The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 76, No. 7, Ed. 1 Friday, October 14, 1988 Page: 2 of 20
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2 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1988 THE RICE THRESHER
Opinion
Students should express
opinions, raise some hell
Rice likes to compare itself to other universities when it makes
itself look good. We hear about Rice as the "Ivy League School of the
South," or of the educational bargain from which we benefit in
comparison to Stanford or Bennington. But how do we stack up
against other universities when it comes to overall social education?
At Gaulladet University in Washington, D.C., the deaf student
body protested against the newly-named President, who could not
sign. The president resigned in face of such pressure, and a new,
hearing-impaired president took the reigns at Gaulladet. This hap-
pened in 1987.
Two weeks ago, eighty members of the student body stormed the
Board of Governors meeting at Texas Southern University and
demanded to know how their student activities fees were being spent.
Now, the student government has received a voice in the decision-
making process.
Student apathy is the norm at Rice. That is not to say that student
concern is low, or that student leadership is absent. It only means that
students tend to complain often, and act never.
The Black Student Union, the Student Association and the campus
Republicans and Democrats are notable exceptions to this rule. But
how can these small numbers of people have any effect on the
administration's policies if the large majority of the community
simply sits back and expects these groups to do everything?
Sure, you can bitch about the tuition going up, the lack of minority
faculty, the firing of a professor you like, or whatever. And you can say
you care about informing the Rice population about an issue which
particularly bothers or interests you, from animal cruelty to Presiden-
tial politics. But how many of you take your concerns past the
commons door, or even outside your room?
The argument that the-administration will not respond is mis-
guided. Take the single example of student initiative in the past three
years, the BSU's push for a minority affairs office. President Rupp
opposed the idea, but he, unlike former president Hackerman, lis-
tened.
The BSU stuck it out through meetings and ultimately spurred
Rupp to act in its favor. This achievement speaks to the many others
out there yet to happen.
Even knowing that success is possible with tenacity, most students
don't speak up in a public forum, where their comments might make
waves. Think about it. What do your opinions matter if you keep them
to yourself?
Here are some suggestions to the activist inside you. If you care
about something, at the very least write a letter to the Thresher. Be
assured, the Board of Governors and the administration read the
paper and register the complaints made. And who knows? You might
start a dialogue on the topic right on the pages of the paper*
Go to the many meetings, forums, and lectures held on campus.
Show your support for the Young Democrats when a speaker comes,
if you are so inclined. Or speak out at a forum, like the upcoming one
on apartheid, if you have a strong opinion. Don't be one of the people
who "meant to go."
Start a protest movement. This may sound outrageous, but some-
times it is necessary. How many of you care that tuition might go up
over $1,000 next year? We know the SA cares, because it is trying to
fight the rise. But publicly it seems no one else cares. Make a stink.
At the very least, call on President Rupp to defend his actions.
And if you just can't decide what to do, ask someone with experi-
ence whom you trust for guidance. Lots of professors at Rice have
more experience than you may realize when it comes to social protest
and how to deal with stodgy administrators. Find one. Talk to him or
her. Only you can make that move.
Amnesty International is currently sponsoring a world tour of
Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel, Sting, and other music superstars.
The theme song the group uses is Bob Marley's "Get Up, Stand Up
(Stand Up for Your Rights)."
It's about time people at Rice did just that.
VMCH vwr aw TUE
HORSE MCWE?...
* X KNEW THE IEN3UE CF VWBJ
VOTERS SHOULD HWE SPONSORED "MS DEERE..."
B.U. housing policy demands action
To the editors:
(The following is an open letter to
the Rice community. jWe need your
help. The Student Association office
recently received an appeal from our
fellow students at Boston University
for aid in a matter of grave concern.
Apparently, the B.U. administration
has introduced a new housing policy,
scheduled to be implemented in
January.
These are the changes, as told to
us by Jennifer Rohr of ACT, an ex-
ecutive committee of the B.U. Stu-
dent Union: "Students will no longer
be allowed to have visitors after 11:00
pm on weeknights and 1:00 am on
weekends. Other Boston University
students who do not live in the same
dormitory are considered visitors.
The only overnight guests to be al-
lowed in B.U. housing will be imme-
diate family members and prospec-
tive freshmen. These guests, how-
ever, must be of the same sex as the
residents of that room. All of the
roommates must give their consent,
and the Residential Area Director
must give permission."
These policies are, as Ms. Rohr
says, "a direct infringement on stu-
dents' rights." Boston University
would like to treat these students
like children and violate their civil
rights in the process. If this housing
policy reminds anyone of Baylor,
think about this: in Waco, students
can find relatively cheap housing off
Hiring policy defended
To the editors:
The function of a university is the
teaching and creation of ideas and
abstractions. Merit, in this context,
consists of the ability to understand,
express, and invent these ideas.
Christopher Newfield, in his let-
ter of October 7, 1988, asserts that
"Race, like gender and ethnicity
...constitutes] merjit" Not being a
racist, I reject this suggestion. If I
were black, I would be shocked by
the suggestion that that constitutes a
significant measure of my merit and
that my standing would not be as
high were there no racial distinc-
tions.
I also reject the idea that "quality
of research" and "brilliance of mind"
are determined solely by the reac-
tions of experts in the field to them. If
that were the case, there would be no
need to study any subject—one
could simply conduct telephone sur-
veys.
In the meantime, as to minority
hiring, this university has a stated
policy of not discriminating on the
basis of race, color, creed, sex, or
national origin. I think we should
stick to it
Nets Katz
President, Rice libertarians
Wiess '91
campus. In Boston, they can do no
such thing.
We're asking you, students, fac-
ulty, and staff, to write friends, rela-
tives, and colleagues at Boston U. to
express your sympathy and support.
Ms. Rohr's address is ACT, c/o
Campus Ministries, 730 Common-
wealth Ave. Room 251, Boston, MA
02215. If you wish to write directly to
the President of Boston University,
send your letters to President John
Silber, 147 Bay State Road, Boston,
MA 02215.
Aid such as this will also increase
public awareness of Rice University
and the spirit of cooperation that
exists in the Rice community. Most
of you will recall the painful news
that we did not place in the top 25 in
the latest U.S. News and World Re-
port survey of academic reputation.
Remember that despite this image
problem, Rice was ranked ninth
•overall. This suggests that the only
factor presently keeping Rice out of
the top five, and eventually out of
number one, is our lack of name
recognition (as a 10/7/88 Thresher
editorial suggested).
Therefore, we again ask you to
express your support for the belea-
guered students of Boston U.
Wouldn't you want their support if
the same thing were to happen here?
Adam E. Carr
External Affairs
Vice-President
Student Association
NEW MfSQJT
SINCE 1916
Joel Sendek, Patrick McGarrity
Editors-in-Chief
Lee Finch Business Manager
NEWS Anu Bajaj, Sue Yom Editors
Ross Goldberg Assistant Editor
Ijorraine Snyder, Andrew I J, Shelley Fuld,
Sam Hendren, Harlan Howe, Todd
Reichmann, Leslie Raneri, Elise Perachio,
Megan Dixon, Karl Kilborn, John
Murphey, Paul Maliszewski, Roy Huddle,
Michele Wucker, Kurt Moeller
FINK ARTS Jen Cooper Editor
Greg Kahn Assistant Editor
Sarah Ixjedy, George Langworthy, Pab
Schwendimann, Earl Ryan, Bill Tucker
Hung Nguyen, Aaron Stambler,
David Nathan, John Montag
Eric SaKturo, P. Kellach Waddle
SPORTS Wes Gere Editor
Valerie Heitshusen, Keith Couch, Jennifer
Krejci, Hung Nguyen, Earl Drake, Alan
Rosen, Brian Holmes, David Cumberland,
Tania van den Houtcn
FEATURES
Mary Elliot, Michele Wuckcr Editors
Jean Chen
BACK PAGE Mike Raphael Editor
Laura O'Hara Assistant Editor
PRODUCTlONHaroldTurner Manager
Wynn Martin Copy Editor
Santiago Meji'a, W. Lynn Gallagher,
Leslie Raneri, Myra Rucker, Ed Warren,
Deborah Houk, Mark Permann,
Harlan Howe, Jennifer Rios
PHOTOGRAPHY James Yao Editor
Mike "Dingbat" Gladu, LawrenceCowsar
MISCELLANY Steve Lait Cartoonist fi
Michael Raphael Senior Editor
Michele Wucker Senior Editor
Jeff Solochek Opinionated Editor
BUSINESS Ray Letulle Ad Mgr.
Mark Norman Asst. Business Mgr.
Peggy Dun Ads Production
Nguyet Vo Staff Asst.
CIRCULATION
Lee Finch, Norbert Hugger
© COPYRIGHT 1988
PHONE: 527-4801
The Rice Thresher, tie official student newspaper at Rice University since 1916, is published each Friday during fie school
year, except during examinalon periods and holidays, by tie students ol Rice University. Editorial arid business offices are
located oh tie second door ol the Ley Student Center, P.O. Box 1892, Houston, Texas, 77251. Adverlsing inlormaton
available upon request Mai subscription rate per semester: $15.00 domestic, $30 international via first dass mall.
Unsi gned editorials represent tie majority opinion ottieEditorial Board Al other articlesrepresenttieopinion of Ihe author.
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McGarrity, Patrick & Sendek, Joel. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 76, No. 7, Ed. 1 Friday, October 14, 1988, newspaper, October 14, 1988; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth245703/m1/2/: accessed June 20, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.