The Rice Thresher | Wednesday, January 10, 2024

VOLUME 108, ISSUE NO. 14 | STUDENT-RUN SINCE 1916 | RICETHRESHER.ORG | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2024

Rice sees second consecutive year of record-high early applications college?’ Do, who is from Elk Grove, Calif., continued. “So EDITOR-IN-CHIEF QuestBridge [will] really relieve a lot of stress on my financial Rice’s Office of Admissions accepted situation.”

15.3% of Early Decision applicants This year saw a similar split between on Dec. 14, 2023. An additional 77 Texas and non-Texas domestic students, students matched with Rice through representing 39% and 48% of early the Questbridge National College Match admits, respectively.

International program. With 2,886 applicants, this students accounted for the remaining year marked the second consecutive 14%, consistent with last year’s 13%. year of record-high Early Decision Haylee Bo Nguyen, a recent Rice applications, surpassing last admit from Houston, grew up in the year’s 2,743. city’s suburbs. A lifelong “shy person,” Regular decision Nguyen said she applied to Rice to get to applications, which were know her community better. due Jan. 4, are also “I’m most looking forward to dorming because I’ve been very close-knit with my family all this time. I’ve never had time to myself in a new environment before,” Nguyen said. “I’m kind of excited to learn more about myself and the school and … have my own little freedom.”

Architecture Engineering was the most popular discipline, representing 34% of admits, 1% Humanities a slight uptick from last year’s 32%.

7% The distribution across schools has stayed consistent since Business last year, with architecture Engineering 8% and business remaining 34% unchanged from their Social Sciences previous 1% and 8% of admits, 21% International respectively.

“I really 14% want to Natural Sciences Texas explore 30% 39% t h e [Oshman *Data provided by Vice Presient for Engineering U.S. Non-TX Enrollment Yvonne Romero da Silva Design Kitchen],” 48% Do, who applied to the School of Engineering, said. “They *Data provided by Vice Presient 3D printed an arm for a for Enrollment Yvonne Romero 5-year-old boy … I know Rice da Silva 35,000 really cares for the community around Houston.”

30,000 Both Do and Nguyen shared their excitement about Rice’s social traditions, from Orientation Week to residential 25,000 college life.

“I feel like other top schools, they’re *Data from Thresher Archives 20,000 pretty competitive … But for me and for my major, which is engineering, which 15,000 QuestBridge, requires a lot of teamwork, I think collaboration is a big part in my success said.

“Before [my at a university,” Do said. “I talked to a acceptance] I lot of Rice students before I applied and they also made the same point about a was like, ‘I don’t know ALICE SUN / THRESHER how I’m going to college, community here. Everyone says they how are we going to pay for want each other to [succeed].” projected to set another record high.

Vice President for Enrollment Yvonne Romero da Silva said the Office of Admissions currently stands at 32,373 total applications for the Class of 2028, exceeding the previous record high — 31,424, set in 2022 — by 3%. Romero da Silva told the Thresher that the number of total applications is expected to rise slightly as “final applications trickle in.”

“I just couldn’t believe that I actually got matched to my first choice … It’s absolutely a dream come true,” Gai Van Do, who matched with Rice through

RIYA MISRA

QuestBridge admits: 77 Early Decision admits: 442

Engineering and Natural Sciences received most applications

Nearly half of ED and QB admits are U.S. Non-TX

Total applications increased over the years

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Student Association passes Senate Resolution 14, affirms support for ‘Faculty Statement of Solidarity with Palestinians’ RIYA MISRA

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF The Student Association passed a resolution affirming support for the Oct. 27 Rice University Faculty Statement of Solidarity with Palestinians. The resolution, which was introduced at the Nov. 27 Senate and voted on at the Dec. 4 Senate, passed with 16 votes in favor, five votes against and four abstentions, exceeding the two-thirds requirement to pass.

The resolution stipulates that the Student Association sign onto the Faculty

Statement, which was released in part to express disagreement with Rice’s “uneven response to the ongoing violence in Israel/Palestine,” the authors wrote in the Faculty Statement. The Faculty Statement has been signed by hundreds of faculty, students, staff, alumni and community members.

The resolution also says the Student Association will issue a statement reaffirming support for “all Rice students, particularly pro-Palestinian students who feel marginalized and unsafe” and for Palestinian, Muslim and Arab students, “[recognizing] their unique struggles in

light of geopolitical events.”

“Nowhere in the resolution does it ask the [Student Association] to actively discriminate against or exclude any one group of students,” the Lovett College President, who introduced the resolution, said at the Dec. 4 Senate,

SEE S. RES 14 PAGE 2

Rice legend Frank Ryan remembered for athleticism, intelligence, perseverance ANDERSEN PICKARD

THRESHER STAFF

Frank Ryan, a former Rice football star, NFL champion and highly-regarded professor, passed away Jan. 1 at the age of 87. In addition to his wife and four sons, Ryan is survived by 11 grandchildren and one greatgrandchild, according to The New York Times.

In a statement, Ryan’s family identified Alzheimer’s disease as his cause of death. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy likely contributed to the disease’s progression, they added. Ryan’s brain will be donated to the Boston University CTE Center “so that future football players and their families, as well as society in general, can better understand the effects of repetitive brain trauma on the human nervous system,” his family said.

The link between Ryan’s Alzheimer’s and a potential diagnosis of CTE, which often presents in football players who endured head trauma, did not surprise classmate Jack Pietri ’59.

He remembers the quarterback’s physical playing style.

“He was a hard running [player],” Pietri said.

Before he decided to attend Rice, Ryan’s parents envisioned him at Yale University. However, born and raised in Fort Worth, he believed joining the Owls in the Southwestern Conference offered him the best chance to become a football standout while receiving a high-quality education.

“He loved the academic mission,” Ryan’s son, Frank Ryan Jr., told the Thresher. “At the time, Rice was very competitive in football, so he really enjoyed that.”

Splitting quarterback reps with eventual No. 1 overall pick King Hill, Ryan helped lead Rice to a conference title in 1957 and was ultimately drafted by the Los Angeles Rams. He spent four seasons with the Rams before being traded to the Cleveland Browns.

He played 84 games with the Browns from 1962 to 1968, posting an 0.684 winning

SEE FRANK RYAN PAGE 10 COURTESY WOODSON RESEARCH CENTER Frank Ryan, a former Rice football star, NFL champion and highlyregarded professor, passed away on Jan. 1 at the age of 87.

2 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2024

THE RICE THRESHER

FROM FRONT PAGE

S. RES 14

counseling resources with professionals who are trained to provide care that according to the minutes approved Jan. addresses the impact of domestic 8. “The resolution explicitly says instead and international forms of structural to reaffirm support for students who have violence.” felt as though they have not received it In a Dec. 6 statement to the Thresher, from the administration by signing the DesRoches said acts of hate and hate Faculty Statement.” speech are “strongly denounced and will “The Faculty Statement explains not be tolerated” at Rice, particularly the historical nuance of the issue from “antisemitism, anti-Palestinian rhetoric scholars who have studied the subject for or Islamophobia.” their entire lives … It explains that [Rice “In my message to the campus President Reggie community on DesRoches’] Nov. 3, I address message was the death and i n t e r p r e t e d The resolution explicitly destruction both as being Palestinians and says instead to reaffirm asymmetrical by Israelis have many students, support for students endured and the many of whom are who have felt as though grief and pain represented here they have not received it they are feeling today, and the as the conflict importance of an from the administration continues,” equal application by signing the Faculty DesRoches wrote. of the culture of Statement.

“The message care in our words also stresses our and action,” they Lovett College President priority to ensure continued. the safety and The Senate resolution calls upon the wellbeing of the entire Rice community Office of the President to respond to the while honoring our commitment to Faculty Statement’s requests, including freedom of speech and expression releasing statements “denouncing and allowing a supportive space for violence and violations of international gatherings during this difficult time. law against Palestinian civilians in Gaza, “To ensure we are properly addressing the West Bank, and Israel” and “affirming the concerns of our community and and defending academic freedom, offering support to promote dialogue especially for those who express support and understanding, the provost and I for Palestinian liberation.” are in the process of forming an advisory The resolution also calls for the group of faculty who have expertise Office of the President to “affirm its in the Middle East, Jewish Islamic and commitment to a culture of care for our religious studies to chart out how we can Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim student have a campuswide discussion about the body, faculty, staff, and community” conflict, its history and the complexities and to “facilitate access to affordable as the region seeks a path forward. These

conversations are very important to me and our campus leadership,” DesRoches added.

The Dec. 4 Senate was held as a special session to continue the discussion of S.RES 14, which was introduced at the prior Senate. Attendance was limited to Rice undergraduates to “ensure that the Senate can adequately gauge student opinion,” Student Association President Solomon Ni wrote in an email to the Student Association Public Notice listserv.

Non-undergraduates were able to attend via a Zoom livestream.

Ni said around 200 people attended Senate virtually or in-person in the Kyle Morrow Room, which reached fire capacity. There was standing room only, Ni said, and students waited outside the room while watching the Zoom livestream. Dean of Undergraduates Bridget Gorman and Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Alexander Byrd attended in person.

Senate lasted just shy of two hours, with over a dozen students taking turns speaking in favor of and against the resolution. This followed a period of student discussion at the Nov. 27 Senate.

“Student government, many detractors say to this resolution, must not be involved in such a political issue,” Zain Rahman, the Brown College New Student Representative said Dec. 4, according to the minutes. “Well, I

FRANCESCA NEMATI / THRESHER

say when our administration makes a statement favoring one side or the other as it did, as President DesRoches’s statement did, it is crucial that the student government is now involved.”

“I appreciate our student leaders and their independence to lead and address concerns,” DesRoches wrote.

“The fear, pain and loss among many of our students is palpable, especially after seeing countless reports of thousands of innocent lives lost in Gaza and the attacks in Israel. It’s important all of our students feel safe and heard at this time.”

Rice Global Paris opens 2024 summer program applications ALYSSA HU

THRESHER STAFF Rice Global Paris Center is now accepting applications for summer 2024 courses. They are open to all undergraduate Rice students with prerequisite requirements for some courses and a Jan. 26 application deadline.

The program provides nine courses that cover a variety of subjects and topics, including chemistry, sports management, anthropology and earth science. The courses provide three or six credits and last for three weeks, with housing provided. The program costs $1,200 per credit hour excluding travel and living expenses, according to the program website.

Garry White, the administrative director of Rice Global Paris, said the program contains diverse courses to accommodate as many students as possible,

VIRGINIA LIU / THRESHER

regardless of their field of study. He also said course offerings are designed to utilize Paris’s local resources in the curriculum.

“The purpose of coming over to Paris for a summer course is to experience the city as fully as possible, and the professors leading these courses very much embrace that,” White said. “They design the courses to have as many site visits as possible and to have assignments that are based in the city.”

Fabiola López-Durán, an associate professor of art history who taught the course “Unlearning Paris” last summer, said a typical day in class would begin with academic discussions in the classroom and end with city exploration.

“Most days … ended with delightful and revelatory moments in the city — strolling its streets and secret passages, visiting its extraordinary museums and monuments, and eating and talking in its parks, markets and bistrots,” López-Durán wrote in an email to Thresher.

This summer, López-Durán will continue to co-teach the same class with few changes.

“The main challenges we are expecting this year are connected to the fact that our course will take place only days before the opening of the 2024 Olympic Games.

However, this is a unique opportunity to test our own methodologies and to analyze how the reshaping of the city to accommodate this massive sporting spectacle will alter the life of its citizens,” López-Durán wrote.

Vice president for global strategy Caroline Levander said with experience from last year, this summer the program will be at full capacity.

“Last summer was our pilot. We did a very small number of courses intentionally to make sure students and faculty thrived,”

Levander said. “This summer, we’re at full night we went to experience the local bar culture. The experience was very different capacity.”

Levander also said the courses this year [compared to Houston],” Zhang said.

According to Levander, benefits of will continue to leverage local resources, including top academic institutions, studying abroad include acquiring essential museums, historical sites and the wine life skills like navigating international travel, which prepares students for future careers. industry in France.

Irene Mendez, a global programs “The course [Climate Change, Economics, and the Wine Industry will include] day trips specialist, said financial aid was available for students through the to the vineyards,” financial aid office Levander said. and Rice Global.

Hyacinthus Eligible students can Zhang, who took receive financial aid “Unlearning Paris” The purpose of coming for up to nine credit last year, said over to Paris for a summer hours each summer earning course credit course is to experience the for two summers, at and learning French city as fully as possible, 50% of the tuition motivated her to and the professors leading rate. Additionally, attend the program. there are tuition “For me there these courses very much assistance and travel were two main embrace that awards available reasons,” Zhang, from Rice Global, a Sid Richardson Garry White which are awarded College junior, said. ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR, RICE based on need, even “I double major in GLOBAL PARIS if students don’t Architecture and Art History, so the schedule is very tight. Also, a receive regular financial aid.

White said resources that support students personal reason [is that] I am learning French … so I feel learning the history [of Paris] would with studying abroad and international travel have also been available since last year. make me understand the language better.”

“We have created a Canvas course, [and] “I was about to do two months of research [in the summer] ... and the three-week we have a lot of tips and resources around schedule in May fit my plan,” Jennifer Liu, a safety, security, health, the transportation senior from Lovett who attended the program system and many other aspects of the and took the class EcoStudio in Paris last May, experience of living in Paris,” White said.

“It was extremely gratifying to see said. “I took the class out of interest.”

Zhang said when living in Paris, she students (many of them traveling for the first experienced the local night life she felt time outside the US) becoming every day more comfortable navigating the city, more Houston lacked.

“I went to ballet and modern dance comfortable in their own shoes, more free, performances with friends … There was a more themselves,” López-Durán wrote.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2024 • 3

NEWS

DesRoches delivers State of University address

COURTESY JEFF FITLOW

VIOLA HSIA

SENIOR WRITER President Reggie DesRoches gave his first State of the University address Nov. 29, 2023, outlining several highlights from his past year of presidency.

“We have been able to bring incredible administrators, faculty and staff to Rice over the past couple of years,” DesRoches wrote in an email to the Thresher. “We also attract more and more talented students from all over the world. Being able to strengthen Rice and increase our local, national and global impact by building the university’s community has been one of my proudest accomplishments as president thus far.”

DesRoches touched on multiple statistics, including the admission rates for the class of 2027 dropping to 8% and athletic achievements, like the move to the American

Athletic Conference this fall.

Assistant athletic director Chuck Pool wrote that he was appreciative of DesRoches’ support in the address. “[DesRoches] has consistently expressed similar sentiments about athletics at Rice, and they reflect the tremendous collaboration we have in place to enhance the Rice brand in intercollegiate athletics,” Pool wrote.

DesRoches also spoke about the university’s plans for two new residential colleges and a new student center. He further touched on expanded research opportunities following accomplishments such as students receiving the NASA Future Investigators Award.

“We are also revamping our general education curriculum, the first comprehensive revision in over 20 years, and we are enhancing and growing our research enterprise with new partnerships,

Inaugural Rice in Mexico focuses on sustainable business practices KEEGAN LEIBROCK

SENIOR WRITER

Rice is offering a new Rice in Mexico program this summer through the Center for Languages and Intercultural Communication. The program is aimed at business majors interested in traveling abroad while taking courses in Spanish and sustainable business practices.

Aymara Boggiano, a senior lecturer at the Center for Languages and Intercultural Communication and the program organizer, said that the program includes two courses taught within the city of Merida, Mexico.

“One [course] is SPAN 322, which is part of the Spanish certificate and also taught on Rice campus,” Boggiano said. “The other is SPAN 324. It’s more of a hands-on practical course that is taught by local faculty, geared toward sustainable business practices in the area.”

Boggiano said that the new location was chosen because of its relative proximity to Houston and because there is an established educational provider, the Institute for Study Abroad.

“We didn’t want to do it in Spain because [we] already have the Rice in Spain program for pre-med students, so we looked into Peru and Costa Rica, but they did not have the business focus we were looking for,” Boggiano said. “Eventually, we settled on Merida, Mexico, due to its proximity and the fact that we found a provider who has worked in the area successfully for many years.”

Boggiano said that the program is part of Rice’s broader effort to create study abroad programs geared toward non-premed students. “[The CLIC] found that there was a good deal of interest that grew recently with more students coming in to study business,” Boggiano said. “We decided it was important to have a business-focused study abroad program that runs parallel to medical Rice study abroad programs.”

Colin Buechler-Neimeyer, a Duncan College sophomore, said that he plans to apply for the program as it aligns with his academic and study abroad goals.

“I’m a business major and I’ve always been interested in studying abroad, so this checks the box of that while also allowing me to fulfill SPAN 322, a requirement for my Spanish certification,” BuecherlerNeimeyer said.

According to Boggiano, students must sign a pledge to only speak Spanish while attending the program abroad. BuechlerNeimeyer said that he hopes to attend the program to improve his Spanish-speaking skills.

“I would love an opportunity where I’m speaking Spanish all the time. I’m taking a Spanish course here, but when I leave the classroom, I typically don’t continue speaking Spanish,” BuechlerNeimeyer said. “I hope that being able to live in an environment where I have to constantly speak Spanish will enable me to become fluent.”

The deadline to apply to the program through the CLIC website is Sunday, Jan. 21.

COURTESY AYMARA BOGGIANO

investments, faculty and staff,” DesRoches they have more control and authority over,” wrote to the Thresher. “Finally, we are hiring Fox explained.

Vice president of research Ramamoorthy more than 200 faculty, which will allow us to keep our small student-to-faculty ratio while Ramesh said he hopes this new expansion we build strength across the breadth of the into research will not only widen Rice’s reputation on the academic stage, but allow university.”

Provost Amy Dittmar wrote in an email room for conversation and progress.

“Universities need to be a place where to the Thresher that part of this research expansion lay in increasing the budget for we can have a conversation,” Ramesh said.

“There’s a lot of faculty salaries things that we will and graduate [explore] deeper, research stipends. with the intention of Dittmar also said using our strengths she is currently The world needs more Rice in engineering, leading a budget graduates, and this puts sciences, policy, transformation the university in a strong social sciences and initiative with the humanities to solve executive vice position as an institution. the biggest problems president for finance Amy Dittmar of our lifetime.” and administration, PROVOST Dittmar wrote Kelly Fox. that she hopes “A budget provides incentives for research that spans students will take advantage of these new multiple disciplines,” Dittmar wrote. opportunities, and thinks Rice is well “The world’s most pressing problems in positioned for the future.

“Rice graduates are adaptable, resilient sustainability, health care and more require that kind of multidisciplinary research. I’m problem-solvers who have the skills to engage looking forward to more closely aligning our in civil conversations across differences, display cultural understanding and elevate budget with Rice’s values and priorities.”

According to Fox, a first run of the budget the public conversation on key issues in model is set to be implemented this coming society,” Dittmar wrote. “They lead with July, with monthly meetings throughout the courage and compassion, as they’ve been taught to do through student experiences. first year.

“What [the model’s] going to do is help The world needs more Rice graduates, and enable schools to have more resources at this puts the university in a strong position as their discretion, and make decisions that an institution.”

Ahalya Lettenberger ’23 awarded Marshall Scholarship AISHA KHEMANI

FOR THE THRESHER

Ahalya Lettenberger, a recent graduate and swim team member, was awarded the Marshall Scholarship Dec. 11, which fully funds two years of study abroad in the United Kingdom for up to 51 students annually. She is the first Rice student to receive the scholarship since 2018 and the first student-athlete since 1999.

“I applied because I’ve always wanted to live and study abroad, and the U.K. has been where I wanted to go because they’re leaders in the field of assistive technology, which is what I want to go into,” Lettenberger, now a visiting postbaccalaureate at Rice, said. “The U.K. is known for being advanced in disability rights, inclusion, assistive technology and disability sport.”

Lettenberger, who majored in bioengineering, plans to pursue a master’s degree in sports biomechanics from the University of Loughborough and disability, design and innovation at University College London.

“My bioengineering degree definitely prepared me for what’s to come and my application,” Lettenberger said. “At Rice, I was able to do everything I wanted to do in college. I swam at Rice, and then I studied bioengineering and was also able to do research for three and a half years in the Mechatronics and Haptic Interfaces Lab, also known as the MAHI Lab. I worked on surgical robotics, and I also worked on an upper arm exostosis [device] that helps people who are paralyzed, or have had traumatic brain injury.”

Lettenberger was born with arthrogryposis, a physical disability causing muscle weakness and impaired range of motion. She credits swimming for boosting her self-confidence.

“Through swimming, I met so many different people with all different types of disabilities,” Lettenberger said. “That changed my life because I learned to embrace my disability. I want to give back to that community through assistive technology and provide independence for people with disabilities.”

COURTESY AHALYA LETTENBERGER During her five seasons swimming for Rice, Lettenberger has won international awards, including a silver medal in the S7 200-meter individual medley and fourth place in the 400-meter freestyle in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. She also placed second in the 2019 and 2023 World Para Swimming Championships for the 400-meter freestyle.

“My team and my coaches are like a second family to me, and they’ve supported me so much. Through Rice, I qualified for the Paralympics in 2021 in Tokyo, and I medalled there, and that was my lifelong dream.” Lettenberger said.

Catherine Eland, a member of the swim team, said she respects Lettenberger for her joyous personality and grit.

“I have only spent one semester on the team with [Lettenberger], but as soon as I joined the team, she has been an absolute joy to be around,” Eland, a McMurtry College freshman, wrote in an email to the Thresher. “She has such a bubbly personality and an infectious sense of humor that the most difficult of practices are made a lot easier. She has this great mix of being fun and outgoing as well as highly determined and laser focused.”

Lettenberger was a visiting postbaccalaureate at Rice during the Fall 2023 semester so she could remain eligible to compete with Rice Swimming.

Even though she plans to compete professionally in 2024, she will continue to train alongside the Rice swimming team.

4 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2024

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THE RICE THRESHER

EDITORIAL

Show up to support student athletes

Despite their disappointing 45-21 season-ending loss to Texas State in the First Responder Bowl, the Rice football team has reason for optimism going forward: The Owls played in their second-straight bowl game while going 4-4 in their first season as members of the American Athletic Conference.

Winning their most games in a season since 2014 and defeating crosstown rivals University of Houston in the Bayou Bucket has made this season a successful one for head coach Mike Bloomgren, who has significantly turned around this football program since he arrived in 2018.

In addition to football, the Owls have remained competitive in numerous other sports. Specifically, the women’s basketball team has started their season strongly, with an 8-5 overall record and a 2-0 record against conference play, good for third in the AAC. Furthermore,

the women’s volleyball team also had a transfers and the incoming freshman great season, with players Emilia Weske, recruits can continue contributing to the Nia McCardell and Danyle Courtley being Owls on the field as Rice progresses into relevancy. named to allThe new conference honors semester brings last November. new opportunities The team finished to support 18-11 last season As much as our athletes our studentwhile also making have had great progress, it athletes.

From several cameos in is up to us, as students, to free basketball the NCAA top 25 games at Tudor rankings early in show up and root for our peers.

Fieldhouse to the season. baseball resuming Aside from their success during the season, Football has in just over a month, there are a multitude remained active in improving their roster of opportunities for us students to rally during the offseason. Bolstering their behind the Owls. Student attendance at team in areas of weaknesses, the Owls games is instrumental in boosting the attracted three-star transfer quarterback morale of our teams and in turn giving E.J. Warner, the son of NFL Hall of Famer them a bigger chance of success. As Kurt Warner, three-star EDGE Michael much as our athletes have had great Daley and many others. Bloomgren and progress, it is up to us, as students, to his coaching staff will hope that these show up and root for our peers.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

GUEST OPINION

Trafficking is a central Bridging the digital divide feminist issue Editor’s Note: This is a letter to the editor that has been submitted by a member of the Rice community. The views expressed in this opinion are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of the Thresher or its editorial board. Letters to the editor are fact-checked to the best of our ability and edited for grammar and spelling

by Thresher editors.

Last semester, International Justice Mission’s anti-trafficking fashion Interwoven was featured in the Thresher.

The article concluded with a call from me imploring Rice students to consider the connections between social issues they care about and human trafficking. I am writing today to expand upon that call to action and to mobilize the campus to consider trafficking more deeply.

Human trafficking is defined by the United Nations as the “recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring, or receipt of people through force, fraud, or deception with the aim of exploiting them for profit.” At its core, human trafficking is the exploitation of a person for personal gain. As noted in last semester’s article, over 50 million people are currently enslaved, more than at any time in human history.

However, when I talk to Rice students, many of them do not seem too concerned about this human rights violation. Instead, they dismiss the issue. One peer of mine even expressed skepticism that sex trafficking even exists. I wonder if they worry I am trying to sell them on building a border wall to block undocumented migration or a QAnon conspiracy about a pizza restaurant.

I am not. Instead, I am calling on Rice students to include the issue of human trafficking in their advocacy and to educate themselves on the issue.

Fundamentally, human trafficking is a women’s issue.

The International Labour Organization estimates that 4.9 million women and girls This letter has been cut for print. Read the full article at ricethresher.org.

Sarah Sowell JONES COLLEGE SENIOR

Editor’s Note: This is a guest opinion that has been submitted by a member of the Rice community. The views expressed in this opinion are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of the Thresher or its editorial board. All guest opinions are fact-checked to the best of our ability and edited for clarity and conciseness

by Thresher editors.

Access to the internet plays a central role in almost everyone’s lives, especially as we enter an increasingly digitized world.

Unfortunately, however, over 170,000 households in Houston lack access to the internet. While many of these individuals are adults, a significant portion comprises students of college age.

Can you imagine not being able to access Google or Canvas at your every whim? At Rice, we’re incredibly privileged to have internet access provided to us. Admittedly, we often take it for granted, with groans echoing across campus when the “Rice Owls” Wi-Fi goes down for mere minutes.

It’s almost incomprehensible to imagine a world without access to Wi-Fi. This is the jarring reality that hundreds of thousands of Houstonians, and over two million Texans, face every day. So, what strides are being made to increase internet access, both across the country and in Texas?

One program of relevance is the Affordable Connectivity Program, a federal initiative that provides internet access to qualifying households through a subsidy of $30 per month (and $75 per month for people living on tribal lands) with participating internet providers. As of late 2023, the FCC has registered approximately 16.6 million people; however, nearly 35 million eligible households have yet to sign up.

Unfortunately, the program is at risk of ending in April, putting millions at risk of losing internet access. This poses the question: What can we do to make a difference?

First, we can raise awareness about the ACP to friends and family, who may qualify through federal benefits like SNAP, Medicaid or the Pell Grant. Alternatively, you can consider contacting members of Congress. Currently, the White House is urging Congress to extend funding for the ACP, but discussion has stalled.

Efforts to expand broadband access have been bipartisan as President Joe Biden, a Democrat, helped engineer the ACP, and

Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, created the Texas Broadband Infrastructure Fund, putting $1.5 billion toward broadband expansion efforts. If we hope to ensure that the ACP remains funded, we must urge our senators and representatives to push their support behind this initiative.

This is especially relevant in Texas, where 1.7 million Texans just lost access to Medicaid. Since April 2023, states have been reevaluating Medicaid recipients’ eligibility for the program, following a three-year pause on eligibility checks due to COVID-19. Texas’s Medicaid eligibility requirements are extremely stringent, and because Medicaid is one of the main ways that individuals qualify for the ACP, many households are simultaneously losing access to healthcare and the internet.

Hence, it’s vital that we show lawmakers the large impact the ACP has on the community. Students can advocate for continued ACP funding on social media to rally their peers into demonstrating widespread public support.

Many organizations are also working to connect individuals to the internet, including EducationSuperHighway and OnlineForAll. One organization, Link Health, is a nonprofit initiative spearheaded by students from Rice, Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Houston, who have witnessed firsthand the impact that internet access has on Houstonians.

Today, those without the internet find themselves cut off from friends, family and community.

This opinion has been cut for print. Read the full article at ricethresher.org.

Abhi Jain

MCMURTRY COLLEGE SOPHOMORE

Jiya Bhatia

MCMURTRY COLLEGE SOPHOMORE

EDITORIAL STAFF * Indicates Editorial Board member Prayag Gordy* Editor-in-Chief Riya Misra* Editor-in-Chief Nayeli Shad* Managing Editor NEWS Brandon Chen* Editor Spring Chenjp Asst. Editor Maria Morkas Asst. Editor OPINION Sammy Baek* Editor FEATURES Sarah Knowlton* Editor ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Hadley Medlock* Editor SPORTS Pavithr Goli* Editor Diego Palos Rodriguez Asst. Editor BACKPAGE Timmy Mansfield Editor Ndidi Nwosu Editor Andrew Kim Editor COPY Jonathan Cheng Editor Annika Bhananker Editor PHOTO, VIDEO, & WEB Cali Liu Photo Editor Francesca Nemati Asst. Photo Editor Camille Kao Video Editor Ayaan Riaz Web Editor DESIGN Alice Sun Art & Design Director Chloe Chan News Siddhi Narayan Opinion Jessica Xu Features Ivana Hsyung Arts & Entertainment Kirstie Qian Sports Lauren Yu Backpage BUSINESS Edelawit Negash Business Manager Korinna Ruiz Advertisement Vanessa Chuang Distribution

ABOUT The Rice Thresher, the official student newspaper of Rice University since 1916, is published each Wednesday during the school year, except during examination periods and holidays, by the students of Rice University.

Letters to the Editor must be received by 5 p.m. on the Friday prior to publication and must be signed, including college and year if the writer is a Rice student. The Thresher reserves the right to edit letters for content and length and to place letters on its website.

Editorial and business offices are located on the second floor of the Ley Student Center: 6100 Main St., MS-524 Houston, TX 77005-1892 Phone: (713) 348 - 4801 Email: thresher@rice.edu Website: www.ricethresher.org The Thresher is a member of the ACP, TIPA, CMA and CMBAM. © Copyright 2024

Carolyn Suradejvibul

SID RICHARDSON COLLEGE SOPHOMORE ricethresher.org

6 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2024

THE RICE THRESHER

Trevor Boffone creates a classroom community going to happen, which makes them do the reading [and] makes them put more effort into the actual course.

“They know that if they do that part, then they can introduce me to a TikTok dance and I’ll learn it with them.

And so they come to class early,” Boffone continued.

According to FWIS 100 student Gabi Varga, Boffone’s emphasis on creating a tight-knit classroom community is a welcome change for his students.

“It’s … a nice break from the 100, 200 people lectures that I sit in all day,” Varga, a Duncan College freshman, said. “It’s just nice to … be able to connect with him and the 14 other students that I’m in class with.”

Joseph Mutombo, another of Boffone’s students, said that Boffone’s class is an enjoyable respite from a busy day.

“He’s made my first semester at Rice really fun, and I’ve always enjoyed going to his classes. He kind of gives me a break from all my other classes, and he’s the best. I wish I could be in his class all four years, but sadly I can’t,” Mutombo, a Baker College freshman, said.

Part of what makes Boffone’s class so enjoyable is his ability to balance fun and academics, according to FWIS 100 student Alhena Kerawala.

“When we enter class, he always has some

THRESHER SCREENSHOT OF BOFFONE’S INSTAGRAM, @DR_BOFFONE

AMY LI

THRESHER STAFF You may recognize Trevor Boffone from TikTok fame or national media platforms.

Away from the screen, though, he supports a classroom culture defined by joy, authenticity and community.

“When you create an atmosphere where the students come in and there’s music playing and I’ve got foods for you to try, it totally just takes the vibe to a place where the students feel comfortable in that space,” Boffone, who teaches FWIS 100 at Rice, said. “Sometimes people assume we don’t do classwork or we’re not doing all of the academic things that you do in class. But especially at Rice, [students] come excited about class. They want to be in my class because they know that the fun things are

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HOANG NGUYEN

CROSSWORD EDITOR

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Alongside teaching his social medianew TikTok trend that he encourages some of us to do with him,” Kerawala, a Lovett themed FWIS 100 class at Rice, Boffone College freshman, said. “And if you don’t currently does a variety of other social mediawant to do it, then you’re kind of the hype related work, including being a manager for crew. And then, he goes into the academics … Houston-based marketing agency Fun Love if class finishes early, sometimes he lets us do Media. He also has interests in Latine theater and literature, having earned a doctorate other trends, or we just talk to him.”

Boffone first started creating TikToks in in the topic from the University of Houston.

2018 while teaching at Bellaire High School in In 2016, Boffone created the 50 Playwrights Houston. He saw his students making videos Project, which is described on the project’s and, curious, began to participate — he soon website as “a digital resource for Latin@ theater and a virtual home for the voices of went viral.

“In February 2019, my high school Latin@ playwrights.”

“I’m a theater kid at heart,” Boffone said. students encouraged me to make my own accounts, and then I immediately went viral “I was interested in Spanish language, theater on Instagram,” Boffone said. “It was a lot and social justice work. So I started working of fun, and it became part of the classroom with communities in the U.S. that were doing theater for social change … A throughline of culture.” my life is using my Boffone has white privilege, my taught at the male white privilege, university level on to try to push against and off since 2009, the system, and do and previously If they do that part, then work that I’m able to taught FWIS 100 they can introduce me to a at Rice in 2017. TikTok dance and I’ll learn do because of those privileges.”

After retiring from T h o u g h teaching high it with them. And so they Boffone’s TikToks do school in May 2023 come to class early. sometimes go viral, to become a full- Trevor Boffone Boffone emphasized time content creator, FWIS 100 PROFESSOR that fame was never Boffone began teaching at Rice again because it offered his goal.

“It’s not about, ‘Oh, let’s do a video and more flexibility for him to pursue his interests go viral,’ or that sort of thing,” Boffone said. in social media.

“I was sort of having so much fun with “The conversation is really like, ‘Let’s do this that part of the job that I didn’t want to stop thing that enables us to have fun.’ And what doing it,” Boffone said. “People kept saying, happens is, on social media, content that ‘Rice students aren’t going to be silly. They’re does well is authentic content … It’s not cringe not going to make TikToks. They’re not going because you can see that there’s actually joy to do the fun stuff in class.’ I’ve proven them that’s happening there. It’s not me trying to be someone I’m not. I’m just being myself.” wrong.”

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1 Laundry cycle 5 Repeat another’s words 10 Type of salad 14 Flashcard program often used by med school students 15 Word preceding “dog” or “water” 16 Geometry calculation 17 “Until next time,” in texts 18 Revered ones 19 Behind 20 When Marty McFly went back to 22 Nativity scene figure 23 Romeo: “Thus with a kiss _ ___” 24 Meme frog 26 Faucet 29 What Rice students are back to after winter break 33 Mary-Kate or Ashley 34 Lunch hour 35 Carnival city 36 German river 37 Singer Kravitz 38 “Easy ____ it!”

39 Santa ___, CA 40 Slushy brand 41 From that point on 42 When Taylor Swift goes back to all the time 45 Puts an end to 46 Girl 47 Attention-getter 48 Planet of the Ewoks 51 Where some failed experiments might lead you back to 56 Touch a dog’s nose, perhaps 57 Military actions 58 Horse’s gait 59 ____ vera 60 Bert’s buddy 61 54-Down ingredients 62 Barbecue site 63 “Goodness gracious!”

64 Optimistic, as an outlook

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1 Electrical unit 2 Archaeology course code 3 Scottish isle, or a type of terrier 4 Clothing brand Tommy _______ 5 “Enough!”

6 Out of line 7 Bad smell 8 Party game that involves a lot of whispering 9 Ambulance destinations, for short 10 Occupation 11 Mineral sources 12 Boyfriend 13 Ed Sheeran’s preferred places to find a lover?

21 Thick Japanese noodles 22 PNG alternative 25 Start of a choosing rhyme 26 “What a pity!”

27 Frequent flier 28 Newton or Asimov 29 Skincare product 30 Flattens 31 Brother’s daughter 32 Doctor’s orders 34 Essential 37 “Own the ____” (conservative political strategy) 38 Twice a radius 41 Oracle 43 Wed in secret 44 Mess up 45 Went after 47 Sound transmission 48 Cyberauction site 49 The Big Easy, briefly 50 Used in“Monsters, Inc.” factory 52 Last Chinese dynasty 53 CHEM course that causes much agony for some pre-meds 54 Holiday drinks 55 Site for crafters 57 Sleep stage

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2024 • 7

FEATURES

Joseph Cozza: from campaigns to classrooms AMELIA DAVIS

FOR THE THRESHER Joseph Cozza has always been sure about one thing: following his passions.

From an early age, he knew it was politics.

“When I was five years old, my kindergarten had a mock election and the teacher wrote Dole and Clinton on the board.

I didn’t know either of them, so I just wrote Clinton on a piece of paper and I went FAITH ZHANG / THRESHER home every day and asked my mom to turn on CNN so I could see brought a how Bill Clinton was doing,” Cozza law professor said. “So I’ve always been interested in politics, and I majored in political from UT here earlier this semester science then as an undergraduate, to talk about constitutions,” Palos Rodriguez wrote. “Overall, he’s been where I fell in love with law.”

After graduating from Villanova a great resource in and out of the University, Cozza was a policy advisor classroom, whether it’s about class, for the Delaware State Senate, where research or law school. He’s the type he spent time researching and of professor that makes you appreciate writing legislation, including work on the program and school even more.”

Peter Caldwell, a colleague of Delaware’s conversion therapy ban.

“I realized while I was working on Cozza’s and director of the Politics, that job [that] I really enjoyed research Law, and Social Thought minor, said that he was that went behind impressed by the legislation, Cozza’s research and didn’t so and was excited much enjoy the to bring him into glad handing Rice provides so many the department. of politics and opportunities to be “Dr. Cozza’s the negotiating able to invest in both work on that went your teaching and your constitutional afterwards,” change is Cozza said. “I research that I actually excellent — I enjoyed the do find I have the time had the chance research and and resources to do both to read one of his so that’s why I articles, which decided to go get without sacrificing all of I found really my [doctorate], my weekends and nights. illuminating. and it was there Joseph Cozza His courses while pursuing add a lot to our my [doctorate] ASSISTANT TEACHING PROFESSOR curriculum and that I got opportunities to teach that I realized, especially to the set of classes that interest students in the program in wow, I also really love teaching.”

Though he has only recently Politics, Law, and Social Thought,” transitioned to academia from the Caldwell said. “When the opportunity campaign trail, most notably working arose to invite him into PLST as a coon Delaware State Senator Harris B. leader of our program, we jumped at McDowell’s re-election campaign in it.”

In addition to teaching, advising 2016, Cozza has found his place at Rice. He joined Rice’s faculty in 2023 and organizing, Cozza remains a as an assistant teaching professor prolific researcher and writer, which after working as a visiting professor he said is helped by Rice’s researchfrom the University of Texas at Austin focused approach to faculty.

“Rice provides so many for the past two years. He also serves as undergraduate advisor for Political opportunities to be able to invest Science students and the associate in both your teaching and research director of the Politics, Law, and Social that I actually do find I have the time and resources to do both without Thought minor.

Diego Palos Rodriguez, who has sacrificing all of my weekends and taken several of Cozza’s courses, said nights,” Cozza said.

Aside from work in publishing, he that Cozza’s passion for anything and everything related to politics is evident finds time to stay connected to his passions, such as cooking. in his teaching.

“I come from a big Italian family, “In all the classes that I’ve taken with him, he’s always extremely so I particularly enjoy cooking Italian prepared and shows a lot of enthusiasm food. However, living in Texas for the for the topic,” Palos Rodriguez, a Will past six years, I’ve branched out to Rice College junior, wrote in an email incorporate more Tex Mex into my to the Thresher. “In classes more recipe repertoire,” Cozza added.

Following passions is important independent in nature, like Research Methods, he showed a lot of interest to Cozza, and a part of his advice to in everyone’s research projects and any student. With experience in many pushed everyone to challenge their aspects of political science, from own knowledge and skills while also theory to practice, Cozza said that any student stands to benefit by pursuing being a great resource.”

Palos Rodriguez also said that what is fascinating to them.

“What I love about the political Cozza is active outside the classroom, often taking on a mentorship role for science curriculum is that there’s a lot of flexibility,” Cozza said. “My advice students interested in law.

“On top of classes, he’s been able is always just explore, take what you to provide myself and other pre-law find most interesting.”

Disclaimer: Diego Palos Rodriguez students with his own experiences taking law classes at UT Law and even is the Thresher’s assistant sports editor.

Owls’ Saturday night flights SHRUTI PATANKAR

FOR THE THRESHER

With public parties being shut down, Rice’s party culture is in its Prohibition era until spring break. Here are some ideas on how to spend your public-less Saturday nights in the spring semester.

Celebrate getting HBO Max back Last fall, free HBO Max streaming returned for all on-campus students. Sign in through your student account to bingewatch with friends in your college’s movie room.

Get your Shakespeare on The Rice Players are holding their biannual Play in a Day event, where students have a day to prepare and put on short original plays. Performances are at Hamman Hall on Saturday, Jan. 13 at 8 p.m. Support a friend taking part or attend to see the next Bard in action.

Ride the entire Houston metro red line Metro QCards are available for Rice students free of cost, with up to 50 free rides per month. Start at the Hermann Park stop and journey north. Along the way, you can try some Viet-Cajun crawfish in Asiatown’s Crawfish & Noodles or go thrifting in Montrose.

Servery Mukbang It’s time to make Seibel Servery TikTok famous. Grab some friends and pool your swipes to visit everything from the Wok to Owl Masala. Even if we don’t have Yale’s gourmet pancakes, North Servery’s water

chicken has viral potential.

Stampede out of campus If you can’t bring the party to Rice, bring Rice to the party. Houston’s 18+ clubs include Stampede, a country bar where you can pretend that you can dance to country music and teach your roommate from New York how to do-si-do. Bonus points to Stampede for just doing Martel’s Texas party a little better year round. Other popular 18+ clubs include Numbers, Blur and Etro (18+ Thursdays only).

Residential college field trip Have you been avoiding North Servery at mealtimes in fear of seeing an ex? On your next free Saturday night, take some time to visit all of the campus landmarks you’ve steered clear of in the daylight.

Wiess College’s foosball table is waiting for you.

Rendezvous in Rice Village The shuttle travels to and from Rice Village every 15 minutes from 5:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., so the long walk isn’t a good enough excuse to spend another evening watching Netflix in your room. Grab a drink at Teahouse or a snack at Insomnia Cookies, and finish it while you wait for TransLoc to load for ten minutes.

Support Rice’s sports teams Baseball, basketball, swimming, track and field and tennis all have events throughout the spring semester. Head to Tudor Fieldhouse or Reckling Park to pick up some merchandise and watch the Owls dominate.

HAI-VAN HOANG / THRESHER

8 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2024

THE RICE THRESHER

Classes to take when you reevaluate being a pre-med

JENNIFER LIU / THRESHER WILLIAM LIU / THRESHER

THOMAS PICKELL

FOR THE THRESHER

As the spring semester gets up-andrunning, many of us will reckon with the consequences of registering for 18 hours of organic chemistry, discrete mathematics or some unholy combination of tedious and unmanageable STEM. While passionate about your major, it can certainly be overwhelming to have such a dense serving, and many people will be looking for a taste breaker.

Rather than subject yourself to an onslaught of alkene synthesis and group coding assignments, why not explore a more open-ended approach through the school of liberal arts? These classes boast dedicated professors, manageable workload and an opportunity to diversify and balance your rigorous education.

ENGL 101: WHAT IS A FACT? Professor: Timothy Morton Mon/Wed/Fri 10-10:50 a.m.

If differential equations aren’t worth your sanity, but you’re still interested in the empirical nature of STEM, look no further than Timothy Morton’s “What is a Fact?” This class explores the nature of how information is conveyed and

understood and how these concepts apply to the material world. The class tackles a wide range of topics, from examination of totalitarian thought, to conspiracies claiming that birds don’t exist (is anyone really sure?). Course material is wideranging in both medium and content, and promises an epistemological base from which one can navigate the world, inoculated from misinformation.

HIST 102: DEMOCRACY, POWER, AND INDUSTRY IN EUROPE Professor: Carl Caldwell Mon/Wed/Fri 9-9:50 a.m.

A solid understanding of history is pivotal to navigating the world we find ourselves in, and there is no cultural theater more impactful and well documented than that of 18th-20th century Europe. The revolutionary energy that permeated the continent had an unfathomable impact on modern culture and society and understanding how these dynamics played out is pivotal in understanding the current state of the world. Through gripping historical narratives and Carl Caldwell’s enrapturing lectures, this class is sure to give you the tools to understand the world as it was, such that you can navigate the world as it is.

ENST 265: SCIENCE FICTION AND THE ENVIRONMENT Professor: Casey Williams Tu/Th 2:30-3:45 p.m.

The world we live in can often feel disorienting and bleak. While challenges to humanity are difficult to comprehend and manage, many are able to do so through the lens of science fiction. Since its only limit is what our minds can conjure, science fiction manages to grasp some of the most essential components of the human condition, even if the literal material couldn’t be further from it. This class is sure to provide a vivid idea of how culture copes with events that are seemingly larger than naturally possible.

ENGL 306: READING AND WRITING APOCALYPSE Professor: Justin Cronin Monday 2-4:50 p.m.

If you’re already familiar with science fiction, consider delving into one of the larger facets of the genre: the apocalypse. Through film, literature, and captivating seminars, Justin Cronin offers a cohesive platform off of which students can understand the underpinnings of this timeless genre. The course also tasks students to write their own apocalyptic prose, allowing students to provide their own inputs under the guidance of a New York Times bestselling author.

ENGL 238: TRANSCULTURAL COMICS Professor: Ofra Amihay Mon/Wed/Fri 9-9:50 a.m.

If traditional novels are a bit dense for your tastes, consider a more visually stimulating take on literature through Transcultural Comics. This class offers a peek into the dynamic interactions of culture through the accessible medium of graphic novels.

Like previous entries, Ofra Amihay makes a point of having authors of a diverse range of national and periodic background, such that the course material is timeless, gripping, and is sure to offer anyone who takes it a vivid understanding of the cultures conveyed.

Review: ‘The Boy and the Heron’

JAY COLLURA

THRESHER STAFF Perhaps the biggest flaw with “The Boy and the Heron” is its title, or at least, the title presented to Western audiences. The name inspires an image of the drab, hackneyed animated parable, an image that stands opposite to the sheer visual spectacle and thematic scope found within the film.

The original Japanese title, which roughly translates to “How Do You Live?” is much more appropriate. In his 12th animated feature, Hayao Miyazaki constructs and explores a gorgeous, innovative fantasyland with the intent to answer or at least meaningfully acknowledge this nebulous yet ubiquitous question. Through his trademark visual

II. Following this death, Mahito moves with his father to the countryside to live with his new stepmother. This setup is intentionally reminiscent of Miyazaki’s own life, as he grew up surrounded by the aftermath of the Second World War. The level of detail within the grounded segments of the film feels appropriately visceral — the strife communicated in these moments feels incredibly genuine and reflective on the part of the director.

As Mahito adjusts to his new home, he is taunted by a gray heron who eventually COURTESY STUDIO GHIBLI leads him to a sealed tower. After his stepmother disappears, Mahito enters the tower to rescue her and discovers an ingenuity and intensely personal flourishes, entire world seemingly parallel to his Miyazaki manages to resolve this titular own, inhabited by fantastical creatures question by showing the audience how and stunning landscapes. The audience he has led his life, acknowledging his is whisked away as Mahito is, forced to shortcomings and revealing an intense, grapple with the new environment as he is. empathic bittersweetness that beautifully To explain each of these environments and creatures would reflects the human be a disservice to condition. the film itself — This concept the animation on immediately display is complex i n s p i r e s Movie: ‘The Boy and the Heron’ and thoroughly skepticism; Director: Hayao Miyazaki constructed. Each taking aim at life new environment itself is a nearfeels richly lived in, insurmountable task. To reach the self-prescribed conceptual and as Mahito explores the parallel world, summit, Miyazaki starts with his own life. Miyazaki’s vision crystalizes.

This article has been cut off for print. To The film follows Mahito, a boy who loses his mother in a hospital fire during World War read the full story, visit ricethresher.org.

Movies you missed over break ARMAN SAXENA

THRESHER STAFF

Every winter promises an interesting crop of movie releases and this one was no different. From animated masterpieces to remakes of beloved movies to future Oscar contenders, this winter break had something for every movie lover. The following films are five films you can’t miss.

The Boy and the Heron

Possibly the most acclaimed director the world of animation has ever seen, Hayao Miyazaki is an indisputable giant of cinema. With “The Boy and the Heron,” Miyazaki has finally made his swan song. The film is a fitting end to his illustrious career, functioning as a metaphor for him grappling with finally leaving the wondrous fantastical worlds of Studio Ghibli behind once and for all. Miyazaki works at a slower pace than usual here, taking care to immerse us in the small oddities of the world he creates. It’s also one of the anime legend’s more ambiguous films, leaving many things unsaid and up to interpretation. Like always with Miyazaki, the film is a visual treat and a wonder to see on the big screen.

Godzilla Minus One Who would have thought that this year’s Godzilla movie would be the most compellingly life-affirming movie of the year? From director and visual effects artist Takashi Yamazaki, “Godzilla Minus One” transcends the typical monster blockbuster, delivering a poignant narrative that may have you shed a tear or two. Yamazaki masterfully combines awe-inspiring visual effects with a surprisingly tender exploration of the human spirit in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. The film strikes a delicate balance between thrilling monster mayhem and genuine emotional resonance, making it a standout entry in the Godzilla franchise.

The Iron Claw Simultaneously a wholly American story and deeply Shakespearean, Sean Durkin’s “The Iron Claw” is an affecting work of Americana. Wrestling fans might recognize the name of the Von Erich family, the wrestling dynasty the film puts at center stage. Zac Efron delivers what may be the best performance of his career so far in a film that also stars “The Bear”’s Jeremy Allan White and “Triangle of Sadness”’ Harris Dickinson. Durkin films the wrestling scenes with the verve of an action filmmaker, yet takes care to keep the characters and the emotions at the forefront.

This article has been cut off for print. To read the full story, visit ricethresher.org.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2024 • 9

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

A&E’s best music and movies of 2023 From record-breaking tours to smaller indie albums, 2023 was a year filled with great music. While chart-topping hits created a smaller impact than usual in the year’s musical landscape, many iconic and beloved artists released albums. The Thresher’s A&E writers recap ten of this year’s best album releases.

8. “Unreal Unearth” by Hozier A masterful concept album crafted with grace, ripe with emotion and complete with powerful vocals, Hozier’s “Unreal Unearth” has easily cemented Hozier as an artist and performer to be reckoned with. Drawing upon the epic of Dante’s “Inferno,” “Unreal Unearth” takes listeners on a cathartic journey through hell and back again that is full of well-thought out lyrics and mythical allusions. From the swelling opening of “De Selby (Part 1)” to the ascendant ending of “First Light,” this is an album in which Hozier just keeps getting better. — Hadley Medlock 7. “Javelin” by Sufjan Stevens Sufjan Stevens has made a career of bittersweet and introspective indie and folk songs, and yet “Javelin” still feels like one of his most deeply personal works.

As “Carrie and Lowell” was a product of Sufjan wrestling with his grief following the death of his mother, “Javelin” is marked by the grief following the death of his partner Evans Richardson. “Javelin” is a heartbreaking album featuring an everpoetic Sufjan laying bare his experiences with longing, love, Christianity and much more. Sonically, Stevens marries the folk of “Carrie and Lowell” with the electronic instrumentation of “The Age of Adz,” culminating in songs like the album’s climax “Shit Talk,” a worthy contender for 2023’s song of the year. — Arman Saxena 6. “That! Feels Good!” by Jessie Ware After capturing a groovier, disco sound on her last album “What’s Your Pleasure?”, Jessie Ware has cemented her dance-pop virtuosity on “That! Feels Good!”. The title is incredibly fitting - this album will put you in a good mood. Each track features incredibly catchy, layered instrumentation and soaring, rich vocals from Ware herself, giving the album an incredibly lavish yet energetic feel. Lyrically, the songs are endearingly melodramatic, but this simplicity allows the wonderful production to shine through. Seeing Ware perform at Austin City Limits was an absolute highlight of the festival, but even if you missed that, this album wonderfully captures Jessie Ware’s exuberant musical ethos and energy. — Jay Collura 5. “Scaring the Hoes” by JPEGMAFIA x Danny Brown When it comes to the world of contemporary alternative hip-hop, JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown are the dynamic duo of the moment. With releases like “Atrocity Exhibition” and “LP!”, these two artists have delivered some of the best rap albums of the last 10 years. As a result, “Scaring the Hoes” is an event album for many and it feels like one. Bursting with eclectic energy, this album features JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown at their most maximalist; their infectious enthusiasm making this a contender for the most fun listen of the year. — Arman Saxena 4. “The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We” by Mitski Mitski’s career has gone through many transformations. From the raw, anxious indie rock of “Bury Me at Makeout Creek” to the bittersweet and poppy “Be the Cowboy” and the lush 80’s inspired synthpop of “Laurel Hell,” Mitski has tapped into so many different genres and styles. With her newest album, Mitski continues that experimentation, dipping into folk, Americana and country influences, and delivers her best album since 2016’s “Puberty 2.” Mitski is one of the best singer-

ALBUMS 1. ‘Lahai’ - Sampha 2. ‘the record’ - Boygenius 3. ‘Zach Bryan’ - Zach Bryan 4. ‘The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We’ - Mitski 5. ‘Scaring the Hoes’ - JPEGMAFIA x Danny Brown 6. ‘That! Feels Good!’ - Jessie Ware 7. ‘Javelin’ - Sufjan Stevens 8. ‘Unreal Unearth’ - Hozier 9. ‘Quaranta’ - Danny Brown 10. ‘Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd’ - Lana Del Ray

songwriters of her generation, and her latest sees her at her poetic best, ranging from the romantic “My Love Mine All Mine” to the devastating verses of “I’m Your Man.” — Arman Saxena 3. “Zach Bryan” by Zach Bryan With his relatively recent rise to fame, quickly moving from playing smaller venues to football stadiums on tour, Zach Bryan has not slowed down with releasing music. One of the most vital artists working in the country genre today, Bryan mixes country, rock, and folk to create a unique sound that puts in his songwriting front and center on his eponymous album. “Zach Bryan” is an album that justifies repeat listens, filled with songs that will stay in your head and beg to be heard again.

As a writer, Bryan is able to universalize his personal experiences in his music, creating songs based on his own life that can resonate with wider audiences. — Jacob Pellegrino 2. “the record” by Boygenius An effective and touching ode to friendship, love and being seen, Boygenius’ first full-length album “the record” was a long-awaited project that soon became an instant classic. A true testament to each member’s individual power, “the record” showcases the unique singing and songwriting expertise of Phoebe Bridgers, Julian Baker and Lucy Dacus in harmonious ways. With the success of their self-titled six song EP in 2018 and ongoing wildly successful solo careers, boygenius had lofty expectations to live up to that were easily surpassed with each song on this album.

— Hadley Medlock 1. “Lahai” by Sampha Sampha’s “Lahai” is an album like nothing else, existing completely in its own lane with an otherworldly, ethereal sound. It makes you feel as if you’re floating with its beautifully layered production and Sampha’s vocals that have made him such a desired collaborator across the industry. Infused with an indelible sense of joy and wonder, the album is an ideal fusion of organic and electronic sounds, a combination that leads to an experimentation at once singular yet grounded in familiarity. The sound “Lahai” brings is distinct from anything else but never alien from the human experience.

— Jacob Pellegrino

MOVIES 1. Killers of the Flower Moon 2. Oppenheimer 3. Across the Spider-Verse 4. Past Lives 5. The Boy and the Heron 6. Godzilla Minus One 7. Poor Things 8. Anatomy of a Fall 9. Asteroid City 10. John Wick: Chapter 4

8. “Anatomy of a Fall” On Sunday, the French “Anatomy of a Fall” became the first film primarily in a nonEnglish language to win Best Screenplay at the Golden Globes, which epitomizes how well-penned a film it is. Written by director Justine Triet and her partner Arthur Harari, the film manages to successfully be a thrilling courtroom chamber piece, a piercing examination of modern family structures and a deeply character-driven drama. The quality of Triet’s film, which won the top prize (Palme d’Or) at the most recent Cannes Film Festival, is amplified by a knockout performance from lead actress Sandra Huller. — Arman Saxena 7. “Poor Things” Effervescent and life-affirming are not two adjectives I ever expected I would use to describe a Yorgos Lanthimos film, but “Poor Things” is surprising in all the best ways. Featuring a career-best performance from Emma Stone, hilarious work from Mark Ruffalo and a delightfully strange turn from Willem Dafoe, Lanthimos’ newest is a future classic. An exhilarating and life-affirming steampunk adventure about a woman coming into her own, you won’t want the journey of Bella Baxter to end. — Arman Saxena 6. “Godzilla Minus One” The Godzilla franchise is a seven-decade spanning saga featuring 33 Japanese and five American films. It’s a character with a long history and dozens of iterations, and many consider this newest iteration the best installment in the franchise since the 1954 original. With spectacular direction from Takashi Yamazaki, “Godzilla Minus One” is simultaneously able to deliver glorious monster mayhem and draw affecting characters that we can really root for. It’s a film about choosing life and a Godzilla film that would be compelling even if Godzilla wasn’t in it at all. — Arman Saxena 5. “The Boy and the Heron” “The Boy and the Heron” is a film that only Hayao Miyazaki could make. The film is an intensely personal exploration of the master filmmaker’s own story as he grapples with the decisions that he has made, the events that have shaped him and the grander structures that comprise his life. By rendering these concepts in terms so abstractly and so beautifully, it becomes impossible to not be a part of this emotional recollection and find

NDIDI NWOSU / THRESHER

Full stop, 2023 was the best year for film since the pandemic. From “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” breaking box office records, to the deluge of awards contenders that came out in the last months of the year, there was seemingly always something playing in theaters worth watching. The Thresher’s A&E writers recap ten of this year’s best film releases. pieces of yourself on screen. Creating such a statement on life itself is not an easy task, but Miyazaki’s control over his personal, sublime cinematic language makes the film feel effortlessly profound. — Jay Collura 4. “Past Lives” “Past Lives” is a stunning directorial debut from Celine Song. Filled with emotional and career-defining performances from the three actors that make up the majority of the movie, lingering location shots and a poetic style, “Past Lives” is a movie that stays with you long after watching it. The movie tells a complex story of love and cultural identity following Nora (Greta Lee), who moved to the United States from South Korea, as she meets her childhood friend Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) after years of separation. There are so many scenes throughout the film that are made exceptional by the emotions displayed on the actors’ faces. — Jacob Pellegrino 3. “Across the Spider-Verse” “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” doubles down on everything that made the original movie a joy to watch, adding even more animation styles and characters into the fold. The animation and attention to detail throughout the movie is simply incredible. For a part one, the movie has a satisfying arc and goes by fast for one of the longest animated films ever. “Across the Spider-Verse” is one of those movies with so much detail and easter eggs that you’ll notice things on each subsequent watch. The directors and animation team clearly have so much love for the source material and it gives the movie a lot of heart. — Jacob Pellegrino 2. “Oppenheimer” Even with all the advance excitement for “Oppenheimer,” no one thought that it would earn almost $1 billion in the box office.

A three hour long, R-rated, historical biopic is not something that would normally be in line for that sort of blockbuster profit. That only speaks to the power of Nolan’s directing.

Meticulously researched and incredibly filmed, “Oppenheimer” justifies its runtime with perfect pacing and build up throughout.

Cillian Murphy was an ideal choice to play the titular scientist and Robert Downey Jr., cast as Lewis Strauss, gives a career-best performance in an atypical role for him.

— Jacob Pellegrino 1. “Killers of the Flower Moon” In my eyes, 2023 in film was defined by two thematic throughlines. Many films saw filmmakers grappling with their work and purpose (“The Killer” and “Asteroid City”), and many films confronted the banality of evil (“May December” and “Oppenheimer”).

“Killers of the Flower Moon” manages to simultaneously tackle both of these themes, creating a complex statement about America’s history with Indigenous people and the complicity of many in their genocide. The overwhelming grief portrayed in the film is something I have been unable to shake away since watching, which is exactly what Martin Scorsese intended and exactly what makes the film essential. Even beyond this, the film also functions as a self-reappraisal by one of the greatest minds in American cinema. The violence that is often stylized in his work is presented here without any flourish, and the film’s lack of a solid conclusion only exacerbates the feeling that this violence has had unexpected repercussions. If 2023 is the year that film returned in full force following the pandemic, it is fitting that the year’s best film feels like a product of the intense reflection that the lockdown created. — Jay Collura

10 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2024

FROM FRONT PAGE

FRANK RYAN

percentage. Ryan led the NFL in passing touchdowns twice, earned three Pro Bowl selections, propelled the Browns to their most recent NFL title in 1964 and finished sixth in MVP voting in 1965.

Ryan achieved stardom in the NFL while simultaneously remaining a diligent student. He completed his doctorate in mathematics at Rice in 1965, according to Rice Athletics. The football star’s unwavering dedication to academic and intellectual excellence is nearly unparalleled, Terry Pluto, author of “Browns Town 1964,” said.

“You hear the phrase ‘student-

THE RICE THRESHER

athlete,’” Pluto told the Thresher. “This is one of those special occasions where it actually applies.”

Ryan became an assistant professor at Case Institute of Technology, now Case Western Reserve University, while still playing for the Browns. He enjoyed the position, but football injuries forced him to adapt in the classroom. One day, Ryan’s son accompanied his father to a lecture and was shocked to learn that he had developed a new skill just to preserve a quality learning environment for his students.

“He had just gotten surgery on his right elbow, so that meant he couldn’t use his right arm,” Frank Jr. said. “I can just remember my dad giving his lecture

COURTESY FRANK RYAN JR. Frank Ryan teaching after his football career (top left), with his wife (top right), with his son (bottom left), and playing in the NFL as a quarterback forthe Cleveland Browns (bottom right)

Throughout the chapters of his career, in chalk on the chalkboard, writing all the math equations with his left hand. He Frank received support from his wife, very quickly taught himself how to write Joan, a sportswriter for The Washington Post. The two met at Rice and married left-handed.”

The suddenly ambidextrous Ryan during senior year. They had four signed with the Washington Redskins, children together and celebrated their now the Commanders, as a backup 65th anniversary in 2023.

“The story is that dad saw my mom near the end of his career. He used his computer programming knowledge to from many yards away and what caught compile advanced statistics for his new his eye was her high, blonde ponytail swishing around going through the team.

Ryan retired from the NFL in 1970 arcade at Rice,” Frank Jr. said. “They had — after 13 professional seasons — but a wonderful love affair during college. his story was just beginning. After She was very attractive and a lot of men his football career ended, he spent were wooing her. My dad prevailed. They had a very long seven years as marriage and it the Director of stood the test of House Information time.”

Systems for The couple the United You hear the phrase retired to Vermont, States House of “student-athlete.” This where they enjoyed R e p r e s e n t a t ive s. is one of those special a more secluded One of his biggest a c h i e v e m e n t s occasions where it actually lifestyle for several decades. was helping to applies “They created develop the first a house that was c o m p u t e r i z e d Terry Pluto the home base voting system, AUTHOR OF “BROWNS TOWN 1964” for the family,” which enhanced the efficiency of Congress’ internal Frank Jr. said. “They spent 30 years there and it was their place, it was their voting process.

Ryan joined Yale University in 1978, time, and they enjoyed their company serving as their athletic director while with each other. They enjoyed the teaching mathematics. Twelve years quietness of Vermont, they enjoyed the later, he accepted a position as Rice’s environment.”

Ryan leaves behind an enormous vice president of external affairs that also allowed him to teach computational legacy in a variety of occupations.

However, his son makes it clear that and applied mathematics.

Frank Jr. witnessed his father nothing came easy for the world succeed in a wide variety of roles, champion.

“Nothing that my father achieved from quarterback to administrator to professor, taking inspiration from his came to him on a silver platter,” Frank Jr. said. “Nothing he achieved was easy. versatility and talent.

“I was very proud of him,” Frank Jr. It all required hard, hard work and said. “Excellence can be described in persistence over time.“I think that he many different ways, both in terms of represented the actual living, breathing academia but also in terms of football specimen of what it meant to be truly an and other pursuits. I think we were all athlete of superb caliber, as well as an very aware of his ability and it gave us an academic of high achievement. That’s a understanding that we, too, could do just beautiful thing for Rice to be proud of as the product that my father was.” about anything.”

‘We’re in the game’: Football to be featured in newest NCAA game DIEGO PALOS RODRIGUEZ ASST. SPORTS EDITOR After more than a decade without a new NCAA Football video game, Rice’s associate athletic director of external affairs David Pillen confirmed that video game company Electronic Arts will release a college football video game in 2024, which the Rice Owls will be featured in.

According to Pillen, EA Sports and Rice have been in communication since early 2021 when EA Sports announced that it would be developing the game. EA Sports’ licensing partner, Collegiate Licensing Company, has also been involved in the communications along with technical and legal issues.

This includes the payout tier that Rice qualified for, a number that has not been confirmed yet, and face scans for football players, which have not occurred yet according to Pillen.

In 2014, EA settled to distribute $40 million to more than 29,000 athletes after a legal battle against EA and CLC for using players’ likeness. EA was reportedly willing to pay players for their likeness in the first place, but NCAA rules prevented them from doing so, leading EA to halt production of their NCAA series.

Now, with recent policies allowing student-athletes to receive compensation for their name, image and likeness, EA can pay. There are claims that student-athletes will receive a flat fee of $500, though these reports are not confirmed and an official number would not be determined until 2024. Student-athletes still have to optin, however, and not doing so would mean their likeness would be replaced by a generic avatar in the game.

Since face scans and compensations have not occurred or been confirmed, it is unlikely that current players will be featured in the game, meaning that seniors and graduate students such as quarterback JT Daniels will not be included. The 2024 football roster will most likely be the first featured.

As to what will be included in the game for the Rice Owls, Pillen confirmed that it has provided an array of information to EA Sports and CLC. “Rice has provided assets as requested from CLC and EA that include photos of competition, stadium visuals, music tracks for fight song and alma mater, athletic logos, uniform combinations, and brand taglines,” Pillen wrote. “Any uniform/helmet combination that was worn this past season was shared with EA Sports.”

This includes the “Love Ya Blue”

HONG LIN TSAI / THRESHER

uniform combination along with the retro navy blue helmets and standard white and blue uniform combinations, though it is not guaranteed that all of these combinations will be available.

While there hasn’t been an official release date, the highly-anticipated

video game is set to make waves across South Main for both fans and the football program. “[The game is] a huge marketing resource for the Rice Owls brand that will organically allow us to reach a younger generation,” Pillen wrote.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2024 • 11

SPORTS

Tudor sustains water damage, delays January basketball games CADAN HANSON SENIOR WRITER Last week, Tudor Fieldhouse sustained water damage, causing multiple men’s and women’s basketball games to be relocated to other university venues.

According to Athletic Director Tommy McClelland, the Tudor Fieldhouse video board was being upgraded to put in higher resolution panels over New Year’s Eve weekend. During the construction, the company that was replacing the video board left the hatch of the roof open.

Over

CADAN HANSON / THRESHER The Tudor Fieldhouse court was damaged over the New Year’s Eve weekend when rain water entered the stadium after the stadium’s roof was accidentally left open. While the stadium’s court was being fixed, Rice Athletics hosted games at Houston and St. Thomas.

the weekend, rain got into the building and caused buckling in the middle of the basketball court.

McClelland said that the damage was not as serious as initially anticipated.

“We cut out a 20 by 30 foot square in the middle,” McClelland said. “We were thinking about the worst-case scenarios early on, how long we might be out and what the cost might be. The company has taken responsibility for it. We did get lucky in that [the damage] was not as widespread as we thought and the company that we work with on the flooring had some [replacement] materials in the area.”

Tanner Gardner, the senior associate athletic director and chief operating officer for Rice Athletics, added that the damage complicated the men’s and women’s basketball schedules.

“The damage to the court was an unfortunate situation as we had to move our first [American Athletic

Conference] home games for both men’s difficulty was making contingency and women’s basketball, but thanks to plans for our home games scheduled some great work by our staff, we were on Wednesday and Saturday,” Gardner able to address the problem swiftly and wrote. “We were simultaneously working on alternate plans with as minimal for the women’s disruption as game with Wichita possible. We fully State and the men’s anticipate the game with UTSA women hosting Having an issue such and also what our Charlotte at Tudor as this confront us the options were in on Thursday moment we came to work terms of repairs to night,” Gardner on [Jan. 2] was not ideal, the court.” wrote.

“Once it became The Owls but our staff immediately clear that we were had a pair of went to work to minimize not able to host the home basketball the impact on our studentscheduled games that were athletes and fans. It was a games last week, our affected by the staff checked water damage: total team effort by all of the basketball the women’s our staff in addition to the schedules for the b a s k e t b a l l staff at Houston and St. other universities conference opener in the area to against Wichita Thomas. determine which State University Tanner Gardner facilities might on Jan. 3 and a CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF RICE be available,” men’s game on ATHLETICS Gardner wrote.

Jan. 6 against the University of Texas at San Antonio. To “After that, it was a matter of our two staff accommodate for the water damage, Rice working in tandem to host the games. We moved the women’s match to the Fertitta not only were able to find a venue for each Center at the University of Houston. game and host fans for both teams, but we The men’s game was relocated to the also were able to broadcast each game on Jerabeck Activity and Athletic Center at ESPN+.”

Editor’s Note: This article has been cut the University of St. Thomas.

“Because Monday was New Year’s off for print. To read more, visit ricethresher.

Day and no staff was on site, the greatest org.

Rice turns over First Responder Bowl to Texas State, 45-21 LANDRY WOOD & SARAH KNOWLTON

THRESHER STAFF & FEATURES EDITOR

Until Dec. 26’s Servpro First Responder Bowl against Texas State University, Rice Football had not committed seven turnovers in a single game since 2007. Despite a strong first half with three Owl touchdowns, the team lost momentum in the second half and let 21 Texas State points go unanswered. The final score was 45-21 in the Bobcats’ favor, with Rice dropping to 6-7 to end the 2023 season.

“We’re heartbroken for some of our seniors that will never be able to play college football again,” head coach Mike Bloomgren said. “We put a lot of work into this. We didn’t perform very well, and that’s always disappointing.”

Redshirt freshman AJ Padgett played quarterback for Rice until he missed snaps in the third and fourth quarters following his second and third interceptions of the night.

Bloomgren later confirmed Padgett was removed from the game for the same reason each time.

“Both times [Padgett] left the game were performance-related,” Bloomgren said. “I wanted to see if we could give ourselves a spark … That didn’t happen. So I said, ‘AJ’s going to give us our best chance’ and went back to him, and the turnovers continued.”

Padgett has started at quarterback since Nov. 11’s game against the University of Texas at San Antonio, winning two games against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Florida Atlantic University to secure Rice’s place in its second consecutive bowl game. Graduate transfer JT Daniels, the Owls’ star quarterback for the first nine contests of the season before missing the final stretch due to injury, announced his medical retirement from football on Dec. 1.

Both schools’ bands performed before gametime: the Marching Owl Band, playing for the small group of Rice fans, followed by the massive Bobcat Marching Band, energizing the maroon sea of Texas State fans that composed the vast majority of Gerald J. Ford Stadium’s season-high attendance of 26,542. The Bobcats gained immediate momentum with a 26-yard rush on the game’s very first down and capped off the drive with a 29-yard rushing touchdown. According to Bloomgren, this rough start was the

product of a coaching mistake, in part arising from technical difficulties with headsets throughout the first quarter.

“On the touchdown we had a substitution error where we didn’t have enough people on the field,” Bloomgren said. “That always goes back to coaching. If we can’t get eleven out there that’s on all of us as coaches, and, ultimately, on me.

“Then we settled in,” he continued.

“We were able to get our personnel and communication going, how it would work without the headsets. We seemed to figure that out and get into a groove.”

That groove culminated in a passing touchdown from Padgett to redshirt junior wide receiver Luke McCaffrey. The drive began at Texas State’s 43-yard line and was accomplished by 16 total receiver yards after catch and a 13-yard McCaffrey rush, with help from a personal foul called on the Bobcats — one of the game’s 18 penalties, which resulted in a total of 177 yards and the ejection of a Texas State player.

“Our receivers probably made every play there was for them to make,” Bloomgren said.

“I certainly wish we’d given them a few more opportunities.”

After Texas State scored another rushing touchdown to regain the lead, Padgett began the second quarter by throwing his first interception returned for a touchdown of the evening. The teams traded three-andouts before senior tight end Elijah Mojarro moved the Owls down the field, tallying 36 total yards after catch, and junior running back Dean Connors capped off the drive with a rushing touchdown. Rice’s defense forced another three-and-out, and the Owls tied the score on a 27-yard run followed by a 28-yard rushing touchdown, both by Connors.

Texas State got the ball back with 3:40 left in the first half and drove down the field, at one point being first and goal on Rice’s 3-yard line. Partly on the strength of a second down sack from redshirt junior defensive tackle De’Braylon Carroll, the Owls’ defense forced a field goal as time expired on the second quarter, making the score 24-21 Texas State with Rice to receive the second half kickoff.

Editor’s Note: This article has been cut off for print. To read more, visit ricethresher.org.

COURTESY RICE ATHLETICS Wide receiver Luke McCaffrey celebrates after catching a first-quarter touchdown pass. The Owls lost 45-21 to Texas State University on Tuesday in the First Responders Bowl.

EDITORIAL CARTOON

“Owl-American” HONG LIN TSAI / THRESHER

“Good luck with your season!”

12 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2024

BACKPAGE

RICE AND MICHIGAN ARE NOW RIVALS.

Dear Michigan...

Did you really think you could come to our school, raise our plane ticket prices back to campus, and get away with it? Not here. Welcome to Texas, honey bun.

On Sun. Jan. 7, 2024, rabid University of Michigan fans and alumni stormed Rice University’s Tudor Fieldhouse for their “Alumni Territory National Championship Pep Rally.” Territory, indeed, was what Michigan fans sought as they perpetrated heavy traffic on our streets, caused water damage to our fieldhouse, and confused our tour groups into thinking they were in Ann Arbor. A tasteless move, surely by no coincidence just one day after the three-year anniversary of the Jan. 6th Capitol Riots in Washington, D.C. As such, in 2024, the Michigan-Ohio State and Rice-Texas rivalries are OUT. From now on the big game every year is going to be RICE vs. MICHIGAN. Rice and Michigan’s rivalry was a long time coming — our schools could not be more alike (iconic stadiums, quarterbacks with two-letter names, nocturnal mascots, mostly smart students, etc.). Yet, Rice always reigns superior: • • • •

Michigan has a losing all-time record vs. Alabama (2-3), while Rice is UNDEFEATED (3-0) Consistently fails to break the Top 20 in the U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges Ranking (despite a noble attempt this year at #21) Michigan’s FRAGILE, ILLEGITIMATE Honor Code clearly means nothing to them, as evidenced by their sign-stealing scandal this season The numbers practically speak for themselves. Number of PATs missed this year: Rice: 0 Michigan: 1

Your move, Michigan.

WHAT RICE OWLS CAN DO TO FUEL OUR NEW RIVALRY: • • •

Comment “Go Owls!”, “RFND,” “Incarcerate Harbaugh” and other Rice cheers on the @umichfootball championship post Email members of the CFP selection committee complaining about Rice’s playoff snub Buy out all plane tickets back to Ann Arbor (prepare your wallets because they will probably be flying business)

The Backpage is the satire section of the Thresher, written this week by Ndidi Nwosu, Andrew Kim, and Timmy Mansfield and designed by Lauren Yu. For questions or comments, please email dilfhunter69@rice.edu.

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