Athletics department takes over IM, Rec Center as part of reorganization
Starting this semester, the Athletics Department will be responsible for both varsity and club and intramural sports. It will also be in charge of the recreation center, which will be finished in fall 2009. Athletic academic advising will now fall under the administration of Dean of Undergraduates Robin Forman.
This model is a common one used by several peer institutions, including Harvard, Duke and Northwestern. Forman said he hopes the merge will ensure that athletic academic advising and general academic advising are not working at cross-purposes and share a single vision of campus. Athletics Director Chris Del Conte said that the precise details of the administrative changes and what they would mean for athletes and students had yet to be worked out. He also said he hoped the merge would correct any misconceptions that Rice student athletes were getting preferential treatment.
In addition to academic benefits, the merge is also intended to share facilities in a way that offers everyone, both athletes and non-athletes, more opportunities to use athletic facilities. Intramural teams and clubs will now be able to use the same resources as varsity teams, from facilities to trainers. For instance, powderpuff games could be played at Rice stadium. Del Conte said he also envisioned the merge spreading awareness of intramural sports.
“We’re looking at getting the names of other clubs out there so that we can say, ‘You know what? We have a National Championship-winning women’s water polo team,’” Del Conte said.
Especially with the creation of the new recreational center close by the Jesse E. Jones Graduate School of Management, Del Conte said he envisioned this merger facilitating relationships between athletes and non-athletes and bringing campus closer together.
“There’s always the perception that there are student-athletes and that’s a group distinct from the groups created by the residential college system,” Del Conte said. “What we’re trying to do is create centers outside the college system where we are one group united by Rice University.”
Del Conte said he also hopes this task will also be accomplished by the Brochstein Pavilion scheduled to open in April.
“These projects are all about creating a dynamic environment on campus,” Del Conte said.
Lovett College junior Arthur Jones said he was excited about the Athletic Department’s decision to adopt intramural and club sports.
“I think this merge is fantastic because I know the varsity soccer fields are so much better, and I look forward to using them,” he said.
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