The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 52, No. 29, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 6, 1965 Page: 2 of 16
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1L
The Rice Thresher
John Durham, Editor
Susan Bridges, Associate Editor
Jim Zumwalt, News Editor
John Hamilton, Copy Editor
The University's new parking regulations, out-
lined on page four, are on the whole a welcome
and reasonable solution to a rapidly-compounding
campus problem. Rice's projected expansion,
right or wrong, has made it increasingly neces-
sary to devise a new system of student parking.
Certainly no off-campus student should cavil
at the proposed five dollar parking fee, which
will be used to provide a more convenient park-
ing area for this weather-battered group. Com-
pared to the automobile regulations at numerous
other schools—where it is not at all unusual to
prohibit cars for underclassmen, or where an
exorbitant fee is charged—the Rice student has
a good thing.
Had he gone to Harvard instead, for example,
lie would find the University presenting him
with a bill for not five but forty dollars, to
finance a parking space somewhere beyond the
Charles, a good thirty minutes' walk from his
room. Rice, in alleviating the campus parking
problem with the construction of a fee-lot acx'oss
from the Biology building, has struck a generous
balance between the needs of its students and
the aesthetic demands of its campus.
In one respect, however, the University has
again displayed the kind of ham-fisted pugnacity
that has disfigured its relationship with its stu-
dents for at least the last decade and perhaps
throughout its history. We refer to the insist-
ence that, for an off-campus student to obtain
a waiver of his parking fee, he not only must
agree to park in the Stadium Lot (a fair enough
condition) but must also promise that he "will
not park on the streets adjacent to the Univer-
sity." Any student apprehended in this sinister
pastime will be assessed the five dollar charge
anyway, as well as an unspecified "additional
penalty fee."
We leave it to others to speculate on the legal
limits of the University's authority in this area;
it seems unhappily evident to us that a univer-
sity does indeed have to power to withhold privi-
leges, such as the waiver of a fee, to students
who refuse to do what the university demands.
We do not wish to argue the point. What con-
cerns us is not so much the legalities of the
case, nor the obviously small magnitude of the
issue, but rather the discouraging evidence that
Rice has not learned to cease badgering its stu-
dents about matters which it might more prop-
erly, and more gracefully, ignore. "Kings will
be tyrants from policy," wrote Burke, "when
subjects are rebels from principles"; but he was
far too sagacious a man not to know that the
maxim works both ways. For the University to
penalize its students for parking on certain pub-
lic streets of the city of Houston during legal
hours, may indeed be within its powers; but
what an utterly absurd posture for the Univer-
sity to put itself in! Were this sort of thing not
a continuing characteristic of Rice's fumbling
efforts to deal with its students, it could be
passed off as a minor, if regrettable, accident.
The melancholy truth is that it is typical. And
because it is typical it carries with it the full
weight, the full significance, of repeated and
unrepented error.
One may rightly wonder how the University
intends to enforce its petty edict, since other
residents of Houston, beyond the reach of a
Dean's long arm, will presumably continue to
park wherever they are legally permitted. Does
Rice intend to assign the proctor to patrol Rice
Boulevard, or perhaps hire a Pinkerton detective
to shadow suspicious-looking students to their
cars? We doubt it; the regulations are unen-
forceable on their face without a considerably
more repressive (and ludicrous) police force
than even Rice would be willing to employ. Be-
sides: if there is a parking- lot across from the
Biology building, who wants to park on the
street anyway? No, the University has merely
dealt its students another in a lengthy series of
gratuitous and unnecessary reminders of its
authority.
❖ * SjS
Respect for authority is never served by mis-
use of authority, be that misuse flagrant or
subtle. It is the particular misfortune of Rice
students to receive more than our share of re-
minders of this fact. We can envision the 1965-66
term beginning under the same handicaps which
scarred the year that went before it; we can
wonder what we have wondered all along: why
the University continues to overreach itself and,
inevitably failing, confesses itself perplexed over
its students' loss of respect. And if the fault
lies with interpretations rather than immutable
policies, we are left to wonder why it is that the
University continues to so consistently, so ineptly,
misuse the authority which it possesses.
-30-
If the most heartening development on the
Ricc campus this year has been an unprecednted
rise from apathy by the students, the most dis-
couraging facet of campus life was that it
required a continual authoritarian attitude by
the administration, especially in the areas of
student life, to force the students out of their
intellectual and spiritual celibacy.
The year's most easily recalled events involved
the questions of academic freedom in relation
to speakers on campus and due process regard-
ing disciplinary procedures involving students.
At the time of these disturbances, it seemed
almost unbelievable to us that a university of
Rice's supposed distinction and prestige would
let itself get involved in questions of this nature.
Indeed, it seemed often the case that the stu-
dents had an even loftier conception of what the
University should be than the University itself
did.
But we have spoken enough of these two spe-
cific problems (see above). While Rice commit-
ted more than its share of blunders in the area
of student relations, it did take perceptible steps
in the direction of becoming a "major-league"
university.
The recently announced faculty promotions of
Dr. Grob and Dr. Mackey, long heralded by stu-
dents as two of the best teachers in the school,
indicates that Rice is happily avoiding the pit-
falls of basing advancement solely on a "publish
or perish" criterion.
The willingness of administration officials to
sit down with student leaders in an attempt to
reconcile grievances demonstrates at least that
The colleges plan
the minions of Lovett Hall are aware of the
problems.
But greatness does not come without occa-
sional slips. The departure of a substantial num-
ber of humanities professors in the behavioral
sciences and history next year is a signal that
the University cannot afford to ignore.
The reluctance of the administration to grant
to the colleges their sustained requests for addi-
tional authority and responsibility as the next
logical step in their development can only have
a detrimental effect on what is possibly the
most important aspect of University life for
many students.
But above all, Rice has shown a reluctance to
commit itself. And this failure of dedication is
not so detrimental to the University and its stu-
dents now as its efforts, if continued, will be
in 1975 at the end of the Great Leap Forward.
For the achievement of a great university can
scarcely be accomplished through means that
admit of any self-deception or hypocrisy.
To build a strong physics department does not
guarantee the success of the history department.
Nor does proudly showing off the residential
colleges to campus visitors prevent an adminis-
tration official from occasionally lapsing into
a description of Rice's living units as dormi-
tories.
What we ask is a true commitment from the
University to the methods of excellence—constant
and free inquiry, critical self-examination, ma-
turity and integrity in the relationships among
all members of the community. Given the method,
the result is only a variable with time. —JWD
By JIM ZUMWALT
The following story was prepared
by Mr. Zumwalt from a series of
interviews with the six new college
president. Some of the plans and
proposals mentioned have already
been implemented.—Ed.
Next year's college govern-
ments plan projects ranging
from constructing beach houses
to setting up art classes. Dr.
Masterson has donated a water-
front lot at Freeport to Hans-
zen on which the college hopes
to build a beach house accord-
ing to President Ralph Knoo-
huizen.
Ann Miller, new president of
Jones, suggested the art classes
as a "means through the college
can help individual girls to de-
velop."
President of Brown College stat-
president of Brown college stat-
ed that "Brown is not going to
go around creating traditions."
"Both Jones and Brown will
start at the same point," she ex-
plained "and personalities must
develop."
Brown will try to keep its
rule structure as simple as pos-
sible, Miss Kirkpatrick said.
"For the first year we will
operate on a provisional con-
stitution."
One college project she would
like to see initiated is an ex-
change program with the Uni-
versity of Houston and Texas
Southern University. "We don't
get off campus nearly enough."
Girls' Seminar
Jones President Ann Miller
and Miss Kirkpatrick anticipate
the women's colleges cooperat-
ing on some projects including
an extensive seminar on Latin
America or the Far East and
a reorganization of the girls'
intramurals program.
Jones plans to expand i t s
physical facilities by setting up
a music room and expanding
its library.
When questioned about the
role of the college in education
Miss Miller stated- "I like the
idea of the college being extra-
curricular."
Floor Counselors
Jones "will completely reor-
ganize its freshman orientation
structure, according to Miss
Miller. Freshmen will be or-
ganized into floor groups in
the fall and a Jones adviser
will stay in contact with the
girls throughout th« year.
„ The new presidents announced
that the women's colleges will
have paid residence supervisors
living with the girls next year.
They emphasized that these
would not be additional house
mothers, but graduate students
who will serve as counselors.
Baker Seeks Expansion
Baker's new* President, Kent
Morrison said that physical im-
'provements have high priority
for next year's government.
"We're behind the other col-
leges in improvements. We're
waiting on the kitchen, but the
administration is still keeping
us on a string." Baker hopes to
expand into the building which
the Food Service will vacate-
when it moves into the new
kitchen.
To finance their building
Baker will publish a thirty
page booklet, using the "pho-
tographic talents of last year's
Campanile Editor Jeff Winning-
ham" to graphically illustrate
the goals of the college.
College Theater
Baker's speaker program next
year will center around the
theme of creativity. The college
will continue its theatrical pro-
ductions. 'Next year Lawson
Taitte hopes to produce some
drama written by students.
Hanszen's new President
Ralph Knoohuizen announced
that in addition to building
their beach house on the Free-
port property the college plans
to build a bigger office to ac-
commodate a female college sec-
retary and construct a private
dining; room in their commons.
Committees have been appoint-
ed to draw up plans for con-
struction of a college parking
lot at Hanszen and utilization
of the infirmary when it is va-
cated.
Alumni Newsletter
Hanszen is the first college
to publish an alumni news let-
ter. The "Hanszen Tower" was
sent to 500 alumni' earlier this
spring outlining college activi-
ties.
Hanszen was also the first
college to install a pinball ma-
chine according to Knoohuizen.
Having heard of the $7.00 per
day profits. Baker and Wiess
have both put in machines of
their own.
Hanszen hopes to follow
Baker's example and establish
a college theater. "Antigone" is
(Continued on Page 5)
THE RICE T HRESHER, MAY 6, 196 S—P AGE 2
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Kelly, Hugh Rice. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 52, No. 29, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 6, 1965, newspaper, May 6, 1965; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth244947/m1/2/?rotate=270: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.