The Rice Thresher, Vol. 89, No. 23, Ed. 1 Friday, March 15, 2002 Page: 2 of 20
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THE RICE THRESHER OPINION FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2002
the Rice Thresher
RanonaLe
&y r>avit> cHien
Leslie Liu, Robert Reichle
Editors in Chief
Congratulating Rice's
fastest runners
The women's track and field team placed fifth in the
NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships last
weekend (See Story, Page 1). This accomplishment
was doubly notable since it was the best finish a Rice
varsity team has had since the baseball team tied for
fifth at the 1999 College World Series.
In addition to an outstanding team showing, indi-
vidual members of the team earned some personal
achievements. Junior Allison Beckford won first place
in the 400-meter dash, setting Rice and Western Ath-
letic Conference records in the process.
Other members of the team, such as the women in
the distance medley relay team, earned Ail-American
honors. Senior Aimee Teteris even earned Ail-Ameri-
can status in three separate events.
The Owls owe much of their success to Coach Jon
Warren, who has shown a real dedication to his team.
Warren has been at Rice 23 years, and during that time
he's developed a reputation for taking the time to get
involved with his athletes.
The track and field team deserves recognition for its
accomplishment, and for making Rice proud at the
highest level of collegiate competition.
Creatively "jacking"
other colleges
Ask a random Rice student why he or she chose to
come here, and odds are a primary reason was the
college system.
To a high school senior shopping around for schools,
residential colleges sound enticing: They offer a built-
in support system from the first day of orientation, a
fraternity or sorority-type environment without many
of the bad connotations that come with a true Greek
system.
The colleges differ drastically from frats, but there's
one similarity with Greek life that they take pride in.
When it comes to crazy pranks or inter-college "jacks,"
Rice students unleash a creativity that rivals the most
twisted minds of any Animal House (or Revenge of the
Nerds).
With Beer-Bike coming up next week, we hope to see
Rice students continue the tradition of jacking other
colleges.
There are plenty of safe, legal things to do to those
neighbors across the quad. In recent memory, students
have put up fake construction fences to trap rivals
within their own college; they've planted forests of
plastic flatware in the ground in front of an enemy
building; they've even sent out fake census forms and
"rededicated" new colleges in an effort to colonize the
newest additions to the college system.
There are also the standard pre-Beer-Bike water
balloon antics, which are always fun. Gust remember,
only fill balloons with water, and never underfill bal-
loons.)
And we should always remember the mother of all
jacks — the 180-degree rotation of Willy's statue in
1988.
So as you begin filling water balloons and decorating
vehicles for next week's parade, keep in mind that
college is the time for us to have fun. And the Rice
student body has the creative potential to mastermind
plenty of entertaining jacks that maintain a friendly
rivalry between the colleges.
J
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THe besT jacxs aRe THe ones invoLvin<r
s-Lue, foil, anc> lots ano lots of cHicxens.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Article raises questions
about student housing
To the editor:
After reading the article "Off-
campus escort to continue despite
no use" (Feb. 15), my impression is
that former Student Association
President Gavin Parks and Housing
and Dining Director Mark Ditman
believe that most or all students
wanting to live on campus are given
that opportunity.
Are they aware of the situation at
Wiess College? Of 60 rising sopho-
mores wanting to live on campus for
the 2002-'03 school year, only 10
were accommodated. Fifty students
forced off campus is not insignifi-
cant, especially when they are all
from the same college.
This situation has raised ques-
tions for me and perhaps for others.
I would like to see the answers. How
many students are being forced off
campus for 2002 from each college?
How many excess beds are there on
campus for 2002-'03 from each col-
lege? Can a creative solution be
found here?
During the recent SA elections,
"campus unity" was frequently men-
tioned as a goal of candidates for
office. Colleges offering excess beds
to students being forced off campus
from their own college would be a
wonderful opportunity to concretely
express campus unity. Perhaps
these guest students could be in-
vited to be Orientation Week advi-
sors for their host colleges.
Louann Grady
Wiess parent
Column undermines,
devalues campus unity
To the editor:
Your publication of Laura
Fitzmorris' guest opinion column
was both inappropriate and irrespon-
sible ("Raising the bar for athletes
in the classroom," March 1). Her
article is hostile, misguided and
based on her own prejudices instead
of necessary factual evidence. Stu-
dents such as Fitzmorris cause
Rice's community atmosphere and
unity within the student body to
deteriorate.
Rice values a student's commit-
ment to many different school-
sponsored activities, including par-
ticipation in the Thresher. The
Thresher has continually been an
open forum that tolerates opinions
from many different backgrounds
and personal belief systems. How-
ever, any newspaper editor under-
stands his or her role of maintaining
the integrity of his or her publica-
tion. Maliciously written opinion ar-
ticles should not be allowed.
Fitzmorris writes, This demor-
alization of athletes is perhaps an
even greater source of strife between
athletes and their non-athletic coun-
terparts. Telling a person that she is
under par academically will only
lower self-esteem and make hei be-
have accordingly." The athletes of
Rice did nothing to deserve defama-
tion and ridicule from the student
body.
As a message to the misinformed
students of Rice University: All, and
I repeat all, student-athletes at Rice
do the same work that other stu-
dents do, with three to four hours
per day in which they cannot study.
Next time you see an athlete, thank
him for representing your school
with courage, values and dedica-
tion.
As for Fitzmorris: After reading
your poorly written column, I am
certain your admission to Rice was
unfairly based on how much you
diligently studied for your SATs,
instead of on your intelligence.
Laura, I am an athlete, and I am
deeply offended.
P.S. Over 85 percent of female
CEOs in the United States were
members of a varsity sport for at
least two athletic seasons in high
school. The "jocks" you scorned
throughout high school are going
to be your bosses someday. I
wouldn't be so cynical if I were you.
Anna Reeve
Will Rice freshman
Member of the women's cross
country team
Athletes contribute to
campus environment
To the editor:
I.aura Fitzmorris' "Raising the bar
for athletes in the classroom" was a
cheap shot at Rice student-athletes.
She generalized her personal expe-
rience, which was clearly biased, as
she admitted that she had always
"scoffed" at jocks, to make a blanket
statement about the intelligence of
student-athletes.
I could just as ridiculously say, "A
brazen student wrote a nasty article
See LETTERS. Page
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Liu, Leslie & Reichle, Robert. The Rice Thresher, Vol. 89, No. 23, Ed. 1 Friday, March 15, 2002, newspaper, March 15, 2002; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth443195/m1/2/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.