The Rice Thresher

Location: http://the.ricethresher.org/opinion/2008/02/08/letters_to_the_editor

February 8, 2008 > Opinion > Letters to the editor

Letters to the editor

By The Rice Thresher Editorial Staff | Thresher Editorial Staff

Sid Rich apologizes for 40s Party fiasco

To the editor:

As Sid Richardson College President, I would like to apologize on behalf of my college for the hurtful events that occurred during the Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend. Sid in no way condones racism, and we share the concerns of the Rice African-American community, which felt personally targeted by the events.

In addition to the disgusting racist comments and vandalism in our college coordinator’s office, a group of students gathered in the Sid basement and held “40s Party.” While I do not believe it was the intention of these students to attack any group of people or make a racial statement, our community now understands the insensitive timing and substance of the party. These actions deeply hurt many in the Rice community, and for that I would like to apologize to each individual affected.

Over the past two weeks, Sid has partnered with university resources and organizations, such as the Black Student Association and the Office of Multi-Cultural Affairs to address cultural insensitivity and diversity issues. As a result of our introspection as a college, I do not believe that any Sidizen will condone another event like 40s Party in the future. It is my hope that we can make positive changes as a result of this experience, and that Rice University will join Sid in moving forward as one united community.

Sean Monks

Sid Richardson senior

Sid events provoke presidential response

To the editor:

As proud Sidizens and former college presidents, we wanted to express our shock and sadness over the events that took place during the week of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. The vandalism that occurred is highly out of character for any Sidizen that we ever knew and we are confident that it is not a true reflection of the majority of attitudes within the present Sid family.

College traditions are fed to us without much thought to their origin or intended meaning. Unfortunately, one of the weak points of a tradition is its lack of ongoing examination. We assume that because something has taken place before that it should, without question, take place again. Sadly, the 40s Party has fallen victim to this lack of examination.

Sid now has the opportunity to abandon an offensive and lackluster tradition and create a new one that embraces the dynamism of its diverse Sidizenry. Beyond that, all of the colleges on campus have the occasion to take a closer look at their traditions and evaluate the impact they have on their student membership. In the end, we hope that Sid will not continue trying to defend a tradition that reflects so poorly on what Sid really is. Rather, Sid should focus on its richest tradition, namely the one of upholding and supporting each other, especially in our differences. Sid Rich Rules! Death from Above!

Laura Sawyer

former Sid president

Sid Richardson ‘05

Becca Schendel Norris

former Sid President

Sid Richardson ‘04

Charlotte Albrecht

former Sid president

Sid Richardson ‘03

Students mistakenly attack, critique RUPD

To the editor:

Last week’s letter of complaint to the editor on Rice University Police Department’s bike policy was unnecessary and simply childish (“RUPD bike policy not part of job description,” Feb. 1).

The arguments made were equivalent to arguing that because shootings and robberies occur, the police should not worry about speeding and DWI tickets. After all, by the same logic, how an individual decides to use his personal property, i.e., the car, is up to him.

While RUPD is under attack for implementing certain measures recently in response to the thefts and assaults on and near campus, we seem to have forgotten one important detail. We live in Houston — in the heart of a large metropolitan area. Few people can deny that if we were to walk a block off campus, we would be a great deal less safe than we are on campus. Why not take a minute to stop and think why that is?

Campus crime statistics for the 2006 calendar year show a total of 4 sex offenses, 1 aggravated assault, 47 burglaries and 6 motor vehicle thefts on campus. Now compare these statistics to those of our cross-town rivals, the University of Houston, in which there had been 6 sex offenses, 4 robberies, 4 aggravated assaults, 27 burglaries, and 29 motor vehicle thefts reported in 2006. We find that comparatively Rice is doing much better. This does not seem to me to be speaking negatively towards the “competency” of our police department.

We as students complain that RUPD is not doing its job when our bikes are stolen by drug dealers wanting a quick high. We then turn around and complain when our bikes are taken as a preventative measure. The only right I see being violated here is my right to be a victim of theft, and that is one right I am okay with relinquishing.

That being said, while I encourage cooperation from the student body, I also encourage RUPD to be more receptive with the Student Association’s proposed resolution, specifically in establishing an online database for confiscated items. While it may be argued such a database would encourage laziness on the part of the student, this is simply not the case. Just as one’s car would not be towed without some indication of wrongdoing, bikes (amongst other possessions) should not be confiscated without due warning.

Liang Liu

Brown sophomore

RUPD earns unfair attacks for bike policy

To the editor:

I have been reading a lot of “Letters to the Editor” in the Thresher condemning RUPD’s preemptive bicycle theft. I, for one, appreciate all of RUPD’s effort. I would like to personally thank the police officer who was injured on Wednesday morning trying to stop a Wiess bicycle theft. The fact of the matter is that all of RUPD is going above and beyond to keep our campus very safe. Our police force’s hard work is the reason our biggest safety concern is bicycle theft and not being shot or raped on the way from West Lot. Thank you, RUPD. Keep up the great work.

Michael Foree

Will Rice junior

Racial recruiting via athletics problematic

To the editor:

The obvious answer to Vice President of Enrollment Chris Munoz’s apparently rhetorical question “Why are we saying [our assumption that black male students are athletes] is awful?” is that a high proportion of black male students in athletics implies a low proportion in majors that are difficult to combine with athletics (“Enrollment growth matches V2C plans,” Feb. 1). Our current admissions policy of “diversifying through football” means that we are even less diverse than admissions statistics would have us believe. Also, because we tie scholarship money to athletics we reduce the academic options of both current and prospective students who would be unable to pay tuition without such scholarships.

To say, “Rice as a community has to wrestle with the negative stereotypes of athletes” misses the point entirely. The problem is not that we have too many black athletes. The problem is that we are not letting in black non-athletes. We are fools if we believe that the policy of racial recruiting via athletic recruiting is not problematic. “Diversifying through football” is really code for keeping the majority of white students away from black students while cleverly making ourselves look more diverse for U.S. News and World Report.

Ben Berman

Baker senior

Duncan needs better emergency planning

To the editor:

On Monday, Jan. 28, at approximately 1:40 p.m., the piercing sound of an alarm rang through the corridors of Duncan Hall. As I exited the building together with the other occupants, I found the emergency preparedness in my building somewhat lacking. There was no indication what kind of danger it was from which I was escaping; was it fire, natural gas or anthrax? At the opposite end of my forced exposure to daylight, there was no message regarding whether it was safe to re-enter the building again. Like a sheep, I just followed the herd of professors, administrators, and students back into the building. Worst of all, though, was the absolute impossibility to continue my work on the outside of the building.

In order to improve the safety and productivity of the occupants of Duncan Hall, I have the following three suggestions. First, the alarm sound should contain a bilingual message by a female voice, indicating the peril: “Fire! Please exit the building. Fuego! Salga por favor del edificio.” Second, there should be tents, benches, tables, and most importantly weather-resistant power outlets underneath the tents so the crucial research going on in Duncan Hall can continue with only minimal interruption. Third, while it did not seem to be a problem today, the administration should ensure that wireless access extends all the way to the tents to be set up.

Finally, I would like to impress upon Dr. Keith Cooper, professor and chairman of the Computer Science department, that he should leave the building as well. However much he may love Duncan Hall, the chairman does not have to remain with the burning building like a captain ought to stay aboard his sinking ship.

Mathias Ricken

Computer Science graduate student

Sports editor lacks school pride, loyalty

To the editor:

I would like to briefly talk about a key point that was left out of Casey Michel’s article on team loyalty (“Whether from North Carolina or the North Pole, go Tar Heels!,” Feb. 1), and that is school pride.

Michel failed to mention that Patrick McAnaney’s father attended the University of North Carolina, giving him ample reason to support the Tar Heels. While professional sports teams’ fan bases are mainly based on proximity, colleges draw fan bases from both people who live near the campus and people who attended the school. It seems obvious that someone would cheer for the college they are attending or are associated with over one from their hometown. So it does not seem odd, or even a case of bandwagoning, when Patrick cheered for UNC.

But what is strange, and even sad, is when a Rice student chose to root for the University of Oregon over Rice when the two teams met in a men’s basketball game at Autry Court last season. Who is this fiend with no connection to the Ducks other than place of birth? It is the Thresher’s own sports editor, Casey Michel.

Daniel Mollengarden

Brown sophomore

Rice students train to battle climate change

To the editor:

Global warming is gaining more due attention every day. Now, the choice is left to each student, faculty member, and staff member whether they will join the growing movement and be a force for positive social and environmental change or whether they will stand by and ignore the catastrophic effects that climate change will have on our world.

I am proud to say that Rice students are stepping up to the challenge and leading the way forward. This weekend, Rice students will join hundreds of others in Austin for Re-Energize Texas, the largest ever youth climate change conference in Texas. Thanks to generous grants from the Center for the Study of Environment and Society and the Dean of Undergraduates Office, Rice holds the distinction of sending the most students to the conference out of any schools outside of Austin. Together, we will learn about solutions to global warming, become trained in organizing strategies, and brainstorm ways to continue building the rising climate movement here at Rice.

The time for bold action on climate change is now. Rice students will be ready to lead the charge.

Karen Leu

Wiess senior

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