The Rice Thresher | Wednesday, August 27, 2025

Dis-O, move-in weekend see increase in alcohol transports from last semester

JULIANA LIGHTSEY MANAGING EDITOR

Rice’s rst wet weekend of the year saw four times as many calls for intoxicationrelated transports of students to the hospital compared to the previous three years, according to emails sent out by college presidents and chief justices.

The weekend coincided with Dis-O, an event following freshman Orientation Week meant to introduce new students to party culture at Rice.

According to an email sent to Baker College by Chief Justice Alex Giangiorgi, Dean of Undergraduates Bridget Gorman called an emergency meeting with the residential college presidents on Monday to discuss the alcohol consumption over the weekend. Giangiorgi wrote that a campuswide alcohol ban was considered in the meeting.

“Threats of a dry campus being levied were seriously discussed,” wrote Giangiorgi, a junior, in his email. “If the behavior patterns from the weekend continue this week, it is very likely we will face campuswide sanctions.”

According to a GroupMe message sent by Sid Richardson College President Arjun Surya, college presidents were told that many of the hospital transports were for freshmen.

The O ce of the Dean of Undergraduates also cancelled all social committee events for Will Rice College for the rst week of classes, according to an email sent by Will Rice President Mary Margaret Speed. Speed wrote that the cancellations were due to “many violations to the Alcohol Policy” as well as failure to properly register the events.

Jones College Chief Justice Sam Forman wrote in an email to his college that the administration is also carefully watching Jones College concerning alcohol consumption. Forman said that the upcoming public, Martel’s “Don’t Mess With Texas” party, would be watched closely.

“If anything like what happened on Saturday happens again this week or at Martel Texas Party … campus will go dry,” wrote Forman, a junior. “Speci cally, we have extra eyes on us.”

Bridget Gorman, dean of undergraduates, said she was concerned and disappointed by the incidents.

“As part of their orientation, all students receive alcohol education training, and our alcohol policies and expectations exist for a reason,” Gorman wrote in an email to the Thresher. “Excessive drinking is unhealthy and dangerous, and more broadly falls short of our standards for personal responsibility, civility and respect for others. I am working closely with college magisters and student

leaders to reinforce these expectations for behavior among our students.”

Rice last faced campuswide alcohol sanctions following Wiess College’s public party, “Night of Decadence,” in October 2023. The party was shut down early a er more than two dozen students required medical treatment, and seven Rice students were transported to hospitals. Following the incident, public parties were cancelled through spring break, an alcohol policy advisory committee was convened to reevaluate the university’s alcohol policies and NOD was permanently cancelled.

Although a speci c number of emergency transports from move-in weekend was not released, Lovett College President Ayush Suresh said in an email to his college that the number of students transported was comparable to the seven NOD transports.

“This rivals numbers last reached at the NOD public in 2023, which caused campus to go dry for an entire semester,” wrote Suresh, a senior.

The college presidents and chief justices emphasized the importance of safe drinking practices, avoiding hard alcohol and holding other students accountable in their messages.

“We just want to be more intentional about how we drink at Rice and make sure that everyone can engage safely with events at Rice,” Suresh wrote.

Football student section relocated, renamed

them shielded from the sun.

The Rice Stadium student section has been relocated to sections 106 and 107 and renamed “The Nest,” according to Rice Athletics.

Previously, the student section was sections 115 and 116, which are located on the visitors’ side of the eld near the south end zone. The announcement relocates students to the home side of the eld near the north end zone, close to the ramp that players and sta use to get onto the eld.

Rice Athletics wrote that the relocation will move students “out of the sun and into the fun.” With all home games scheduled for the a ernoon or evening, moving students will help keep

“Shi ing the student section to a cooler, shaded area will be a gamechanger and bring students closer to the action for key moments like the team entrance,” Student Association President Trevor Tobey wrote in a message to the Thresher.

The decision to relocate the student section was made collaboratively by Rice Athletics, Rice Rally Club and members of the Student Association, according to deputy athletic director for external a airs and revenue generation, Kevin Dwan.

Rice Rally co-president Priya Armour said that Rice Rally has been asking for a new student section for a while now.

“We really wanted to give students a place where they could sit comfortably

for the game, to hopefully encourage more people to stay for longer,” Armour said.

Armour said that, during previous seasons, many students would relocate to the home side of the eld or leave the stadium altogether, rather than spending the entire game in the designated student section.

Rice Athletics sought community input in naming the upgraded student section. An email went out to all students July 28 with a form to submit name ideas. The ve most popular ideas were put to a nal vote.

Students’ first opportunity to enjoy the new seating arrangement will be Sept. 6 at 6 p.m., when Rice hosts its home opener against the University of Houston.

JAMES CANCELARICH NEWS EDITOR

Housing and Dining recently revealed a new dining plan for the upcoming semester. The required on-campus meal plan now has unlimited meal swipes, compared to 375 meal swipes last year. H&D said the previous on-campus meal plan was for students who intended to eat on campus 15 to 25 meals a week.

The price for the required oncampus meal plan was raised to $3,200 from last year’s $3,050.

Beth Leaver, the interim assistant vice president for housing, dining and hospitality, said that the cost increase was unrelated to the new unlimited swipe program.

ANDERSEN PICKARD SPORTS EDITOR

KONSTANTIN SAVVON / THRESHER

Students dance on Will Rice College’s Perch during Dis-O on move-in weekend. Several students were transported to the hospital for intoxication.

KONSTANTIN SAVVON / THRESHER

“The cost increase is part of our regular, anticipated annual adjustments driven by in ation in food, labor, and operating expenses,” Leaver wrote in an email to the Thresher. “The decision to move to unlimited swipes did not prompt the increase—it was made independently to enhance the student dining experience and address long-standing concerns around access, equity, and wellness.”

Leaver said that the unlimited swipe program was introduced as part of a plan to make dining more accessible at Rice. With unlimited swipes, Leaver said that students would not have to worry about tracking meals.

“The previous plate-per-swipe model o en led to rationing behaviors, stress around usage and increased food waste,” Leaver wrote. “Moving to unlimited access removes that barrier, aligns with best practices at peer institutions, and reinforces our commitment to student wellness and equitable access to meals.”

The previous plate-perswipe model often led to rationing behavors, stress around usage, and increased food waste.

Beth Leaver

INTERIM ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT OF H&D

In addition to the changes to the on-campus meal program, H&D also implemented across-the-board cost increases to o -campus dining plans. H&D is also introducing a new 10 to 11 a.m. snack period. Leaver said that the change was a pilot for expanded nonpeak access, with the future goal of a continuous dining model.

In a campuswide email, H&D said that students would be provided with ten guest swipes per semester and that additional guests could be covered with tetra points. A er the rollout, the guest swipes were increased to 15.

Leaver said that the guest swipes did not apply to family members, who could be swiped in using regular swipes.

The email also said that “ exible guest swipe options are included,” and that students could use Tetra points for additional guest swipes. However, it is unclear if students will be able to purchase more guest swipes as part of their meal plan.

It is also unclear how the unlimited

meal swipe plan will be enforced. On Facebook and Fizz, rumors circulated among students and parents expressing concern for a “cooldown period” for swiping into the serveries, to ensure students use only one swipe per meal. Some parents of Rice students expressed concern that they would have to purchase larger o -campus dining plans for their students if the swipes were more strictly enforced and o -campus students could no longer get swiped in by their oncampus friends. The H&D website denies the addition of a “cooldown period.”

“We recognize that some o -campus students previously relied on shared swipes from friends, which was not an intended feature of the capped plan,” Leaver wrote. “Under the new unlimited model, swipes are tied to individual use, and guest access is managed separately through a de ned allocation.”

The meal plan options for o -campus students remain at the same nite number of swipes as last semester.

In previous years, a common dilemma among on-campus students was that their 375-swipe meal plan was too excessive, with some having hundreds of unused swipes le over at the end of a semester, as they do not roll over.

The Student Association partnered with H&D to create a meal swipe donation program in 2020 as a solution to this issue, allowing students to donate xed numbers of their swipes to o -campus students in need.

Last year, the Student Association’s meal swipe donation program saw record successes, providing 16,905 meal swipes to o -campus students in its rst donation round, according to former SA president Jae Kim. The program was expanded with a mid-semester donation period in March.

Leaver said that H&D is working with Student Success Initiatives to update the donation system in what she described as a more streamlined process.

“Instead of relying on donated swipes from other students, H&D will allocate meal swipes directly based on student need,” Leaver wrote. “We will continue to collaborate with SSI to ensure that every student who applies for assistance through their o ce receives as much support as we can provide.”

According to a campuswide email from Housing and Dining, the Rice Swipe Support System provides a block of meal swipes at the beginning of the semester free of charge for students without meal plans. The program is intended for students facing barriers to meal access, either due to “ nancial or personal hardship.”

The form to request swipes, which was open until Aug. 20, noti ed students by Aug. 26 to let them know whether they

will be receiving swipes.

The program is funded by H&D and managed in partnership with the Student Success Initiative, with support from the Student Association, according to the campuswide email.

Students can also now donate their unused Tetra points to “expand” the new SSI program, the email reads.

Taylor Breshears, the associate director of the SSI, said that students can expect to receive a similar number of donations with the new program.

“We prioritize students who are Pell [Grant]-eligible and on need-based scholarship, live o campus, and do not have a meal plan,” Breshears wrote in an email to the Thresher. “My hope and intention are for students who are recipients of the meal swipes in fall

2025 to have a comparable experience to recipients in the previous two semesters.”

This change comes two weeks a er students raised concerns about the new on-campus meal plan providing unlimited swipes for the student on the plan, but only 15 guest swipes.

Breshears wrote that her team will take into consideration the limited ability for students to swipe in their friends when determining need.

The email also encouraged students interested in advocating for food insecurity to join a new student group called Stock the Nest. The group will support initiatives aimed at fighting food insecurity, such as assisting with the Rice Food Pantry, which is an anonymous resource that provides food and hygiene products.

ALTERNATE DINING OPTIONS

SAMMY’S CAFÉ

AMBASSADORS CAFÉ OUI BANH MI

LOCAL FOODS

CURBSIDE AT THE CLUB

Lunch and dinner in the RMC. Features a number of di erent dining options, including the Whoo Deli, a custom salad service and sandwiches.

Newly exapnded with late night dining options in the RMC. Thursday to Sunday, the Café will operate from 8:00 pm to 12:00 pm.

New location in the RMC. The Korean sandwich shop will now be located directly across from the bookstore.

The co ee shop, located in Brochstein Pavillion, will now be o ering online ordering.

Breakfast curbside service serving breakfast trays for groups. Includes fresh fruit, co ee and breakfast tacos.

Chao College announced, named a er manufacturing family

SARAH KNOWLTON EDITOR IN CHIEF

Rice announced that the 12th residential college will be named Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao College Aug. 19. The college, set to open in fall 2026, will contain nearly 300 on-campus beds.

“Chao College will stand as a lasting tribute to the entire Chao family, ensuring their legacy continues to inspire and shape generations of Owls to come,” President Reggie DesRoches wrote in an email to the student body. “I can’t wait to see the spirit, traditions and memories that will take root at Chao College when it opens in fall 2026.”

The college will be made up of two towers and an 11,000-square-foot quad.

Kirksey, the rm serving as executive architect for the project, also worked on the new Sid Richardson College, Hanszen College and Wiess College buildings. Chao and New Lovett are designed by Henning Larsen.

Chao College shares a name with the Chao Center for Asian Studies. The center was founded by a $15 million donation from the Chao family. Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao immigrated to the United States from China in the 1980s, and in 1986 Ting Tsung founded the Westlake Corporation, a plastic and petroleum manufacturing company. The corporation is now worth over $10 billion. In 2014, Forbes recognized the Chaos as the sixth richest immigrant family in America.

Ting Tsung and Wei Fong also ran

We hope it will be an enriching and rewarding experience for Rice students for generations to come.

Albert Chao TRUSTEE EMERITUS

the Chao Family Foundation, and their philanthropic donations supported Asian studies as well as the Rice Emerging Scholars Program and other departments at Rice. Their son Albert Chao is a trustee emeritus at Rice, and his wife Anne earned both a master’s degree and a

Ph.D. in history from Rice, serves on the advisor board for numerous academic departments and lectures at the Glasscock School of Continuing Studies. She is a divisional advisor at Lovett College, which will move into its new building adjacent to Chao next year. Anne and Albert are also associates at Lovett.

Albert and his siblings James Chao and Dorothy Chao Jenkins administrate the Chao Family Foundation.

“The Chao family is immensely honored to be part of Rice students’ college experience with the establishment of the new Chao College,” Albert Chao said in a Rice Public A airs press release. “We hope it will be an enriching and rewarding experience for Rice students for generations to come.”

FROM FRONT PAGE MEAL SWIPES

HONGTAO HU ASST. NEWS EDITOR

1,345: A er the rush of college applications and acceptance letters settled, a total of 1,345 freshmen walked through the Sallyport to cheers and reworks, kicking o their very rst week as Rice students. This represents a yield of 45%, out of a total of 2,852 students accepted, amounting to an 8% acceptance rate of the 36,791 applicants for the class of 2029. This is a 17% increase, 196 students, from the 1,149 admitted to the class of 2028.

The university aims to expand its enrollment to 5,200 undergraduate students by 2028, a 30% increase from 2020.

35: The largest ethnic group at Rice is Asian-Americans at 35%, with Caucasians following at 23%, and Mexican-Americans and Black students at 8% and 7% respectively. While Rice’s ethnic makeup is diverse, recent federal challenges to diversity programs and free speech have revealed ongoing di culties, both external and internal.

3,666: Tuition has increased every year at Rice, overtaking in ation. This year, tuition has increased by $3,666, and the total predicted cost of attendance has increased by $5,283 for students paying the full sticker price.

One cost is the recent H&D meal plan change. The main on-campus plan changed the previous 375 swipe plan to unlimited swipes at the cost of limited guest swipes and a $150 increase, which has been described by some students as harmful to Rice’s Culture of Care.

2,500: In late July, Rice o ered $2,500 to students on the waitlist if they continued to wait and were admitted. Rice wrote in an email to students on the waitlist, “We have determined that we have ten remaining places in our Class of 2029, and we hope to o er those places in the very near future

… in recognition of this, we will award students admitted from the waitlist a onetime grant of $2,500.”

This is an unusual grant, but college waitlists across the country are pushed further and further back. Last year, waitlist decisions were made in June. This year? July and later.

“This grant, which is on top of any need-based nancial aid, was intended to recognize the unique circumstances of a later admission o er,” Chris Stipes, the executive director of news and media relations, wrote in an email to the Thresher.

1, 4: One new minor and four new majors are available for this year’s freshmen. The Glasscock School introduced a Teaching Minor for undergraduates this spring. The newly launched B.A. in Cinema and Media Studies, B.A. in Global A airs, a Bachelor of Music in Orchestral Conducting and B.S. in Arti cial Intelligence are waiting for prospective students.

5: There are currently ve construction projects on campus. It’s out with the old and in with the new — and Lovett College freshmen know this well. This will be their only year in the Toaster before they are transferred to a new building beside the new Chao College, currently under construction. Saro m Hall — an art department building — opened its classroom doors to students this Monday. The Moody Center Complex for Student Life, set as an accompaniment to the Rice Memorial Center and Jones Business School, is also being built.

2: Two student-run businesses, The Hoot and Tea Nook, closed this spring and summer, respectively. While fewer options are available for late-night meals and boba tea and student workers at these locations have lost their jobs, student employment at Rice now pays more. The Rice student minimum wage is now $10 an hour, and the Rice administration has committed to an eventual increase to $15 an hour.

SA introduces amendments

HOPE YANG ASST. NEWS EDITOR

The Student Association amended four previously proposed amendments at this semester’s inaugural Senate meeting on Monday. The changes streamline grammar and clari catory changes, allowing for continuous review of the Initiative Fund and changes clarifying University Court impeachment and Blanket Tax Organization dissolution processes.

The four amendments were previously proposed for the spring 2025 election ballot, which failed due to insu cient voter turnout.

Senate will vote to approve the amendments Sept. 1. If the amendments pass, the SA will conduct a referendum or special election to determine if the amendments will be presented again on the spring 2026 ballot or voted on in the fall.

Amendment three includes revisions to the previously biannual review of the Initiative Fund, allowing for continuous review of applications throughout the year.

“We can meet continuously, but we can only vote once to disburse,” SA Parliamentarian Zach Weinbrum said during Senate. “If in some sort of scenario we have super good form all the time, why not have more meetings and appropriate more funds more quickly?”

Last spring, the SA approved a $140,000 Initiative Fund for student organizations, a 460% increase from the previously $25,000 fund, marking the largest in SA history. Applications open Sept. 2 and close Oct. 10.

The amendment also removes the requirement for funding to be given to “new and innovative” initiatives.

“[An initiative] is something you’re doing for the student body as a whole,” Weinbrum said. “It does not need to be new. It does not need to be recurring. It does not need to be innovative.”

Changes to amendment four revised the election regulations so that violations do not result in immediate disquali cation. Instead, the University Court may issue a remedial measure.

Senate also introduced a bill establishing a one-time funding for printing credit.

The SA will make a donation of $25,000 to support $5 of printing credit for all students, while urging university administration to match the donation to meet the $10 printing credit goal.

Martel College President Nathan Calzat said he had reservations about creating the fund without agreement from the administration to match the donation.

“I worry that we might be placing a bandage on a bullet hole and temporarily solve this issue when the real issue that we’re trying to solve is the fact that our administration does not want to give us our due compensation for what we need for our printing credit,” Calzat said during debate.

“It’s not the duty of the SA to provide printing credit, it’s the duty of our institution,” Calzat continued.

Members of Senate voiced disagreement. They will further debate the bill.

The SA is still negotiating with the administration to get 24-hour study space at Fondren, which they say may not be possible due to safety concerns. Secretary Cedric Lau con rmed a 12 day pilot program during nals week at Fondren requiring $37,000 in funding and is also looking for other spaces.

Deputy Chief of Sta Nate Turman also announced e orts to partner with the Houston Zoo to adopt a live owl mascot at the zoo for students to visit. Turman said that he hopes to follow the model at University of Houston, which has adopted two live cougars.

“The idea with that is to have fun, collaborative events and have good marketing for the school and for the zoo,” Turman said.

Top Majors of Interest

New students pass under the Sallyport as part

wlecomed its largest class in its history.

their

Campus building update

racially-motivated harassment of Black subcontractors at a job site.

Saro m Hall

Saro m Hall, the Art Department’s new building, opened August 2025.

“Saro m Hall is technically on schedule and complete as of August, as it has obtained a certi cate of occupancy already,” wrote George Ristow, the campus architect, in an email to the Thresher.

While the building is in use, there has not been an o cial grand opening. Rice University’s Dean of Undergraduates, Bridget Gorman, told the Thresher in an interview that the dedication ceremony for Saro m Hall will be held Sept. 11 — coinciding with Rice’s Board of Trustees meeting.

Jones School of Business

Rice also unveiled its plan to expand the Jones School of Business in spring of 2024. The building was originally registered to be completed by January 2026, according to the Texas Department of Licensing and Registration. But a er Rice’s request for a re-bid, a new construction company won the contract, extending the initial timeline.

Under Skanska, the new company, the building is expected to reach completion in spring 2026.

Skanska is currently facing a lawsuit. “[Skanska is one of the] construction companies being sued for overlooking safety concerns that caused a completely preventable outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in New York City which killed at least ve people and sickened dozens more,” NBC reported.

The Pensacola News Journal’s website also reported that the Floridabased company has been involved in alleged bribery scandals in Brazil and Argentina, fraudulent labor practices, and

Chris Stipes, the University’s Executive Director of News and Media Relations, did not comment on the lawsuits.

“We have not experienced any issues with the general contractor throughout the construction of our new business school building, which remains on schedule,” Stipes wrote in an email to the Thresher.

Moody Center for Student Life

Rice also broke ground on the Moody Center for Student Life this May, and is set to open by fall 2027, according to Gorman. The new student center is set to provide o ce space, a green area, and a pavilion for the students’ gathering spaces, Gorman said.

Chao and New Lovett College

To accommodate Rice’s growing student body, the University is planning to house them in two new dormitories: Lovett College’s new building and the newly established Chao College. Current Lovett freshmen will be the last to live in the 1968 building until moving into Lovett’s new building in fall 2026, next to Chao.

“[I feel] kind of sad about it because, I heard the new building is gonna be really ugly and this one has a lot of history to it,” said Zaid Rashid, a Lovett College freshman. “I’ll probably be sad by the end of the year leaving it. Even though it’s really old, it still has a lot of personality to it.”

But the future of Lovett’s character still seems unclear. Isabel Feisman, also a Lovett College freshman, said she was concerned about the legacy and culture of Lovett.

“I just hope that we still retain some of this building because there’s a lot of legacy in it, especially the downstairs where there’s handprints on the wall,”

KONSTANTIN SAVVON / THRESHER

of

matriculation. This year, Rice

PARWANA KARIMI FOR THE THRESHER

O-Week speaker gives contentious diversity remarks

HONGTAO HU ASST. NEWS EDITOR

Suzanne Nossel, the former CEO of PEN America, a free speech organization, presented during Orientation Week about the importance of open dialogue and expression. During her presentation, several Community Facilitators walked o the stage.

Nossel took the podium last Tuesday as part of the “Diversity and Community at Rice Presentation,” an O-Week program spearheaded by the O ce of Access and Institutional Excellence. She was invited by Alexander Byrd, the o ce’s vice provost. Incoming students were required to attend the event.

During her speech, Nossel provided examples of what she described as tolerance.

“A math teacher was teaching a class about oblique angles,” said Nossel, according to an excerpt of her speech she emailed the Thresher. “He reached his hand up straight and a little bit forward. Looking at it up there for a minute, he uttered the words ‘Heil Hitler.’ The students were taken aback.”

The teacher was then red, Nossel said, but later context led to him being reinstated.

“The students were in the room and knew that the words had just fallen out of his mouth, essentially by accident,” Nossel’s excerpt read. “The school administrators needed to understand those things to fairly judge the speech.”

Nossel also cautioned new students to be aware of what they say during protests.

“If you’re protesting, think about what slogans you chant,” Nossel’s transcript read. “What do [the slogans] mean to you, and what might they mean to others. To an Israeli or a Palestinian student, or the child of an ICE agent or an undocumented immigrant, a victim of sexual assault, someone who aspires to be a cop.”

The purpose of this talk was to emphasize the importance of free dialogue and context, Nossel said. Kaz Nam, a Lovett College CF, wrote in a

message in the college’s GroupMe that Nossel was problematic in her speech.

“The Diversity Presentation Speaker said some really problematic stu ,” Nam, a junior, wrote in their GroupMe message. “CFs warned rice [sic] sta this was a bad idea but they didn’t listen to us.”

In 2024, during her tenure as CEO of PEN America, she faced criticism regarding PEN’s stance on the IsraelHamas war. Writers and activists accused the organization of failing to support Palestinian voices, highlighting Nossel’s previous pro-Israel statements. Nossel stepped down in October 2024, following the criticism. She denied that the war was the resignation’s impetus, according to AP news.

“I do not condone the speech whatsoever, but just make the point that once those who heard it — or heard about it — understood the intent and context their reaction to it changed,” Nossel wrote.

Despite the backlash, Byrd stood by his decision to have Nossel speak to freshmen.

I begin by stressed an obligation of conscientiousness with langauge — being aware of the sensitivities of those to whom you are speaking and taking them into account as you choose how to express yourself

Suzanne Nossel FORMER CEO OF PEN AMERICA

“Suzanne Nossel’s experience at PEN America and her writings on free expression — ‘Dare To Speak’ and ‘Is Free Speech Under Threat?’ — made her well-suited to address the challenges of sustaining open dialogue in a diverse environment,” Byrd wrote in an email to

For new student Zaid Rashid, Nossel miscommunicated what he saw as respectable intentions.

“I understand the point she was trying to make,” said Rashid, a Lovett College freshman. “Free speech is a good thing, but the way she did it was really, really bad. It was the kind of opinion that values all opinions, when some opinions could be more harmful than others.”

The speech comes during a contentious time for diversity programming in higher education. CFs overhauled the language used in their diversity PowerPoint presentations, changing phrases such as “microaggressions” to “everyday slights.”

“Dr. Byrd asked us to meet, and we went over the guidelines that the legal council had given us,” Nam said. “We

just needed to make sure speci c phrases weren’t said, that it was framed in a particular way.”

While Nossel stressed the importance of conscientiousness, she acknowledged the di culty of topics surrounding free speech.

“I begin by stressing an obligation of conscientiousness with language — being aware of the sensitivities of those to whom you are speaking and taking them into account as you choose how to express yourself,” she wrote. “I believe that is necessary in a diverse society.”

The one-sided nature of the speech also hindered some opportunities for dialogue, Nossel said.

“These issues are complex and that large setting did not allow an opportunity for comments or back-and-forth,” Nossel wrote.

Rice responds to deadly July 4 floods in Texas Hill Country

RAMYA MOTATI & JULIANA LIGHTSEY THRESHER STAFF & MANAGING EDITOR

In the early hours of the morning on July 4, flood waters rapidly rose the Guadalupe River to 30 feet above its normal height. One of the few gauges on the river failed. Young girls sleeping in the cabins of Camp Mystic on the banks of the river had no phones to receive the flood warnings.

In the aftermath, the mass of this devastating storm in 2025, it’s clear that the need for reliable, real time flood warning systems has never been more urgent.

Phil Bedient SSPEED DIRECTOR

The July 4 floods in the Texas Hill Country have claimed 135 lives.

Bruce Hurley, a Lovett College junior, said he knew Chloe Childress, a Camp Mystic counselor who died in the flooding, through their time at the Kinkaid School in Houston.

“Chloe had the most beautiful soul and was the brightest light in the room,” Hurley said in a statement to the Thresher. “I will forever remember her for her immense bravery, empathy, and kindness. She was a friend to everyone.”

Phil Bedient, director of Rice’s

Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters Center, has spent four decades working on technology to prevent such tragedies.

In the aftermath of the flooding, Bedient, a professor of civil engineering, was quick to respond, publishing an opinion in the Houston Chronicle July 7 with a detailed list of measures the state of Texas should take, including implementing warning sirens, establishing an advanced flood detection system and installing more flood gauges along the river.

The next day, Dustin Burrows, the speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, posted on X that the legislative body plans to work with SSPEED to implement Bedient’s solutions during a special session that began July 21.

On July 31, Bedient spoke at a hearing held by the Texas House and Senate committees on disaster preparedness and flooding in Kerrville.

“In the aftermath, the mass of this devastating storm in 2025, it’s clear that the need for reliable, real time flood warning systems has never been more urgent,” Bedient said during the 13-hour hearing.

During his speech, Bedient described the novel prediction model that he has been developing with his team at SSPEED, along with his colleague Nick Fang from the University of Texas at Arlington.

The model they developed currently serves downtown Houston and the broader Houston area by providing fast, real-time predictions. Bedient said this system can be applied to rural areas, such

as those near the Guadalupe River in the Hill Country.

“This type of system in the Hill Country, along with specialized warning devices like sirens, would go a long way to at least giving proper warnings to the people that were there,” Bedient said in an interview with the Thresher.

Although no flood prevention measures were passed in the legislature’s first special session, an ongoing second session has seen the advancement of two camp safety measures, with funding for other flood relief projects — like SSPEED’s — still under debate.

The greater Rice community also came together to offer their support to victims during a donation drive July 1011, organized by Rice Athletics.

Funmi Blakemore, director of administration for Rice Athletics, said that by the end of the drive, they had received hundreds of donations, from canned food and water bottles to baby supplies and hygienic products.

“I want people to know that we’re thankful,” Blakemore said. “It’s been proven over and over again when, when our community needs to come together, we will come together.”

TEXAS HOUSE AND SENATE LIVESTREAM

Phil Bedient speaks for the Texas House and Senate committees on disaster preparedness and flooding in Kerrville. Bedient, a professor at Rice, gave his expertise on flood preparations.

the Thresher.

COURTESTY RICE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

The former CEO of PEN America addressed new students during an O-Week diversity talk. Her remarks sparked backlash among student Community Facilitators.

Rice makes major shift towards AI with new degree

AISHA KHEMANI THRESHER STAFF >>

This semester, Rice is embracing artificial intelligence in more ways than one. The Department of Computer Science launched a new bachelor’s degree in AI this semester, and the university has been promoting itself with AI-generated content around campus and on social media.

Rice is also giving students free access to Google Gemini, an AI assistant that can summarize papers, generate responses and support writing, as well as as Google’s NotebookLM, which allows users to use AI work across their own documents and transcripts.

With the launch of the AI major, Rice joins a small group of elite universities — including Carnegie Mellon, the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology — that offer dedicated AI programs.

“Artificial intelligence is now a core enabling technology across nearly every discipline,” President Reggie DesRoches wrote in an email to the Thresher. “By launching our Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence in fall 2025, Rice is putting its strategic vision, Momentous, into action.”

John Greiner, an assistant teaching professor of computer science and director of the AI major, said the department began exploring the idea of a major after noting rising student demand for AI.

all of these resources available, does it make sense to actually create a major?”

“People are realizing AI is not simply a sub-area within computer science anymore,” Greiner said. “It has expanded into a full domain where specialists can focus their entire careers … we sat back and said, well, we’ve got

PHOEBE SCHOCKET / THRESHER

John Greiner, an asistant teaching professor of computer science, is the new leader of the AI major, which was launched this semester.

Vicente Ordóñez-Román, an associate professor of computer science, chaired the committee that designed the program. He compared the launch of Rice’s AI major to the early days of computer science.

“When computer science first became a discipline, many universities were unsure what to include in the curriculum or even what to call the field,” Ordóñez-Román said. “In creating the major, we looked at the few peer institutions with existing programs. Some were geared toward the extremely technical side, while others leaned more into the social and cognitive psychology aspects.”

Administration and faculty said that the curriculum was built from the ground up, rather than pieced together from existing offerings. Designed to be well-rounded, two to four of of its 20 courses will be in the social sciences and humanities.

“The courses will equip our students to think critically and strategically about ethical implications and to explore new ways to apply AI,” Provost Amy Dittmar said Students begin the AI major with a foundation in mathematics and probability before moving into a 12-course AI core. Required classes include Ethics of AI and Intro to

Cognitive Psychology. Students also complete three electives from clusters such as Perception and Language; Robotics and Autonomy; Humans and AI; and AI Theory.

Alex de Sousa, a Brown College sophomore studying computer science, said he is more interested in artificial intelligence — both its development and regulation — than in upper-level computer science courses.

People are realizing AI is not simply a sub-area within computer science anymore. It has expanded into a full domain where specialists can focus their entire careers.

John Greiner RICE PROFESSOR

“The most advanced classes in computer science are going to be related to developing very advanced algorithms and how the computer system works at its core,” de Sousa said. “I feel like that’s separate from the concerns people working in AI have nowadays.”

Baylor and Rice collaborate on AI humanities center

SANJANA

RAMIENI THRESHER STAFF >>

A new Center for Humanities-based Health AI Innovation launched this summer as a partnership between Rice and Baylor College of Medicine. According to Baylor, the center will aim to address an emerging issue in healthcare: incorporating human experiences and reducing bias in arti cal intelligence. This three-year initiative is funded by a $500,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

CHHAIN’s work revolves around three main objectives: de ning trustworthy AI through patient voices, translating humanities insights into clinical AI settings and applying these perspectives through public engagement and policy translation.

Co-directors Vasiliki Rahimzadeh and Kirsten Ostherr said that CHHAIN works across the AI life cycle — from

development to validation and nally implementation — to create policies that ensure transparency and reduce algorithmic bias. Rahimzadeh is an assistant professor at Baylor in the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, and Ostherr is director of the Medical Humanities Research Institute at Rice.

“We lack understanding of what matters most to patients,” Rahimzadeh wrote in an email to the Thresher. “When, how, and who should be accountable for health AI’s mistakes? Should patients be consented when AI is used in their care, and how o en?”

Rahimzadeh and Ostherr said that the center embeds patient perspectives into AI by involving diverse communities and bringing their insights into design sessions with technology developers, startup founders and other stakeholders. Their work could not come at a more critical time, according to the World

We lack understanding of what matters most to patients. When, how, and who should be accountable for health AI’s mistakes? Should patients be consented when AI is used in their care, and how often.

that patients’ needs and expectations are o en overlooked in the design and use of AI in medicine.

“We have designed CHHAIN for maximal impact on these debates through rigorous stakeholder-engaged research,” wrote Rahimzadeh. “My hope for CHHAIN is that we can move the debate outside the academy and provide real solutions.”

Personal stories and human experiences are integral to enhancing relevance and fairness in treatment, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ostherr said that a humanitarian outlook is crucial.

CHHAIN

Vasiliki Rahimzadeh CO - DIRECTOR OF

Economic Forum’s 2025 report highlights. AI is being rapidly adopted into clinical practices, as reported in SQ Magazine, 89% of healthcare executives in 2025 reported using AI in at least one clinical or operational function.

However, further research suggests

“The biggest misconception is that the humanities are somehow ‘extra,’” Ostherr wrote in an email to the Thresher. “Anyone who has had a positive experience with healthcare knows that being treated like a real person, not like a dataset or a set of symptoms, makes a profound di erence.”

BRYAN MENDOZA / THRESHER

Letter from the Provost: Welcome and good luck, new owls

Welcome to Rice! We look forward to guiding you as you experience this special place that encourages students to grow in and outside of the classroom. The culture on campus is built to support you through your successes and challenges as you achieve existing goals and realize new ones. That’s the beauty

The culture on campus is built to support you through your successes and challenges as you achieve existing goals and realize new ones. That’s the beauty of Rice — you will be exposed to new opportunities that you didn’t even know were possible.

of Rice — you will be exposed to new opportunities that you didn’t even know were possible.

As you embark on your academic careers, let me share a few key pieces of advice.

First, you may feel a range of emotions, from enthusiasm and happiness to anxiety, loneliness and homesickness. You are not alone. These emotions, while they may feel overwhelming at times, are part of being human, especially at this point in your life.

One of the best ways to approach these feelings is to reach out and talk to someone, whether a new friend you met at Rice, an older classmate from your residential college, a graduate

ambassador, a labmate, a professor, your magister, a caring staff member or a friend from back home. If you find yourself in need of a higher level of support than your social network can offer, the Student Wellbeing Office and Rice Counseling Center teams stand ready to help undergraduate and graduate students anytime. Being successful at Rice begins with taking care of yourself, physically and mentally.

Second, I encourage you to seize every opportunity to take learning beyond the classroom. The classroom is where learning begins, but knowledge truly comes to life when it’s animated by real-world experiences.

The Moody Experience is one of many avenues at Rice for experiential learning, offering opportunities for civic immersion, global travel, research, creative projects and more. Experiential learning teaches you flexibility and resilience when things don’t go as planned — two traits you’ll need to succeed in today’s ever-changing world. Plus, it makes you a stronger candidate to potential employers when you’re applying for internships, jobs, graduate schools, postdoctoral fellowships or other academic positions.

Finally, I encourage you to venture off campus and enjoy all that Houston has to offer. The city is the fourth largest and one of the most diverse in America, with a vibrant food scene at a variety of price points, many beautiful green spaces and a thriving arts and cultural scene.

For a good intro to Houston’s food scene, take a walk or shuttle to Rice Village or visit Rice’s Ion innovation hub for dinner.

To experience nature, stroll through Hermann Park across the street from campus. And check out Menil Park in the

Some people will tell you that college is the best time of your life, but I’d like to remind you that it has challenges and opportunities like any other season. The key is what you make of them.

Montrose neighborhood, a short bike or car ride away.

Rice students can also take advantage of Houston’s arts offerings with the support of the Rice Program Council’s Passport to Houston program, which offers free or subsidized tickets to professional theater and opera performances, athletic events and special Houston attractions. Also through this program, all students with a valid Rice ID can get unlimited access to permanent exhibitions at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston Zoo and Museum of Fine

Arts, Houston. Some people will tell you that college is the best time of your life, but I’d like to remind you that it has challenges and opportunities like any other season. The key is what you make of them.

Best wishes, Owls. Fly high!

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.

Amy Dittmar RICE PROVOST

Keeping Rice culture of care alive is

a shared responsibility

The semester has barely begun, and this year’s Dis-Orientation saw four times as many medical transports as previous years. That number should give everyone pause.

Dis-O is supposed to be a freshman’s introduction to Rice’s party culture and all that comes with it, including drinking. It’s a night for advisors to introduce students to this potentially signi cant part of their college experience in a safe and guided way. But with such an increase in transports, it’s hard to call the night a success. It’s even harder not to be reminded of what happened in 2023.

In October 2023, Wiess College’s public Night of Decadence was shut down early. Twenty-four students needed on-site medical treatment. Seven were transported to hospitals. Students were handcu ed. Allegations of excessive force were made. While no arrests were reported, the damage was done.

In the a ermath, Rice canceled public parties through spring break, limited Pub to 21+ students only and placed NOD on probation. The consequences could’ve been even more severe, but the reality is clear: another night like Dis-O, and Rice could become a dry campus.

NOD was later permanently cancelled. What was the largest party of the year (both in attendance and notoriety) is essentially lost for new students. This should serve as a reminder to students that their actions can have lasting consequences for Rice culture. For Weiss’s new party, students couldn’t help but feel that they were

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS’ DESK

missing out. It wouldn’t be fair to new students in ve, ten years if our culture is only a shell of its former self, because of bad decision making

Some students have long assumed that Rice’s open and trusting alcohol policy is a given. It’s not. That system only works if students take responsibility for themselves and for one another. In 2023, we didn’t. And this year, we’re already on a rough path.

We know how fragile the balance is between fun and fallout. We also know what responsible partying looks like — and what happens when that line is crossed.

Upperclassmen know what this year’s Dis-O could entail. We’ve lived through party restrictions. We know how fragile the balance is between fun and fallout. We also know what responsible partying looks like — and what happens when that line is crossed. Know your limits, drink water, have something to eat and lead by example.

Post-NOD, the Thresher’s editorial board at the time wrote that “banning hard alcohol or alcohol-related gatherings

will not stop people from drinking — but it could make them less likely to seek medical help.” This statement holds true two years later. The purpose of Dis-O is, ultimately, to teach underclassmen how to drink responsibly in a safe environment. If they no longer have a safe environment, they’ll go drink somewhere else, and ocampus parties, clubs and bars don’t have resources like REMS or an amnesty policy. They certainly don’t have a culture of care.

It’s on us as upperclassmen to model that culture of care. That means checking in on new students before the party even starts. That means not enabling binge drinking in the name of “having fun” or “tradition.” Advisors: When your O-Weeks kid’s safety is the topic, there is no excuse for putting them in danger. That means stepping in when someone’s had too much — not a er they’re already on the way to REMS. We’re all adults here, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t look out for one another.

Our responsibility isn’t just to have fun. It’s to make sure the people around us can have fun too — safely.

Editor’s Note: Thresher editorials are collectively written by the members of the Thresher’s editorial board. Current members include Sarah Knowlton, Kathleen Ortiz, Juliana Lightsey, James Cancelarich, Noa Berz, Jenna Perrone, Arman Saxena, Andersen Pickard and Evie Vu. Managing editor Juliana Lightsey recused herself from this editorial due to reporting on the corresponding story in our news section.

Journalism is a community practice

First of all, we want to thank y’all for picking up the paper, reading our stories and answering our questions all the time. We want to inform students, staff and the community about what is happening at Rice, and the only way to do that is by hearing from you. Talk to us, email us, submit tips on our website, write an opinion piece; however you want to communicate, we always want to know what matters to you. Creating mutual trust between the newspaper and the organizations and people it covers leads to more accurate and extensive reporting. We want to cover you well and having a relationship with you helps us do that to our best ability.

Although we both love journalism, that’s not enough to make a good editor-in-chief. We have this job because we, like you, care about what happens on campus. A lot of Rice life is student-run, including the Thresher — we’re independent from the university, and while we have a great adviser, the editorial decisions are ultimately made by us.

We believe that students can make a difference in the culture and community at Rice. We also think that students have both a right and a duty to be informed about the world around them. For us, that world is Rice.

It’s a weird time for journalism. Public media is rapidly losing funding, and human-made and researched news is fighting against waves of AI-generated misinformation. To that end, we want

CORRECTIONS

A lot of Rice life is student-run, including the Thresher. For this reason, we believe that students can make a difference in the culture and community at Rice.

to emphasize that we are constantly striving to know more and produce the highest quality paper possible every week. We don’t use ChatGPT in our newsroom — everything you read or see was created by your fellow students.

While we may make mistakes, our goal is always to give you our best work.

We welcome you to email us if you see a mistake, a misspelling or something you disagree with. You can even publish responses to stories you disagree with through our letters to the editor policy.

Everyone is invited to join us in the work that we do, whether that is through writing a guest opinion or by becoming a staff member. A key piece of journalism is having diverse voices and diverse stories, which often come from having a wide variety of people in our offices reporting, editing and shooting photos.

We look forward to a great year!

Sarah Knowlton & Kathleen Ortiz EDITORS -IN-CHIEF

Owls in business: Student founders to watch out for

#1. Kaducia - Samek Rangarajan

Samek Rangarajan might not be a doctor, but he is already tackling the ine ciencies of healthcare billing and insurance claim denials. His platform Kaducia is designed to help doctors spend less time on insurance paperwork and more time with patients.

“The American health insurance system is something of an IQ test, and I don’t think that’s right,” said Rangarajan, a McMurtry College senior. “Everyone should be able to access healthcare.”

Rangarajan joined Rice’s Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Summer Venture Studio this summer, where he re ned Kaducia’s business model, connected with mentors and gained support from the Harris County Medical Society and other community partners. The experience also changed his perspective on what it means to build a company.

“I de nitely came in most excited about the coding, [but] coding is maybe like 10% of the job of a founder,” Rangarajan said. “Most of the work is going to be on customer development, business development, sales, actually getting to the real problems people are facing.”

Rangarajan shadowed billing work ows in ve clinics to understand pain points rsthand, and he translated those insights into a three-phase rollout plan: backtesting old data, piloting with a small group of physicians and expanding to full organizationwide implementation.

In its rst pilot, Kaducia backtested several months of claims with a partner clinic, uncovering errors that would have led to costly denials. Rangarajan said that is evidence of the platform’s potential to save providers time and money.

“I’m con dent someone is going to x this space and make it easier for people to access healthcare, to bring down claim denials and to modernize a very broken, antiquated system,” Rangarajan said. “Maybe it will be Kaducia. I’m hopeful. But I’m certain that change is coming.”

#2. Hira - Sathya Padmanabhan and J.W. Aguirre

Hira was created by Sathya Padmanabhan and J.W. Aguirre to address a problem familiar to many college students: the time-consuming process of

job applications. Padmanabhan, a Brown College junior, said hours spent lling out repetitive forms and tailoring cover letters highlighted the need for a more e cient approach.

“[Job applications] are taking way too long,” said Padmanabhan. “My friend J.W. comes to me with the same problem, and we talked to our friends and realized everyone has the same issue. Everyone hates job applications.”

Hira uses arti cial intelligence to ll out job applications, requiring only a resume and a short pro le. The system automatically nds roles, matches them to user experience and completes applications.

Padmanabhan said building Hira meant making a bold choice with their summer plans. Instead of pursuing internships, he and Aguirre, a Lovett College junior, rented an Airbnb in Dallas and spent the summer coding day and night.

Being in a cohort of other startups fighting the same battle is inspiring and motivating.

Santiago Brent HAAST AUTONOMOUS

CO

FOUNDER

“I wish I was joking, but we honestly stayed up 12 to 14 hours every single day to work on this,” Padmanabhan said. “We enjoy working on it so much that it doesn’t feel like work, it feels fun.”

A er a rough rst launch, the team decided to scrap two months of work and rebuild the product in only a few days.

“Right when we launched it, nothing worked, everything broke, it all fell apart,” Padmanabhan said. “We sat there for two days straight, rebuilt our whole thing, and … once we launched that, we saw a lot more growth and a lot of people started coming to our website.”

Padmanabhan said Hira grew to 1,200 users, processed nearly 5,000 applications and generated revenue in the rst few weeks a er its launch.

This fall, Padmanabhan and Aguirre are taking Hira to Rice’s Lilie New Venture

Challenge class, with plans to re ne the platform further and release new features, such as giving users control over which jobs are applied to. They said positive feedback has reinforced their commitment to providing an easy-to-use service to their classmates and others on the job search.

“When people reach out like that, it feels validating,” Padmanabhan said. “It just motivates us more.”

#3. Haast Autonomous - Ege Halac, Jason Chen, Santiago Brent

When lives are on the line, even a tra c jam can make the di erence. Haast Autonomous is betting that pilotless aircra can cut through the gridlock, delivering organs, blood and other critical supplies faster than today’s outdated courier systems.

The idea began with Ege Halac, a Baker College junior, during his research at Houston Methodist. He noticed a troubling gap: plenty of organs were available for patients, but ine cient transport o en kept them from arriving in time.

Halac immediately called on his two friends, Jason Chen and Santiago Brent, both Will Rice College seniors with a shared interest in transportation technologies. Together, the trio saw an opportunity to merge engineering with a critical medical need.

“I really think the combination of disciplines we have is super bene cial not only to the work we do but also to the speed and e ciency with which we’re able to work,” Brent said.

Haast’s vision is to reimagine how lifesaving materials move through the Texas Medical Center and beyond. Roo op helipads and other infrastructure already exist but are rarely used for organ transport.

Their approach combines hardware and so ware into a full-service model. Aircra s are designed for vertical takeo and long-range ight and can take the organ every step of the way, but Brent said building the aircra is only half the battle. To move past the regulatory hurdles, the team is partnering with one of the seven unmanned aircra systems test sites in the country, where they hope to prove the safety and reliability of their system.

“The biggest hurdle for us is the [Federal Aviation Administration] and getting these waivers to y,” Brent said.

That progress has been fueled in part by support from Lilie, where the team joined the Summer Venture Studio.

“You run into a lot of unforeseen things, and having someone who’s been through the mud before is really helpful,” Brent said of Lilie. “Being in a cohort of other startups ghting the same battle is inspiring and motivating.”

For Chen, the best part of his work has been the people.

“Being able to work with people who are super passionate has been incredible,” he said. “We were all friends to begin with, and setting our own goals and the impact we want to make, then combining that into something meaningful and new — it’s been exciting to see what happens when disciplines collide.”

#4. SlayAI - Rahul Shah

Finding clothes online o en starts with guesswork: vague search terms, endless scrolling and mixed results. Rahul Shah, a Martel College junior, started SlayAI to cut through that frustration with a mobile app that lets users snap a photo of clothing and instantly discover where to buy it. By breaking images into key terms and scanning Google Shopping and Google Images, the app delivers accurate, shoppable matches in seconds.

Shah said the idea for SlayAI came from one particularly fruitless search of his own.

“I just remember watching a TV show and thinking the main character had a really, really cool sweater. I couldn’t nd it anywhere, I kept searching ‘blue ribbed sweater, frayed neckline’ and nothing came up. And I thought, surely there’s a better way to do this.” said Shah, a Martel College junior.

Since its App Store launch, SlayAI has been downloaded more than 5,000 times, with most of its growth fueled by TikTok. Two in uencer partnerships drove viral spikes, including one video that reached 250,000 views and another that topped 50,000. That attention boosted its visibility even further, pushing SlayAI to the top of App Store searches for phrases like “clothing scanner.”

Shah said the most rewarding part has been seeing the app in use.

“Seeing user requests in real time and watching people actually use and enjoy the app is really, really ful lling,” said Shah.

ABBY PEREZ / THRESHER

AISHA KHEMANI THRESHER STAFF

Sree’s Tiffin feeds a family of cravings

SAAHITHI SREEKANTHAM THRESHER STAFF

Of all the common sicknesses Rice undergraduate students face, none is more widespread than homesickness.

Trisha Rangi said she understands what it’s like to miss things that feel like home, and she decided to do something about it.

“I would just really miss my own home-cooked food, and I would call my mom,” said Rangi, a Duncan College junior. “Then my friends caught on — they were like, ‘Could your mom bring me food?’”

Last spring, Rangi and her mother started developing Sree’s Ti n: a made-to-order vegetarian food service o ering South Indian meals at an a ordable price.

Rangi manages the ordering logistics and marketing of the business, while her mother cooks and delivers meals to Rice students. Rangi said her mother, who declined to comment for this article, prefers to stay out of the spotlight.

“She’s more of the person behind the scenes,” Rangi said. “That’s how she wants to be known.”

The student-run business fully launched at the beginning of fall 2025. Though Sree’s Ti n is still in early stages, Rangi said she and her mother hope to expand both the menu and accessibility once the business gains traction.

“We’re working on rebranding our Google Form,” Rangi said. “We realized it can be overwhelming. We also plan to grow the menu based on what sells right now and getting customer feedback.”

Before opening the business to the Rice student body, Sree’s Ti n took orders from Rangi’s close friends eager to give their dishes a try.

“I ordered from Sree’s Ti n this past spring for a dinner event with my friends,” said Keesha Gondipalli, a Duncan College senior. “I really

wanted to let my friends try a couple of my cultural dishes.”

The delivery process takes place in stages throughout the week. Orders can be placed between Wednesday night and Sunday morning, and are delivered Sunday a ernoon. Rangi said they also do quick access orders.

“We understand that sometimes you’re just craving home-cooked food,” Rangi said. “That’s something we’re willing to do on the same day.”

Meals from Sree’s Ti n are designed to be approachable for all spice levels, with an eye toward future vegan and gluten-free options.

“I personally can’t handle spices,” Rangi said. “My mom makes everything very mild — but there’s still plenty of seasoning, don’t worry.”

I would just really miss my own home-cooked food, and I would call my mom.

Trisha Rangi

SREE’S TIFFIN CO - FOUNDER

Ramya Viswanathan, a junior from Martel College, said she rst tried Rangi’s mother’s cooking in fall 2024 and was instantly taken back to the dinnertime din of her own family’s kitchen.

“The food was really authentic,” said Ramya Viswanathan, a Martel College junior. “It’s not like food from a restaurant, where it’s good, but not what you’re used to … It really tasted and reminded me of home.”

Now that Sree’s Ti n has broadened its scope of customers to beyond friends and family, Rangi said she hopes to maintain a community focus rather than just making money.

“What makes us di erent is we’re not a restaurant,” Rangi said. “Our goal isn’t for pro t, our goal is for students.”

Start Small

COURTESY TRISHA RANGI

Thresher’s guide to arts and entertainment in H-town

New to the city? Unsure how to spend your time procrastinating on homework? You’re in luck — Houston is a playground if you know where to look, and most of it is an easy metro ride or short commute from campus. Here’s a starter pack of spots that deliver fresh air, brain food and the occasional “wait, this is in Houston?” moment.

Hermann Park & Bu alo Bayou Park

Hermann is your closest cheat code: pack a picnic, hop the miniature train and catch a free show at Miller Outdoor Theatre when the weather cooperates. When you want skyline views and room to wander, head to Bu alo Bayou Park. Miles of trails, bridges and water-level overlooks make it a go-to for sunrise runs, golden-hour photos and clearing your head a er a long Fondren session. The Bu alo Bayou Park Cistern is gorgeous, especially around sunset.

POST Houston

Part food hall, part culture hub, part “wow, that view.” Inside you’ll nd stalls from across the globe — ChòpnBlok is a standout — plus rotating pop-ups and events. Take your haul to the roo op for one of the best panoramas of downtown.

Meow Wolf Radio Tave

If you’ve ever wanted to step inside a music video, this is your portal. Radio Tave is Meow Wolf’s immersive, choose-yourown-adventure interactive exhibit — wildly creative, a little pricey and the kind of sensory overload you won’t forget. Go with

friends, split up, compare what you each discovered and accept that you each noticed something mind-blowing that someone else completely overlooked. That’s half the fun.

The Orange Show sites

The original Orange Show folk-art maze is temporarily closed for restoration through 2025, but the folks behind it still run three Houston gems. Smither Park is a living mosaic garden where artists add tiles and trinkets week a er week. The Beer Can House is exactly what it sounds like — a house that looks like it’s made of its owners’ drink of choice. And every April, the legendary Art Car Parade rolls out: lowriders, hot glue, glitter and joy. Mark your calendars.

The Menil Collection

Free for Rice students and one of the city’s crown jewels, the Menil Collection jumps from Picasso to Matisse without feeling stu y. The modernist-style galleries make museum time feel human-sized. Walk a block to the Rothko Chapel when you’re ready to turn down the volume — it’s a quiet, contemplative space that resets your brain between college crashouts.

Houston Botanic Garden

Yes, it’s a bit of a drive — around 20-30 minutes east of campus — but it’s worth it for a full-on plant escape. Meandering paths, themed gardens and enough shade to make August bearable. Bring a camera, a friend and a water bottle. Wander the arid beds, culinary plots and boardwalk loops, then hang for golden hour when everything glows.

The Houston restaurant scene Houston has one of the best food scenes in the nation, and there’s so much to try.

Some favorites of Rice foodies include Aga’s (Indian-Pakistani), Nua (Thai), Oishii (Japanese), Bahel (Ethiopian), Cooking Girl

(Chinese), Sushi by Hidden (Sushi), Mensho (Japanese), Rosie Cannonball (Italian) and Traveler’s Table (Global). Consider this a starter list — grab friends, pick a neighborhood and eat your way across the city over your four years here.

Meet the Lollapalooza artist: Indie rock band benches

benches

“This is insane. Just being here is a giant dream come true,” lead guitarist Evan Ojeda of indie rock band benches

said before their Lollapalooza set on Aug. 3.

On a sunny afternoon at Chicago’s Grant Park, the San Diego-based group took the BMI stage with confidence, running through a setlist that included

crowd favorites “LA Friends” and “Crash” alongside newer singles like “Naive.”

“We’ve been talking about this for months now,” bassist Charlie Baird said. “You never think you’ll be playing a major festival until you’re actually standing here. My dad used to tell me about going to the first Lollapalooza in [Los Angeles]

… so being here now feels surreal.”

benches formed nearly a decade ago when lead singer Anson Kelley and guitarist Andy Tistoj were still in middle school. Since then, the band has evolved from nervous teenagers in the San Diego scene into a confident live act with more than 300,000 monthly Spotify listeners. Their music blends the raw energy of garage rock with the melodic flair of Britpop, often drawing comparisons to Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes and Interpol.

Songs like “Violent” and “Queen of Hearts” showcase their garage-rock roots, while recent tracks lean toward indie pop textures with lyrics that reflect on relationships and the challenges of growing up.

“It’s changed drastically,” Ojeda said. “I used to not move at all on stage. Now, after touring so much, we’ve gained confidence. People who saw us back in 2022 tell us they can see the difference. We’re more stylistically sure of ourselves, and the show reflects that.”

Touring has shaped not only their stage presence but also their creative approach. The band has supported acts like Inhaler and I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME, and Ojeda said

those experiences offered lessons on and off stage.

“You get to study how other bands play shows,” he said. “We learned a lot about being more comfortable and open on stage just by watching others night after night.”

Still, the group hopes to give audiences more than polished technique. For benches, live shows are about leaving fans with something memorable.

“I want people to walk away thinking, ‘I need to see them again,’” Baird said. “If they don’t know our music, I want them to go home and immediately listen. If we can inspire someone the way we were inspired, that means the world.”

That inspiration is already happening. Ojeda recalled a fan who told him she started playing drums because of him. Others have traveled from overseas to catch multiple shows.

“Stuff like that really hits you,” Ojeda said. “We’re still a small band, so seeing people care that much — it inspires us to keep going.”

During their Lollapalooza set, the band matched the words with action. With driving guitars and hooks rooted in indie pop and Bloc Party-esque postpunk revival, Benches kept the crowd moving through “Kill the Lights” and closer “Monodrama.”

“I grew up going to shows in San Diego and watching bands that made me feel like I could do this too,” Baird said. “If someone walks away from our set with that same feeling, then we’ve done our job.”

ARMAN SAXENA A&E EDITOR

ARMAN SAXENA / THRESHER Meow Wolf’s Radio Tave exhibition opened in Houston’s Fifth Ward District on October 31st last year.

ARMAN SAXENA A&E EDITOR

COURTESY CANDYSHOP MANAGEMENT

is an indie-rock band from San Diego, California. They played at Lollapalooza on August 3, 2025.

Live shows to check out to keep you sane this fall

ANGELICA HERNANDEZ THRESHER STAFF

While classes might take most of your focus this fall semester, keep an eye out for these fun fall shows in Houston for a great way to take a break from the grind.

Laufey: “A Matter of Time” Tour September 20, Toyota Center

Following the release of her third studio album, “A Matter of Time,” Laufey’s national tour will be stopping here in Houston. Thri your favorite billowy tops, owy dresses and silky bows, and head down to the Toyota Center on Saturday, September 20 to enjoy Laufey’s unique mix of pop and jazz.

Kali Uchis: The “Sincerely,” Tour, September 2, Toyota Center

Enjoy all of your favorite songs off of Kali Uchis’ most recent album, “Sincerely,” at the Toyota Center on September 2. Find comfort in Uchis’ ethereal soundscapes before classes start to really pick up speed.

Chance the Rapper: And We Back Tour, September 26, Bayou Music Center

Chance the Rapper’s newest album, “Star Line,” explores his life story and reflects on the lessons he’s learned. His comeback tour is stopping at Bayou Music Center this fall, so take some time to reflect on your story while Chance reflects on his during his performance.

Djo: Another Bite Tour, October 5, White

His initial fame may have come from “Stranger Things,” but Chicago native Joe Kerry has been stirring up the indie music scene as Djo these past few years. Catch him live on Sunday, October 5 at White Oak Music Hall.

Doechii’s iconic imagery, style and rapping is probably shaking up your feed this time last year. Although the name of the tour calls back to her Tampa roots,

it also fits well with Houston’s swampy weather. Change up your Halloween plans and enjoy Doechii’s amazing production value live.

Houston Symphony: Student Rush/ Student Pass

If you’re a classical music fan, check out the Houston Symphony’s student rush tickets — $20 for a concert — or a student pass — $50 for access to every classical and POPS concert. Their season starts on September 19 with Stravinsky’s The Firebird. Grab a friend and have a classical music experience this semester.

“The Outsiders”: November 18-23, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts

Broadway’s taking a trip to Houston, bringing your favorite middle school required reading to life at the Hobby Center this November. A recent Tony Award winner, this show might be a bit of a splurge. Enjoy some found family feels before going home to your family for Thanksgiving.

Houston Grand Opera: “Porgy and Bess”, October 24 - November 15, Wortham Theatre

“Porgy and Bess” is an American opera adapted from the play and novel of the same name. Written by George Gershwin, whom you might recognize for his “Rhapsody in Blue,” this opera features great music and a compelling story. Take advantage of the Houston Grand Opera’s Student Rush deal to enjoy this opera for only $25.

Thresher’s Lollapalooza report: Who ruled Grant Park?

instant club weapons that had the room levitating.

T-Pain

Chicago’s Grant Park ran on pure dopamine this weekend — surprise debuts, late-but-worth-it arrivals, confetti, reworks and at least three mass sing-alongs an hour. From Joey Valence & BRAE road-testing new indietronica to A$AP Rocky cracking open his vault, T-Pain turning the eld into karaoke and Olivia Rodrigo summoning Weezer, Lollapalooza felt like a live-wire mixtape. Doechii built a universe, TWICE made history and Sabrina signed o with a superstar-cementing nale. Here’s what actually lived up to the skyline.

Joey Valence & BRAE

One great thing about catching an artist right before a release is you might hear the new stu rst. That’s exactly what Joey Valence & BRAE did Sunday — debuting cuts from their Aug. 15 drop. Think indietronica-laced rap bangers, big hooks and nonstop energy.

ASAP Rocky

Yes, he was 20 minutes late (which is honestly early for him), but Rocky still put on a show. He performed “LVL” and “I Smoked Away My Brain” live for the rst time ever and threaded older favorites into newer material. It felt like a celebration of more than a decade of bangers — big visuals, tight pacing and pure swagger.

Amaarae

We didn’t catch her Lolla set, but her a erparty more than delivered. bLAck pARty opened with a silky R&B-soul warmup, then Amaarae hit like a spark — biggest hits, nonstop crowd work and a Chicago nod with three Chief Keef tracks back-to-back. She spiked the energy with Travis Scott and Playboi Carti’s “FEIN,” then previewed tracks from her newest project “Black Star”.“Fineshyt” and “S.M.O.” were

T-Pain has been perfecting his live set for two decades and it shows. He stitched hits like “Bartender” and “Buy U a Drank” with crowd-pleasing covers — “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Tennessee Whiskey” — so everyone had something to belt. The balance between Auto-Tune sparkle and raw vocals made the whole eld feel like a karaoke party with a world-class band.

MARINA

MARINA’s set was pure fun, charisma and energy — she’s a star and she knows it. The T-Mobile lawn was dancing and singing to every word as she rolled through “Bubblegum Bitch,” “Primadonna,” “Are You Satis ed?” and premiered the live synth-pop banger “EVERYBODY KNOWS I’M SAD” from PRINCESS OF POWER. Big hooks, bigger presence and zero dead moments.

Djo

Joe Keery’s Chicago homecoming leaned into nostalgia in the best way. Between woozy psych-pop grooves, he projected home videos from his DePaul days and played a sweet video message from Charlie Heaton. “End of Beginning” blew the roof o , but the whole set felt like a personal scrapbook — warm, analog and surprisingly intimate for a massive stage.

The Marias Visually, The Marías had one of the weekend’s best sets. Saturated colors, gorgeous silhouettes and camera-ready moments were everywhere. María’s breathy vocals oated over sleek basslines, and the band’s arrangements gave every song extra li . It was a set designed for your camera roll and for swaying with your friends — stylish without ever feeling empty.

Doechii

Doechii is simply one of the best live performers right now. Building on her Tiny Desk and Colbert momentum, she brought tight choreography, a celebration of queer culture and a clear love for old-school hiphop. City Girls’ JT popping in was the extra jolt. Start to nish, it felt like she turned the big stage into her own world.

TWICE

TWICE are K-pop royalty, and as the rst K-pop girl group to headline Lolla, they owned it. Fireworks, crisp choreography, colorful visuals — the whole package. Their crowd control is next-level, and the harmonies stayed locked the entire time. It was con dent, joyful and the kind of headlining moment that cements a legacy.

Olivia Rodrigo Pop anthems, out t changes and … Weezer? Olivia’s set checked every box. She ripped through “bad idea right?,” “vampire” and “good 4 u,” then brought out Rivers Cuomo mid-show — a cross-generational dream moment for a lot of us (read: me). It was polished but still felt feral and ery in the right places, which is her sweet spot.

Tyler, the Creator

No one brings pure energy like Tyler. He sprinted between snarling “NEW MAGIC WAND” delivery and the so er croon of “See You Again,” joking with the crowd and running the stage with total con dence. By the end he looked completely spent — which makes sense when you leave everything out there. Controlled chaos, exactly what you want.

Sabrina Carpenter

With a hair ip, wink and a pink bodysuit, Sabrina treated her Lolla headliner like a coronation. She opened with a “Busy Woman”/“Taste”/“Good Graces” triple punch, then shocked the park by bringing Earth, Wind & Fire for

“Let’s Groove”/“September.” A “bed chem” × “Pony” mashup, playful fuzzy-cu arrests of TWICE, the signature “Juno” pose, and a soaring “Please Please Please” capped a set teasing her next era, “Man’s Best Friend.”

Two Friends

Two Friends closed out their set with an unforgettable performance combining ery visuals, 500+ synchronized drones and live instruments. Surprise guests Corbyn Besson and Natalie Jane kept viewers on their toes while their announcement of their return to big bootie land sent crowds into a frenzy.

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

Oak Music Hall

Doechii: Live from the Swamp Tour, October 31, 713 Music Hall

ARMAN SAXENA & RADHANI KAPOOR

A&E EDITOR & THRESHER STAFF

RADHANI KAPOOR / THRESHER Grant Park lit up from July 31 to August 3 during the 2025 edition of Chicago’s Lollapalooza festival.

JESSICA XU / THRESHER

Conan Grey’s “Wishbone” is the lucky break fans wanted

CALEB LIN FOR THE THRESHER

For fans of Olivia Rodrigo’s “SOUR,” Gracie Abrams’ “The Secret of Us” and his 2020 debut “Kid Krow,” Conan Gray delivers another masterful heartbreak piece with his fourth studio album “Wishbone.” Collaborating with Dan Nigro, the producer of his rst two albums, has brought out more intimate tracks that focus on introspective songwriting. In his Instagram post announcing the album, Gray describes “Wishbone” as an “egregiously niche soundtrack to our own lives” and “the slivers of [himself he’d] always been.” From breakup anthems to yearning ballads, “Wishbone” showcases all the (very relatable) ways a heart can splinter.

“Actor” opens the album as an introduction to the end of the relationship, describing how his ex-partner is much better than the narrator at pretending like nothing ever happened between them. The wistful guitar and vocals paint this angst, building up to a captivating bridge and chorus. This leads into the album’s lead single, “This Song,” a track that details the internal struggle of not knowing whether romantic feelings are mutual. The cinematic strings create a nostalgic atmosphere, particularly felt in the music video depicting the queer summer romance starring Gray and actor Corey Fogelmanis. “Vodka Cranberry,” the next single, furthers the story of their heartbreak with a catchy ri and instrumentation, despite some of the lyrics not measuring up to the depth of other

songs.

Alluding to one of the star-crossed lovers in Shakespeare’s famous play, “Romeo” retrospectively questions everything Gray did for his ex — “So I did it all, damn, for what? / You’re no Romeo.” The trumpet introduction and the bridge’s spoken-word cadence contribute to some of the album’s sonic variety. With its twinkly instrumental, “My World” is a playful middle nger to controlling exes, though the shouting quality of the bridge can feel out of place.

Departing from the love theme comes “Class Clown,” a guitar-heavy ballad describing the feeling of not outgrowing past humiliation. It has themes of growing pains and teenage angst felt in Olivia Rodrigo’s “GUTS.” The next track, “Nauseous,” is one of the most vulnerable, with hard-hitting lyrics portraying the trauma-based fear of heartbreak during a relationship — “And maybe that’s why I feel safe with bad guys / Because when they hurt me, I won’t be surprised.”

Gray shi s the tempo with “Caramel,” the nal single and a heartbreak anthem akin to “Memories” from his album “Superache.” The percussion and high-pop energy, coupled with the well-delivered metaphor (“You burn inside my memory so well / You caramel”), make it especially memorable. Two more somber songs follow, “Connell” and “Sunset Tower,” which further describe wrestling with the break-up via gut-wrenching lyricism.

“Eleven Eleven” is a key song in the theme of “Wishbone,” brilliantly describing the delusion in desperately searching for signs that a failing relationship can be saved. It accomplishes this through its many references to superstitious items like wishbones, horoscopes, clovers and, of course, the 11:11 make-a-wish trend: “As much as I act like I want to forget it / I still wish for you at 11:11.” Closing out the

album is “Care,” Gray’s confession that his ex still matters to him, no matter how much he tries to move on.

Overall, “Wishbone” is a welcome return to Gray’s roots, o ering an even more un ltered look into his love life. As evidenced in interviews about the album and the music videos, Gray seems more con dent in his identity as a queer young adult, and each song re ects that vulnerability. While it may not be as out of his comfort zone stylistically, from a lyrical and emotional perspective, “Wishbone” truly shines — no split opinions.

“Weapons” takes aim for the heart of American horror

CHARLIE CRUZ THRESHER STAFF

I rst heard of “Weapons” when I noticed it sitting at a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. That number has since dropped, but it speaks to the wave of acclaim the lm has ridden since its release. And while I don’t agree with the score, I get why the hype built so quickly. “Weapons” is the kind of horrorcomedy that blends unsettling dread with moments of absurd humor, a tonal balancing act that feels rare in a studio horror lm.

The movie’s riveting opening stretch is the lm at its best.

Seventeen children suddenly vanish from their homes at 2:17 a.m., all from the same classroom, running into the night as if pulled by some unseen force. The premise is instantly gripping, helped by the viral real-world marketing campaign that staged children running through Times Square. The atmosphere that follows is su ocating. Zach Cregger’s nonlinear structure — jumping between a grieving teacher, a frustrated father and other townspeople — initially promises layers of depth and meaning. For about an hour, “Weapons” feels like a mystery worthy of the hype.

That hype wasn’t accidental. “Weapons” sparked a high-pro le bidding war before a single frame was shown, with studios ghting to secure the “next Jordan Peele” project. Add to that a stacked cast, plus Cregger’s newfound reputation a er “Barbarian,” and expectations were almost impossible to meet. The hype framed “Weapons” not just as a lm, but as an event: an allegory-heavy, conversationstarting “masterpiece.”

There’s a lot to admire here. Cregger has a knack for nding horror in the mundane: suburban homes cloaked in silence, lit-up convenience stores, children running barefoot under streetlights. At rst, the lm plays like a slow-burning investigation, focusing on Justine (Julia Garner), the ostracized teacher, and Archer (Josh Brolin), the grieving father. But just as you settle into their story, the lm detours into the lives of a self-serving cop and a desperate junkie. Some have called this lazy — a way to pad the runtime and delay the inevitable reveal — but that’s the point. The mystery of the missing children isn’t the story; the story is the town’s sickness itself, and each perspective is a di erent symptom.

Through Justine, we see a community so desperate for a scapegoat that it turns on the one person actively trying to help. Garner is phenomenal, portraying a woman whose grief and guilt are weaponized against her by neighbors who’d rather invent a villain than confront a complicated horror. Through Archer, we see a father’s grief curdle into obsession, his rationality collapsing into circular thinking that blinds him to the apparent rot around him. The lm’s thesis sharpens here: institutions and instincts fail us in the face of senseless tragedy. The police, represented by Alden Ehrenreich’s unraveling Paul, are more concerned with reputation than public service. The school, led by Benedict Wong’s passive principal, prioritizes appearances over student welfare. The real monster in “Weapons” isn’t supernatural at all — it’s the systemic neglect that allows evil to fester in plain sight.

But for all its strengths, Weapons also

falters. The lm gestures at allegory — guns, parasites, suburban decay — but never digs deep enough to pay them o entirely. By the end, the mystery narrows into something more conventional than its ambitious setup promised. The slowburn intrigue loses steam, and what initially felt layered and unsettling resolves into a payo that doesn’t quite match the buildup. Combined with some head-scratching character choices and a reliance on “mystery-box” pacing that confuses withholding with depth, the lm ultimately feels less profound than it wants to be.

That’s where the confusion sets in. Critics have called “Weapons” the “best horror lm” of the year. I don’t see it. It’s stylish, entertaining and occasionally haunting, but not groundbreaking. In

fact, the best moments aren’t scary at all. They’re the sly, absurd touches of comedy that puncture the dread. The lm’s sense of humor is dry, uncomfortable, almost Coen Brothers-esque, and it hits. Those beats remind you why Cregger, with his comedy roots, is an exciting lmmaker to watch: he knows that horror isn’t just about what makes us scream, but what makes us laugh nervously right a er.

So, should you watch it? Absolutely. Even if it isn’t the genre-shi ing masterpiece the hype suggests, Weapons is still a strong sophomore e ort from a director worth following. It’s messy, ambitious and sometimes frustrating, but it is also one of the most distinctive horror lms to have come out of a major studio in recent years. Just temper your expectations: this isn’t a revelation.

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Top Track: Caramel

Column: What to expect from a new era of Rice football

ANDERSEN PICKARD SPORTS EDITOR

Rice football will have a new look when it takes the field for its regular season opener Aug. 30 at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

The Owls are set to enter a brand new era under head coach Scott Abell, who joined the program last November after a successful stretch at Davidson College. Abell was able to turn around Davidson’s football program by implementing the spread option, and he’s expected to deploy a similar offensive scheme at Rice.

Running the ball will be heavily emphasized in this new-look Rice offense led by Abell and offensive coordinator Vince Munch. Abell’s Davidson Wildcats ranked first in rushing offense among all Football Championship Subdivision teams during six of his seven years. Last season, they averaged 58.2 carries, 315.5 rushing yards and 3.4 rushing touchdowns per game.

The Owls’ offensive roster has adjusted to align with this new scheme. Abell has named redshirt sophomore Chase Jenkins as the starting quarterback. He played in part of five games as a true freshman in 2023, attempting 19 passes while rushing for 82 yards on 14 attempts. He converted to wide receiver last year but redshirted while playing just two games. Now, he has converted back to quarterback and will lead Rice’s offense into a new era of spread option football.

The backfield will also look different after running backs Dean Connors and Taji Atkins both transferred. Redshirt junior Quinton Jackson, who impressed on special teams with 589 kick return yards and a touchdown last year, is expected to start at running back. He’ll be relieved by redshirt senior Max Balthazar, a transfer from Coastal Carolina University, and redshirt sophomore Daelen Alexander, who scored five touchdowns through his first three games in 2023.

A team’s rushing attack is only as good as its protection in the trenches. The Owls lost Chad Lindberg and Ethan Onianwa this offseason as they transferred to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Ohio State University, respectively. Four of Rice’s five expected starters on the offensive line are returners. Graduate left guard Sean Sullivan, a transfer from Yale University, will join them, potentially at one of the tackle positions. Rice’s linemen have quality experience, and most of them

played together in 2024, so there is optimism that the unit can survive the losses of Lindberg and Onianwa.

Defense will continue to be a major part of the equation for Rice, and there are reasons for Owl fans to be confident in the unit. One of the defense’s biggest problems last year was that they couldn’t stay off the field. They made numerous big stops and proved they could handle higher levels of competition, but only in short spurts. The Owls finished 2024 with a 29:02 time of possession, ranking among the bottom third of FBS teams. When the offense couldn’t stay on the field, Rice’s defense simply looked outmatched.

This year, if the Owls can gradually work the clock by running the football early often, the defense will be able to spend more time regrouping and less time on the field.

Rice’s linebacking core is very strong, anchored by junior Ty Morris, who had 55 tackles and four sacks in 2024. The position group will get major support from redshirt seniors Andrew Awe, who took on a bigger role with 52 tackles last year, and Plae Wyatt, who was gearing up for a breakout 2024 campaign before suffering a season-ending knee injury in the opening contest.

While the linebacking unit should make plenty of waves this season, the biggest name to watch on the defensive side of the ball is redshirt senior defensive lineman Blake Boenisch, who is a standout player in the trenches. He posted a career-high 10 starts, 42 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss last season. Meanwhile, his 83.0 Pro Football Focus tackling grade ranked eighth-best among over 1,000 FBS defensive linemen.

The roster is rounded out by the Owls’ special teamers, including graduate kicker Chase Allen, who went 5-for-9 on field goals and 11-for-11 on extra points at the University of Texas at San Antonio last season. Rice returns redshirt junior punter Alex Bacchetta, who averaged 41.5 yards over 49 attempts in 2024. He landed 11 punts inside the 20-yard line. Rice’s return unit will feature Jackson on kickoffs and redshirt senior Tyson Thompson on punts.

Rice’s conference schedule is full of games that should be competitive, giving the Owls a chance to showcase their new stretch option attack in action. A highlight of the schedule is Rice’s Sept. 27 matchup on the road against Navy, whom the Owls upset in a rain-soaked

CAYDEN CHEN / THRESHER

Running back Quinton Jackson celebrates in the end zone during a game against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Sept. 28, 2024.

thriller at Rice Stadium last year.

Non-conference headliners include a regular-season opener against Louisiana, led by former Power 4 quarterback Walker Howard, and the home opener against the University of Houston, in the final remaining installment of the Bayou Bucket series.

Rice is +15000 to win the American, second-worst in the conference behind Temple University. Dra Kings has set the Owls’ regular-season line at 3.5 wins, a

mark they haven’t dipped below since 2020.

The success of the Owls’ football season rides on their ability to operate the stretch option attack. The scheme has the potential to be lethal against even the best collegiate opponents, but executing it isn’t a given.

Vice President and Director of Athletics Tommy McClelland took a creative gamble by landing Abell and his unique offensive philosophy. Now, we’re just days away from seeing it in action.

12 things you must know about Rice Athletics

EVIE VU & ANDERSEN PICKARD SPORTS EDITORS

1. The Owls are members of the American Conference, previously called the American Athletic Conference. The football program competes within the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Across campus, over 500 student athletes currently compete in 14 varsity sports, with the 15th sport — women’s golf — to play its inaugural season in fall 2026.

2. Our mascot, Sammy, got his name from a 1917 heist. At the time, Rice had a large canvas owl on campus, and one day, students from Texas A&M University kidnapped the owl. Naturally, Rice students pooled their money together and hired a detective to locate the mascot on Texas A&M’s campus. The detective found it and sent a coded telegram to Houston: “Sammy is fairly well and would like to see his parents at eleven o’clock.” While “Sammy” was merely a code word at the time, the name stuck and continues to be the mascot’s moniker over a century later.

3. When the school was still the Rice Institute, yell leaders Louis Girard ’41 and Nealie Ross ’41 penned the Institute’s ght song to promote the football team. Their lyrics live on,

projected and sung at every home athletic event. The nal line, unlike the others, is yelled. For the secret, non-admin-friendly lyrics, consult an upperclassman.

Fight for Rice, Rice ght on, loyal sons arise.

The Blue and Gray for Rice today, comes breaking through skies.

Fight, ght, ght!

Stand and cheer, Vict’ry’s near, Sammy leads the way.

Onward go! to crush the foe, we’ll ght for Blue and Gray.

(Rice Fight Never Dies! Stand & Cheer / Vict’ry’s near - Let’s Go Rice!)

4. Our slogan, “Rice Fight Never Dies,” is nearly as old as the university itself, according to Gus Kranz’s 1927 Thresher article. Kranz, in an attempt to rally the student body to maintain the ghting school spirit, wrote, “The eyes of many an outsider are upon us. They are waiting to see whether or not we will continue to support that team. Well bunch, let’s show them that win or lose — Rice Fight Never Dies!” A quick translation: forget the doubters, naysayers and haters. Go Rice!

5. The Marching Owl Band (MOB) does not actually march. Instead, they scramble into di erent formations while poking fun at opponents,

playing good music and supporting the football team. Their three-piece suits and quirky accessories have become hallmarks of a Rice gameday.

6. Rice has a long, storied history of athletic success. The football program is 3-0 against the esteemed University of Alabama, including a victory over the Crimson Tide in the 1954 Cotton Bowl. Meanwhile, our baseball program was previously a national powerhouse and won the College World Series in 2003.

7. John Heisman, the namesake of the prestigious NCAA football Heisman Trophy, coached for Rice while simultaneously serving as the university’s Director of Athletics. He went 14-18-3 while coaching the Owls from 1924 until his retirement in 1927.

8. Rice rostered the shortest player in college football history. Jayson Carter was a 4-foot-9 running back who appeared in three games between 2013 and 2014. He nished his NCAA career with two carries for three yards.

9. Rice Stadium hosted Super Bowl VIII in 1974. It was the rst non-NFL stadium to host a Super Bowl. Additionally, John F. Kennedy delivered his famous “We Choose to Go to the Moon” speech there.

10. Autry Court at Tudor Fieldhouse is home to the “Autry Army,” a group of students whose primary objective is to heckle opponents. Their e orts have not gone unnoticed — legendary men’s basketball coach John Calipari once described them as the “Blue Army of Death.”

11. Many former Rice student athletes have advanced to play professional sports. Some of the university’s most prominent athletes include baseball players Lance Berkman and Anthony Rendon, football players Tommy Kramer and Chris Boswell, and basketball players Ricky Pierce and Trey Murphy III.

12. A tutorial on the Rice Owls hand sign:

Step 1: Raise your right hand with the palm of your hand facing away from you, as if you are about to give someone a high- ve.

Step 2: Repeat Step 1 with your le hand. Now you have two hands in the air in front of your chest.

Step 3: Slowly rotate both hands so that your ngers face outwards. Think of the hug emoji.

Step 4: Bring your hands together so that the meaty parts of your palms beneath your thumbs just lightly touch each other.

Step 5: Interlock your le and right thumbs.

Step 6: Admire your Owl!

Volleyball aims for NCAA tournament after close miss last season

KATHLEEN ORTIZ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Middle blocker Lademi Ogunlana said she has no choice but to win when she lines up against No. 9 Texas A&M on Friday.

“I think everyone is on the same page about that,” Ogunlana said. “We belong, just as they do.”

The Aggies are the rst of Rice volleyball’s six ranked preseason opponents. The Owls, who were 19-8 and 13-3 in the newly renamed American Conference last season, were voted to win the conference this year.

The senior said that the goals are to go undefeated in the preseason, win the conference championship and make it to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament.

Last year, the Owls nished second in the American and had the best national ranking

in the conference (41st), making them a contender for an at-large bid into the NCAA tournament. Instead, they were named one of the “ rst four out,” narrowly missing their chance at being chosen.

“That’s really gut-wrenching when you know you’re right there,” coach Genny Volpe said. “That really is sticking with us right now.”

The roster has 17 players, more than any Rice volleyball team in the past, with six total incoming freshmen and transfers. Five players graduated, but nobody transferred out.

“Our team is so stacked, and I don’t say that just to glaze, but we have such a deep roster that anyone that steps onto the court is going to make a huge impact from the start,”

Ogunlana said.

Ogunlana and three other Owls were selected to the All-Conference Team this

We have such a deep roster that anyone that steps onto the court is going to make a huge impact from the start.

Lademi Ogunlana MIDDLE BLOCKER

preseason. Also selected was Michigan State transfer and senior outside hitter Taylor Preston, who Volpe said comes to Rice with a lot of experience.

“She, to me, has the potential to dominate a match, like she can score points at a high level,” Volpe said of Preston. “When the game is on the line, she wants the ball. I think she’s

a really exciting player for our team, and we do have a lot of high expectations of her.”

Junior outside hitter Cindy Tchouangwa and sophomore setter Savannah Skopal were the other two Owls who earned the honor.

Volpe said the team is driven and competitive, but also caring and conscientious of how they talk to each other.

“They’ll literally jaw through the net at each other at practice, ghting for their points and super, super competitive,” Volpe said. “But they love each other. A erwards, they’re like, ‘I’m sorry I did that.’”

For Tchouangwa, the banter in the locker room and across the net is a fun part of the team culture.

“I feel like we could still emphasize friendships and family,” Tchouangwa said. “We play volleyball, but we’re all super good friends at the end of the day.”

CAYDEN CHEN / THRESHER

Students cheer for Rice football during a game at the University of Houston Sept.14, 2024.

Rice soccer kicks o its 25th year a er 2024 rebuilding season

EVIE VU SPORTS EDITOR

Rice women’s soccer returns for its 25th season this fall. The team aims to improve from last year, where they went 12-6-2, a rebuilding season a er a poor 2023 record due to the departure of key starting players. In 2024, the Owls advanced to the American Conference semi nals before falling to No. 19 Memphis.

Under the direction of head coach Brian Lee, the team has continued to develop this o season. In July, Rice Athletics announced that Houston Dash goalkeeper and Olympic bronze medalist Jane Campbell joined the coaching sta as a volunteer coach.

“One of our core tenets is professionalism,” Lee said. “Having Jane around, I think she epitomizes that on and off the field, because she’s a good fit as a Stanford [University] graduate, not just as one of the best goalkeepers in the United States.”

On the player side, the Owls welcome a deep roster of new and returning players, including American Watch List awardees Eileen Albers, Leah Chancey and Lilly Reuscher. The team ranked third in the 2025 American Coaches Preseason Poll.

Chancey, a graduate student, was named the American O ensive Player of the Year a er a record-breaking 2024 season. She carried the longest goalscoring streak in the NCAA this season with eight consecutive matches with a goal, in addition to nishing rst in the conference in goals (9), points (22), shot accuracy (0.528) and shots on goal per game (1.40).

“I’m expecting to be a man marked the whole game, which is not fun, but it helps me develop my game,” Chancey said.

While Chancey traditionally plays in the center mid eld position, Lee said changing her position to forward is integral for this season. Chancey said that playing around the goal is her niche, and by playing front, she can maximize her opportunities to score.

“Leah is very, very e cient when she’s in the box,” Lee said. “So far, results have been good.”

Lee and Chancey agreed that the Owls have a unique playing style that students would enjoy watching.

“We’re a team that wants to let the other team have the ball for a little bit and then win the ball in certain spots and counter really quickly,” Lee said. “When we’re in attack, we give the kids a

Players to Watch

KATHLEEN

ORTIZ

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Senior middle blocker Lademi

Ogunlana called this year’s volleyball team “stacked,” but in case you are already too busy with classes to learn the whole roster, here are ve players all Rice fans should know going into the home opener Aug. 29 against No. 9 Texas A&M University.

Cindy Tchouangwa

Class: Junior

Position: Outside hitter

Tchouangwa played 16 matches last year, making 14 starts before getting injured. However, in 12 of the 16 matches, she recorded doubledigit kills. In the fourth week of last season, Tchouangwa earned Offensive Player of the Week for the conference.

Lademi Ogunlana

Class: Senior

Position: Middle blocker

Named to the American Preseason All-Conference team this month, Ogunlana earned First Team AllConference and AVCA All-Southwest Region Honorable Mention honors last season. Ogunlana had a careerhigh 79 blocks and 199 kills last season, the third most kills on the team. She also scored 257.5 points with 2.89 points per set.

lot of freedom, and that can create some exciting moments.”

Lee said that fans should watch Reuscher, Naija Bruckner, Eileen Albers and Jessica Molina to see this style in play.

Chancey said that the team’s chemistry is where they are strongest and that it separates them from other NCAA teams.

“We care so much and have so much grit,” she said. “If the game’s not going our way and if we’re not connecting our passes, we’re still going to win that game, just because we care that much more than the other team.”

Even though winning games is a top priority, Lee said that he foremost wants his players to improve.

“Improving is the best feeling you could possibly have as an athlete,” Lee said. “They just want to improve every day, and that makes them happy, which makes me happy and makes for a joyful environment.”

Lee explained that improvement occurs throughout the season. He frequently tells his players that soccer is like a school year. They are not taking their nal exam now, but are building up and preparing to take it in November, when they hope to compete for the American championship.

Rice ditches Adidas, announces apparel deal with Nike

ANDERSEN PICKARD SPORTS EDITOR

Rice student athletes, coaches and fans will don new threads starting in 2026.

According to a press release issued Monday, the university will partner with Nike as the official outfitter of Rice Athletics ahead of the 2026-27 academic year. Rice also announced that Game One will become the official uniform, apparel and footwear supplier of the athletic program.

Arissa Smith

Class: Junior

Position: Middle blocker

Smith, a Mississippi State transfer, led the Bulldogs with 102 blocks last season. The 2024 AVCA South AllRegion Honorable Mention played in all 25 matches, starting in 23. Smith averaged 1.17 blocks per set last season, the most for Mississippi State and sixth-

Taylor Preston

Class: Senior

Position: Outside hitter

The Michigan State transfer, also named to the American Preseason All-Conference team, had 305 kills, 139 digs and 47 blocks last season. She scored 346.5 points for the Spartans in 2024, the second most on the team. Before leaving for the American Conference, Preston earned Big Ten Sportsmanship honors.

Savannah Skopal

Class: Sophomore

Position: Setter

Skopal, who was one of three Owls to start all 27 matches last season, was also named to the American Preseason All-Conference team. In 2024, she earned Second Team All-Conference honors and was a unanimous selection to the AllFreshman Team. She led the team last year with 955 assists and had three separate matches where she posted 50+ assists.

In addition to the press release, Rice revealed the new partnership with a video posted across social media. This video is how redshirt junior running back Quinton Jackson rst received the news.

“I was pretty excited,” Jackson said. “When you think about Nike, you think about all the amazing athletes that Nike has signed, like Michael Jordan and LeBron James. I was a Nike kid growing up, so I was very excited for a partnership.”

Jackson added that he believes the strength of Nike’s brand, track record and global in uence will bring additional

notoriety to Rice. As of 2021, Nike was the primary apparel partner for 52.3% of the Division I FBS programs, as well as 60% of Power 5 programs. The company’s $37.6 billion brand value in 2024 ranked second among all fashion brands, only behind Louis Vuitton.

Monday’s announcement represents a major shakeup for Rice Athletics, which has been out tted by Adidas since 2013.

Vice President and Director of Athletics Tommy McClelland said that several major apparel brands approached Rice about a potential partnership before the university settled on Nike.

“The power of the Nike brand is unmatched, and out tting our men and women in their apparel is another step in our mission to provide a best-in-class experience for our student athletes,” McClelland said.

Although the financial terms of the new partnership were not disclosed, Randy McIlvoy of KPRC, an NBC television affiliate, posted on X that the agreement begins July 1, 2026 and is set to last seven years.

KAIRI MANO / THRESHER

The volleyball team practices on Tuesday ahead of their home opener on August 29.

CAYDEN CHEN / THRESHER Forward Leah Chancey winds up for a kick.

BACK - TO - SCHOOL ROUNDUP: HERE’S WHAT YOU MISSED

Meal Swipes: We Are Family?

With changes to Meal Plan A, Housing and Dining is implementing DNA testing technology to assure that visitors claiming to be family actually are. Finger-pricking stations will be installed at the entrance to each servery; the cost of lab equipment needed to process DNA samples remains less than that of the unlimited plan. Likewise, the number of on-campus marriages are expected to rival BYU campuses, and marriage certi cates are required to be shown upon entry to the serveries. Similarly, the number of absent, hungry O-Week parents is anticipated to skyrocket with these recent developments.

New College, New Doorjams!

Last week, the O ce of the President announced the name of Rice’s 12th residential college, Chao College. Student responses to the rst college with a name of Asian descent have warranted Community Facilitators to create more ‘doorjam’ scenarios for O-Week advisor training. CFs have admitted to pulling quotes from Fizz, the anonymous social media app, to implement in 2026 advisor training. Racially motivated comments about the new college limit the wide range of other jokes the building could generate, such as its quirky mascot, its girthy stature, and its eponymous industrialist family with numerous EPA sanctions under their belt.

AI Mural with Religious Implications at RMC

The Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Lilie) Lab unveiled a new mural on the RMC’s sliding doors, one of the most crossed doorways on campus. The mural imitates Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam, with Sammy the Owl being Adam and Lilie Labs Executive Director Kyle Judah being literally God, all presented in AI’s signature jaundiced hue. Campus Christians don’t know what to make of the mural. “If one who trusts in the Lord will be enriched, and the Lord is Kyle Judah, then will we be enriched in trusting AI garbage?” said a representative from Rice Catholics. On the other hand, “The mural inspires us to pursue money not for genuine charity, but to participate in God’s gift of existence. It is our duty to tend to His abundance, and so this mural teaches us to pursue money for money’s sake,” said a professor of theology. The mural has since spawned a new religious sect called Judahism.

Last Tuesday, during a presentation on “Diversity and Community at Rice,” The O ce of Access and Institutional Excellence vied to make all students – regardless of background – as uncomfortable as possible. The speaker condoned hate crimes as long as they were mistaken, citing the incredibly common occurrence of a professor “accidentally” giving a salute and a certain politically-charged greeting. Rather uncoincidentally, the address was given on the same day racially motivated comments on the 12th college’s name flooded social media. So, the speech did appear to inspire many “accidental” Fizz posts! All students are encouraged by the speaker to remember that potential Fizz posters are just as likely to be fuzzy little ducklings as they are to be future oil barons.

Even More Campus Construction!

When you traipse through campus on your way to class this week, you’ll be forced to witness your tuition dollars at work with more undoubtedly necessary construction. Reports show that 70% of the most commonly taken routes on campus have been completely cut o . Now, to get from Fondren Library to West Lot, you have to skip backwards through the Academic Quad while blindfolded. Entering the Rec Center will require crossing the lap pool, which you are prohibited from doing without taking a prerequisite swim test (that you cannot sign up for without entering the Rec). Additionally, all students are now required to wear hi-vis vests when walking to class.

Student Section Relocated and Named Anew

Rice Athletics is giving students the opportunity to vote on names for the new football student section, which they have moved to the shady side of the stadium. Potential names include “The Nest on Stadium,” “The Obstreperous Owls,” “The Whooligans (Whoo, Like an Owl. Get It?),” “The Empty Nesters,” and “September 12, 1962.” Game attendance is expected to remain unchanged.