The Rice Thresher, Vol. 93, No. 27, Ed. 1 Friday, April 28, 2006 Page: 1 of 20
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ice Thresher
Vol. XCIII, Issue No. 27
SINCE 1916
Friday, April 28, 2006
Activists to camp on IM fields
Ugandan civil war demonstration expected to draw 1,000 tomorrow
by Lauren Fitte
THRESHER STAFF
After multiple showings on
RTV5 and at residential colleges,
the documentary "Invisible Chil-
dren" has spurred what is antici-
pated to be the largest showing
of student activism at Rice since
KTRLJ was shut down in 2000.
About 1,000 people, includ-
ing 400-500 Rice students, are
expected to march around part
of the Outer Loop and camp
outside on Intramural Fields 6
and 7 from 8 p.m. Saturday to 7
a.m. Sunday.
The demonstration, which is
being organized at Rice by Will
Rice College juniors Preetha
Kurian and AchalaTalati, is being
held in conjunction with non-
profit group Invisible Children's
nationwide event—Global Night
Commute — to raise awareness
about child soldiers in Uganda's
civil war.
Talati and Kurian, who is the
chair of Rice Student Volunteer
Program's Children's Committee,
have held strategy meetings to
organize students. The purpose
of the event is to recognize the
journey children in Uganda take
every night to urban areas in
order to avoid being kidnapped
and forced into the army or to
be sex slaves. The children make
the trek without adult supervision
and are subjected to harassment
and rape along the way.
Talati said she is surprised
how many students are respond-
ing to the event. She said in addi-
tion to the film, a Facebook group
helped publicize the Global Night
Commute.
The film was introduced to
Rice after a group of students
attended the Campus Outreach
and Opportunities League/Ide-
alist Conference at Vanderbilt
University. Although audiences
See COMMUTE, page 7
Study break to be held Sunday
by Julia Bursten
THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF
Before students kick into high gear for finals, the
I^eebron-Forman study break Sunday invites them to
"Escape the Grind" for a few more hours.
This semester's preTinals study break will offer a
variety of attractions to which students can "escape." The
break will feature different Student Center destinations
with themes including big top, health spa and tropics.
Each theme will offer food and activities, Student and
Recreation Centers Director Boyd Beckwith said.
" 'Escape to the Tropics,' for example, will have
tropical flavored smoothie samples from Smoothie
King, hula hoops, a limbo contest and sand art,"
Beckwith said. "Students will have different places
to escape their stress for a little while."
Beckwith said the study break will have similar
amounts of free food to the Leebron-Forman "Chill"
ESCAPE THE GRIND
What: Spring 2006 Leebron-Forman
Study Break
When: Sunday, April 30
9-11 p.m.
Where: Student Center
study break in December, but it will feature a wider range
of activities to attract students. The big top destination
will have two caricature artists, a balloon animal maker
and various circus games. Willy's Pub may also have
karaoke, in addition to scheduled student performances
See ESCAPE, page 8
IAN WHITE/THRESHER
Don't forget about world peace
Mart el College senior Brian Van Osdol thanks his parents after
winning the Mr. Engineering Pageant April 20 at Willy's Pub. Five
engineering majors competed in the pageant.
COURTESY RICE SPORTS INFORMATION
The women's tennis team poses with its Conference USA championship trophy after defeat-
ing Southern Methods* University In the final April 23. The Owls, the first seventh-seeded
team to ever win the C-USA title, wW play in the NCAA regonal tournament May 11-12.
Women's tennis upsets three
teams to win conference title
by Adriene Giese
THRESHER STAFF
The women's tennis team capped its
unlikely run for an NCAA tournament
bid with its best victory of the year
Sunday, upsetting top-seeded Southern
Methodist University 4-1 in the cham-
pionship match of the Conference USA
tournament.
The win — Rice's first conference
championship in women's tennis—also
marked the first time a seven seed has
ever advanced to the final match of the
C-USA tournament.
Rice's four-win tournament streak
proved satisfying after a frustrating
regular season. The team faced nine
top-50 teams — five ranked in the
top-20 — and lost to all nine. Rice also
failed to win a single away match.
The tough schedule translated into a
9-12 regular season record and left a
conference championship as the team's
only hope for an NCAA tournament bid.
As last year's top seed in the
Western Athletic Conference, Rice
finished second, falling to Fresno State
4-0 in the final match. This year, strong
performances by seniors Blair DiSesa
and Medeja Egic made the difference.
Neither Owl lost a singles match in
the tournament, and they combined
to win two of three doubles matches as
the team upset second-seed Marshall
University and third-seed University
of Houston en route to the title victory
over SMU.
"The girls [faced) a higher level of
competition than the other teams com-
ing into the match," Head Coach Roger
White said. "They were extremely well
prepared, but with all of that aside the
girls stepped up to the occasion. It was
really wonderful to see."
See TENNIS, page 15
Rondelet attendance declines;
shuttles leave students at Rice
by Risa Gordon
THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF
Rondelet attendance continued its down-
ward trend with a 100-student turnout at
this year's dance, held at Dave and Buster's
Saturday. The decline is prompting Rice
Program Council to question whether to
hold the event next year, RPC President
Meg Sheeley said.
About 400 students attended the fall
formal, Esperanza, and 312 students attended
Rondelet last year, when it was held at the
Hard Rock Cafe. About 500 students attended
Rondelet in 2003.
Also, the bus company hired to provide
transportation between the Sallyport and Dave
and Buster's stopped service early, stranding
students at Rice.
Sheeley, a Jones College sophomore, said
RPC will hold Esperanza next year, which
she said is still a popular event. She said RPC
has been focusing its attention on planning
Esperanza. The turnout for Esperanza may
influence whether Rondelet is held in the
spring, Sheeley said.
"I feel that one formal a year is enough
for college students, especially since
the college atmosphere is so opposite a
See RONDELET, page 6
INSIDE
Good luck on finals!
Final examinations begin tomorrow
for graduating seniors and end Thursday
at noon. Final exams for non-graduating
students begin Wednesday and end
May 10.
Commencement 2006
The Class of 2006 will walk through
the Sallyport May 13. The ceremony
begins at 8:30 a.m. and lasts until 11:30
a.m. Houston Mayor Bill White will deliver
the commencement address.
Ready to study...
We also need some time off to cram for
all those exams for whkrh we haven't studied
all semester, so this is the last issue of the
Thresher until May 19. That issue will be
mailed to new and returning students' and
2006 graduates' permanent addresses.
OPINION
Page 4
Uganda viewpoints
AAE
Pages 10-11
Summer reading fun
. no, really
SPORTS
Page 15
Baseball sweeps Southern Mississippi
"The student performers are my favorite
part, and I will try to see as many of them
as I can, but I also love a good ice cream
sundae."
— Dean of Undergraduates Robin Forman, on
the Spring 2006 Leebron-Forman Study Break.
See Story. Page 1.
Weekend Weather
Friday
Scattered thunderstorms. 71-83 degrees
Saturday
Morning thunderstorms. 61-79 degrees
Sunday
F>artty cloudy. 61-83 degrees
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Brown, David. The Rice Thresher, Vol. 93, No. 27, Ed. 1 Friday, April 28, 2006, newspaper, April 28, 2006; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth442999/m1/1/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.