOR THE THRESHER

VIRGINIA LIU / THRESHER

Hidden in plain sight: Explore Public Art at Rice

The Rice Public Art collection also includes temporary pieces, which Josenhans said intends to highlight different artists throughout the Houston community.

“Every year, we commission Houstonbased artists to create artworks that are then reproduced for the [PCF tents]. And that’s another instance of public art. It’s temporary,” Josenhans said. “They’re only there for a year, and then they’re replaced by something else. But it’s just as important, because it allows us to connect the Houston community with the Rice community.”

The Rice Public Art collection includes:

“Lift” by Aurora Robson (Gibbs Recreation Center)

This piece is made up of plastic and uses solar-powered motors to slowly rotate. It represents a solar system of plastic revolving around a hot ball of waste calling attention to the incredible amount of waste that humans produce.

WEEKLY SCENES AND SCREENS

HADLEY MEDLOCK A&E EDITOR

Rice Philosophy

The philosophy department is hosting a talk with Amy Berg, a professor at Oberlin College, called “On Being Bad at Things.” The talk is taking place in Humanities Building 117 Sept. 22 at 4 p.m.

Science and Technology Studies

Art is all around us at Rice. Everyone knows about the Moody Center for the Arts or James Turrell’s Skyspace, but tucked away across the university in unsuspecting places, there is art that is sure to astound. Sometimes, it’s hidden in plain sight. Look around and you might notice pieces of one of Rice’s most ambitious art projects — Rice Public Art.

“One of the first major pieces that came to campus and was installed permanently were the Michael Heiser sculptures that sit in front of the School of Engineering, back in the 1980s,”

Frauke Josenhans, a curator at the Moody Center for the Arts, said. “In 2008, several of the Rice trustees came together and resumed the conversation about public art on campus. Trustees such as Raymond Brochstein [were] really instrumental in activating the Rice Public Art Collection … that resulted in the major commission of the Skyspace by James Turrell. Since then, there have been a lot of other major acquisitions.”

The Rice Public Art collection is meant to be an addition to the cultural fabric of Rice. Josenhans said the art is intentionally placed throughout campus in places where students and faculty interact to enhance community engagement.

“We really think it’s so crucial to bring

OPEN MIC NIGHT

magazines,” Wang, a Brown College senior, said. “When you submit your pieces, it often feels like it goes into a black hole until you get either the acceptance or rejection letter.”

Although R2 meets as a club, it’s also a class. In ENGL 113 and 114, R2 members gain course credit while learning the ins and outs of literary editing and publishing. In the fall semester, members of the class join different committees to help plan Open Mic Night.

“Because we’re a class, we can have a budget for [Open Mic Night]. We have about 30 to 40 people working on this year-round,” Wang said.

Open Mic Night helps build and create a community for the performers

the artworks where they make an impact,” Josenhans said. “And that’s really the beauty of public art, it’s that you find these artworks in unexpected places … When you walk around the campus and you look around, you have artworks everywhere.”

These pieces are created by artists of diverse backgrounds and motives. Each one is given freedom to express themselves in a way that they see fit to create a beautiful space for their viewers.

“We really want to diversify the collection and bring new voices to this already really outstanding collection. And we feel like there are some … pieces that really define the collection on campus,” Josenhans said. “We work very closely with the different departments or locations, schools, on campus, when we choose an artist and an artwork, because it’s often a very long conversation, because there’s so many different parties involved. So, I would say it’s a multi-voice conversation that leads to the addition of new artwork.”

themselves, too. It provides a space for creatives across campus and across genres to perform at the same event, some students say.

“The other poets that perform, since we share space in that art form, inspire me to develop and love my craft even more, and it’s exciting to hear other poets share their stories,” Tamaz Young, a Wiess College junior, said.

A key philosophy of R2 and the Open Mic Night is that any Rice student can submit and perform, regardless of major or previous experience. This low-stakes atmosphere encouraged several students to perform at last year’s Open Mic Night, according to participants.

“It’s like an intimate setting but also one where no one is really judging you,” said Matthew Sun, a Sid Richardson College junior, whose band BREAKaBLE MEN

“In Play” by Joseph Havel (Outside of the Anderson Clarke Center)

From afar, these sculptures look like simple balls of metal. As the viewer gets closer, they begin to see the folds and details that these sculptures hold. This difference in perception from different distances allows the viewer to engage with this piece in a playful way.

“Po-um (Lyric)” by Mark di Suvero (Outside of the Moody Center)

This sculpture was created to symbolize change and progress in racial equality. The piece itself moves and changes with the wind.

“Mirror” by Jaume Plensa (Outside of Herring Hall)

One of the more recognizable works on campus, this piece asks more questions than it answers. Are these figures mirroring each other, or are they distinct? What are the differences between them? This is up to the viewer to decide.

The Program in Science and Technology Studies is hosting a performance by Jennifer Joy, a New York writer and performer. The event takes place in the Moody Center’s Lois Chiles Studio Theater Sept. 26 at 5:30 p.m. Registration is required.

Archi Market

The first Archi Market of the semester is being hosted Sept. 23 from 2 to 4 p.m. in collaboration with the Rice African Student Association at the Moody Center.

Our Heritage Month

On Sept. 29 at 5 p.m. Rice is hosting a poetry reading with Professor Tomás Morin and conversation with Professor José Aranda at the Sewall Hall Welcome Center.

performed last year. “Looking back now, we really did use it as a springboard for later performances.”

“I would definitely recommend [Open Mic Night] for all creatives who

AMBER WANG / THRESHER

want to become more comfortable speaking or performing in front of others and for anyone looking for a fun experience full of unique talent,” Young said.

The other poets that perform, since we share space in that art form, inspire me to develop and love my craft even more, and it’s exciting to hear other poets share their stories.

Tamaz Young WIESS COLLEGE JUNIOR

FROM FRONT PAGE

We really think it’s so crucial to bring the artworks where they make an impact. And that’s really the beauty of public art, it’s that you find these artworks in unexpected places.

Frauke Josenhans CURATOR AT THE MOODY

ROHAN PALAVALI FOR THE THRESHER

COURTESY NASH BAKER

“Lift” by Aurora Robson is a piece in the Rice Public Art collection that is housed in the Gibbs Recreation Center. The piece calls attention to issues of waste created by humans.

Review: Mistki teaches us how to heal after years of emotional turmoil

SKYE FREDERICKS THRESHER STAFF

After a summer of anticipation, Mitski’s seventh album has been released just in time for sad girl autumn. Rife with her signature longing and self-reflection, “The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We” is Mitski’s opportunity to show us how she lets go and where she goes from here through a tale of heartbreak, memories and recovery.

The first track, “Bug Like an Angel,” was released as a single in late July and ages well as an opener to the album. With moments of choir-driven harmony splicing into a lone acoustic guitar accompanied by her classic vocal style, this song vividly sets the first scene of what will be a rather cinematic journey.

“Buffalo Replaced” takes the album on an unexpected turn. The simple yet introspective lyrics give listeners lines to stew over like, “Freight train stampedin’ through my backyard /

It’ll run across the plains like the new buffalo replaced.” It feels like Mitski has dropped listeners in the scene of an Old Western on this short song. “Heaven” is a more nostalgic and expected Mitski track that still holds on to the countryside comfort of previous tracks. Swelling strings and poetic lyricism lend euphoria to an already dramatic song.

Strong vocals and explicitly pained lyrics throw us without warning into “I Don’t Like My Mind” in a ballad that is almost jarring. After the vagueness of “Buffalo Replaced,” we get lines such as, “I don’t like being left alone in a room / With all its opinions about the things that I’ve done.” Regret and guilt are contrasted with dancing vocal riffs reminiscent of “Love Me More.” Her vibrato shines best here and mirrors her performance on “First Love/Late Spring.”

Perhaps the most traditional of the album, “The Deal” pulls the listener in and holds us close. She tells us that our

Taste autumn at Trader Joe’s

MUNA NNAMANI FOR THE THRESHER

Fall isn’t for everybody. For some, it’s nothing more than boring pumpkin patches, dead leaves and an awkward autumn wardrobe. Arguably the best part of the season, though, is the food — especially pumpkin, apple and mapleflavored everything. This fall, despite the crippling heat in Texas, Rice students can find some semblance of autumn in Trader Joe’s best snacks.

Apple cider donuts

Made with real apple cider, these donuts taste just like the warm beverage and are the perfect balance between tangy and sweet. They come in cute boxes of six, and are rolled in sugar and cinnamon and taste like apple flavored churros.

Best enjoyed with a caramel latte topped with whipped cream.

Butternut squash mac and cheese bites

A handheld alternative to Trader Joe’s plain old butternut squash mac and cheese, these bites are made with cheddar and Gouda cheese sauce blended with roasted butternut squash puree. They’re rolled in breadcrumbs, fried and frozen, and they make a great microwaveable snack.

While pre-frozen foods never taste quite as good as their fresh counterparts, these mac and cheese bites make up for it. The nutmeg and cheese evokes pure autumn, and the elbow pasta is just nostalgic.

Best enjoyed as a struggle dinner.

Pumpkin ice cream

This is one of the less controversial snacks at Trader Joe’s because it’s not a risk: just super premium ice cream and pumpkin puree.

While $4.99 for a small container is a bit overpriced, the ice cream is so creamy and dense that eating it feels like an entire experience by itself. The notes of warm cinnamon and ginger make this ice cream a comfort food and justifies the cost in the end.

Best enjoyed while watching “Gilmore Girls” with your friends.

Mini spicy pumpkin samosas

These pumpkin samosas are proof that for Trader Joe’s, no food is exempt from fall-ification. This traditional South Asian pastry is peppered with chunks of pumpkin, along with the usual spices and paneer cheese.

While they aren’t necessarily spicy, they are tasty. These samosas would function well as a side dish or just something quick to warm up for late night study sessions.

Best enjoyed with a side of roasted butternut squash.

Maple flavored fudge

This is a twist on the traditional English treat of butter fudge, a blend of butter and condensed milk. Each cube of this Trader Joe’s riff is infused with the perfect amount of maple syrup.

These can be eaten by themselves, but they’re also good to melt down and drizzle on the aforementioned pumpkin ice cream.

Best enjoyed as a snack during farmer’s market shopping.

Caramel apple ice cream mochi

Trader Joe’s ice cream mochi is already well-loved, and this one tastes like a frozen candy apple. The caramel apple mochi consists of caramel rice dough wrapped around balls of caramel-flecked apple ice cream.

Unlike the sometimes-polarizing pumpkin, caramel is also pretty universally appreciated, making this a sure hit for autumn.

Best enjoyed while reading Jane Austen outside.

“pain is eased but [we’ll] never be free” and suddenly we realize that, maybe, we too would trade our souls for relief from our heartaches. Mistki knows she’s got us and then promptly leaves us while letting us know what we’re missing: “For now I’m taken, the night has me.”

In “When Memories Snow,” Mitski lets her past slip away. The choral aspects of “Bug Like an Angel” return for the climax of the album. The next track eases us back into the ride with “My Love Mine All Mine” with an empowering emphasis on what we are still capable of after heartbreak. Mitski’s love, both what she has given and what she has received, belongs to her. In a musical career riddled with lyrical loss and woe, this song provides a pleasant nudge away

COURTESY DEAD OCEANS

from the strictly painful in the album’s falling action.

The next track continues with warm sounds smothering desolate lyrics. “Frost” draws on the lulling melodies of a 70s Southern folk tune while reminding us of how Mitski no longer has anyone with whom to share this comfort. She has lost her best friend, but her emotional vulnerability leads us to believe we hold the same status.

“Star” stays true to the album’s celestial themes, albeit perhaps as more of an ambient transition than a standout track considering its selection for the prealbum EP. Mitski brings listeners back into the narrative with “I’m Your Man,” placing us both as the object of Mitski’s desire and the source of her suffering.

Review: On ‘Magic 3,’ legendary

rapper Nas continues to deliver

ARMAN SAXENA THRESHER STAFF

Top Track: ‘Based on True Events, Pt. 2’

For the last few years, Nas has quietly been dropping some of the best work of his career. The legendary hip-hop artist still receives love for his revolutionary 1994 album “Illmatic,” but not enough attention is given to his recent output. Since 2018, Nas has dropped eight albums — five of these released in the past two years. Nas has been a musical machine, churning out lyrically adept, introspective and ultimately triumphant work that never feels stale. “Magic 3,” the third album in a series that started with “Magic” in 2021, is the product of an artist who knows he’s at the top of his game, even after three decades in the rap world.

Nas’ debut “Illmatic” is legendary for its rhymes that illustrate his adolescence in the Queensbridge projects of New York City. After 30 years, Nas’ poetic lyricism hasn’t waned one bit. The two-parter “Based on True Events” and “Based on True Events Pt. 2” are the album’s best examples of this. Nas’ cinematic storytelling ability is on full display in these songs as he weaves a tale about a woman he was involved with, her friend and how that friend reminded him of fellow New York rapper Half a Mil, who died by suicide. This first part is a jazzier track that is laid-back in comparison to the song that follows it.

“Based on True Events Pt. 2” is an addictive, fast-paced cloudy boom bap beat that backs Nas as he tells the story of a young man who tries to go to Madrid to see his ex. The only way he can get there, though, is by smuggling drugs — a venture that ends in his untimely death. Told in three chapters, the song unwinds like the kind of gangster tragedy Martin Scorsese would direct, and Nas’ ability to create characters is unparalleled. With bars like “Million dollar ideas / Son a thinker, but he’s surrounded by negative peers / Minds of seventh graders / Several haters, several losses, had to get his weight up,” Nas is able to craft characters with

COURTESY MASS APPEAL RECORDS

motivations, context and history in just seconds.

Renowned hip-hop producer Hit-Boy has produced all of Nas’s last six albums since the 2020 album “King’s Disease,” and his signature mix of high-pitched soul samples, boom bap drum patterns, jazz instrumentation and occasional trap beats has been an essential part of Nas’ artistic resurgence in the last few years. Other production highlights on the album include the head bopping, soulful album opener “Fever,” the energetic “Superhero Status,” the uplifting and heavenly “I Love This Feeling” and the shimmering, introspective trap banger “Sitting With My Thoughts.”

Even though tracks like “Sitting With My Thoughts” and “Based on True Events” are quite serious and philosophical, Nas also allows himself to have some fun on the album. “Blue Bentley” is Nas at his boastful best, rapping about his wealth and success with women. “Pretty Young Girl” focuses on a similar topic yet is more questionable in its writing, especially the line “She’s a queen, her dad’s a G, I know he rock to Nas.” While this line is definitely a glaring misstep, emphasizing the youth of the song’s subject, it’s an exception to the norm of Nas’ mostlyremarkable lyrical work on this project. While Nas will likely never release an album as era-defining as “Illmatic,” “Magic 3” continues to deliver as a highenergy, philosophical and passionate project.

JACLYNN SCHWANDER / THRESHER

Top Track: ‘My Love Mine All Mine’

Rice Soccer lose to SMU, No. 17 Xavier over the weekend

CADAN HANSON SENIOR WRITER

One word can describe both the start of Rice’s matches this weekend and the start of the season: slow.

On Thursday, Sept. 14, the

Southern Methodist University, 6-3. Later that week, the Owls fell to No. 17 Xavier University in a non conference match, 4-2, bringing their season record to 2-7-1. Currently on a three-game losing streak and without a home win this season, head coach Brian Lee said the team

the positives and just clean up the catastrophic mistakes in front of goal,” Lee said. “If we’re not so poor in defending in front of our goal, then we’ll be in good shape.

The Owls launched their AAC campaign by conceding five goals in the first 22 minutes of play to the Mustangs, three of which occurred in a span of four minutes.

“I thought everyone took turns making a big mistake in the first 20 minutes and now all of a sudden we’re down 5-0,” Lee said. “We’re just giving away really easy chances and struggling around our box right now. We just can’t have those kinds of mistakes in front of our goal at this point in the season.”

The Owls scored a pair of goals late in the first half, courtesy of graduate transfer forward Ellen Halseth and a penalty kick from junior midfielder Catarina Albuquerque. After going into the half down 6-2, the Owls added another goal from Halseth before the end of the game. According to Halseth, these early defensive struggles has had a profound effects on the rest of the game.

“We don’t need five goals scored on us to realize the game has started,” Halseth said. “But … the second half was so much better. I think we need to bring that feeling into the next game and take it one game at a time.”

On Sunday, the Owls did exactly that, quickly going on the attack against the Musketeers, their second ranked opponent of the season. Despite multiple scoring opportunities, the Owls found themselves down 1-0 until sophomore defender Carsyn Martz scored off a header in the 27th minute,

Rice Soccer is losing its identity

In their most recent match against No. 17 Xavier, ESPN displayed a graphic detailing the “Keys to the Game” that each team needed to follow to put themselves in the best position. What did they say for Rice?

“Keep it 0-0 for the first 10 [minutes].”

Rice made it to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament, upset nationallyranked opponents and broke into the top25 themselves in 2021. While the graphic exaggerates the state that the Owls find themselves in, it is telling of the type of results the Owls have had this season and

emphasizing the sheer amount of goals that they are conceding.

In 10 games, the Owls have scored 15 goals and conceded 31, winning only two games and accumulating zero clean sheets in the process. They lead the American Athletic Conference in goals allowed by 12 and also boast the worst record in the conference. While the team struggles to put up goals on the board, these defensive failures are halting any progress that the offense produces.

One aspect to look at is head coach Brian Lee’s defensive tactics heading into

these games. The team came out with three centerbacks early in the season with two wingbacks on both sides playing up and down the field, filling in for gaps and rotations made throughout the game. While it took a few games for the team to adjust to this formation, the help that the wingbacks provided on defense made an impact on the results, notably in the wins against Northwestern State University and Sam Houston State University.

But in the losses that the Owls had in this period, it was the wingbacks’ inability to get back on defense in time, leading to the three centerbacks becoming overloaded and giving up short goals. Against Texas A&M University, for example, the wingbacks were placed in a more offensive role, leaving the back-three vulnerable and conceding four goals.

In the very next game against Southern Methodist University, Lee switched to a backline of four. While it was a respectable risk to a more defensive-minded tactic, it may have been too much, too soon as the team conceded six goals in the first half alone against the Mustangs and four in the next game against No. 17 Xavier.

Many of these defensive breakdowns are not a result of individual performances, but a lack of communication within the team.

Starting from behind, the goalkeepers have not been confident enough to direct players and control the pace of the game. They have also repeatedly demonstrated an inability to play from the back with too many goal kicks, punts and clearances going either too short or out of bounds.

As far as defenders, players such as junior Catarina Albuquerque and sophomore Carsyn Martz have combined experience and skill to put up good tackles and interceptions, but it’s been in vain as gaps left on the wings

tying the game at 1-1. To close the half, the Musketeers scored two unanswered goals to bring the final score to 3-1.

The Owls allowed an early second half goal but quickly responded a minute later with graduate midfielder Piper Biziorik scoring her first goal of the season, assisted by Martz. The Owls couldn’t find the back of the net in the final 40 minutes and fell 4-2. After the game, Biziorik said that the results were a poor portrayal of the team’s work ethic didn’t reflect the team’s work ethic.

“The result is disappointing because it didn’t reflect our level of effort and our overall performance,” Biziorik said. “I was proud of how many chances that we created in the attacking third.”

At the ten game mark last season, the Owls were in a similar position with a 4-6 record early in conference play, but then went on to make the Conference USA Championships. After graduating 13 players, the renewed team is learning to play as one.

“I think that we’re really starting to mesh together as a team,” Biziorik said. “We’ve had 12 new players come in this season and learning how to play with each other has really taken some time.”

Now in conference play, the Owls embark on a two-game road trip looking to turn the season around. Despite the slow start, Biziorik believes that if the team can play consistently for the entire game, results will come.

“We really have to focus on getting the little things right for all 90 minutes,” Biziorik said. “I think the next step is to start the ball rolling with a win in our next conference game.”

tend to overload one side, leaving the other side open to opposing attackers.

With all this said, the midfield and offense are not free of fault. Freshman Jordyn Mariam, sophomores Kallie McKinney and Naija Bruckner and graduate transfer Ellen Halseth have performed well, but there are missing pieces that have stopped the Owls from consistently progressing up the field and taking better shots.

Given the loss of some key players from last season — namely goalkeeper Bella Killgore, midfielder Delaney Schultz and forward Grace Collins — it’s not a complete surprise that the Owls have struggled. In fact, the Owls struggled last year as well, going 2-6 in the preseason before embarking on an undefeated conference run. However, all but one of those losses came from very close games that saw Rice motivated and evenly matched with their opponents. The results and goals conceded this season are uncharacteristic for a Rice soccer team that has only recently seen the highs of collegiate soccer.

It’s not just a lack of quality or tactical familiarity, but a lack of confidence. The Owls are not showing the same flair and communication that fans have grown used to. Rice still has time to turn the season around like they did last season, but unless the team regains its identity as a winning program with some of the world’s top collegiate talents, they might have to start looking at next season for any sort of success.

Diego Palos Rodriguez ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

“Coach, these shoes are too big to fill.”

COURTESY RICE ATHLETICS

Graduate student midfielder Piper Biziorek dribbles down the field. Rice soccer lost to both No. 17 Xavier and RV SMU over the weekend to fall to 2-7-1 on the season.

COLUMN

RECAP

Josh Pearcy, however, the team paid no mind.

“They’re on scholarship just like we are. They play Division I football just like we [do],” Pearcy said. “We have this mentality in the locker room, ‘Respect all, fear none.’ Doesn’t matter who you play against. You could play against a peewee football team and we’re still going to prepare the same way.”

Rice showed intensity out of the gate, forcing TSU’s quarterback to lose a fumble on the first play from scrimmage. This was the first of four consecutive drives without a first down for TSU, all of which led to Rice touchdowns. Freshman running back Daelen Alexander, freshman wide receiver Braylen Walker, junior wide receiver Kobie Campbell and senior tight end Jack Bradley each found the end zone in the opening quarter.

Alexander added to his threetouchdown tally from last week’s 43-41 win over Houston. Meanwhile, Campbell notched his first NCAA touchdown on a 70-yard strike that was also the longest completion of graduate transfer quarterback JT Daniels’ collegiate career.

On their fifth drive, TSU picked up a first down, their first of the game. The Tigers failed to cross midfield, ultimately punting back to Rice, but got the ball back following a defensive stop of their own. However, TSU fumbled and sophomore safety Plae Wyatt scooped up the football, returning possession to the Owls. Junior running back Dean Connors found the end zone from three yards out

for his first career rushing touchdown.

TSU moved the ball over midfield on each of its next two next drives and scored its first points on a touchdown with four minutes and 17 seconds left to play in the opening half. Rice scored one more time before the end of the half on junior wide receiver Luke McCaffrey’s second diving touchdown catch in as many weeks. The play even impressed head coach Mike Bloomgren.

“What is he going to do next?” Bloomgren said. “What rabbit is he going to pull out of a hat next? To say, ‘I want that ball more than you,’ and take it away, it’s just who McCaffrey is.”

Heading into halftime, the Owls had a 42-7 lead.

Rice’s opening drive of the second half culminated with junior placekicker

Tim Horn connecting on a 48-yard field goal, the longest of his career. The Owls added seven more points on their next drive as Alexander dashed through the offensive line untouched. The one-yard touchdown was the freshman’s second score of the game and fifth over the last two weeks.

TSU moved all the way to Rice’s twoyard line on its next drive but couldn’t convert on fourth down. Sophomore cornerback Lamont Narcisse broke up the Tigers quarterback’s pass, giving the ball back to the Owls toward the end of the third quarter.

Leading by 45 points, Rice pulled multiple offensive starters heading into the fourth quarter. Notably, freshman quarterback Chase Jenkins replaced Daniels, who finished 11-for-17 passing

with 255 yards and four touchdowns. In total, 73 different players registered at least one snap in the contest.

The first drive of Jenkins’ career lasted 16 plays but resulted in a turnover on downs. Moments later, though, he led a 13-yard series that concluded with redshirt sophomore Christian Francisco scoring his first career touchdown from four yards out. The running back’s milestone elicited pride and excitement from the program.

“This is a guy that does everything right,” Bloomgren said of Francisco. “For him to have that success, I think our team really enjoyed that moment.”

“[Francisco] works so hard,” Connors said. “He’s the smartest guy in the building. He does everything right. He’s such a cool guy to hang out with. He manages his schoolwork and he has a heavy load and he comes in here super excited to work. I couldn’t be more proud of him. He’s the man.”

Texas Southern offered little in terms of production on its next drive, failing to score. Possession returned to the Owls, who ran out the clock and ultimately emerged victorious, defeating the Tigers 59-7.

After two consecutive home wins, Pearcy was asked if the show will travel. “Anywhere, anytime, we’re going to bring it,” Pearcy said. “That Rice DNA doesn’t stay at home. It travels with us.”

Rice will look for its third consecutive victory when it visits the University of South Florida next Saturday, Sept. 23. The game kicks off at 3 p.m. on ESPNU. South Florida is 1-2 this season after a 17-3 loss to No. 13 Alabama in Week 3.

Owls soar over Sharks, Wildcats at K-State Invitational

Rice Volleyball won both their games this weekend at the Kansas State University Invitational, defeating Long Island University 3-2 Friday and sweeping K-State in straight sets Saturday. Bouncing back after being swept by No. 6 University of Texas last Monday, the Owls are now 6-4 as they kick off their conference schedule Wednesday when they host the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Recapping her team’s performance last weekend, sophomore setter Darby Harris saw determination in their wins against LIU and K-State.

“This weekend, our grit carried us through a five-set roller coaster of a game versus LIU,” Harris wrote in an email to the Thresher. “We carried over the momentum from pulling out that win with us the next day to sweep K-State. Between our competitions, we got to celebrate two birthdays for Gaby Mansfield and Stephanie Gutierrez, and we had our first ever charter flight to travel, so it was a jampacked weekend of fun and competition for sure.”

Facing LIU, which was 1-11 before the game, the Owls lost their first set 25-21 to the Sharks in a backand-forth affair. Bouncing back, the Owls won the next two sets 25-13 and 25-19. However, the Sharks forced a tiebreaker set when they came out in the fourth with a large lead.

They stymied several Owl comebacks to win the set 2514.

The tiebreaker was dramatic. The Sharks jumped out to an early 6-2 lead; down by four, the Owls staged an 8-1 run to take a 10-7 lead. The Sharks responded to make it a one-point game, with Rice leading 11-10. The Owls scored four of the next six points to win the set and the

match, defeating the Sharks 15-12 in the fifth set.

According to head coach Genny Volpe, the matchup against the Sharks was tough, but she was proud of the way her team came out with a win.

“It was a bit of a roller coaster,” Volpe wrote. “We did not perform well on Friday against Long Island, but we found a way to win. That was a tough match because LIU was playing so freely and had likely the best match of their season so far against us. So we had to dig deep, call on several players off the bench, and find a way to win.”

The Owls utilized the momentum they gained from Friday night’s game in their Saturday afternoon game against the Wildcats. Rice dominated the first set of the game, using an 11-0 run to outscore the Wildcats 25-15. The second set was more competitive as the Owls and Wildcats traded points throughout the set. However, three straight points by the Owls helped them steal the set from K-State. Senior outside hitter Danyle Courtley shined in the second set with a hitting percentage of 0.786. The Owls clinched the sweep in the third set in a back-and-forth affair, defeating the Wildcats 25-21.

Volpe was happy with her team’s performance against the Wildcats, especially after a tough game the day before.

“Today we played a solid match against a really good Kansas State team on the road,” Volpe wrote. “I’m proud of our

mind more than anything.

Yesterday’s win was not the cleanest match, and we learned from it and moved forward. I’m continuously impressed with Danyle [Courtley] and her execution in key moments. This was a total team win and great momentum moving into conference play.”

Senior outside hitter Sahara Maruska was impressed with how she and her team responded to the challenges they faced and played with spirit throughout the weekend series.

“Against LIU and K-State, the team showed a lot of determination and grit which made our unity shine this weekend,” Maruska wrote. “Things were not always going as planned but we all came together to find a way to succeed. My team and I are striving for greatness and are always

COURTESY RICE ATHLETICS

Graduate student right setter Emilia Weske celebrates after a play over the weekend. Rice volleyball won both of their games in Manhattan, Kan. and enter conference play later this week.

working to improve our game.”

Looking ahead, the Owls will host the University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 6 p.m. before traveling to Tulsa to face the University of Tulsa Golden Hurricanes at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN+.

Volpe hopes the team can continue playing with confidence as they enter a critical stretch of their season.

“I’m looking forward to building off of the momentum we had in the K-State match,” Volpe wrote. “We had some strong senior leaders step up and the team responded very well. We know we will have to come out strong against UAB and then be road warriors this weekend at Tulsa.”

Things were not always going as planned but we all came together to find a way to succeed. My team and I are striving for greatness and are always working to improve our game.

Sahara Maruska SENIOR OUTSIDE HITTER

PAVITHR GOLI SPORTS EDITOR

FROM

COURTESY MARIA LYSAKER — RICE ATHLETICS

JT Daniels completes a pass on Saturday evening against Texas Southern University. Daniels threw for 255 passing yards and four touchdowns as he led the Owls to a 59-7 win over the Tigers.

Unscrew-Yer-Roommate

Did your roommate’s/friend’s Screw end up being just okay? Like, nothing was specifically wrong with them but they just didn’t click like that? If the Rice dating scene has your roommate/ friend in a rut, instead find them someone new to say hi to when they walk past them by Brochstein but not develop a more substantive relationship with!

Step One:

Write a defamatory post about your roommate/friend describing why they would be a horrible partner. Join the Unscrew-Yer-Roommate Facebook group (tinyurl.com/unscrew2023) and upload your post to the Discussion tab!

Step Two:

Go window shopping for potential matches and reach out to posts who share the same shittiest qualities as your roommate/friend to see if they’d make good acquaintances!

Step Three:

At 5:00 PM on September 31, bring your roommate/friend to Greenbriar Lot to find their match by yelling out a predetermined code word on the count of three. If you manage to find your Unscrew, take a selfie, maybe grab lunch, and tell them “We should do this again!” with little weight behind it!

There are Two Rules:

1. Your roommate/friend must approve the post.

2. Don’t make anyone cry or we’re shutting it down.

The Backpage is the satire section of the Thresher, written this week by

or comments, please email dilfhunter69@rice.edu.

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Ndidi Nwosu, Andrew Kim, and Timmy Mansfield and designed by Lauren Yu. For questions