Federal authorities have revoked visas for ve international a liates at Rice — three current students and two recent graduates, President Reginald DesRoches announced in an April 11 message to campus. The revocations are “not related to social activism or protests,” a university spokesperson told the Thresher.
“Rice continues to believe it can both follow the law and honor the longheld values that guide how we treat each other,” DesRoches wrote in his campuswide message.
Rice joins dozens of other universities witnessing federal crackdowns on their campuses. As of April 14, the Trump administration has revoked visas from over 1,100 international students across 150 higher education institutions.
On March 6, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio unveiled a program titled “Catch and Revoke” to identify “foreign nationals who appear to support Hamas or other designated terror groups,” Axios originally reported. The “Catch and Revoke” program, which uses arti cial intelligence to survey social media accounts, revoked over 300 student visas within its rst three weeks.
SEE VISAS PAGE 6
Modi ed Beer Bike races rescheduled to April 18
Students discuss budget allocations at
SA
Senate meetings are usually a quiet affair — but this Monday, there was a lively debate over the Blanket Tax Committee’s 2025-26 funding allocations. Rice Women’s Resource Center and ktru waved signs and protested funding cuts to Blanket Tax Organizations, which are funded by the Blanket Tax.
Blanket Tax funding comes directly from the tuition of students — $85 per student — to support organizations including Beer Bike, Rally Club, RWRC and Student Media. Student
Association Senate members and students debated the Blanket Tax Committee’s 2025-26 funding allocations for Blanket Tax Organizations at a Senate meeting April 14. The budget will be voted on during next Monday’s Senate meeting.
RWRC was at the center of the debate in the Kyle Morrow room, as they were approved only $6,000 of the $14,000 they requested. Reasoning given by the Blanket Tax Committee includes claims made that RWRC did not fully spend its budget for fiscal year 2024-25, along with scrutiny regarding the necessity of RWRC’s requested 100% funding increase
from $7,000 to $14,000.
Overall, total funding allocated for all BTOs was $347,305, down from $385,063 last year. BTOs requested $415,152 in total, and received $67,847 less than requested.
In the allocations report, the reasoning for the decreased funding was the removal of the Rice Student Volunteer Program from blanket tax status. Additionally, a judicial referral of Civic Duty Rice to University Court means the organization will not receive any of the $4,000 funding it requested.
VIOLA HSIA ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Beer Bike races have been rescheduled for April 18 at 5-8 p.m. The makeup event was announced in an email to Beer Bike captains, coordinators and stakeholders, from the campuswide coordinators and the Bike Captains Planning Committee.
The event will be held at the track, with only three races: the second heat of the women’s race and both heats of the men’s race. The rst heat of the women’s race and the alumni races were the only races to occur on the original date of April 5, when lightning ended the event early.
“We understand the disappointment caused by the weather-related cancellations and have been diligently working to provide an opportunity for teams to compete and celebrate their hard work,” the email read.
A few key changes will be made to the event, most notably that spectators will not be allowed to attend. The rule is to be enforced by the presence of security volunteers and RUPD at the event. Colleges that comply will be rewarded with a 30% reduction in their Beer Bike ne, according to a follow-up email sent to Beer Bike coordinators and captains.
“Unauthorized gatherings near the track may result in event cancellation by campus o cials due to safety concerns,” an email read.
The races will be lmed and live-streamed by a Rice Athletics camera crew, according to the email sent by the RPC Beer Bike Coordinators and the Bike Captains Planning Committee. It said that while they are still working out the logistics, the livestream link will only be available to one person per college to stream in each college commons.
“Ultimately, this event isn’t meant to replicate Beer Bike,” Wiley Liou, one of the campuswide Beer Bike coordinators, wrote in an email to the Thresher. “It’s not another fullday celebration with early-morning and latenight activities; it’s a chance for our racers to nally do what they’ve spent months training for and to represent their colleges.
ABBY PEREZ / THRESHER
HONG LIN TSAI / THRESHER
JULIANA LIGHTSEY / THRESHER
Students protest the Blanket Tax Committee’s nding allocations for the Rice Women’s Resource Center. The proposed allocations for blanket tax organizations approved only $6,000 of the $14,000 requested by the RWRC.
HONGTAO HU ASST. NEWS EDITOR
While we understand that sacri cing spectatorship is disappointing, we know that the spirit and camaraderie of the teams will still make the races competitive and meaningful.”
Additionally, the relay will consist of only six bikers and six chuggers. Traditionally, Beer Bike teams include eight bikers and eight chuggers. The rosters for each makeup team will include four pit crew members and one alternate biker.
Rolando González, a biker and captain for Lovett College’s men’s bike team, said the team was prepared for rule changes, so the email was not as surprising when it was sent out.
“We were pretty much certain that if this was to be rescheduled, it would not be the same,” said González, a junior. “We’ll have to gure out who sits out, but honestly, that’s a minor concern.”
González added that he was interested
to see how the new rules a ected judging the race overall.
“I’m interested to see how the new rules will change the outcome [of the race],” González said.
In another break from tradition, throwers – pit crew members who help launch bikers – will not be allowed onto the track. Instead, “riders are to start behind their start line from a standing start (one foot on the ground) and start riding entirely on their own once their chugger nishes,” according to the email.
Liou, a Baker College junior, said that the decision to resume the races took a while to be made, with factors like time and the RPC budget being major concerns.
“Initially, the idea of resuming the races seemed out of reach,” Liou wrote in an email to the Thresher. “But when a group of Bike Captains came forward with a strong desire to nish the races, momentum kicked up and our committee was able to get things o the ground. We’ve spoken directly with as
many captains and campus partners as we could in the short timeframe, and there is mutual interest in executing this sanctioned event without compromising safety.”
In terms of how the rescheduling will a ect the nal results, Liou wrote that they are still internally discussing this. For the races that did happen on April 5 –both alumni heats and the rst heat of the women’s race – Liou said that the alumni results are currently in the appeals process, and are expected to be released later in the week. The Women’s Heat 1 results will be released along the rest of the makeup results.
The cancellations on April 5 marked the rst time Beer Bike had been canceled in ve years, since the races did not occur in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This rescheduled event represents a historic rst for Beer Bike,” the email said. “We appreciate everyone’s dedication and passion for seeing this year’s races to the end.”
Students react to Beer Bike makeup without spectators
Sergio Rojas JONES COLLEGE JUNIOR
“I was honestly shocked. I feel like a quintessential part of Beer Bike is having spectators because not only are you biking for the college, but also your friends. Especially, being at Jones, I feel like Beer Bike is something that we pride ourselves on and the whole spirit of Beer Bike comes from the students, not just the bikers.”
FROM FRONT PAGE SENATE
Blanket Tax surplus money will be used to fund the SA’s Initiative Fund, which SA Treasurer Jackson Darr said was a necessary avenue for funding student activities. The Initiative Fund is an avenue for student organizations to get funding for a new initiative on campus.
“Over 50% of clubs were denied [Student Activities/President’s Programming] funding, and due to the presidential administration cutting academic funding, it’s a concern what SAPP funding will look like next year,” said Darr, a Lovett College freshman. “The student center hasn’t really assured us it will be stable next year, so we want to create an avenue for students who would normally go to SAPP funding to apply through the initiative fund so their club is able to get funding.”
In response, RWRC wrote a 31-page report criticizing the budget decisions, calling upon SA representatives to vote no on the allocations. The report said that the increased RWRC budget was necessary for the organization to bring back historical initiatives, such as volunteer retreats.
In addition, funds would pay for new initiatives, such as a community showcase in the next academic year. The report said the underutilization of funds in 2024 was caused by leadership issues that are now being recti ed.
The report claimed that as the RWRC is a spring-heavy spending organization, they plan to spend the entirety of the scal year 2024-25 budget given to them.
“We talked about all the di erent ways
Hannah Wixom SID RICHARDSON COLLEGE JUNIOR
“I was excited that it was rescheduled, and I kind of assumed that they would just have spectators because it is such a big event for the Rice community. I was disappointed that there are no spectators allowed, especially because I do think that it helps bikers get faster times to have their friends and other community members there to kind of hype them up, so I think it will a ect the times and I’m disappointed.”
Eneye Gbedee LOVETT COLLEGE SOPHOMORE
“Well, this is news to me, but I’m happy because I remember when it got canceled I was like ‘dang I feel bad for all the people who put time into it, who were training all year long.’ I know Lovett sometimes, we don’t train all year long, but de nitely for the people I see going around the inner loop and just training and ... them not having the opportunity to showcase that — I know that was really heartbreaking for them.”
Robert Guan WILL RICE COLLEGE JUNIOR
“I read about that, I was like ‘I don’t know why they’re doing that’ to be honest. I’m sure there’s probably a reason for why they don’t have spectators, but I feel like the event was supposed to have spectators in the rst place. Maybe they just don’t have manpower or something, but I feel like if they could allow spectators that that’d probably be a good thing since the tradition is to have Beer Bike on Beer Bike day and that got canceled.”
that we have grown this year and all the improvements that we’ve made,” said Sophia Plumb, an outgoing RWRC codirector. “We’ve talked about justifying why last year was an anomaly of a year and just doesn’t represent us as an organization.”
Just before Monday’s SA meeting, the Blanket Tax Committee published a reply to RWRC’s report. This counterstatement wrote that RWRC’s report was inconsistent in claiming that if the allocations did not pass, a delayed budget would not impact the operations of BTOs in the fall.
The Blanket Tax Committee’s report also said that RWRC underspending both in 2024 and 2025 raised questions on if the increased budget was necessary, and expanded on the rami cations of voting against the allocations. “Voting ‘No’ on the current budget would not just impact RWRC; it would delay funding for hundreds of student organizations,” the report read.
Incoming RWRC co-director Cheryl Lee said that RWRC had not been sent the response, which was publicly posted at the Senate meeting. She said that RWRC is planning on continuing the conversation with the Blanket Tax Committee.
In an email to college presidents and senators, SA Secretary Cedric Lau wrote that vetoing the budget would cripple BTOs’ spending abilities.
“If the current budget is vetoed, BTOs will not receive any funding until late October,” wrote Lau, a Duncan College freshman. “This also means that cultural clubs will not be able to access funds from the Initiative Fund until
late November — by which time most of the Fall semester will have passed.”
Last year’s budget was delayed in a similar manner, which SA President Trevor Tobey said was unprecedented.
Published April 9, the proposed allocations did not approve the entirety of many BTOs’ requested funding, including banning all travel expenses, which were cited as “not directly bene cial to the broader student body.”
The basis for this report included streamlining non-essential spending and encouraging comprehensive financial planning.
During Monday’s Senate meeting, the SA voted on their own budget — the 2025-26 allocation — which passed with eight senators abstaining. With the BTO budget proposal still pending, college representatives and BTO members elded questions to Darr and Tobey.
Darr said that the approved budget cannot be accepted or rejected in parts; if the Senate wants to reject the approved budget, the entire budget will have to be redone.
“Unfortunately, due to the current law and constitution that we have, there are no amendments. The Student Association has to vote to approve it in full or reject it in full,” Darr said.
A major change made to the budget allocation this semester was a complete ban on travel expenses for BTOs. The allocations report quotes Bylaws No. 2101, Section 2.1, cited in the report as Bylaws No. 2102, Section 2, a bylaw that circumscribes Blanket Tax funds to be used to further the interests of
students and the Rice community.
“Travel expenditures fail to meet this standard in both form and function,” the report read. “They serve a small, privileged subset of organizational leadership rather than the broader undergraduate population. They produce limited, indirect and o en unmeasurable bene ts for the Rice community.”
Chloe Diehl, a ktru station manager, said she did not see the SA provide adequate alternatives for the travel expenses that were cut from the allocations.
“They kept on harping on travel funds and grants, which doesn’t make any sense, nor did they have any back-up resources on where we could nd those grants,” said Diehl, a Lovett College sophomore.
In total, the committee allocated $25,000 less than the amount requested for travel across all BTOs, but the report recommended alternative and better suited sources for travel support, such as the Center for Career Development, academic departments and external grants.
Former Lovett president Andrew Kim said he disapproved of this semester’s budget allocations.
“Relegating the RWRC to initiative funds is an o ense to their status as a BTO,” said Kim, a senior. “The only mechanism that we have right now to check the Blanket Tax [Committee] is this very voting. Voting no next week is the only way to hold them accountable.”
Editor’s Note: Andrew Kim is the Thresher’s Backpage editor.
FRANCESCA NEMATI / THRESHER Beer Bike spectators pose for sel es at this year’s races, which ended early due to weather concerns. The races have since been rescheduled, but spectators will not be allowed.
FROM FRONT PAGE BEER BIKE
JULIANA LIGHTSEY / THRESHER
Pride Week celebrates LGBTQ+ art, performance
“We’re trying to advocate and educate across all of the ways people exist — whether it’s ability, race or faith,” Losey said.
Art de’Resistance, held on April 10 at the Multicultural Center, invited participants to paint self-portraits — not of how they look, but of who they are. One canvas showed a luscious green field, another a burst of layered colors. Each piece told a different story of identity and expression.
The event was part of Rice’s Pride Week, which took place April 7-12 and was held by Rice PRIDE and organizations including the Office of Access and Institutional Excellence. The week featured a lineup of events dedicated to representing the LGBTQ+ community.
Juliann Losey, assistant director of LGBTQ+ Thriving, said they see Pride Week as a multifaceted expression of support for LGBTQ+ people of all backgrounds.
Art de’Resistance featured Community Partner Tony’s Place. First opened in the heart of Montrose in 2016 as a drop-in center for LGBTQ+ youth experiencing housing instability, Tony’s Place has since expanded to provide safe spaces, basic needs support, community engagement and education for LGBTQ+ youth.
According to Alyssa Kelly, program manager of Tony’s Place, Art de’Resistance is part of their extended effort to reach out to schools and other organizations to create a cohesive Houston community.
“This is the first time that we’ve brought a project like this here, and Rice is, I would say, probably one of the most welcoming campuses in the city of Houston,” Kelly said.
In Queer Questions of Faith, an event
April 9, Reverend Morgan Gates opened space for dialogue between queerness and spirituality, especially amid increasing attacks on LGBTQ rights.
Losey pointed to increasing numbers of LGBTQ+ hate groups documented in
We’re trying to advocate and educate across all of the ways people exist — whether it’s ability, race or faith.
Juliann Losey ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF LGBTQ+ THRIVING
the United States.
“So while we’re facing these things,
it’s important for us to continue to express who we are and to continue to share proactive or positively put out there what it’s like to have a queer experience and queer joy,” Losey said.
This year’s annual Drag Night, which took place April 11, featured Rice performers and Houston drag royalty. All artists were compensated beforehand so attendees could enjoy the show without pressure to tip. Losey said this was meant to reduce economic barriers to celebrating Pride.
Other highlights included Pride Trivia Night at Pub, allyship bracelet making and the Rice Alumni Pride panel, which gave students a glimpse into LGBTQ+ life after graduation.
“Everybody deserves to live their own authentic life and be supported within the queer community and whatever communities they’re rooted into,” said Losey.
Good Friday and college night overlap sparks ire among students
Four college nights are happening on Good Friday this year. This overlap has caused controversy amongst students who observe the high holy day.
Good Friday is the day immediately a er the end of Lent and is o en observed with fasting, prayer and church services. The day commemorates the cruci xion of Christ, and comes at a solemn time in the liturgical year.
In an anonymous public letter to Baker distributed around Baker commons, a student wrote that the “drunkenly jubilant” spirit of college nights is not only disrespectful to students observing Good Friday, but also an “o ensive mockery.”
While every residential college hosts their college nights differently, most include loud music, early morning drinking and celebrations throughout the day.
“We are not asking for everyone to go to Stations of the Cross or to join in prayer, we are simply requesting that this solemn day be treated as a non-collegewide party day for those who aren’t observing, which isn’t a big ask,” the letter read.
Last year, Beer Bike took place during Ramadan, an Islamic holy month that is usually observed with daytime fasting. The day is to be observed through fasting meditation, abstinence and prayer.
In the same letter distributed at Baker, the student deemed Baker to be “the least Christian Friendly College,” in reference to the choice of the college night date.
“Some Christians feel like they are
having to choose between [college night] –some of whom have been looking forward to their senior college night for years –and honoring their religion,” wrote Anne Kozlevchar, a Baker freshman, in an email to the Thresher.
However, Baker senior Josie Feeney
Some Christians feel like they are having to choose between College Night –some of whom have been looking forward to their senior college night for years –and honoring their religion.
Anne Kozlevchar BAKER COLLEGE FRESHMAN
said that the Baker social chairs have been highly accommodating to Christians observing Good Friday.
“For example, instead of having a party in Baker Commons at night, they’ve moved it to Pub,” Feeney said. “So essentially what they have done is they moved the noisy activities to di erent places.”
However, moving college nights to a di erent date is not as simple as it might seem, according to Taylor Schultz, the Duncan College president.
“While student leaders work extremely hard to avoid scheduling events that con ict with sacred holidays, there
are o en event planning constraints and a myriad of factors that must be considered,” Schultz wrote in an email to Duncan College.
Some of the conflicts detailed in the email included a college night ban April 11 due to admitted student programming. Schultz wrote that April 25 was also not a suitable date because it is the last day of classes.
With this in mind, Kozlevchar said she hopes administration will intervene to make scheduling around religious occurrences easier.
“I would like to see university administration allowing exemptions to have more college nights on a day to avoid such con icts and religious awareness when approving dates for parties,” Kozlevchar wrote in an email to
the Thresher.
In the collegewide email, Schultz outlined some of the accommodations being made for Good Friday, including reserving the private dining room and library as a quiet space and pausing activities in public spaces from noon to 3 p.m. “out of respect for those observing the Three Hours’ Devotion period of silence.”
To be considerate of those observing Good Friday, Feeney said college night participants should follow the instructions of the Social Chairs who are trying to create an accommodating environment.
“For any students who would like to honor Good Friday, I hope you can nd the time and quiet space to re ect,” Kozlevchar said.
Linguistics consortium brings two new organizations to campus
lead collaborative research and solutionsoriented scholarship on social, economic and systemic barriers.”
At the induction ceremony for the inaugural cohort of linguistic emissaries April 10, faculty, scholars and guests gathered to celebrate the launch of two new institutions for linguistics at Rice University: the Texas Linguistics Consortium and the Center for Advancing Linguistic Science.
The mission of the Center for Advancing Linguistic Science is to promote the utilization of linguistic research to enhance the human condition worldwide, according to Rachel Kimbro, the dean of the School of Social Sciences.
“Not only will this new center help to enhance the Department of Linguistics with plans for new programmatic o erings and research support, but it will also provide support to the department’s stellar scholars as they push the boundaries of research within this eld,” Kimbro said. “Together, we will prioritize innovation,
The Center for Advancing Linguistic Science will cooperate with many other academic departments on campus, Kimbro said.
“[It] will operate in a rich intellectual environment on campus with potential links to the Center for African and African American Studies, the Center for Computational Insights on Inequality and Society at Rice, the Ken Kennedy Institute and more,” Kimbro said.
The Texas Linguistics Consortium is the rst such organization under the Center for Advancing Linguistic Science, which is composed of linguistics scholars from across Texas. The consortium aims to connect statewide academic communities and enhance linguistic research at Rice.
“This endeavor is an example of the forward looking collaborations university leaders envisioned when we began our 10-
strategic plan
Amy Dittmar in the opening speech.
Together, we will prioritize innovation, lead collaborative research and solutions-oriented scholarship on social, economic and systemic barriers.
Rachel
Kimbro DEAN OF THE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
John Baugh, a professor of linguistics, helped facilitate the creation of the two new linguistics institutions. Baugh began his academic career at the University of Texas at Austin in 1979, and developed
long standing relationships with linguists across Texas.
“I realized that I had a network of colleagues who were very distinguished linguists at many of the public universities throughout the state, and because the [Rice] department is relatively small, I saw an opportunity for us to collaborate with our colleagues at other universities in a partnership,” Baugh said.
Other faculty members of the department of linguistics also expressed their excitement for the opportunities these initiatives will bring.
“Maybe it’s a well-kept secret at Rice that we’re an exciting department,” said Caroline Crouch, a lecturer in the linguistics department. “I think it’s nice for our colleagues in the social sciences and across the university to get to know what we’re doing and how many di erent ways there are of doing research with linguistics, and with linguists from so many di erent disciplinary perspectives.”
DEVAN SANKA FOR THE THRESHER
KONSTANTIN SAVVON / THRESHER Students talk during a celebration at a residential college. Recently, some students raised concern over college nights coinciding with Good Friday.
year
at Rice,” said Provost
RICHIE SU THRESHER STAFF
MIRANDA XING FOR THE THRESHER
“Everyone is fair game,” a senior State Department o cial told Axios March 27.
The U.S. government recently froze $2.2 billion in funding from Harvard University — which has seen 12 visa revocations so far — a er its president refused to comply with federal demands to end diversity programming and obey immigration authorities. Peer institutions like Stanford and Princeton swi ly showed support for Harvard. While Rice has sent messages o ering support for its international students, it has yet to follow suit.
International students must obtain legal documentation, o en an F-1 visa, granting them legal residency in the U.S. during the course of their education. While an a ected visa typically does not a ect a student’s legal
status, it bars their re-entry into the U.S. But when a student’s legal status is revoked, they’re immediately at risk of detention.
“No administration should be allowed to circumvent the law to unilaterally strip students of their status, disrupt their studies, and put them at risk of deportation,” attorneys at the ACLU of Michigan wrote April 10 in a federal lawsuit. The suit was led on behalf of local students, whose visas were “unlawfully and abruptly terminated by the Trump administration,” the complaint alleges.
It’s still unclear what is motivating most of these terminations. In the “vast majority” of campus cases, universities like Rice say visa revocations were not linked to student protests — although some of the nation’s most publicized cases have been.
Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student who participated in pro-Palestine
demonstrations on campus, was detained by ICE agents on March 8. Khalil, a legal U.S. resident, is eligible for deportation, a Louisiana immigration judge ruled on April 11.
Another student, Rumeysa Ozturk — who attends Tu s University and hails from Türkiye — was arrested by ICE agents on March 25, seemingly in connection to an op-ed she penned a year prior. Both Khalil and Ozturk’s arrests mark the Trump administration’s period of heightened scrutiny toward international students.
In Texas, more than 250 international students’ immigration statuses have been revoked as of April 14. DesRoches rea rmed the university’s support for international students in his April 11 message.
Just a month ago, hundreds of students petitioned Rice to declare itself a “sanctuary campus,” which would protect
international and undocumented students from federal immigration enforcement. Despite the visa revocations, there’s been no activity from immigration o cials on campus, DesRoches wrote.
Earlier this month, Provost Amy Dittmar sent a campus-wide message outlining university guidelines for international travel, especially for non-U.S. citizens facing increased risks.
“Events at other universities have made it clear that we have entered a period of intensive immigration law enforcement for university communities in the United States,” Dittmar wrote in her April 1 message.
In that same message, Dittmar announced a new International Travel Incident Response Team and urged non-U.S. citizens at Rice to “carefully reconsider non-essential travel outside the United States.”
Diversity Facilitators change name, now Community Facilitators
HONGTAO HU ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Amid sweeping national crackdowns on diversity, equity and inclusion, Diversity Facilitators will now be called ‘Community Facilitators.’
DFs — now CFs — are students who work on campus during Orientation Week and throughout the year, tasked with facilitating “an equitable experience at Rice.” The O ce of Access and Institutional Excellence communicated this change to head facilitators on March 5, said Alina Zhong, a head CF.
Editor’s Note: Alina Zhong is an advertising representative for the Thresher.
Instead of using terms like “diversity, equity and inclusion,” Zhong said CFs were encouraged to use phrases like “personal identities” or “social issues.”
“On an o cial level, at the university level, facing the public, [we were told that] we are not using these words,” said
Zhong, a Wiess College sophomore.
Alexander Byrd, the vice provost for the O ce of Access and Institutional Excellence, wrote that these changes came with the renaming of the O ce of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to the O ce of Access and Institutional Excellence.
“As part of this shi , we also reevaluated program names,” Byrd wrote in an email to the Thresher. “The new name, Community Facilitators, re ects their role in supporting all students in nding community, contributing to and enriching the larger campus community, and reaching their full potential at Rice.”
President Donald Trump, in his continuing attacks on higher education and diversity initiatives, has recently threatened to pull federal money from elite institutions that do not comply with federal orders, notably at Columbia University.
Over 40 schools, including Rice, are currently under investigation by the Department of Education for “racially
discriminatory” admissions practices due to their involvement with The PhD Project.
Despite reaffirming its commitment to diversity in a campuswide email sent on Feb. 21, Rice has continued to remove the word “diversity” from related initiatives.
Critical Dialogues on Diversity, a mandatory five-week seminar introduced in 2021, has been renamed to “Dialogues on Community Workshop” in its course description for the upcoming semester.
Byrd wrote that MCC funding was not a consideration in these changes.
“The name change is part of an ongoing review process, and an effort to align program titles with the nature of the important work being done,” Byrd wrote in an email to the Thresher.
The effect these changes will have on O-Week remains unclear.
“Orientation Week activities are reviewed regularly with an eye toward improving the workshops offered to O-Week advisors and enriching
opportunities for discussion and dialogue,” Byrd wrote.
Karen Martinez Fernandez, a head CF, said that adjustments to O-Week initiatives would occur in the future.
“We’re having to change a lot of the things we put down in writing (presentations/workshops) and whatnot, especially since Rice is one of the top schools being investigated for allegedly not stopping DEI initiatives,” wrote Fernandez, a Jones College junior, in a message to the Thresher.
While CF Bennett Reddig said he has worries about the future, he is committed to DEI at Rice.
“There’s some worries or fear that there could be retribution if certain words are said,” said Reddig, a McMurtry College sophomore. “I think that pushing [DEI] aside in favor of funding or to avoid controversy is not a wise decision, because the needs of students matter.”
FROM FRONT PAGE VISAS
What it’s like to be undocumented at Rice
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 re ect 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.
The author of this piece was granted anonymity due to personal safety risks.
I’m scared and don’t know how to stop being scared. For years, the fear of deportation loomed over every moment of my life. I developed a phobia of police o cers — just seeing one made my stomach turn. The thought of someone discovering my undocumented status was enough to send me into a spiral of anxiety. Even now, despite having legal protections, those fears persist, reminding me that freedom is fragile.
I came to the U.S. around late 2007. I missed the deadline for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals by two months — a not-so-insigni cant detail that continues to haunt me. I was the embodiment of what many derisively call illegal — trapped in limbo, waiting endlessly for Congress to act, knowing I might never see the day.
I vividly recall the day I was accepted into Rice. Instead of celebrating, I had a panic attack. Thirteen years of building a life in the U.S. had culminated in this moment, yet my acceptance came with a bitter a ertaste of uncertainty. Rice was one of the few institutions that recognized me as a domestic student and o ered me full nancial support, but I hesitated because Texas felt far too risky.
I was without legal status, utterly alone and holding onto a promise that Rice would be di erent. That fantasy was shattered in my rst semester when I heard about three Rice students dressed as Immigration and
GUEST OPINION
Customs Enforcement agents parading around campus mockingly demanding “papers” on Halloween in 2019. When I learned about the incident, I ran to the restroom and vomited from panic.
A er years of ghting desperately for my right to exist, I caught my rst real break. Around the start of my sophomore year, a family court awarded me Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, recognizing the abuse, abandonment and neglect I’d endured from one of my parents. With this newfound legal status, I quali ed for a green card, a Social Security number and the precious right to work legally.
For a moment, I tasted freedom.
Fear is our tax. We pay it daily in dignity surrendered and dreams deferred.
Yet freedom, for someone like me, is eeting and brittle. Recent news of over 1,000 student visas revoked sends chills through my body, a stark reminder of the precariousness of my life. Three of our peers have had their visas taken away, and yet we received a PR email from the administration.
The university’s refusal to guarantee they won’t disclose immigration status to enforcement agencies speaks volumes about institutional priorities. Rice cra s elaborate marketing campaigns around its “culture of care” while simultaneously refusing to protect its most vulnerable students. We’re o ered performative diversity statements while the administration quietly opens the door for our deportation.
How can I trust an institution that
promises safety yet seems ready to betray us when we need it most? The silence of Rice’s administration and its passive compliance makes me feel invisible and disposable.
What is it like being undocumented at Rice? It’s excelling academically while knowing your diploma might someday be your only souvenir from a life you were forced to abandon. It’s rehearsing what to say if ICE shows up during your nal. It’s the crushing weight of representing not just yourself but all those in your position, knowing that your failure or success will be generalized to your entire community.
You might think I’m exaggerating, but the Trump administration recently detained protesting students and deported a DACA recipient. I am no longer safe, although I’m legally in the clear now. What am I supposed to do but panic? I’ve done everything I can, and I might still get deported.
Fear is our tax. We pay it daily in dignity surrendered and dreams deferred. At Rice, that tax compounds because the contrast is so stark — I walk among peers who take for granted rights I’ve spent my life yearning for. They debate immigration as policy; I live it as survival. They discuss border politics as theoretical constructs; I carry borders within my body, mapped onto my existence.
Safety isn’t a privilege; it’s fundamental. Rice must realize that it holds our futures in its hands. It needs to do more than educate — it must protect and ght for every student’s right to exist freely and without fear. I’m scared, but I refuse to be silenced. Rice must match its rhetoric with action: guarantee privacy for immigrant students, reject cooperation with ICE without judicial warrants and provide legal support for those at risk. Show us your commitment to education extends to protecting those seeking it.
Fairness means saying yes to students —
not just to budgets
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 re ect 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.
Every year, the Blanket Tax Committee faces tough questions: How should we prioritize funding and ensure every student dollar goes toward something meaningful?
Two recent decisions, our policy to prohibit travel-related expenses and the adjusted allocation for the Rice Women’s Resource Center (RWRC), have sparked discussion across campus. Both have led to frustration and raised fair questions. But both were made for the same reason: to create a funding system that is equitable, transparent and built to serve all students.
Travel can be valuable. However, Blanket Tax funds must go toward initiatives that clearly and directly bene t the entire Rice undergraduate community.
Put simply: Everyone pays into the Blanket Tax. Not everyone gets to board the plane.
Redirecting funds to campus-based programs supports initiatives that are open,
In
inclusive and impactful. This decision re ects our commitment to fairness, not favoritism.
This same commitment to consistency shaped our decision to allocate $6,000 to RWRC for the 2025–2026 scal year rather than the $14,000 requested. This decision is not a re ection of RWRC’s mission, which we deeply support. It is a re ection of our process and the need for clear communication, demonstrated need and scal accountability.
We know RWRC puts students rst.
Everyone pays into the Blanket Tax. Not everyone gets to board the plane.
Their work around wellness, equity and advocacy is proof of that. However, putting students rst also means ensuring every dollar is spent e ectively, and resources are distributed fairly.
RWRC received a signi cant increase last year, from $4,500 to $7,000. This year, they asked to double that budget. However, as of early April, they had spent only 62.67% of their current funds, a trend we observed over multiple years. Growth is exciting, but
Park.
a larger budget requires a consistent track record of complete execution.
That’s why we plan to expand the Initiative Fund, a tool that allows any organization, Blanket Tax or not, to access funding for innovative programs or unanticipated opportunities. This fund lets groups like RWRC dream big without compromising standards, a way to say “yes” to new ideas and protect fairness.
Some groups have encouraged a “no” vote on the budget. But here’s the reality: if the budget fails, funding for every Blanket Tax organization will not be allocated until late October. That includes student services, major events and programs students rely on.
Editor’s Note: This article has been cut o for print. Read more at ricethresher.org.
Jackson Darr STUDENT ASSOCIATION TREASURER
Rice football players go Greek, join Omega Phi Psi fraternity
KRISTAL HANSON THRESHER STAFF
Rice has operated without fraternities or sororities since its founding. In their place, residential college systems have served as the core of student life. But this spring, three Rice students joined a fraternity for the rst time in school history.
“People say that the residential colleges are supposed to be in place of Greek life, but having Greek life would add another facet to campus culture,” said Arden Napier, one of the three students who joined a fraternity.
Rice football players AJ Stephens and JaMarion Clark and former player Napier were initiated into the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity April 3.
Omega Psi Phi is one of the nine historically Black Greek-letter organizations that make up the National Pan-Hellenic Council, commonly known as the Divine Nine, according to the Council’s o cial website. The fraternity was founded in 1911 at Howard University.
Clark, a Martel College sophomore, said there is a broader legacy behind Omega Psi Phi.
“There’s a lot of great African American men that people might know that they didn’t even know were Omega men,” Clark said. “Michael Jordan is an Omega man. Shaquille O’Neal, Omega man. Jalen Hurts, Omega man.”
The three joined through an initiative of Nu Phi, a Houston-based graduate chapter, which created an “undergraduate citywide line” that allowed students at institutions without Omega chapters to join.
Three students from Houston Christian
University also joined this spring to make up the inaugural line.
For each Rice member, the decision to join Omega Psi Phi resulted from long-term exposure and personal in uence.
“My dad is a member of the fraternity,” said Napier, a Sid Richardson College senior. “Growing up around him and all of his fraternity brothers was inspiring. For him to still be connected and still hang out with them all the time, it’s played a big role in my life.”
Clark said some of his earliest role models were Omega men, like his coaches in Little League Baseball.
“Very upstanding characters, very respectful, very hardworking,” Clark said. “They challenged me and brought me up with a lot of loyalty that motivated me to be blessed enough to come play football at Rice.”
Clark also said the fraternity’s values align with his own.
“The biggest thing this frat brings to the table is another life of brotherhood,” Clark said. “Upli is to li as we climb. So as I’m climbing, I’m li ing people up with me as well.”
While Rice’s residential colleges o er built-in social support, Napier said he also enjoys being a part of Omega Psi Phi’s larger network.
“It’s something that transcends the college campus,” Napier said. “The fraternity is global. Everywhere you go, you’ll meet someone who’s a part of the fraternity. Everywhere you go, you’ll have a friend and a brother.”
Napier said that the community of Black men o ered by Omega is lacking at Rice.
“For all of my life, I’ve gone to predominantly white schools,” Napier said.
“I’ve always felt sort of disconnected from the Black community. Joining something that is historically Black makes me feel more secure … and that’s something that hasn’t been o ered at Rice or any of the schools that I’ve gone to before.”
Clark said the fraternity aims to prepare its members for the ongoing racial and social challenges Black men face in the professional world.
“This fraternity was literally built to make sure that when the Black man leaves
Phone Rings, Door Chimes...
AVA MCCLUNG CROSSWORD EDITOR
college, and he steps out in the world, he has every trait and is prepared to take on the challenges that he has to face just because of how he looks,” Clark said.
Stephens said the group wants others to feel welcomed into the Omega community.
“Our goal is to keep the fraternity going, to keep building,” said Stephens, a Jones College sophomore. “We have opened that gate for everybody. We’re the rst ones to go through.”
Editor’s Note: This article has been cut o for print. To read more, visit ricethresher. org.
COURTESY JC CLARK AND AJ STEPHENS
Rice football players AJ Stephens (left) and JaMarion Clark (right). The pair, along with former football player Arden Napier, joined the historically black fraternity Omega Psi Phi April 3.
Core Teams talk raising kids at Rice
EMILY NGUYEN THRESHER STAFF
At most colleges, resident associates are students juggling their responsibilities alongside homework. At Rice, students aren’t the only ones who call the residential colleges home RAs could be anything from a professor to a dean living down the hall along with their children.
Bryn Dugre, department coordinator and executive assistant to the provost, has been a Hanszen College RA since spring 2020.
Dugre lives on-campus with her husband and their two children, Georgina and Ambrose Dugre. Dugre said a big factor in her decision to raise her children at Rice was its diverse cultural interactions.
Dugre said she grew up in a small town in Virginia, a location that did not have a lot of diversity, so being an RA at Hanszen helps her and her children learn more about di erent cultures.
“When I was in high school, I kind of heard about Diwali, but I didn’t really know very much about it,” Dugre said. “It was mostly when we started having the celebration here that I learned more about it. Now my kids ask about it, like, ‘Can we go to Diwali?’”
Dugre’s daughter, Georgina, said that she also likes taking part in student-led traditions like Beer Bike.
“I lled water balloons, and I bounced on the bouncy house,” Georgina said. “We saw the races, and it was a lot of fun.”
Leonardo Dueñas-Osorio, Baker College magister and professor of civil and environmental engineering, lives
with his wife, Cassy Romano; their three daughters, Daphne, Colette and Margot; their dog, Ruby; and their cat, Muisca. Dueñas-Osorio and Romano have been the at Baker since fall 2023. All three of the girls have been enrolled in the Rice Children’s Campus.
The Rice Children’s Campus, operated by the Center for Early Childhood Education, o ers a Montessori education to children of Rice students, faculty and sta through age 5.
However, Dueñas-Osorio also said he wishes there was more support for Rice families in terms of childcare.
RCC’s program prices range from $1,640 to $1,790 per month and o ers no tuition assistance, unlike other programs such as the University of Houston’s Child Care Center. The RCC declined to comment on its tuition when asked by the Thresher.
“When you have three kids, it adds up, nancially,” Dueñas-Osorio said. “For us, as professors, we might be able to weather the situation ne, but I know some graduate students or [post-doctoral students are parents], and I feel that it’s a big hit for them.”
Romano said the bene ts that RCC provides outweigh the cost.
“There are cheaper daycares, but [RCC] is such good quality, and it’s so close to campus,” Romano said.
Dugre, whose daughter graduated from RCC and whose son has been enrolled since he was 14 months old, said the program is particularly valuable because of its alignment with Rice’s calendar.
“[During] spring break or midterm recess ... sta still have to work,” Dugre
Alumna Susannah Wright journeys from student to professor
DIA GUPTA THRESHER
STAFF
When Susannah Wright graduated from Rice in 2018, the prospect of returning as faculty was nothing more than a pipe dream. Much like the tales she studies, Wright’s journey to professorship has taken her across the country and back again, landing her in a faculty role at Rice in fall 2024.
“I remember coming out of class one day my senior year, as I was getting ready to head o to grad school, and thinking to myself, ‘What a dream it would be to wind up on the faculty here someday,’” said Wright, an assistant professor of modern and classical literatures and cultures. “I had no idea then, as I paused in the hallway, that I was standing right outside what is now my o ce.”
With its stories of larger-than-life heroes, menacing monsters and unpredictable gods, the worlds of ancient Greece and Rome have captivated readers — including Wright, who began at Rice as an undergraduate student at Brown College in 2014.
“Brown had a reputation for being very friendly, and that was something that I really appreciated when I showed up at the beginning of [Orientation Week],” Wright said. “I remember getting out of the car in the Brown parking lot and immediately being asked, ‘Susannah, how was the drive from San Antonio?’ The fact that they knew who I was, even though we’d never met, was incredibly comforting.”
Wright said she cherished the friends she made in her time at Brown, including Adam Cleland ‘17, with whom she remains close.
“At Brown, Suze walked, talked and made her decisions intentionally and gracefully,” Cleland said. “I was her O-Week PAA when she moved into Brown’s eighth oor, and distinctly remember how many sea-foam green items she had in her dorm room.”
Wright graduated with a double major in classical studies and medieval and early
said. “RCC is open every one of those days, and that’s really appealing because there’s a lot of preschools and child care in the Houston area that will follow the HISD calendar, and they’re closed [on those days].”
At Sid Richardson College, Bianca Lopez lives with her husband Carlos; their two children Lucas and Olivia; and their dogs, Casper and Nala.
Lopez is the endowment counsel and minerals manager for the Rice Management Company. Lopez said she was rst introduced to the residential college system upon joining Rice in 2019 and became an RA in fall 2022.
“One of the things that came up [during employee orientation] was the residential
college system and how the RAs are the adults that work at Rice,” Lopez said. “So we talked to [our son] Lucas about it … and he thought it would be great because he had friends that lived on campus and we thought, why not?”
Lopez said that she sees being an RA as an opportunity to develop connections with Rice students.
“I’m not a professor, so I didn’t get a lot of face time with the students,” Lopez said. “So, for me, the rewarding thing is just having the opportunity to interact with students and watching them interact with my kids, and I think that [the students] really helped them develop.”
Editor’s Note: This article has been cut o for print. Read more at ricethresher.org.
modern studies, and authored two senior theses for her classical studies major. However, she said her passion for antiquity goes back much further than matriculation. In third grade, Wright dressed up as the goddess Athena for a Greek mythology project she cites as the spark that started it all.
“Although I had always loved stories, that project was my rst true encounter with the world of Greek and Roman myth,” Wright said. “I was so enthusiastic that my teacher recommended I attend the middle school mythology club a er school on Thursdays.”
She rst read “The Odyssey” with her middle school Latin teacher, whose wizardlike beard and enchanting lectures led her to start reading the Fitzgerald translation on her own time.
Editor’s Note: This article has been cut o for print. To read more, visit ricethresher. org.
BELA JOTWANI / THRESHER Martel College RAs Liam Mayes and Gabriela Garcia have lived on campus with their son Oscar since January 2025.
FRANCESCA NEMATI / THRESHER
Susannah Wright became a professor in the MCLC department Fall 2024.
Meet the Magisters: Fabiola López-Durán and Carlos MartínezRivera on architecture, wine and student bonds
lush climate of their home country.
Behind an unassuming brick exterior lies abstract art, overflowing bookshelves and handcrafted wood furniture. Floor-to-ceiling windows bathe the home of Fabiola LópezDurán and Carlos Martínez-Rivera in natural light.
As the Hanszen College magisters, the two are in the unique position of providing guidance and support to an entire residential college of students. They have been magisters since 2019, an experience López-Durán said has been equal parts rewarding and challenging.
“This has been such an incredible journey … it has been the best and most di cult job of my life, and we love it,” López-Durán said.
López-Durán and MartínezRivera are both Venezuelan, and the abundance of greenery in their home — willowy garden trees, thick jungle leaves and pointed kitchen-counter fronds — serves as an homage to the
“We are from the Caribbean, so we wanted something quite tropical,” López-Durán said. “For us, it was important to live in a house that was our house, and to share with the students the life and the space that we create around ourselves. It doesn’t matter where we are.”
The house’s open concept, with huge glass panel windows in almost every room, also immerses the space in the greenery of the gardens outside, Martínez-Rivera said.
“The windows are open to the outside, it’s this fantastic thing,” Martínez-Rivera continued. “It has a lot of character, we love that.”
López-Durán is a trained architect who teaches art history at Rice. Her passion for art and architecture is evident in their home, she said. An abstract wire sculpture adorns the kitchen wall, and a collection of print and multimedia works line the living room.
One of the most notable works of art in the house is much more functional —
a cowhide Le Corbusier chaise lounge chair makes a bold statement in the living room. López-Durán said she has a complicated relationship with the controversial architect’s work.
“[Le Corbusier] is a protagonist of the fourth chapter of my book on eugenics and architecture,” López-Durán said. “I speak very badly about him in that book, but I’m fascinated by him without any question. This is my favorite chair in the entire house.”
Martínez-Rivera’s artistic touch is also evident in the wooden accent pieces he cra ed by hand for the home, from a ridged, horn-like sculpture in the living room to a multitiered swivel co ee table in the pair’s bedroom.
Martínez-Rivera said that one of his fondest memories is sharing his passion for film and video editing with the students. He hosts an annual video clip festival where students can showcase their creations.
“I love to project lm that I have to the students,” Martínez-Rivera said. “This is going to be the third clip festival
happening at Hanszen.”
To López-Durán, the best part of the academic year comes in April, when she and Martínez-Rivera have a tradition of inviting Hanszen’s graduating seniors to a wine tasting in their house.
“I make fun with people, [by] saying that wine is my second eld of research, because I took that very seriously since I was 22 and living in Italy,” López-Durán said. “I enjoy very much … to introduce students who never had that opportunity into the wonderful avors that you can taste in a single sip of wine.”
The ability to share their home, passions and life experience with Rice students — and watching them learn and grow in return — is the most ful lling aspect of being a magister, López-Durán said.
“This kind of intimate connection to the students is something really unique and ful lling,” López-Durán said. “That process of discovering yourself … is probably the most important single process in the life of any single individual, [and] is just a privilege and joy to be a part of.”
JULIANA LIGHTSEY / THRESHER
Carlos Martínez-Rivera and Fabiola López-Durán stand outside the Hanszen College magisters’ house. The pair said they enjoy the dynamic nature of being magisters and watching students grow.
JULIANA LIGHTSEY / THRESHER
Plant life lls the Hanszen magisters’ kitchen. The magisters said the tropical influences remind them of their home country, Venezuela.
JULIANA LIGHTSEY / THRESHER
A cowhide Le Corbusier chaise lounge chair sits in the Hanszen magisters’ house. Fabiola López-Durán was critical of Le Corbusier in her 2018 book on architecture “Eugenics in the Garden: Transatlantic Architecture and the Crafting of Modernity.”
Night Market brings Taiwanese tradition to Ray’s Courtyard
RADHANI KAPOOR FOR THE THRESHER
Colorful strings of paper lanterns and glowing lights hung over Ray’s Courtyard amid bustling games April 13, as the Rice Taiwanese Association hosted their annual Night Market.
Over 400 students flocked to the Central Quad to enjoy a vibrant evening filled with Taiwanese food, activities and cultural immersion.
Attendees sampled authentic Taiwanese dishes such as popcorn chicken, stir-fried noodles, dumplings and boba. Matt Banschbach, a Sid Richardson College senior, said the event — and the food — brought back memories from his time studying abroad.
“I love Taiwanese food, and this is the only place I can get Taiwanese sausage,” Banschbach said. “Night markets are such a big part of the Taiwanese experience, and this event captures a lot of the fundamentals — like eating while standing in line, the crowded atmosphere and especially the community aspect.”
Sarah Zeng, a junior from Lovett College, said she appreciated the event’s inclusivity and accessibility.
“There is no high barrier to entry, and people feel very welcome coming here and trying out di erent cultural foods,” Zeng said. “I feel like it’s a pretty common theme with Rice events, and I feel like [Night Market] is a really good example of that.”
Wei-Li Hsu, a lecturer in Chinese, highlighted the welcoming spirit of the organizers and the authenticity they bring to campus.
“Those RTA officials here, they are very friendly, just like [the] Taiwanese,”
Hsu said. “So usually for foreigners [who] visit Taiwan, they think [the] Taiwanese are very friendly and willing to help others.”
Despite its lively atmosphere, the event faced logistical and financial challenges.
Jonathan Chang, co-president of RTA and a Brown College senior, said securing funding was especially difficult this year.
“Rice, in general, has been having
Having these big events really allows people walking through the quad … [to] observe or participate to some degree, even if it’s just as a person who’s attending the event, getting food, playing the games.
Lily Remington HANSZEN COLLEGE SENIOR
issues being able to fund clubs and also diversity initiatives,” Chang said. “We’re a club that’s under the [Office of Access and Institutional Excellence], and that’s how our finances are managed. We expected like $4,000 [from the Student Activities/President’s Programming Fund] ... we got our funding late. We were able to get $2,000 — honestly less than we expected.”
To address this issue, RTA reached out to external sources such as the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston.
In addition to food, attendees engaged in various games that brought friendly competition. Traditional games like jianzi — a game where players kick a weighted shuttlecock — and ring toss were crowd favorites, alongside newer additions like sock head.
“[Sock head is] a game where you put a sock on your head,” said Mia Xie, a sophomore volunteer from Sid Rich. “It has a tennis ball at the end, and you try to knock down as many cans as you can in 45 seconds. [At] a Taiwanese night market, they always have these little games that people can participate in.”
Trisha Chinnimeni, McMurtry College junior, said she spent over an hour at the games to earn as many points as possible.
“I was trying to get a lot of points because they had Squishmallows that they were giving if you got a certain number of points,” Chinnimeni said.
While students enjoyed the market’s atmosphere, some noted differences from the authentic Taiwanese experience.
“This [night market] is in a field … over in Taiwan, it’s very narrow, kind of dense alleyways. Some of them are just on one single street that’s super packed,” Banschbach said.
Lily Remington, who has volunteered at RTA’s Night Market for four years, emphasized the event’s role in showcasing Rice’s cultural diversity.
“Rice has a pretty diverse population, but I still think that it’s easy for some people to not get the chance to, or not explore, the cultural diversity at Rice,” said Remington, a Hanszen College senior. “I think having these big events really allows people walking through the quad … [to] observe or participate to
some degree, even if it’s just as a person who’s attending the event, getting food, playing the games.”
Beyond food and recreation, the Night Market serves an important educational purpose. Chang said the market helps represent Taiwanese culture beyond political contexts.
“Taiwan is mainly just known for its political strife, but I think it is a country
that has a lot to offer outside of that,” Chang said.
Hsu also said she valued the role of cultural education in the event.
“The first, most important thing is [to] let people know about Taiwan,” Hsu said. “It’s not Thailand.”
Media to enjoy this Arab American Heritage month
most in uential Arab female directors in the region’s history.
This month is Arab American Heritage Month — so what better time to highlight media created by and about the Arab world? Here are some of the best works by Arab lmmakers, musicians and writers that showcase the diversity and complexity of Arab experiences.
“The Silences of the Palace” (dir. Mou da Tlatli)
When “The Silences of the Palace” debuted in 1994, it shi ed cinematic landscapes. This Tunisian classic explores the life of Alia, a wedding singer revisiting the palace of her childhood, interspersing her memories of growing up under a deeply strati ed social order. Praised for its strong feminist undertones, the lm addresses class hierarchy and women’s autonomy in a postcolonial setting. “The Silences of the Palace” garnered numerous international awards and established Tlatli as one of the
“Five Broken Cameras” (dir. Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi)
This searing 2011 documentary immerses viewers in life within the West Bank village of Bil’in. Using ve personal video cameras — several of which were damaged by con ict — Burnat captures protests and everyday realities under military occupation. “Five Broken Cameras” earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature, bringing international recognition to Palestinian storytelling and resilience. Despite its heavy subject matter, the documentary shines with moments of hope, community and perseverance.
“Homeland: Iraq Year Zero” (dir. Abbas Fahdel)
This two-part documentary chronicles life in Iraq before and after
the 2003 U.S. invasion. The first part, “Before the Fall,” depicts ordinary routines marked by an impending sense of change, while the second part, “After the Battle,” reveals the profound aftermath of war. Lauded for its intimate, almost familial perspective, “Homeland: Iraq Year Zero” is a thorough examination of how conflict reshapes not just nations, but everyday lives. It’s a must-watch for anyone interested in the human side of major geopolitical events.
“Wahdon” by Fairuz Fairuz, often called the “Jewel of Lebanon,” released “Wahdon” in 1979 at the height of her popularity. Composed by the Rahbani Brothers, this album balances poetic lyrics with sweeping orchestral arrangements that showcase Fairuz’s timeless vocals. “Wahdon” includes tracks that capture the dreamy romanticism of her music while also reflecting a resilience forged against the backdrop of Lebanon’s civil war. Fairuz remains a cultural icon whose work has transcended generations and borders, making this album a cornerstone of modern Arab music.
“Taqbir” by Taqbir Angry, loud and unapologetically rebellious, Moroccan band Taqbir’s selftitled album channels the raw energy of punk into a sharp critique of societal norms. Recorded in a flurry of gritty guitar riffs and defiant vocals, it stands out as a fierce statement in a musical landscape that often favors polished pop and traditional ballads. Grounded in themes of personal freedom and cultural identity, “Taqbir” offers a stark reflection on what it means to resist expectations in conservative settings. It’s an invigorating listen for punk fans and anyone seeking a jolt of unfiltered honesty in their playlist.
“Palace Walk” by Naguib Mahfouz Egyptian novelist Naguib Mahfouz was the first Arabic-language writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, and “Palace Walk” is one of his bestknown works. It’s the first volume of his Cairo Trilogy, charting the story of a family in early 20th-century Egypt. Beyond its critical acclaim, “Palace Walk” is beloved for its vivid depictions of Cairo’s bustling streets and the intricate dynamics between tradition and modernity. Mahfouz’s characters feel strikingly real, offering readers a nuanced portrait of Egyptian society during a period of sweeping change.
“Watch Us Dance” by Leïla Slimani
The sequel to her earlier novel “In the Country of Others,” “Watch Us Dance” continues Leïla Slimani’s exploration of Morocco’s complex journey postindependence. Set in the 1960s and ’70s, the story follows a family navigating political turmoil and shi ing social norms, highlighting themes of gender, identity and belonging. An award-winning writer known for incisive prose, Slimani uses her characters’ interconnected stories to paint a portrait of Morocco at a cultural crossroads. “Watch Us Dance” balances deeply personal narratives with broader historical forces, making it both intimate and universally resonant.
“Orientalism” by Edward Said Though not a novel or a lm, Edward Said’s “Orientalism” is a foundational text for understanding how the Western world has historically represented and perceived the Middle East. Published in 1978, it challenges and deconstructs cultural stereotypes, provoking readers to re ect on power dynamics in cross-cultural encounters. “Orientalism” remains highly in uential in academic and political circles, shaping conversations around colonialism, cultural representation and identity.
KONSTANTIN SAVVON / THRESHER Students gathered in Ray’s Courtyard on Sunday, April 13 for the Rice Taiwanese Association’s Night Market.
ARMAN SAXENA A&E EDITOR
ASHLEY ZHANG / THRESHER
‘Against the Grain’ puts Rice Athletics back on the radio waves
DIEGO PALOS RODRIGUEZ ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
In the midst of ktru’s music rotation of indie rock, jazz, Brazilian funk and more, there is an 8 a.m. Saturday slot completely dedicated to talking about sports at Rice, in Houston and around the world.
A er years of deliberation, Chloe Singer, producer of “Against the Grain” and a sport management major, was nally able to set her idea for a Rice sports radio show into motion last semester, with their rst episode releasing Oct. 31.
“I had always wanted to do a sports radio show here at Rice coming in freshman year but was struggling to nd the right infrastructure,” said Singer, a Duncan College senior. “I had some friends in ktru [who were] interested in adding podcasts as a potential part of ktru. I had a previous NFL podcast, so as those discussions developed, the conversation shi ed to, ‘Okay, what if we had a sports talk show?’”
Shortly a er the show was con rmed, Singer reached out to sport management professor Tom Stallings to recruit students who would be interested in working on the podcast, through which the podcast found many of its members.
While “Against the Grain” features a number of contributors, a cohort of about six students participate in the podcast weekly.
Sport analytics major Ian Kleppinger leads o every episode with a segment called “Around the Hedges,” highlighting sports news from Rice.
“We want to update people because
there aren’t [many students that are] closely following tennis or even baseball or volleyball, so here we can update them on that,” said Kleppinger, a Duncan junior.
A er “Around the Hedges,” the show transitions to its lead segment, covering topics such as the Super Bowl, March Madness, NFL coaching changes and even Beer Bike. Next, they air an interactive trivia game before transitioning to their second main segment. They conclude each episode by sharing sports hot takes and game predictions.
Kleppinger said that between researching each segment topic, attending team meetings and recording, the process can take up to seven hours a week.
“I think when we first started, it felt way too rehearsed,” Kleppinger said. “We had pages and pages of information, there was no way we were going to say all that.”
The preparation and execution of each episode have evolved as its hosts become more familiar with the process, he said.
“I think we’re funnier [now],” Kleppinger continued. “I think we’re more entertaining and honestly make better arguments and points when we’re in that sweet spot of not too much, not too little prep, which is also something you get better at with practice.”
Although a lot of e ort goes into the production of each episode, all of which are recorded at least a day before they air, their main goal is to engage with the audience on a more intimate level.
“At the end of the day, [what] we’re going for is a group of friends sitting down talking about sports, with added research,
added preparation and occasionally some analytic support,” Singer said.
Growing up in Lincoln, Neb., Kleppinger’s mission is to bring a collegetown feel to the greater Rice and Houston community, something he believes has been missing.
“Everything sports-related in Lincoln is about the Huskers, so I have this vision of trying to replicate that really big college sports town atmosphere,” Kleppinger said. “I want all the hours I’m putting in [to contribute to] that connection, that meaning for somebody who will look back and be like, ‘Oh, this is my connection, my experience with Rice Athletics, with the local Houston sports scene,’ kind of the same way I do with my hometown.”
Despite her upcoming graduation, Singer believes that “Against the Grain” has the potential to continue to inform the
“I think that we’ve laid enough foundation that things will continue on,” Singer said. “We already have standardized practices and there’s enough infrastructure and interest [for it to] carry on.”
The podcast, which can be found on Spotify, iHeartRadio and Amazon Music, continues to evolve in terms of content and reach.
Luke McCa rey, former Rice football player and current Washington Commanders wide receiver, will join “Against the Grain” April 26.
“It’s really exciting to have a big guest like McCa rey on the show,” Singer said. “Moving forward, we hope to continue to showcase current and former Rice athletes who are making an impact in their
Rice and Houston communities well a er the end of this semester.
eld.”
DIEGO PALOS RODRIGUEZ / THRESHER
Duncan College senior Chloe Singer and junior Ian Kleppinger record an episode of “Against the Grain.”
The sports radio show airs on ktru Saturdays at 8 a.m.
Sports Notebook
Football meets the public eye during 2025 spring game by
AndersenPickard,SportsEditor
Rice football concluded its spring practice schedule with an open session Saturday, April 12. While an end-ofspring showcase is common throughout college football, this was Rice’s rst under head coach Scott Abell, who was hired last November.
The evening included food trucks, alcohol samples and opportunities to purchase tickets for the fall season. Rice Athletics tailored the event toward families with in atables, face painting and balloon animals. Fans observed the team’s on- eld drills and the intrasquad scrimmage.
“Our fanbase, our families the people showed out,” Abell said. “I love it.”
Abell also shared key observations about the team, including their persistent hunger for improvement a er nishing 6-7 under Mike Bloomgren last year.
“They love being here, and they’re ready for that next step of this program,” Abell said. “That is the most important thing. Now it’s time to get ready for the fall.”
Moving forward, Abell said that the Owls will watch lm from their spring practices, including Saturday’s open session. He believes the program has made signi cant strides since he was hired as head coach, and he remains optimistic that the team is moving in the right direction.
Abell highlighted the o ensive line as a unit that has impressed him, even a er losing senior guard Chad Lindberg to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and redshirt junior tackle Ethan Onianwa to Ohio State University.
Protection in the trenches will be key for the Owls, who are expected to adopt a run-heavy o ensive scheme in 2025. Abell perfected his rushing o ense at Davidson College, which averaged 58.2 carries, 315.5 rushing yards and 3.4 rushing touchdowns per game in 2024.
Redshirt sophomore Chase Jenkins, who has showcased speed and athleticism as a quarterback and wide receiver at Rice, is a candidate to start under center in 2025.
“We haven’t even gotten to the surface yet,” Jenkins said. “I’m excited. We’ve got playmakers all around. I feel like we’ll be good.”
The evening also celebrated linebacker Myron Morrison, who was named the 2025 O.J. Brigance Award recipient.
“The Brigance Award is given annually to the Rice University football player who best represents and demonstrates the combined qualities of teamwork, good character, work ethic and courageous leadership,” a Rice Football post on X read.
Brigance is a Rice graduate who spent seven seasons in the NFL. He was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in 2007 and now works for the Baltimore Ravens as a senior advisor to player engagement.
“Truly honored to be recognized in the light of your legacy,” Morrison wrote in an X post directed toward Brigance. “Thank you for the example that you’ve set and the inspiration going forward.”
Trio of Owls ock to MBB transfer portal byAndersenPickard,SportsEditor
Rice men’s basketball appears set to lose three impact players in the latest transfer portal cycle. Junior guard Jacob Dar, junior forward Caden Powell and junior center Ifeanyi Ufochukwu have all entered the portal since Rice’s season concluded with a loss in the rst round of the American Athletic Conference tournament March 12.
Dar joined Rice this year a er two seasons at Emory & Henry University. In his lone campaign with the Owls, he averaged 19.8 minutes, 7.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.
According to an X post from Dushawn
London of 247Sports, Dar has heard from 12 schools since entering the portal, including Gonzaga University, Texas A&M University and the University of Memphis.
Powell, a former three-star recruit and University of Wyoming transfer, was the Owls’ only player to start all 32 games this past season. He shot 65 percent from the free-throw line while averaging 24.3 minutes, 10.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game.
He reportedly committed to Baylor University April 14, according to an article from SicEm365.
Ufochukwu is a 6-foot-11-inch native of Benin City, Nigeria. He primarily came o the bench during his rst two years at Rice before redshirting this past season.
As a result, he still has two years of NCAA eligibility remaining. Through 25 games at the collegiate level, he has averaged 3.5 minutes, 2.0 points and 1.2 rebounds.
So far, Rice has struggled to replace its outgoing group. According to a series of X posts, the Owls have contacted at least 19 players in the portal but have failed to secure a single commitment. The current transfer portal cycle closes Tuesday, April 22.
Men’s and women’s tennis victorious ahead of AAC Championships
byAndersenPickard,SportsEditor
Men’s and women’s tennis are both ranked as the regular season concludes and the AAC Championships approach.
The men’s team ranks 72nd overall (13-9 record) and is coming o a 4-0 win over the University of Alabama at Birmingham April 13.
The a ernoon was headlined by a doubles victory from Santiago Navarro and Petro Kuzmenok, competing for the rst time since entering the ITA rankings as the No. 83 Division I men’s doubles team on April 8.
Despite winning their matchup, Navarro and Kuzmenok fell back outside the top 90 teams with the latest ITA rankings April 15.
The women’s team also nished regular season play this past weekend with a 4-0 victory against Middle Tennessee State University April 12.
They are 16-5 and rank 37th in the country. The team is headlined by junior Darya Schwartzman and freshman Fernanda Martinez, who rank No. 72 among women’s doubles teams.
The men’s and women’s teams will travel to Memphis, Tennessee for the AAC Championships April 17-20. They occupy the h and second seeds, respectively.
Bees swarm Reckling Park dugout, delaying game byEvie
Vu,SportsEditor
During the nal game of baseball’s series against the University of South Florida April 13, a bee colony took over the visitor’s dugout at Reckling Park.
Rice baseball appeared to be aware of the issue before the game started and had already roped o several stadium seating sections and half of the dugout, but the USF players evacuated the space and rst pitch was delayed as the bees were removed.
Joseph Elam, a beekeeper and owner of a bee removal company, grabbed the hive with his bare hand to remove a large portion of the bees.
He used a vacuum to remove the remaining bees, allowing USF to reoccupy the full dugout.
“I got stung a couple times, but ain’t nothing,” Elam said in an interview with Leah Vann of the Houston Chronicle.
Once USF returned to their dugout, Rice defeated them 5-2 to win the series 2-1. The Owls will face the University of Memphis April 17 for Game 1 of a threegame road series.
“Thanks for the un-bee-lievable win!”
Owl-look: Scores & what’s next
Scores from April 9 to 15
Baseball vs. University of South Florida
April 11 - Rice 3, USF 14
April 12 - Rice 15, USF 3
April 13 - Rice 5, USF 2
Men’s Golf at Aggie Invitational
April 12-13 - 9th out of 12 (+55)
Women’s Tennis vs. Middle Tennessee State University
April 12 - Rice 4, MTSU 0
Men’s Tennis at University of Alabama at Birmingham
April 13 - Rice 4, UAB 0
What’s next from April 16 to 23
Men’s Track and Field at Bryan Clay Invitational
April 16-18 - Away
Women’s Track and Field at Bryan Clay Invitational
April 16-18 - Away
Baseball at University of Memphis
April 17, 6 p.m. - Away on ESPN+
April 18, 6 p.m. - Away on ESPN+
April 19, 1 p.m. - Away on ESPN+
Men’s Tennis at AAC Championships
April 18 - Away
Women’s Tennis at AAC Championships
April 18 - Away
Women’s Volleyball vs. University of Houston
April 18, 4 p.m. - Home
Women’s Soccer vs. Louisiana State University
April 19, 2 p.m. - Home
Men’s Golf at AAC Championships
April 21-23 - Away
ANDERSEN PICKARD SPORTS EDITOR
HONG LIN TSAI / THRESHER
CHOOSE YOUR FIGHTER
BRIAN BISHARA
MAIN ATTACK: STREAK BREAKER Douses opponents with a highpowered water gun; deals extra damage and temporary blinding spell against Baker 13 participants.
SPECIAL ABILITY: DUO PUSH Sends a two-factor authentication notification that immobilizes opponents until they complete it.
Brian is harmless until provoked by Duolingo lesson incompletion, after which he will kidnap your family in his car for ransom.
MAIN ATTACK: AWESOME EPIC SOCCER KICK Does a super cool bicycle kick he’s been doing since he was five years old to propel opponents away as if they were synthetic leather balls on Field 3.
SPECIAL ABILITY: GOLDEN MEMORIES Gains healing boost from nostalgic memories of playing competitive soccer when he was five years old.
IAN WATSON - HEMPHILL
Weakness: Speed debuff due to torn ACL from playing competitive soccer for the past fifteen years (since he was five years old).
MAIN ATTACK: COWBOY CARTER CRANIUM CRUSHER This ain’t Texas, but she will hold you and bash your head with a loose brick from the Academic Quad.
SPECIAL ABILITY: BACKUP DANCER Summons her biggest fan, Tony Balderaz, for a fierce 30-second-long back-up performance that stuns all opponents. This diva!
BEYONCÉ KNOWLES
If playing on the Pub stage, Beyoncé unlocks her Houston Hammer ability when Crazy in Love plays.
MAIN ATTACK: SIX- MINUTE ( S ) MILE Tires out opponents, either by running away from them until exhaustion or his overbearingly respectful demeanor.
SPECIAL ABILITY: LINKEDIN LIFE DUMP Jack corners you on the side of the stage and forces you to listen to his eight-paragraphlong LinkedIn bio (seven award shows!), causing opponents to walk off of the platform out of insecurity.
Jack spares players who agree to become his post-graduate roommate in Midtown, NYC (~$1,800/1,900).
MAIN ATTACK: ICE CREAM INCINERATOR Throws ice cream at opponent. Chucks it much harder if it’s strawberry-flavored because he hates strawberry ice cream.
SPECIAL ABILITY: FORKLIFT FEVER Summons a forklift and heaves his opponents off the stage. However, he is forklift certified, so he obliterates them with proper technique.
If playing on the Victor Lopez Classic stage, Kamden enters a flow state and beats multiple opponents at once.
The Backpage is the satire section of the Thresher, written this week by Andrew Kim, Will Howley, Charlie Maxson, and Max Scholl and designed by Lauren Yu. For
