The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 82, No. 27, Ed. 1 Friday, April 28, 1995 Page: 6 of 20
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6 FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 1995 THE RICE THRESHER
NEWS
Commencement speaker short list submitted to Gillis
by David Amdur
The 1996 Commencement
Speaker Selection Committee has
handed a short list of potential com-
mencement speakers to President
Malcolm Gillis. The following speak-
ers are on the list:
• Toni Morrison
• Steven Spielberg
• Desmund Tutu
• Ann Richards
• Lloyd Bentsen
It is now Gillis' turn to try to
attract one of these speakers to speak
at the graduation of the Class of
1996.
Carmen Peralta, a junior at Wiess
College, chaired the Selection Com-
mittee, which is a Student Associa-
tion sub-committee. She said she
became interested in the decision-
making process partly because of
disillusionment with past years'
speakers, who have mostly been
politicians.
Former President Jimmy Carter
spoke at the Class of 1993 gradua-
tion exercises. Elizabeth Dole, presi-
dent of the American Red Cross,
spoke to last year's class, and Sena-
tor Bill Bradley will address the Class
of 1995.
Peralta said she would like some-
one other than an active politician to
speak at the 1996 Commencement.
Her personal favorite is Toni
Morrison.
The Selection Committee sur-
veyed both the faculty and members
of the Class of 1996 to determine the
short list.
According to Peralta, at least 150
surveys from the junior class were
returned.
The committee also talked to Vice
President for Student Affairs Zenaido
Camacho and Edward Djerejian, di-
rector of the Baker Institute.
According to Peralta, the candi-
dates are ranked according to re-
sults of the survey. Toni Morrison is
the most popular choice.
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Peralta spoke to Gillis about the
list. "I think he was extremely ex-
cited," she said. She said Gillis was
also willing to seek someone other
than a politician.
Gillis said he really liked the
short-list, but did not view it as a
ranked list. He stressed the fact that
nobody was second-best and that
the list was "uniformly good."
Gillis has already contacted all of
the speakers informally.
He explained that Rice likes to
start the process of attracting com-
mencement speakers early. The pro-
cess is not always easy because Rice
does not pay its speakers or award
them honorary degrees to speak at
graduation.
Gillis said that Steven Spielberg
and Desmund Tutu have indicated
that they may not be able to speak.
Peralta said Rice would consider do-
nating to a charity of the speaker's
choosing.
When drafting the list of speak-
ers, the Selection Committee tried
to ensure that there was at least one
Rice "contact" for each speaker on
the list.
Peralta wanted to emphasize that
the committee has tried to maxi-
mize student input throughout the
decision making process. "It was a
first priority," she said.
Reactions from members of the
Class of 1996were mixed. Pitt Fagan,
a junior at Jones College, had some
strong opinions. "Definite no's for
Ann Richards. Ann Richards is like
Doritos woman. I don't want my com-
mencement speaker to be a spokes-
man for Doritos. The person I'd like
to see is Steven Spielberg. I think
he'd be really cool... a 'for the '90s'
type of guy."
Fagan, who filled out a survey,
expressed regrets that George Lucas
did not make the list.
John Paul Yabraian, a junior at
Will Rice College, did not have any
personal preference for commence-
ment speaker.
"Commencement speakers aren't
of such vital importance. Anyone who
could speak and marginally hold our
interest for an hour would be fine,"
Yabraian said.
Jonathan Cheng, a junior from
Jones, favored Toni Morrison. "The
only one on the list that I'd like to see
is Toni Morrison."
Cheng said that Morrison, au-
thor and Nobel Prize winner, would
have insightful comments for the
graduating class.
Team
FROM PAGE 1
tions.
This year, Rice competed in the
CBI Regionals at Texas A&M, plac-
ing second to UT Dallas. Winning
first place in the ACF Regionals at
Oklahoma University against
schools fromTexas, Oklahoma, Kan-
sas, Missouri and Arkansas, Rice
qualified for the nationals in Knox-
ville.
Typically, Rice has done very well
in College Bowl tournaments. In
1991, Rice was CBI national champi-
ons, and the team has several top
five placings at nationals in the past
10 years. Rice also has seven CBI
regional titles from the past nine
years. This is the first year Rice has
competed in ACF tournaments.
Team members include Wiess
senior AshishAcharya, Jones senior
Andy Bzostek, captain Matt Kane,
Hanszen sophomore Todd Konkel,
Sid Richardson College senior
Jonathan Morris, Linguistics gradu-
ate student Tim Pulju, Lovett sopho-
more Marc Tabolsky, Jones senior
Mikeal Thompson and Wiess fresh-
man Randy Thomson.
Adult and faculty sponsors in-
cluded Kay Flowers as assistant li-
brarian, Stan Barber, David and
Sharon Tuttle and Eric Salutaro.
Kane said, "Even though the team
had by 'Rice standards' a disappoint-
ing season, we return all of our start-
ers from this year's team.
"In the coming years, the Rice
College Bowl team is looking for-
ward to great things and perhaps
another return to glory."
The team used up its limited bud-
get in traveling to CBI and ACF
regionals and received funding from
Hanszen, Lovett and Wiess colleges,
as well as certain private donations
to cover travel expenses to nation-
als.
Often, team members use Col-
lege Bowl skills in more profitable
activities.
Matt Kane competed in Jeopardy
during his senior year in high school,
a former Rice College Bowl captain
won $50,000 as a several-time cham-
pion on the show, and on May 4,
team member Todd Konkel will ap-
pear on Jeopardy as well.
After sending in a postcard,
Konkel was randomly chosen as one
of a few hundred from this region to
try out in Houston for the show. All
auditioners were split up into four
groups to take a 50-question written
test. Konkel was one of four people
in his group to pass the test.
After going through a series of
mock-rounds, questions and inter-
views, Konkel found out about his
acceptance at the end of January of
this year. He flew to Los Angeles at
the beginning of March for the tap-
ing, but because of a computer virus
wiping out the show's computer files,
the taping was rescheduled for April
1 and 2.
Konkel said he is not allowed to
tell how he did but said that the
show will air on May 4, and that it
was a "great experience."
Graduation 1995 Announcements
The following is the full program of commencement events.
Please contact the Office of Alumni Affairs and University Events
at ext. 6093 with any questions.
Friday. Mav 12
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
1:30 - 2:45 p.m.
3:15 - 4 p.m.
3:30 - 5:30 p.m.
4:30 - 6 p.m.
6 - 8 p.m.
6 - 7 p.m.
8:30 - 9:30 p.m.
10:15 p.m.
Saturday. Mav 13
6:30 a.m.
7 a.m. ~
7:45 a.m.
8:30 -11:30 a.m.
After Commencement
12 - 4 p.m.
2 - 3 p.m.
Student Art Exhibition, Rice Art Gallery, Sewall Hall
Class of '95 Convocation for degree candidates and guests, Autry Gym
Initiation of Phi Beta Kappa and presentation of Phi Beta Kappa teaching prize,
Hamman Hall
Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Administration investiture ceremony, Stude
Concert Hall, Alice Pratt Brown Hall; reception following
School of Architecture reception, Smith Garden, Anderson Hall
School of Engineering reception, Hamman Hall
School of Humanities and School of Social Sciences receptions, Sewall Hall foyer
Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology and Department of Ecology and
Evolutionary Biology receptions, outside corridor of George R. Brown Hall
Department of Geology and Geophysics reception, courtyard outside of the Keith-
Wiess Geological Laboratories
Department of Mathematics reception, Commons Room, 438 Herman Brown Hall
Department of Physics and Department of Space Physics and Astronomy receptions,
Physics Amphitheater and courtyard
Prizes and awards banquet for degree candidates and their guests, Cohen House
Buffet reception for Master's degree candidates and their guests, Grand Hall, Rice
Memorial Center
The Shephard School of Music Presidential Concert, Stude Concert Hall, Alice Pratt
Brown Hall
Fireworks outside Alice Pratt Brown Hall
"R" Association Breakfast honoring graduating student athletes and theirfamilies,
"R" Room at the Football Stadium *•
Continental breakfast for degree candidates in the residential colleges and
Anderson Hall
Degree candidates and participants line up for Commencement; B.A, and B.S.
candidates in the residential colleges: other degree candidates in Anderson Hall
(Candidates for two degrees will only walk across the stage for the higher degree.)
Commencement, Academic Quad
Commencement Address by U.S. Senator Bill Bradley (D-NJ)
Receptions for undergraduate degree recipients and theirguests at their residential
colleges
Luncheon for Doctoral degree recipients and their guests at the Granfl Hall, Rices
Memorial Center
Student Art Exhibit, Sewall Hall
NROTC Commissioning Ceremony, Duncan Recital Hall, Alice Pratt Brown Hall;
reception, Department of Naval Science
C
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Klein, Charles & Rao, Vivek. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 82, No. 27, Ed. 1 Friday, April 28, 1995, newspaper, April 28, 1995; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth246512/m1/6/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.