The Rice Thresher | Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Admin rewrites cultural club descriptions to t Trump administration suggestions

JAMES CANCELARICH NEWS EDITOR

Rice administration changed the descriptions of approximately 80 student organizations in response to a July 29 memorandum from the O ce of the Attorney General that recommended schools make clubs open to all students, rather than any one cultural or a nity group. The organizations with revised descriptions included many racial, ethnic or gender-focused clubs.

Student leaders were informed of changes to their club descriptions in meetings Oct. 23 and 27 hosted by Alexander Byrd, the vice provost for the o ce of access and institutional

excellence, formerly the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Organizations in attendance included the Black Student Union, the Society of Women Engineers and oSTEM, an LGBTQ+ engineering association.

In an audio recording of the Oct. 27 meeting obtained by the Thresher, Byrd said the AIE first began looking at club descriptions following the AG’s memorandum.

“Last July, the DOJ issued some guidance, called guidance for recipients of federal funding regarding unlawful discrimination … and that particular memo suggests that the DOJ may assume discrimination when considering club names and descriptions that are focused

on racial and ethnic groups and perhaps other protected categories,” Bryd said during the meeting.

The memo warns institutions receiving federal funding, like Rice, that race-based scholarships or programs and access to facilities or resources based on race or ethnicity is unlawful. The memo then recommends that institutions ensure inclusive access, avoiding groups that could potentially exclude people based on protected classes.

Protected classes include race, color, national origin, sex and religion, among others, according to the memo.

During the meeting, Byrd said repeatedly that the changes involve clarifying membership.

“If it wasn’t clear concerning a protected category — concerning who is able to be a member of the organization — then we made that clear,” Byrd said in the meeting. The student organizations had their descriptions and purpose statements edited on OwlNest, an online portal that allows students to browse campus extracurricular activities and events. Byrd said club members would have a chance to communicate with AIE about the changes if they disagreed with them. However, he said the university could be at risk if the changes are not made.

Former Israeli hostage visits Rice, pro-Palestine demonstraters

SARAH KNOWLTON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Former Israeli hostage Omer Shem Tov began his talk at the Baker Institute for Public Policy with, he said, the same words he uses at every speaking engagement.

“I am Omer Shem Tov, and I am a free man,” he said.

Shem Tov was invited to the Baker Institute Oct. 29 by Chabad at Rice for an event titled, “An Evening With a Former Hostage: A Story of Hope and Strength.” Chabad Rabbi Shmuli Slonim, who hosted the event with his wife Nechama, said he hoped the event would inspire students.

“Why we wanted to bring down Omer a er hearing about his story, is that his message of positivity in the face of so

much inner struggle is something that I believe can give strength to every single student,” Slonim said.

Shem Tov was held captive by Hamas for 505 days and was released in February. Since then, he said he’s visited a number of cities and universities to speak and to promote his episode of an HBO documentary anthology about survivors of the Oct. 7, 2023 attack in Israel.

“I’ve seen pro-Palestinians, I’ve seen Jews, I’ve seen non-Jews,” Shem Tov said of his events in an interview with the Thresher. “I’ve seen everything, and it’s amazing for me to see. Sometimes I can achieve it, seeing someone who is more pro-Palestinian changing their mind a bit. I don’t have to talk with them. I just see it in their eyes.”

FIONA SIK / THRESHER

Former Israeli hostage Omer Shem Tov speaks to a crowd at the Baker Institute for Public Policy Oct. 29. Shem Tov was invited to the Baker Institute by Chabad at Rice.

FROM FRONT PAGE ISRAELI HOSTAGE

In the question and answer portion of the program, Shem Tov said he thinks proPalestine political action is dying down.

“I think it’s a shame that people just follow trends, because they’re following trends; to be pro-Palestinian is a trend,” he said. “I think it will be over very, very soon.”

Rice Students for Justice in Palestine had intended to stage a walkout at the event, according to an Instagram statement. But they said all members of SJP who signed up for the event, including those who did so months in advance, received an email stating that they were denied tickets “due to limited space at the venue.”

The group was contacted by university administrators to inform them that they would face disciplinary action if the group didn’t request permission from admin to hold the walkout.

“Our intent was simple: to silently and demonstrate that Rice’s complicity in one-sided state propaganda cannot go unchallenged,” the statement reads. “This targeted exclusion reveals a deliberate attempt to silence our voices.”

SJP also cited Rice’s recent low ranking in the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression’s 2026 College Free Speech Rankings, calling the restriction of their protest a “culture of repression.”

“Rice University continues to avoid acknowledging the U.S.-Israeli-led genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, while fully embracing zionist propaganda and genocidal voices and messaging,” SJP organizer Jorge Zazueta wrote in a statement to the Thresher.

Rice University Police Department O cer Ken Nipe said he had thought there could be a protest, but that the event was secure.

“We were anticipating, possibly, somebody would cause a disruption,” Nipe said. “I think part of the good attendance was they had a good screening process. We had six o cers for this event and a lieutenant. Most Baker events would probably do four.”

At the event, Shem Tov described the events of his captivity, from being captured at the Supernova music festival to his release.

“I saw miracles. Every day. I saw a miracle, from small to great, miracle a er miracle a er miracle,” he said. “My faith in God became very strong during that time.”

Shem Tov also said he learned information about Hamas during his time in captivity.

“A er ve months in Gaza, I learned

FROM FRONT PAGE STUDENT ORGS

“Our federal funding requires that we obey federal rules and regulations, and so the worst case scenario for us at the university is we get sued by the federal government for discrimination,” Byrd said.

In one example, the description for the Latino Medical Student Association was edited to include that the organization was open to all students who shared in the mission of the organization.

The previous stated purpose of the Latino Medical Student Association on OwlNest was to “support, represent, and unify Latinx/a/o pre-medical students.”

In the revised statement, sent in an email from the AIE obtained by the Thresher, this is changed to read “support and advocate for Latino students in medicine and to promote health equity for Latino communities.”

Another change focused on the stated outcomes of the organization. The revised statement removed altogether a line about providing an accepting environment for the growth and success of the Latino premedical community, instead only writing that the group aimed to increase the amount of “Latinx/a/o” students interested in pursuing medicine.

Arabic uently,” he said. “[My captors] did not teach me. I used to sit down, and I used to listen to everything. I didn’t tell them that I know Arabic. I brought so much intelligence to the Mossad.”

I saw miracles. Every day. I saw a miracle, from small to great, miracle after miracle after miracle. My faith in God became very strong during that time.

Omer Shem Tov

FORMER ISRAELI HOSTAGE

A er being released, Shem Tov ew to Washington, D.C. to meet President Donald Trump. He said he has traveled to the U.S. frequently since then, promoting his show and advocating for the return of 13 hostages who he said died in captivity, but whose bodies have not been sent to their families.

Shem Tov connected his capture to what

Giann Ruiz, the co-president of the Latino Medical Student Association, said the organization was created to support Latino pre-medical students, hosting events, speaker series and workshops.

“Given that Latinos are underrepresented in general and in health elds, it’s very nice to have a club that’s speci cally catered to that and for helping those people,” said Ruiz, a Baker College junior.

Ruiz said events and membership were always open to anyone in the Rice community, but she was concerned about the removal of a line stating that the organization’s goal was to educate about medical issues prevalent in the Hispanic community.

“It just doesn’t make sense to me,” Ruiz said. “That doesn’t make it any less inclusive. That’s just part of the mission.”

Bryd wrote in an email to the Thresher that AIE, in conjunction with the Dean of Undergraduates O ce and Graduate Postdoctoral Studies, reviewed organizational descriptions on OwlNest and suggested changes to student leaders.

“Many descriptions are clear that all are welcome,” Byrd wrote. “Others are bene ting from suggestions and from conversations with our sta to help the club’s description fully re ect the broad inclusiveness of student activities across

he said is a rise in antisemitism around the world, including on college campuses.

“I saw the hatred in [Hamas’] eyes, and it’s something that I cannot erase, and it’s only because we’re Jews,” he said. “It’s not because of the land. It’s not because of whatever it is they tell us, it’s because we are Jews. They told me this to my face. They are jihadists, and their only mission is to kill Jews around the world. They always told me, ‘A er Israel, we’re gonna go to the whole entire world.’”

Computer science university professor Moshe Vardi said he has noticed this increase in antisemitism at Rice.

“At Rice, we always talk about culture of care, and suddenly, poof, it has just been poofed away,” Vardi said. “When people want to talk about ‘free Palestine,’ I don’t have a problem. But on this campus, when people say ‘Zionists are not welcome here,’ this is hatefulness. Imagine that they would have said ‘blacks are not welcome here.’ We’d all be saying ‘no, it’s unacceptable,’ but somehow this becomes acceptable.”

Ramy Mizrachi, a Martel College senior, spoke at the event about his experience with

the university.”

Ruiz said she plans to contest some of the edits made in the Latino Medical Student Association’s club description. She does not plan to change her club’s mission.

It was just kind of a silly change to see that our wording of both very inclusive clubs could be perceived as very exclusive.

Chloe Diehl LOVETT COLLEGE JUNIOR

“I don’t see any reason why I’d have to change what the club does,” Ruiz said. “I was hoping that because Rice is a private institution, and I get that they have federal funding, so it’s more complicated … that they would kind of stick up for themselves a little more than they have.”

Chloe Diehl, the secretary of the Hellenic Student Association, another group included in the description changes, said she found community through cultural organizations.

In the club description, a line about

antisemitism at Rice.

“I encountered moments I never expected to face on a college campus: comments, posts, protests where grief felt debated and my Jewish identity felt like a provocation,” Mizrachi said. “There were days I hesitated before wearing a star of David or speaking up in class.

“Omer Shem Tov spent 505 days in captivity in Gaza,” he continued. “His presence is a living reminder of resilience, of faith and of the in nite value of life.”

Slonim also said he valued the resilience of the Jewish community.

“We have mourned, but we haven’t forgotten, because the Jewish story has never been about what happens to us,” he said during the event. “It’s about how we respond together.”

“What I hope is that [students] learn a bit of a way to look at life, to understand that everything is achievable if you imagine it, and you work hard for it, then you’ll get it,” Shem Tov told the Thresher. “I hope, if there are any Jews listening to it, then it makes a sense of being proud of who you are inside the campus.”

“identifying” with Hellenic culture was changed to “support and celebrate” Hellenic culture. The original description also read that the club was dedicated to “building a community for Greek and Cypriot-identifying Rice students,” which is changed to simply “Rice Students.”

Diehl said her grandfather is Greek and her grandmother is Filipino, and their cultural heritage is an important part of her life that she continues to experience through cultural clubs.

“To continue to be a part of these clubs not only gets me connected with that heritage, but also helps me be closer to them,” said Diehl, a Lovett College junior. “Whenever I come back over break to see my grandparents, I love telling them what I learned, and then connecting with them even more through that.”

She o en brings her friends who do not have the same cultural background as her to cultural events.

“It allows me to show them a side of me that I very much cherish in very unique ways,” Diehl said.

As for the changes, Diehl said she found them to be unnecessary.

“It was just kind of a silly change to see that our wording of both very inclusive clubs could be perceived as very exclusive,” Diehl said.

FIONA SIK / THRESHER

Omer Shem Tov (left), an Israeli citizen who spent over 500 days in Hamas captivity, takes the stage after an introduction by Rabbi Shmuli Slonim. His speech touched on the war and the strength Shem Tov found through his religion.

Course evaluations anonymous, despite rumors

As the end of the semester approaches, students will once again be expected to share evaluations of their courses and instructors. However, many students are using evaluations incorrectly, said Laura Kabiri, chair of the committee on teaching.

They have implications for promotion and tenure for contract renewal for faculty members.

Laura Kabiri CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON TEACHING

The level of anonymity provided by evaluations is one of the most signi cant misconceptions surrounding the process, Kabiri said. Many students believe it is possible for instructors to identify who wrote a review and that they may lower students’ grades due to a poor review.

“We want to reassure students that all of their submissions are completely anonymous,” Kabiri said. “Instructors don’t even get to see the results of the evaluations until after grades have been submitted.”

Kabiri said she wanted to address this misconception to ensure students feel safe to voice their true opinions on courses and instructors.

“The evaluation has absolutely no bearing on their grade for the course,” Kabiri said.

Kabiri said evaluations were a critical part of faculty hiring and administrative decisions.

“They go on performance reviews,” she said. “They have implications for promotion and tenure for contract renewal for faculty members.”

“We want to make sure that students understand that not only is the feedback important for instructors to improve their courses and to make sure, the students are having their educational needs met,” Kabiri continued. “But it also impacts our employment here at Rice.”

Will Morris, a McMurtry College senior, said he has never lled out a course evaluation form.

“Before, I never cared to do them because they would happen a er the semester had ended,” Morris said. “I’m now more motivated to do them for the teachers that I like a lot.”

In addition, the level of anonymity provided by evaluations is one of the most important factors for Nick Gonzalez, a Jones College junior, who said he has never felt the need to censor himself in evaluations.

“I haven’t felt any nervousness or trepidation when it comes to lling them out,” Gonzalez said. “I feel like they’re pretty secure for the most part.”

The purpose of an evaluation depends on whether it is meant to address the course or the instructor, but both are equally important, Kabiri said.

“The course evaluation should be related to course materials or structure,” Kabiri said. “The instructor evaluation

should be providing feedback to instructors and other students on teaching style.”

One review Kabiri received stated, “4 exams and 1 project.”

“The workload could be mentioned if you felt like it was heavier or lighter,” Kabiri said. “We’re not trying to take away communication between students, but we’re trying to improve communication and feedback to instructors.”

Employee group emphasizes connection between Rice and Houston public schools

For members of the Houston Independent School District Parents and Supporters at Rice Employee Resource Group, the health of public education is at the heart of Houston’s future — and, by extension, Rice’s.

The employee resource group, o cially recognized in fall 2024, was formed in response to the Texas Education Agency’s 2023 takeover of HISD. The group aims to address the e ect of the takeover on teachers and students, including many of the HISD-ERG members’ own children.

On Nov. 4, when Houstonians took to the polls, they were also voting in new members of the school board. Ph.D. candidate Jasmin Lee, who researches the HISD takeover, said the results of the school board election would be interesting but would not change the organization’s mission.

“These elected board members, though they won’t have any formal ability, are given this legitimacy because they have been elected and chosen by the people who they will represent,” Lee said. “I think it will be very interesting how they use that power and then which constituencies they decide to ght for.”

Lee said the stated goal of the TEA takeover was to improve academic outcomes. In replacing the district’s elected board with an appointed Board of Managers, the state cited academic underperformance at one of the 274 HISD schools.

“Nationally representative studies show takeovers do not, on average, improve student achievement in the short or long term,” Lee said. “Looking at case studies of individual districts, some school district takeovers show e ects on student outcomes while others do not.”

Lee’s research investigated the experiences of educators, families and community members in HISD during the transition to takeover. Data collection for her dissertation began in March 2023, about two weeks a er TEA announced the takeover. She collected eldwork observations until November 2024 and interviews until July 2025.

“I think everyone can agree that they want what is best for students, that we should be providing high quality instruction,” Lee said.

However, Lee found operational and ideological misalignments between the stateappointed board’s goals. Since the takeover, HISD reforms have included standardized timed lessons, new curricula and reduced campus autonomy — which some parents say have narrowed classroom instruction.

“We’ve been living through two years of what we can really think of as a crisis in local governance,” said Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan, associate professor of English and lead organizer of the group.

Srinivasan, who is also a parent of HISD elementary and middle school students, coauthored a Houston Chronicle op-ed with Caleb McDaniel, a professor of history and also an HISD parent, expressing concern about overreliance on materials generated by arti cial intelligence.

“The takeover shi ed decision-making power,” Lee said. “It gives a lot of discretion to the state-appointed leadership.”

Although over the summer, TEA extended the takeover until at least June 2027, HISD-ERG members still see this week’s local elections as important for shaping the district’s eventual transition back to self-governance.

“Currently, it’s a state-appointed board,” Srinivasan said. “But we, as a community, have an opportunity to elect school board members now who will be like board members in waiting for when we transition out of the takeover.”

Before the group’s formation, Rice employees lacked a formal space to discuss or address local school issues. O cial recognition as an ERG, Srinivasan said, provided legitimacy and a sense of security when communicating about HISD and organizing initiatives at Rice.

“It became important for us to rally faculty, sta and students to an understanding of what’s going on,” Srinivasan said.

We’ve been living through two years of what we can really think of as a crisis in local governance.

Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH

The employee resource group shares information and resources, surveys faculty and sta , and educates members, Srinivasan said. Members of HISD-ERG have also spoken at meetings of the HISD school board and Commission on the State Takeover, an external group organized to listen to concerns of HISD stakeholders.

“We are educators alongside K-12 educators,” Srinivasan said. “Their ght is our ght, especially in a moment where public schools, but also higher education at

large, is under attack.”

According to Srinivasan, HISD-ERG now includes 51 faculty, sta and graduate students representing more than a dozen HISD schools.

Brandy McDaniel, Faculty Senate administrative assistant and HISD parent, said the ERG has helped her navigate the changes a er the takeover.

“Meeting with other parents and community stakeholders has been really valuable because they validate our experiences,” McDaniel said. “The issues surrounding Texas public schools are really complex. I’ve learned a lot from being in the group.”

For Rice, Srinivasan said issues that affect HISD also influence faculty and staff retention and future students’ academic foundations.

“These are schools that our families and communities belong to,” Srinivasan said. “They’re also the schools of our future students.”

Future initiatives of HISD-ERG may include a spring symposium featuring researchers like Lee and other graduate students at UT Austin and Penn State studying the HISD takeover.

“I think everyone at Rice has a stake in the status of education,” said Srinivasan. “These are the schools that our families and communities belong to, whether it’s your kid or not.”

NHU CHU / THRESHER

ANNAMIKA KONKOLA THRESHER STAFF

JOCELYN CHEN / THRESHER

Students vote at the Rice Welcome Center on Nov. 4, considering Houston Independent School District school board elections among other races. A group of Rice faculty and employees have been advocating for HISD following the Texas Education Agency’s takeover.

AYHAM AL-GHOUL THRESHER STAFF

As Rice grows, school growth remains uneven

HONGTAO HU ASST. NEWS EDITOR

Spring 2025 course registration began on Friday, opening up the second semester of courses since Rice’s Budget Transformation Initiative was fully implemented.

With Rice’s new budget model, deans have a greater nancial incentive to expand course o erings and raise class sizes.

For Dean of the School of Engineering and Computing Luay Nakleh, creative classes that draw in students will reap monetary bene ts.

“For example, you can be creative with creating new degree programs, master’s programs,” Nakhleh said. “If I double the number of majors and the number of students I teach, I would expect to double the amount of money that comes from undergraduate tuition to my school. That wasn’t the case before.”

The BTI is a “dynamic budget model”. This means that revenue from Rice’s general fund is distributed (such as undergraduate tuition and unrestricted endowment funds) to the various schools of study at Rice based on a set of distinct criteria, or incentives.

“Funds will ow in more direct alignment with undergraduate activity, across instruction and degrees,” a BTI slideshow reads.

For Dean of the School of Social Sciences

Rachel Kimbro, the BTI encourages the social sciences to create career-oriented classes in emerging elds, rather than increasing

course maximums.

“Our class sizes were already pretty big before BTI, so we have leaned more into adding entire sections rather than increasing class sizes,” Kimbro wrote in an email to the Thresher.

Undergraduate course enrollment generates revenue with a 70-30 split between an undergraduate’s “School of Instruction” and “School of Record.”

A student’s School of Instruction is the school their enrolled courses fall under, while the School of Record is the school their declared major is housed in.

For example, an economics student, which falls under social sciences, could take an introlevel calculus class, which falls under natural sciences, as part of their major requirement. Then, 70% of the funds would ow towards the School of Natural Sciences, while 30% would ow into the School of Social Sciences.

Across all the courses that student took, the majority of the money they generated would ow into classes they took, not their declared major’s school.

According to Dean of the School of Humanities and Arts Kathleen Canning, the BTI has led the school to increase course sizes, alongside improved curriculum o erings.

“Each person who can should develop a course that enrolls more students than usual,” Canning said.“If you only usually teach 12, teach 25, or 30. Teach one of your four courses to a larger group of students.”

For the humanities, an increase in course capacity does not necessarily correlate with an increase in enrollments.

The data is based on registrar class data from fall 2021 to fall 2025, removing classes that require permission for entry along with graduate-level classes.

The School of Humanities and Arts has a widening gap in course capacity and student enrollment: In fall 2025, across 304 classes, the average capacity of classes was 25.41 seats, while the average enrollment was 12.46 students.

For the 265 Humanities classes o ered in fall 2021, the excess, or un lled seat capacity was 8.44 seats. In fall 2025, it was 12.95 seats — overtaking the average section enrolled.

This means as course capacities increase, average enrollments remain stagnant in the School of Humanities and Arts.

With increasing enrollment sizes, there are fewer excess seats in the School of Natural Sciences.

In fall 2021, Natural Sciences o ered 191 classes with an excess capacity of 19.35 seats. Four years later, the capacity was 12.41 seats for 238 classes — a 35.86% decrease in excess capacity.

Changes in the undergraduate population have also revealed trends in majors.

According to an email from Chris Stipes, the executive director of news and media relations, the preliminary undergraduate enrollment for fall 2025 is 4,878.

Rice’s student enrollment website states that the fall 2021 full-time undergraduate population is 4,150. This marks an increase of 633 students, or a 15.2% increase.

From fall 2021 to fall 2024, the largest percentage growth was in Humanities: Rice’s student enrollment website states that the School of Humanities and Arts grew from 443 to 544 undergraduate majors for bachelors’ degrees from fall 2021 to fall 2024, a 22.8% increase, or 101 students.

The School of Social Sciences has lost close to what Humanities has gained. From fall 2021 to fall 2024, undergraduate majors decreased from 1,307 to 1,216 students, a 6.96% decrease.

The school that’s growing the secondmost is also the largest school at Rice, the School of Engineering and Computing. It grew from 1,529 to 1,676 undergraduate majors from fall 2021 to fall 2024, a 9.61% increase of 147 students.

The Virani Undergraduate School of Business overtakes the School of Engineering and Computing in growth. In fall 2021, only three undergraduates declared the business major. In fall 2024, the undergraduate major grew to 503 students. The major was created in March 2021, while the school itself was established in fall 2024.

Senate resolution on political statements to enter third week of discussion

TOBY CHOU THRESHER STAFF

A er last week’s discussion on political statements by Senate, SA President Trevor Tobey said he wanted to clarify how Resolution No. 3 would be applied to Senate procedure. The resolution has been in discussion for two weeks and was tabled again, now stretching the discussion over three weeks.

I don’t think we should put a policy in place that we can just abandon with a three-fourths vote.

Trevor Tobey STUDENT ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT

Tobey said institutional neutrality would be applicable when the SA president and the parliamentarian are creating the agenda, as they check to see whether the agenda follows the constitution and its bylaws. If this resolution passes, future resolutions addressing partisan politics would be unconstitutional.

However, the constitution also states that the SA can vote to amend the agenda, overruling the president and the parliamentarian.

According to the resolution, institutional neutrality is also relevant a er the SA makes a statement or passes a resolution. If a student believes the SA has made a statement or resolution that violates institutional neutrality, they can make an appeal to University Court.

However, according to Tobey, this

institutional neutrality would not apply to referendums, which allow the student body to make statements on partisan politics.

When Wiess College Senator Eli Risinger repeated the importance of having a threefourths override to institutional neutrality, Tobey remained rm on his position.

“I don’t think we should put a policy in place that we can just abandon with a threefourths vote,” Tobey said. “I think we should cra the policy in a way that makes sense so that we don’t have to have a three-fourths vote happen.”

Sid Richardson College President Arjun Surya said he questioned the e ectiveness of this resolution, as all consequences to violating institutional neutrality happen a er a statement is made.

“To me, it still feels like the action happens a er the fact with UCourt,” Surya said. “Since the Senate has the ability to overturn the agenda and vote on [something violating institutional neutrality], it feels a bit redundant.”

Tobey said this resolution is meant to be a guideline for how the SA is meant to act, and it would hold the SA to certain standards. This would allow individuals who believe that institutional neutrality was violated to seek redress through UCourt.

McMurtry President Berny Guerra Arthur said the most important part of the resolution is to make sure the SA concentrates on helping the student body.

“The greatest outcome for any policy change to this would be whatever can help us to center the focus back on the happenings in our university and the work that we do for our fellow students,” Guerra Arthur said.

Tobey also noted that the SA can rule that, similar to waiving prior notice, a statement falls within the exceptions listed in the resolution with a four- hs vote.

Senate debates establishing college food pantries

TOBY CHOU THRESHER STAFF

McMurtry College Senator Rohan Dharia reopened discussion for the second time on Resolution No. 4, which would encourage residential colleges to open food pantries during Senate on Monday.

Dharia, a sophomore, added a few amendments to the resolution, originally introduced Oct. 26.

First, the article stressing the importance of the food pantries was reworded, stating that the primary goal was not to aid students experiencing food insecurity, but rather to address the lack of late-night dining options on campus.

Second, the $1,000 from residential college budgets to cover the rest of the supplies for the food pantries was entirely removed. Instead, the program would start in fall 2026 as a pilot program, using the $500 allotted for each college by Housing and Dining to gauge interest and test the program as a whole.

Third, each residential college president would select a manager to run their food pantry. Dharia said this would alleviate some of the burden from the president and other members of the college government.

Sid Richardson College President Arjun Surya said the current food pantry run by the SSI is only open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, leaving many students without late-night dining options or weekend options.

Surya, a senior, suggested that a food pantry proposal should focus on this problem instead of creating new food pantries in the colleges.

While Dharia agreed the food pantry

from the SSI should be reformed, he said a change to that food pantry is not related to this initiative.

Brown College President Holden Koch said Brown has no interest in creating a food pantry, even if H&D were to fund the project.

“There’s so much more that goes into [the project] besides the money,” said Koch, a senior. “Where is it going to be stored, who has to keep track of when things expire, who is going to be restocking it?”

Koch said adding a food pantry would be a “logistical nightmare” and Brown already has a hard time keeping track of the food in their college kitchen.

There’s so much more that goes into it besides the money. Where is it going to be stored, who has to keep track of when things expire, who is going to be restocking it?

Holden Koch BROWN COLLEGE PRESIDENT

Dharia responded saying the point of the new amendment which added the manager is to address these logistical issues, but more issues would be addressed in the coming weeks.

Some colleges, including Lovett and Jones, already have college-specific food pantries available.

This resolution was tabled for further discussion next week.

We don’t want to be on this government’s good side

Rice changed the name of the O ce of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to the O ce of Access and Institutional Excellence a er federal backlash against DEI programs last semester. A er the administration assured students that they stood by their commitment to diversity in a series of emails, we wrote that while the name change was frustrating, we hoped not much else would change.

This week, administration has gone a step further in changing the descriptions of cultural and a nity groups on campus to ensure the university isn’t sued, Alexander Byrd, the vice provost for the AIE, said. Byrd

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

said the changes were in response to a memo from the O ce of the Attorney General recommending recipients of federal funding ensure their programs aren’t discriminatory.

A nity groups and cultural clubs bring more inclusion to our campus, not less. In changing club descriptions, Rice is bowing down to the Trump administration and a rming their claims.

Rice has the luxury of being a private university, with over $8 billion in its endowment. Why make changes that alienate minority students in anticipation of a hypothetical lawsuit that Rice surely could a ord?

Over the summer, Rice led a brief in support of Harvard University’s lawsuit against the Trump administration over the freezing of their federal funds due to allegations of discrimination. This show of support for a peer institution standing up for their values means little if Rice doesn’t apply those same values to its own campus.

Public universities in Texas have had no choice but to axe their programs supporting Black, queer and immigrant students a er SB 17 outlawed DEI initiatives. Rice has the privilege of being able to stand up for all minority students by refusing to self-censor.

Rice has the opportunity — and the

Listen before you silence

I hesitate to write these words, since the few who planned a disruption at our recent event do not represent the views of most students at Rice — students I deeply respect and am proud to serve.

The hostility and slander directed at the Jewish community cannot be ignored. While the accusations were false, their impact is real. Words like “propaganda” and “colonialism” were used to describe a survivor’s story, and not only did they distort reality, but they also diminished our shared humanity.

Silencing a survivor whose identity doesn’t fit a political narrative is not moral courage; it undermines dialogue and understanding.

The

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

brutal and inhumane.

Despite this, when Omer came to speak at Rice, he didn’t talk about politics or revenge; he spoke about faith, about nding light when even a shadow was a luxury and holding on to hope when it seemed impossible.

Omer, now 23, is the same age as some seniors at Rice. He recounts how his captors made it clear their hatred was driven by a desire to harm Jews, not about land or politics. Despite unimaginable su ering, Omer chose positivity and faith. His story is one of resilience, and listening to him was inspiring.

That’s why it was so disheartening to see his visit met with plans of disrupting the event in protest and accusations of “Zionist propaganda.”

How is surviving terror a political act? Since when do we label a victim’s pain as “colonial ideology?”

Listening to a person’s lived experience does not mean endorsing every policy of their government. Silencing a survivor whose identity doesn’t t a political narrative is not moral courage; it undermines dialogue and understanding.

The unfortunate truth is that on Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, carried out the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust. Over 1,200 people were murdered, raped and mutilated.

More than 250 taken hostage: children, babies, grandparents, peace activists and concertgoers.

Hamas also targets its own civilians in Gaza. Acknowledging that horror is not controversial.

The false claims about Omer’s talk and the denial of the attacks the people in Israel have gone through for decades are not only inaccurate but also extremely harmful. It distorts history and contributes to an environment where Jewish students feel unsafe expressing their Jewish identity and even the mildest connection to their homeland.

The Jewish people carry a deep and unbreakable bond to the land of Israel. It is not a political statement; it’s part of our faith, identity, history, culture and family story for generations. It should never make anyone a target of suspicion or hate.

As a leader in the Jewish community at Rice, I was proud to see hundreds of students and faculty ll the Baker Institute for Public Policy that evening. They listened and learned from Omer’s story of courage and faith. The energy in the room was hopeful and healing. I and many others le upli ed.

To those who feel uncomfortable with Omer’s story, I extend an invitation: come talk, ask questions. Listen before you judge. Don’t silence what you haven’t

funds — to set an example and stand by its students. Students of all races, ethnicities, cultures and identities deserve a place to connect with people who share their background at Rice without having to dilute their message to appease the Trump administration. It’s time to put the pressure on the government to change their policies, not universities.

News editor James Cancelarich recused himself due to reporting on the corresponding story in our news section. Arts and Entertainment editor Arman Saxena recused himself due to participation in Students for Justice in Palestine.

yet heard; maybe you will re ect on the assumptions you haven’t yet considered and learn that empathy does not require agreement, only openness.

Rice should be a place of curiosity, compassion, and courage — the courage to hear perspectives that challenge us. We can all yearn for the day when hatred and violence will end, and when every person can nd the light in their neighbor. But that begins here, with us. And it begins by listening.

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

505 days in hell: Why demonizing a Hamas survivor undermines Rice’s values

CRAIG CONSIDINE & MOSHE Y. VARDI

SENIOR LECTURER IN SOCIOLOGY & UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR AND GEORGE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE PROFESSOR IN COMPUTATIONAL ENGINEERING

The recent characterization of Omer Shem Tov’s appearance as “Zionist propaganda” reveals a disturbing reality on our campus. When a survivor’s rsthand account of terrorism is dismissed because of his nationality, we have crossed from political debate into dehumanization.

Omer Shem Tov’s appearance on campus is not about the morality of Israel’s war, but about the humanity and academic freedom required to listen to a victim’s testimony. He is a young man who, at age 20, was kidnapped from a music festival where his friends were slaughtered. For 505 excruciating days, he endured starvation, psychological torture and the constant threat of execution in Gaza’s terror tunnels.

That members of the Rice community would protest rather than receive his testimony suggests a failure of the campus to uphold its stated commitment to intellectual exchange, respectful dialogue and a culture of care, even when ideas are politically inconvenient. Omer’s story deserves to be heard with the same

compassion we would extend to any other victim of terrorism.

The arguments used to justify protesting Omer’s testimony crumble under scrutiny. To use the term “genocide” against a young man sharing his traumatic experience is not political critique; it is a rhetorical tactic meant to shame, silence and erase his experience.

The double standard is glaring. The same voices that protest Omer’s appearance at Rice say nothing about Hamas’s use of human shields or the diversion of billions in international aid meant for civilians to instead build terror tunnels and purchase weapons. Their activism claims to be about justice, but instead demonizes the world’s only Jewish state.

If Rice’s commitment to a culture of care means anything, it must mean caring equally about all victims of violence.

Rice now stands at an in ection point. Will we be an institution where all survivors of violence are treated with

equal dignity? An institution where Jewish and Israeli students can share their experiences without fear of being branded as propagandists? An institution where complex geopolitical con icts are not reduced to simplistic narratives?

The measure of our community is not how we treat those whose stories we nd convenient, but how we respond to those whose experiences challenge our preconceptions. If Rice’s commitment to a culture of care means anything, it must mean caring equally about all victims of violence, including Omer Shem Tov, a survivor whose only crime was being in the wrong place at the worst possible time.

Rice must rea rm its core commitment to compassion and academic freedom by publicly assuring its community that all victims of terrorism, regardless of nationality or political background, have the right to share their experiences without fear of organized shaming.

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

event featured Omer Shem Tov, who was kidnapped by Hamas at 20 years old while at a music festival and held hostage in Gaza for almost two years. His captivity was

NECHAMA SLONIM REBBETZIN OF CHABAD AT RICE

Ask a Rice philosopher: What is love?

TIM SCHROEDER PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Today’s questioner asks, “What is love?”

Let’s have a little symposium.

The rst thing to do when thinking about love is to focus on love itself and not on metaphorical love. I love my son and I love ice cream, but those are two very di erent things. Let’s focus on the real deal, not the Chunky Monkey.

Princeton philosopher Harry Frankfurt starts his discussion of love by focusing on the love that a parent has for a child, and ends up with a theory of love that ts parental love pretty nicely: The heart of loving is wanting what is best for the beloved, just so that the beloved will have what’s good for them.

That sounds like a parent caring for a child, for sure. Does it sound like romance between equals, though?

Kyla Ebels-Duggan, a philosopher at Northwestern University, thinks not. Her discussion of love starts focused on the love that married adults might have for one another. Romantic love, she argues, is a matter of taking on a certain project: supporting your partner’s projects.

The idea is not that the loving husband takes over his wife’s projects and does them for her. It’s instead that it becomes his project to ensure that she completes her projects the way she has chosen to complete them — and

vice versa.

You could say that Frankfurt has a good theory of parental love and Ebels-Duggan has a good theory of romantic love, and that’s all there is to it.

You could, but then you’d be a quitter. If romantic love is one kind of love and parental love is another kind, a correct theory of love should cover both.

To my way of thinking, Frankfurt has the better starting point. When you love a child, a parent, a sibling or a friend, you want what’s best for them. You want them to be healthy and happy and in a great career and living somewhere that suits them. What is caring for someone if it’s not prioritizing their welfare?

Because of that, loving someone romantically has to start from that same altruistic concern. If you claim to be in love with someone but you don’t care whether they have what’s best for them (or you only care because it a ects you), it’s hard to believe that you actually love the person at all.

With that said, you have to add something to love to get romantic love, and here I think Ebels-Duggan is onto something. When you are in love, you, of course, want good things for your beloved, but you also want a life together with them.

“A life together” does not quite require that it be my project that my wife joins a bowling league, even if that’s her project. I

have to respect her wishes, but I don’t have to fret if she starts to slide in her commitments for some reason.

In disagreeing, Ebels-Duggan goes too far. It’s not normal or important for loving couples to support every little project each one has.

Still, “a life together” implies that we both commit to nding a way to live with each other through thick and thin, in sickness and in health. It implies that we will draw on each other to meet our deepest needs: for material resources, understanding, support, sex, partnership in raising kids and watching TV before bed.

The upshot of all this is that there’s just one type of love: prioritizing someone’s welfare. On top of that you can add ‘and it’s my kid, so it’s my job to make sure they have decent table manners.’ Or, ‘it’s my sibling, so it’s my job to make sure they know what a wet willie is.’ Or, ‘it’s my friend, so we need to hang out sometime.’ Or, ‘it’s my spouse, so we need to make one life together.’

Possibly, a life spent loving Chunky Monkey ice cream.

Required reading: Frankfurt, H. 1999. “On Caring.” In Necessity, Volition, and Love. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Extra credit: Ebels-Duggan, K. 2008. “Against Bene cence: A normative account of love.” Ethics 119, 142-70.

Dr. Tim Schroeder is a professor in the department of philosophy. If you have a question about reality, knowledge, ethics, consciousness, truth, beauty or other abstract theoretical realms (or about how they apply to what your roommate just did), why not ask him about it? Email your questions to askaricephilosopher@rice.edu.

COLUMN

Global chats: Halloween is so depressing

VALERIA REVATTA FOR THE THRESHER

One October morning, as I quickly grab breakfast and rush to my morning classes, I catch a glimpse of it: a beautiful Día de los Muertos altar in West Servery.

This is when I remember it’s almost Halloween here in the U.S., but for me, it’s almost Día de los Muertos.

In Mexico City, Día de los Muertos is a huge deal, even more than Halloween. Yes, people still trick or treat and go to parties, but what is most exciting is setting up the altar for those who have passed away.

I remember smelling the invigorating cempasuchil owers, spending hours cutting paper sheets into fun shapes and sitting in the living room eating a warm piece of bread of the dead with hot chocolate on the side (I know, I’m starting to miss home).

There is also a Day of the Dead festival at

the center of the city where huge skeletons oat across the street, people play guitar music in every corner and the smell of sugar calaveritas conquers the air. Yet, at Rice, I o en feel numb during this magical season.

One thing that I believe greatly contributes to this is the decorations. Walking by the houses near campus, I’ve seen huge spiders, lights and black cats in people’s doorways. Even though some houses put great passion and e ort into their Halloween decorations, they all look vacuous and arti cial.

Most of the decorations are made from industrialized plastic and then assembled in people’s lawns. Yet, no matter the amount of money or time spent in decorating and organizing, each object is still an aimless piece of plastic.

In Mexico, by contrast, people pour their hearts into their decorations. Most of the adornments in festivals and altars

are carefully handcra ed and arranged to create meaning. Decorations represent the stories of those who have died, helping us keep their memory alive.

However, in the U.S., I feel like this season is o en seen as an excuse to eat candy, go to parties and get drunk. While there is nothing wrong with that, I would like to see some traditional Día de los Muertos celebrations around campus.

I propose that the Rice community bring more life to future Halloween seasons, especially considering that most international students don’t celebrate Halloween back home. I encourage you to learn more about Día de los Muertos and try creating your own altar by drawing, writing cards or baking. Put your soul into it and share it with others. It will not only help you connect with those around you, but it will also help you remember your home, regardless of where that might be.

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ABOUT

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

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

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Next week’s question: Do you look at course or instructor evaluations when registering for classes?

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CORRECTIONS

In “Running back breaks records in upset over UConn,” Rice football is 1-3 in conference play.

In “Arts conference defends humanities,” Lajward Zahra presented in the 90-minute panel “The Aesthetic of Reproductive Justices.”

In “ktru o air due to power outage,” a planned power outage damaged the radio station’s Jetstream. The photo in “Environmental lawyer and professor connects law, nature and spirit” was taken by Isaac Ure.

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Valeria Revatta is a Duncan College freshman majoring in architecture. After living all her life in Mexico City, she brings a unique voice and perspective on international students’ experiences.

Sport management majors tackle early internships

sport management major. “You keep the eye on the thing that is ful lling to you.”

Hunched over her computer, Nailah Mensah browses the internet, her eyes darting around the glowing screen. Her keyboard clacks as she cra s an email to the head of the Rice University Sport Law Society expressing her interest in an oncampus sport agency opportunity.

Mensah studies sport management and psychology. She said the pressure to identify early career opportunities is a feeling familiar to many freshmen in Rice University’s department of sport management.

“There are so many opportunities,” said Mensah, a Sid Richardson College freshman. “It kind of felt like everybody was doing it, so then maybe I should, too.”

Tom Stallings, professor in the practice in sport management, said he notices a fair share of imposter syndrome in many students, but he doesn’t see it as speci c to his department.

“At Rice and at any elite school, you’re gonna have a lot of imposter syndrome,” Stallings said.

Stallings also said many students compare themselves to others and feel like they need to be doing more. In response, he said he encourages students to focus on their own path.

“What you need to do is just run your own race,” Stallings said, pointing at his whiteboard bearing the name of every Rice

Ranked the No. 1 undergraduate sport management program in the country by Niche, Rice’s department of sport management prioritizes work experience.

The major’s required course curriculum includes a minimum of six credit hours dedicated to internships.

According to its website, the department utilizes connections with Houston sports teams like the Astros and the Texans to help students hone their skills “through a steady progression of internships.”

We treat this almost like a business. We come to a classroom with connections ... It just makes it easier for people to move a resume from the bottom of the stack to the top.

Tom Stallings PROFESSOR IN

THE

PRACTICE OF SPORT MANAGEMENT

Mensah said she nds the program helpful in managing the pressure to succeed immediately a er entering college by o ering early guidance and

providing real-world opportunities.

This semester, Mensah is interning with the Name, Image and Likeness Education and Support Team for Rice Student Athletes, which is focused on helping college athletes get brand deals and sponsorships through data tracking and creating social media pro les. She said this opportunity with NEST is possible because of the department of sport management.

Stallings said the department helps students get ahead through its wide network of connections in the sport management world.

“We treat this almost like a business,” he said. “We come to a classroom with connections, with credibility. It just makes it easier for people to move a resume from the bottom of the stack to the top of the stack.”

Nzobaho Ngiriweneza, a Will Rice College sophomore double-majoring in sport management and business, said he appreciates the faculty’s dedication to helping him and his peers nd career success.

Ngiriweneza said he was surprised to hear about the many opportunities available to freshmen when he first got to Rice. In the summer after his freshman year, Ngiriweneza served as a talent escort for athletes receiving awards at the Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards and NFL Honors.

“I went to the ESPYs this summer, and so that was a great opportunity,” Ngiriweneza said. “I had the opportunity

to walk with [Heisman Trophy winner] Desmond Howard.”

Ngiriweneza said he knows the feeling of career imposter syndrome well.

“I think the students ourselves put that pressure on us because we just want to do a lot more,” he said. “It’s not from external force of us pressuring other students.”

The professional skills he’s learned in his sport management classes aid in minimizing the stress of the job and internship world, Ngiriweneza said.

“You’d learn about how to project yourself to companies, resume-building, portfolios,” he said. “You learn to build those stuff early on in your freshman year so that you get that experience.”

Ngiriweneza said he recalls Stallings teaching him how to write a cover letter and o ering him suggestions about how to structure his resume in an appealing way for sports companies, emphasizing the importance of including a reference list with three to four people in a sports resume.

Ngiriweneza said he has already been offered a number of positions in his time at Rice. The program’s high success rate in finding opportunities for its students has as much to do with the students themselves as it does the well-connected professors, Stallings said.

“The big overall thing that we take very seriously is — we know that we are getting the best and brightest students in this generation at Rice,” Stallings said. “We don’t take that for granted.”

EMME YOUNG FOR THE THRESHER

FRANCESCA NEMATI / THRESHER

Sport management professor Tom Stallings has a whiteboard in his o ce listing every student pursuing the major.

Feed Me, Seymour!

Together with 36-Across, 40-Across, and 49-Across, the musical being performed in Lovett College commons Nov. 6-8 at 8 p.m.

Nicaragua neighbor Frequent food poisoning culprit Shows up Pikachu’s trainer Queen song “Seven

A little, in a music score

Slanted lettering, abbr.

Burrito benefactor

Cooking instructions

Nameless posters, abbr.

Tolstoy’s real name

Before 911 and 988

Ariana Grande hit “_____ _, next” Mail

Walking trail

Frozen’s Olaf voice actor Josh

Vietnamese soup

Color l Hindu festival “No ifs, ____, or buts about it!” Gusto

European dormouse

What flows in the veins of Greek gods “Happy birthday __ ___”

____ tuah

Acronym commonly seen at 2020 racial

justice protests

What a charming personality might do

Scary lms

Celestial course code

Keep an ___ __ (monitor)

Buck follower?

Onion-like vegetable

Big name in early video games

Salt?

Short albums

Late rapper Shakur

Mobile soccer video game, abbr.

Expression of understanding

“That’s one small ____ for a man...”

Type of language exam

Legendary birds

Skincare

Rice Bikes keeps rolling despite financial strain

Inside Rice Bikes, the air smells like oil and rubber. Metal tools clink as student mechanics adjust gears and tighten bolts under the hot Houston sun. But with bikes becoming less popular and tariffs driving up the price of parts, business is hardly booming at the shop, now in its second decade.

“The increase in scooters on campus, for one, has diminished the amount of customers we are able to serve,” wrote Asher Yellen, Rice Bikes’ project manager, in an email to the Thresher.

Rice Bikes, which repairs, rents and sells bikes to the Rice community, is one of only two Rice student-run businesses still operating, alongside Rice Coffeehouse. Last semester, The Hoot closed after 15 years of operation.

Beyond the rise of scooters, Rice Bikes has also faced a general decrease in efficiency, leading to longer turnaround times.

To adapt, they have increased mechanical training for new members and organized shifts more efficiently. Managers have also collected data to identify weak points in their workflow.

“We’re working to analyze both operational and financial data so we can target areas for improvement better,” wrote Yellen, a Hanszen College junior. “This has been difficult in the past due to issues with Rice’s finance system (iO) and our own internal management system, but there have been changes to both that will get us better data.”

According to Caitlin Lindsay, director of student center operations, Rice’s student enterprises have faced

The increase in scooters on campus, for one, has diminished the amount of customers we are able to serve.

Asher Yellen

RICE BIKES PROJECT MANAGER

broader financial pressures in recent years. She said Rice Bikes’ mission to remain affordable for students makes it especially vulnerable to such pressures.

“All of our groups have a goal of keeping profits lower in order to keep prices lower,” Lindsay said. “If you look at how much a lot of bike things cost … our student-run businesses are doing it at a lower price for customers because they want to prioritize that.”

This model of prioritizing affordability over profit means when external costs rise, businesses feel the strain significantly.

“With some of the things that are happening nationally, especially if things have any type of an import associated with it ... all of that can impact pricing,” Lindsay said.

Despite these challenges, customers said their experiences with Rice Bikes remain positive.

Yitang Chen, a Wiess College sophomore, visits the shop almost monthly for repairs.

“They are skillful in repairing bikes,” Chen said. “Small adjustments are usually free — pretty satisfying experience.”

Amelia Pillar, a Sid Richardson College senior, has rented her bike from Rice Bikes for three semesters. Having lived off campus last year, Pillar said it was convenient to have a bike she could rely on as well as a place to go for inexpensive repairs.

“I got a flat last year,” Pillar said. “I

just had to make an appointment, and they fixed it for me really easily. I didn’t have to pay that much.”

Yellen said running a fully studentstaffed bike shop isn’t always practical. Mechanics work only a few hours each week, and many graduate just as they become skilled mechanics.

“Overall, though, being student-run is truly the basis of Rice Bikes, and I can’t imagine that will ever change.” Yellen said.

The closing of The Hoot last semester prompted some students to express concern about the future of student-run businesses, and Pillar said she wishes the administration had provided more support.

“[The Hoot closing] was a really big loss to student life,” she said. “[Student-run businesses] have been such a big part of Rice culture. I hope that Rice Bikes survives the next few years or continues to be on Rice campus, because I think it’s really great for the students.”

I hope in the future, Rice kind of brings back the culture of student-run businesses. But for now, we’ll see.

Amelia Pillar

SID RICHARDSON COLLEGE SENIOR

As construction continues on the new student center, Pillar hopes the university will prioritize making space for students and their businesses.

“I hope in the future, Rice kind of brings back the culture of student-run businesses,” she said. “But for now, we’ll see.”

FIONA SIK / THRESHER

Rice Bikes is one of two student-run businesses le at Rice a er the Hoot closed.

SELINA GU FOR THE THRESHER

Naval ROTC member one of eight appointed to prestigious role in U.S. Navy

KONSTANTIN SAVVON /

When a Rice alumna working in Naval Reactors spoke to the university’s Naval Reserve O cer Training Corps, it le a lasting impression on Matthew Deverell. From that moment, the current midshipman executive o cer knew he wanted to pursue a career as a Naval Reactors engineer, a goal he recently reached when he became one of eight midshipmen selected nationally for the position.

“That de nitely caught my eye,” said Deverell, a Will Rice College senior. “From that point on, that’s what I knew I wanted to do.”

Deverell was chosen to become a Naval Reactors engineer a er passing a

prescreening evaluation of his academic standing and due to his contributions to the NROTC program. He also underwent multiple rounds of interviews at the Naval Reactors headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Deverell’s class adviser, Lt. Trevor Hansen, said he helped Deverell work towards what he knew was an ambitious goal.

“It is a highly competitive program,” said Hansen, an assistant professor of naval science. “Several thousand midshipmen theoretically have met the requirements to ll one of these eight slots.”

Once Deverell graduates, he will participate in four months of leadership and technical training, followed by six months of postgraduate-level nuclear engineering courses at the Bettis Reactor Engineering School in West Mi in, Pennsylvania and

Coolclassestospiceupyour senior spring semester

ABIGAIL

ASHLEY ZHANG / THRESHER

CHIU

SENIOR WRITER

Seniors, are you scrambling to nd classes to ll your nal semester schedule? Maybe it’s nally time to take that religion course you dropped freshman fall, or maybe you’ve built up the con dence to enroll in a ballroom dance Lifetime Physical Activity Program class. For those still wondering what’s le to explore, here’s a curated list of ways to end your Rice career on a high note. Bonus: All of these classes carry distribution credit.

AAAS/RELI 157: Religion and Hip Hop

Tuesday/Thursday 9:25-10:40 a.m.

Instructor: Anthony Pinn

Examine the “religious sensibilities” of hip-hop culture and rap classics that will shake your senior slump. This course will use lm, lectures and discussions to question understandings of religion and hip-hop and learn where they overlap. The class is crosslisted in the African American studies and religion departments.

ECON 211: Money Matters

Monday/Wednesday/Friday 3-3:50 p.m.

Instructor: Kiana Yektansani

Ever wondered whether you should get a credit or a debit card, or what a Roth IRA is and why everyone insists you start one? This course on economic literacy and decision making might help. Gain nancial street smarts to complement those ECON 100 book

three weeks working in a Navy shipyard.

Deverell will then begin administering the design, operation and maintenance of nearly 100 nuclear reactors for the Naval Nuclear Propulsion program, according to the Navy website. The Naval Reactors engineer position lasts ve years.

“Adding ‘Navy Nuke’ to your list of accomplishments will make you a top candidate for a variety of future careers,” the website reads.

Deverell said his NROTC journey began at his San Diego high school when he joined the Navy’s Junior ROTC program because he knew it could o er a career in nuclear engineering. As Deverell began his college search, he was encouraged by mentors to apply for an ROTC scholarship.

“There’s a lot of nuclear o cers that work on nuclear power plants, and when I was in high school, that was what I wanted to do,” Deverell said. “Navy ROTC is, my opinion, the best way to get there.”

As midshipman executive o cer, Deverell manages other students within the NROTC unit and ensures midshipmen, commanding o cers and active duty sta are completing their assignments.

Last spring, Deverell planned the training schedule and events for the NROTC as the physical training o cer. He said he has bene ted from the wide range of responsibilities he’s held in the program.

“The idea of that is that you get to wear a lot of di erent hats and develop di erent kinds of leadership skills throughout your time in the program,” Deverell said.

Elena Carusetta, also a Will Rice senior, met Deverell three years ago when they were both freshmen. Soon a er, they started dating. Carusetta said they enjoy exploring Houston, reading and playing board games together, but o en all they have time for is doing their homework.

“We’re both very busy. So I would say a lot of our time is probably spent dedicated to

classes, but sometimes we try to stay involved with Will Rice,” Carusetta said.

Carusetta said she knows Deverell to be a driven and passionate person. She said Deverell was inspired by self-development and making the most of his education to pursue naval reactor engineering.

“He knew it would be really di cult,” Carusetta said. “But he already had that passion and interest in nuclear engineering.”

Carusetta and Abram Alvarado, Deverell’s friend and NROTC peer of nearly four years, both said that above all, Deverell is a kind person.

“It’s very nice to see how much he cares about the people around him when you’re talking to him,” said Alvarado, a Duncan College senior.

Aside from his academic and Naval responsibilities, Deverell practices piano, plays video games and likes to spend time outdoors in California, his home state. Still, he said it’s his passion for the work he will continue to do in Naval Reactors that keeps him going.

“I really just want to do the job,” Deverell said. “It’s something that’s really appealed to me for several years now.”

Deverell said he plans to keep his options open as for what he may do a er his role concludes.

“There’s a lot of exibility in what people do a er that, but I would say that I really don’t have any hard-set focus a er this,” Deverell said. “We’ll have to see.”

Besides being an individual accomplishment, the selection marks a signi cant achievement for Rice NROTC and the university as a whole, Hansen said.

“It’s a huge feather in the cap for the nuclear recruiting, speci cally here at Rice,” Hansen said. “A big portion of what NROTC is designed to do is produce nuclear o cers. De nitely shows credit towards the mechanical engineering program here at Rice.”

smarts as you learn about budgeting, student loans, mortgages and investment practices.

FREN 250: France: The Soccer Empire

Monday/Wednesday 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Instructor: Caroline Fache

With the FIFA World Cup coming to Houston this summer, soccer is the sport on everyone’s mind. Taught in English, this class teaches the complicated history of France’s soccer team, the 2018 World Cup champion, starting with its colonial past. The course combines the study of media coverage like documentaries and newspapers with artifacts and archival materials for a rich exploration of the world’s most popular sport.

ASIA 205: East Asian Food History

Tuesday/Thursday 9:25-10:40 a.m.

Instructor: Kevin Schoenberger

The history behind trendy ramen, hot pot or Korean barbecue goes back thousands of years. This course will teach you about the traditional dietary cultures of China, Japan and Korea and how avor intersects with empire, industry and medicine. If you have plans to attend a traditional tea ceremony, want to brush up on your banquet etiquette or have questions about the cooking method of stir fry, this course may be for you.

CHEM 176: The Chemistry of Art

Tuesday/Thursday 10:50 a.m.-12:05 p.m.

Instructor: Kenton Whitmire

If you nd yourself thinking about paint mixtures and formaldehyde when you visit Houston museums, this class is for you. It covers everything from painting and sculpture to jewelry and furniture. Gain expert knowledge on the creation, conservation and authentication of artworks in this course taught in conjunction with the conservation department and sta of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Field trips to the MFAH and the Houston Museum of Natural Science will abound.

ROCCO COLDITZ FOR THE THRESHER

THRESHER

Matthew Deverell was chosen for one of eight Naval Reactors engineer positions o ered nationwide.

Rice PRIDE celebrates 50th anniversary of ‘Rocky Horror’

JULIA MICKIEWICZ FOR THE THRESHER

“In the velvet darkness / Of the blackest night / Burning bright / There’s a guiding star.” The opening lyrics of “Over at the Frankenstein Place” encapsulate the unique nature of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” a production that combines its own brand of eccentric worldbuilding with deeply personal themes of identity and finding oneself.

On Saturday, Rice PRIDE hosted its third annual shadowcast production of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the film’s release.

Although rehearsals began in October, board members of Rice PRIDE have been working on bringing the production to life for much longer. D’Trique Fitzgerald, a Rice PRIDE board member and one of the organizers, said the process has been full of excitement.

“I found out this summer that this was the 50th anniversary [of Rocky Horror],” said Fitzgerald, a Sid Richardson College junior. “[It] has to be special.”

The shadowcast is a longstanding tradition in the performance of “Rocky Horror” in which actors act out the scenes with the film playing in the background. Audience participation is another integral component; the audience is encouraged to call out during the film

and use props like noisemakers and party hats to interact with the cast.

Gracyn Reddick, a Baker College freshman, said she appreciated the unique opportunity to participate alongside the cast.

“I had a blast watching it, and I loved the audience interaction,” Reddick said. “It was really fun to feel like being part of the show.”

For Cece Gonzalez, the director of the production, the show’s culture has a higher purpose than fun for the audience.

“The call outs and the dressing up and all the props … brings us together,” said Gonzalez, a Baker junior. “The movie is not above criticism … but it’s morphed itself into something bigger than us.”

In keeping with the community theme, the organizers of “Rocky Horror” worked diligently to prioritize the wellbeing of the actors during the film’s explicit scenes.

“[Gonzalez] communicated with her cast and made sure that the scenes they were doing were comfortable,” Fitzgerald said.

The production featured multiple creative workarounds, such as using props and miming gestures, to recreate the scenes without infringing on the personal space of the actors.

The cast and organizers of “Rocky Horror” said they treasure the production for their own unique reasons.

Manav Lund, who starred as Dr. FrankN-Furter, commented on the value of expression in the film.

“I think when [Frank-N-Furter] says ‘Give yourself over to absolute pleasure’ ... I feel like it’s sympathetic to the trans experience,” said Lund, a Jones College junior. “Love the way you want to love and express yourself the way you want to express yourself.”

For Fitzgerald, “Rocky Horror” is about taking pride in your identity.

“I love the confidence … and how

Brad and Janet come into themselves,” Fitzgerald said. “I really want people to take that away … [they] could be confident in themselves, especially in their sexual and gender identity.”

For Gonzalez, the production highlights the courage to turn one’s dreams into a reality.

“I really enjoy the ‘Don’t dream it, be it,’ that repeated lyric, the kind of freeness and openness,” Gonzalez said. “You can be whatever you want, you don’t have to just think about it.”

Sipping in search of the best campus latte

Upon arriving at Rice, I have been in search of the “best” latte on campus. While I loved the latte from Dandelion Cafe, Rice Coffeehouse takes the cake. The affordability, wide selection and delicious espresso make it my favorite.

To analyze the lattes between locations, I minimized the variables between orders. I selected a latte with whole milk and two shots of espresso at every location, except CER Ē S, where whole milk was unavailable (I settled for 2%). Whole milk strikes the perfect balance of being rich but not indulgent, sitting at between 3.25% and 4% milkfat by weight, making it the preferred choice of coffee enthusiasts.

Local Foods at the Brochstein Pavilion offered a strong first contender. The latte’s best quality was its balance. The espresso had a smooth taste and approachable mouthfeel, but with moderate acidity.

On the front, it opened with a mild bitterness followed by classic tasting notes of hazelnut and cacao before giving way to an aftertaste of subtle spices. To me, it tasted wintry, hearty, balanced and unobtrusive.

Local Foods’ coffee beans come from Northeast Guatemala. Coffee from this region tends to have notes of caramel and nuts. The roast purported to have notes of cherry, though I found it more obscured. Regardless, I genuinely enjoy this latte and have personally frequented Local Foods because of it. However, coming in at $5.95, it’s hard to justify — especially when other strong options are available.

Dandelion Cafe has, in a way, pretty similar offerings to Local Foods. Dandelion, though, has a fully automated espresso machine. While this gave me some concern, I ordered anyway.

To my surprise, I actually loved this latte. It was not too far off from the Local Foods latte. It was similarly balanced in taste. The espresso had a medium body and was very smooth. The tasting notes were slightly different from the Local Foods latte’s. I found them to be a bit lighter and fruitier, which I tend to prefer. It was slightly more acidic than Local Foods’, but in a good way. It came in at $5.96.

Dandelion’s coffee was perhaps my favorite between the two, based on the qualities of the espresso. They are, regardless, two very strong options.

Next, I went to CER Ē S, the automated coffee robot in McNair Hall. It’s undeniably pretty cool that you can now get a coffee from a robot in 60 seconds flat. However ingenious the automation may be, it did not excite my taste buds.

To be clear, CER Ē S is a coffee machine, not a coffee shop. It only accepts payment by card — no Tetra, no cash. What might have been a friendly interaction between barista and customer was replaced by my numb stare into its boxed quarters.

My latte had a more bitter, forward taste, and it lacked the rounded tasting notes I found so enjoyable from some of the other locations. With the only two milk options being 2% or oat, I was forced to brave the 2%. It offers a thinner mouthfeel than whole milk and makes the latte less rich.

Regardless of cost, I would not recommend a latte from CER Ē S. The ice cubes were notably small, making the ice melt faster and the coffee watery. The espresso was not to my liking. For the price of $4.31, it was not the bargain I had hoped it would be.

If you hate waiting in lines, hate talking to baristas and don’t mind paying more for that slight convenience, then maybe CER Ē S is the right option for you. It isn’t for me.

The last location I considered in my venture for the best latte was Chaus. Perhaps I am biased, being a loyal patron. But it’s for a reason.

Chaus is usually the busiest location out of them all. The regular-sized latte typically comes with one espresso shot, so make sure to request it as a double. This increases the espresso-to-milk ratio, better reflecting the other oncampus latte options.

The drink was pleasantly smooth and balanced, while still being robust.

It’s an espresso with classic tasting notes, and from what I could tell, a medium roast. There’s really nothing to dislike about it. Importantly, the latte came in at an economical $3.75 — the cheapest option on campus by far. In my opinion, the best latte purely in terms of taste is from Dandelion Cafe. Still, the options from Chaus and Local Foods were strong contenders. But for the price, Chaus is clearly the best option, and it’s what I will choose nine out of 10 times.

COURTESY ELIZABETH CHEN Performers take the stage in the Grand Hall for Rice PRIDE’s shadow cast production of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

ANDREW RYNSBURGER THRESHER STAFF

KONSTANTIN SAVVON / THRESHER A customer orders at Dandelion Cafe in the Ralph S. O’Connor Building for Engineering and Science.

Lovett Theater builds plants and community

THRESHER STAFF

Lovett Theater’s “Little Shop of Horrors” is taking over Lovett College commons with music, a man-eating plant and more Nov. 6 through 8.

Director Celeste Uribe said she has enjoyed putting together a longtime favorite musical, despite the technical challenges of the show.

“‘Little Shop of Horrors’ is an ambitious show,” said Uribe, a Baker College senior. “It is definitely not the easiest thing to put on, because at the bare minimum, you need a man-eating plant, and it’s a challenge to figure out how to get that to work.

Lovett Theater also aimed to increase the scale of set design in this production with backdrops and set pieces, said Auggie Schwarz, a Lovett Theater producer.

“There have been so many elements involved, and, of course, the plant, which in itself has been crazy,” said Schwarz, a Lovett senior. “It’s been really fabulous to see it all come together.”

The show’s characteristic man-eating plant was its own kind of challenge.

Throughout the show, the plant grows, requiring four different plant puppets and multiple students, with the final plant being large enough to ‘eat’ an actor.

“The fourth puppet required a mechanism that we’ve had to construct out of metal, and we’ve had a bunch of engineers working on the plant,” Schwarz said. “It is genuinely incredibly impressive that we, as students busy with a hundred other things, have been able to put something like that together.”

Pit Conductor Elise Stewart said they have enjoyed the challenge of leading the musical’s pit.

“I have loved music for nearly my

entire life, and so getting to do it, even though I’m not a music major, has been really important to me at Rice,” said Stewart, a Hanszen College junior.

“Getting the chance to do that in a way that’s not just playing the music, but helping direct other people and helping figure out how to lead people in that has been very enjoyable.”

‘Little Shop of Horrors’ is an ambitious show. It is definitely not the easiest thing to put on, because at the bare minimum, you need a man-eating plant, and it’s a challenge to figure out how to get that to work.

Celeste Uribe BAKER COLLEGE SENIOR

Stewart said the music of the show is also varied in both style and sound, adding to the technical breadth and difficulty of the show.

“There’s just so many different sounds; some songs are softer, sweeter and very light,” Stewart said. Some are aggressive, super hard rock and some are just random jazz in the middle.”

The show has provided many contributing students with the opportunity to develop new musical theater skills and connect with fellow students at Rice. Jeffrey Youngson, the music director, said it was fulfilling to explore theater from behind the scenes.

“It’s presented me with a creative challenge that I haven’t really had in

From brioche to brownies: The best bakeries near Rice

In the name of journalism (and procrastination), I went to ve bakeries near Rice to nd out which are worth your time and money. Here’s how they ranked:

1. French Gourmet Bakery, 2250 Westheimer Road

French Gourmet Bakery has a wide selection of cakes, breads, pastries, sandwiches and coffee. The atmosphere is quiet and welcoming, with soft French music and friendly staff. When I visited, they offered complimentary peanut butter bites topped with chocolate for first-time customers.

Their brownie was rich and dense, and the carrot cake had a strong cinnamon flavor, though it could have used more carrot. The space felt homey, and the seasonal Halloween decorations added a nice touch.

2. Badolina Bakery, 5555 Morningside Drive

Located in Rice Village, Badolina combines a modern interior with plenty of outdoor seating. The menu leans upscale, featuring sweet and savory pastries and coffee.

I tried the brioche muffin with vanilla cream, which was soft, buttery and flavorful. Prices are on the higher side, but the bakery offers discounts near closing time during its “happy hour.”

3. Moeller’s Bakery, 4201 Bellaire Blvd.

Moeller’s is one of Houston’s oldest bakeries and has a very full display case:

theater before. I’ve come from a place of being on the actor’s side when it comes to theater shows, so it was nice to have a little change and be on the production team side of it,” Youngson said. “It’s fun having a creative vision and being able to implement it into the show.”

Josh Carmona, who plays Mr. Mushnik, said the best part of working in the production has been meeting new people.

“The show itself is very fun and I like it a lot … but it’s fun to get to know people whom I otherwise wouldn’t have known through the musical, and also get to know people who I already did know a little bit better because there’s a

lot of overlapping things in the theater community,” said Carmona, a Jones College freshman.

Despite the technical challenges, Uribe said she is excited to bring the show to life this weekend, marking the culmination of a multiple-month process and a full technical week.

“I think the audience is going to be really shocked at the fact that Rice student theater, which is basically just a ton of students coming together and working as hard as they can to build something with limited resources, was able to do something like that,” Uribe said. “I think it’s going to blow everybody away.”

cakes, cookies, petit fours and danishes in every direction. The petit fours were especially good — very moist with thick, sugary icing. The danishes were wellbalanced — not too dry or soggy.

The shop has a maximalist feel with lots of variety and decorations, such as their window art advertising 95-cent baked treats.

4. The Village Bakery Houston, 4509 Kelvin Drive

The Village Bakery doesn’t look like much from the outside — just an orange sign reading “The Village Bakery Houston” and a single parking spot — but the inside is packed with baked goods and birthday candles line the walls.

Their gingerbread was soft and nicely spiced, but the chocolate chip cookie I tried was overbaked on the outside and underdone in the middle. Prices are very low and the staff are friendly, making it a welcoming neighborhood spot.

5. Dessert Gallery Bakery & Cafe, 3600 Kirby Drive

Dessert Gallery has a distinctive purple theme and a large menu of cakes, cookies and brownies. Despite advertising the “World’s Best Brownie,” the one I tried was somewhat dry and lacked flavor. The chocolate chip cookie, however, was very rich and a great option for chocolate lovers.

The main draw is the large selection of cake slices, especially the popular “Mom’s Chocolate Cake,” though prices are high, starting at $10.95 per slice. The seating area includes a cozy nook with pillows, making it a comfortable place to hang out.

ANGELICA HERANDEZ

COURTESY BIRDIE MCCAIN

Lovett Theater students practice a routine for their upcoming performance of “Little Shop of Horrors” in Lovett College commons from Nov. 6-8.

KRISTAL HANSON THRESHER STAFF

‘Bugonia’ clashes the discourse of conspiracy and corporatism

CHI PHAM ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR

Unreality is pretty fun. In an era of internet psychosis, Yorgos Lanthimos’s “Bugonia” is a timely and engrossing sci-fi comedy on contemporary paranoia. The film suggests that the jargon of the C-suite and the tin-foil-hat conspiracy theorist might just be two dialects of the same dysfunctional human language.

The film begins and ends with the bee, a creature of contemplation, vitality and, as one character will later note, the ideal worker.

Jesse Plemons is severe and rousing as prototypical conspiracist Teddy Gatz, a man living on the suburban fringes. He and his more passive cousin Don (Aidan Delbis) are beekeepers, sharing microwaved taquitos with ketchup and a deep-seated belief in a global alien elite.

But Teddy’s paranoia has a compelling, rational impetus. His mother (a persuasive Alicia Silverstone) was made comatose after a clinical trial gone wrong at Auxolith, the pharmaceutical company run by CEO Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone), whom Teddy and Don have kidnapped and bound in their basement.

The bee represents everything pure to the cousins that late capitalism, as Michelle exemplifies, threatens to destroy.

corporate-speak against conspiracyspeak. Both demand we betray our senses and retrain our perception.

In an early scene, Fuller films a diversity campaign video that makes monotonous usage of the word “diverse.” She cracks, “Can we try to diversify the language a little bit?” Later, she announces a radical new initiative that allows workers to leave at 5:30 p.m. — mental health matters! — only to immediately smother the promise in a series of coercive caveats: it’s loosely mandated, of course, and discouraged and actually, please don’t.

It’s a damning distillation of coercive corporatism, a system that reorients its subjects into an artificial, unfeeling rhythm of quotas. Pure rhetorical force restructures reality, creating the illusion of freedom while foreclosing the real thing.

It’s this same linguistic act — the silver bullet of therapized, hollow corporatespeak — that she deploys as a defense mechanism even when kidnapped and made most vulnerable.

This tension at the level of language is made most apparent at a dinner table debate. The CEO and conspiracist agree on one thing: that bees are pretty neat. Michelle, sitting captive at the cluttered dining room of the Gatz family home, admires the bee as resilient, capable of organizing complex societies and free of human subjectivity.

Teddy charges her with killing them. She cites research to the contrary. He notes she has a stake in that research. She asks why he doesn’t trust the numbers. Because your research isn’t neutral, he rebuts. Science can’t be divorced from ideology, “Bugonia” suggests.

level, Teddy should’ve gone further.

The lm is less convincing, however, in its psychological and political dimensions. It rightly identi es the weaponizing of therapy-speak as a tool to individualize systemic pathology. It gestures toward something interesting about mental illness: conspiracy not as anti-reality, but unreality, a pungent compound of fact and fantasy. “Bugonia” seems almost empathetic to the pathologized and then stops short of upheaval.

For Teddy, the hypothesis is forthright. Fuller is the leader of an Andromedan plot, and capturing her is the only way to save the world. When he and Don chemically castrate themselves to avoid psychic blockages, there are grounds. Conspiracy-minded men really do fixate on castration. Freud persists.

The film is most brilliant when it stages

The lm thrives when it teeters on the thin line between the healthy skeptic and the paranoid schizophrenic. Language mediates and destabilizes the nature of truth. Teddy’s not wrong, exactly, but he’s also dissecting bodies and building bombs in his basement.

Despite his character’s o -putting, incel vibes, the lm’s heart belongs to Plemons. You can’t shake the feeling that, on some

Which, sure. “Bugonia” has its right to be a formal exercise and not a political statement, and on those terms, it works. The acting performances are phenomenal. The cra is impeccable. But it’s also exhausting when it’s not quite certain if anything is being challenged or just probed around.

The nal montage of humanity’s collapse, set to Peter, Paul and Mary’s “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?,” feels like a fun party trick. It’s a cheap shot at the emotions, but admittedly, it works. We see a bride’s party collapsed on her wedding day,

a couple frozen mid-sex, assembly lines still running in factories of unconscious workers, boxes piling up without human intervention.

This posthuman world is riveting, but Lanthimos doesn’t lean into the ine able horror of it. Like the nature of truth and speech in the lm, the ending feels almost convincing but shallow. I wanted him to hold on those assembly lines longer, watch the boxes pile up, see what a world without us truly looks like.

Any political takeaway feels impotent. “Bugonia” is not a polemic against ecocapitalism. As Michelle tells Teddy, sometimes bad things just happen without a grand, conspiratorial cause. It’s an unsettling thought. And in the end, the elite — Michelle — survive.

The lm is uninterested in justice, though the bee endures. The boxes keep piling. Reality and actuality remain stubbornly indistinct. Welcome to the unreality, and it is really quite fun until we admit we’re living in it. This admission will not be on our terms.

TWICE’s ‘TEN: The Story Goes On’ is a linguistic playground

CHARLIE CRUZ THRESHER STAFF

As someone who studies linguistics but is relatively unfamiliar with the K-pop landscape, TWICE’s 10th anniversary album caught my attention for reasons that have little to do with fandom and everything to do with language.

“TEN: The Story Goes On” is a special release: one group track followed by nine solo cuts, each member claiming their own sonic territory. What makes it fascinating is watching how language and genre become tools for identity in a globalized music industry.

The title track “ME+YOU” is entirely in English. TWICE rose to prominence

with bubblegum pop sung primarily in Korean, but their recent pivot toward English lyrics signals something larger about how K-pop functions as a transnational product.

The song itself is a sweet R&B track, with members singing about friendship and gratitude in a language designed for maximum accessibility. It works as intended: smooth and heartfelt, exactly what a 10th anniversary celebration should sound like.

English operates here as a lingua franca, a strategic bridge to Western markets. The Korean Wave, beyond just exporting music, is negotiating which linguistic codes open which doors.

What struck me most, though, is the genre diversity. K-pop has deep roots in hip-hop, but this album shows how far the genre has traveled from those origins. Jeongyeon takes on country-folk fusion. Mina ventures into dark pop with deconstructed club elements. Dahyun interpolates Beethoven. Chaeyoung explores UK garage and bubblegum bass.

These singles aren’t just stylistic experiments for the sake of it, but statements about what K-pop can include. The genre has become elastic enough to incorporate country twang, classical interpolation and electronic experimentation while retaining its identity.

This genre-blending is where the album succeeds most. “FIX A DRINK” shouldn’t work as well as it does — a hybrid of country instrumentation and

K-pop sensibilities feels incongruous on paper — but Jeongyeon’s voice nds the sweet spot between both traditions.

Mina’s “STONE COLD” takes the listener somewhere genuinely unexpected, all glitchy e ects and haunting atmospherics. These moments prove that K-pop’s evolution from its hip-hop and R&B foundation has created space for exciting musical adventurousness.

But the album falters in execution rather than concept. Most tracks clock in under three minutes, which means you’re just settling into a song’s world before it ends. Dahyun’s “CHESS” uses that Beethoven interpolation so prominently that it overshadows everything else about the track.

valuable from a linguistic and cultural perspective is its demonstration of how language choice and genre experimentation become identity markers in globalized pop music. Each member stakes out territory through their sonic choices and linguistic codes. The genre diversity shows that artists are refusing to be contained by any single tradition.

Thus, “TEN: The Story Goes On” works as a case study. It illustrates the careful negotiation between local and global, between Korean identity and international ambitions and between genre traditions and innovation. The album isn’t trying to be sonically cohesive; instead, it aims to showcase nine distinct artistic identities within a group framework, and it largely succeeds in achieving that goal.

Some vocal performances feel underutilized. Jeongyeon’s strong voice gets buried under the laid-back production of “FIX A DRINK” when it could be showcasing her range. The whiplash between genres, while conceptually interesting, makes for an uneven listening experience if you’re not approaching it as nine separate statements.

However, what makes the album

Is it a perfect album? No. The short runtimes feel like missed opportunities. The sonic whiplash can be jarring. But as a document of where K-pop stands in 2025 — comfortable enough with its global position to experiment wildly, strategic enough about language to code-switch between markets and diverse enough to absorb everything from country to classical — it’s fascinating.

TWICE has been doing K-pop for 10 years, and this album proves they’re still figuring out what the genre can contain. That restlessness is worth paying attention to, even if the execution doesn’t always match the ambition.

COURTESY FOCUS FEATURES

Early scares sink Owls in Halloween matchup against Memphis

Rice football found itself in a frightful start on Halloween night, giving up three early touchdowns in a 38-14 loss to No. 25 University of Memphis at Rice Stadium. The Tigers scored on their first three possessions and held the Owls to just 212 total yards in the American Conference matchup.

We were abysmal on second down, which puts you behind the chains and makes third down really tough. We have to be better there.

Scott Abell FOOTBALL HEAD COACH

“The rst 18 minutes of the game, you have to play better,” head coach Scott Abell said. “You have to make some plays. I have to coach better. A er that, it was an even football game for the last 42 minutes, but the game is 60.”

Memphis built a 28-0 lead midway through the second quarter before Rice responded with an 11-play, 75-yard drive capped by a 10-yard touchdown pass from redshirt sophomore quarterback Chase Jenkins to graduate wide receiver Aaron Turner. The Tigers added another eld goal before hal ime.

Jenkins completed 11 of 16 passes for

100 yards and a touchdown and added 34 rushing yards. The Owls managed 112 yards on the ground, averaging 2.4 yards per carry. Memphis dominated at the line of scrimmage and pressured Jenkins throughout the night.

“I give Memphis credit,” Abell said. “You measure teams up front, and they were probably as good as anybody we’ve played this year on both sides of the ball. That really set the tone.”

Rice’s defense settled in a er hal ime, holding Memphis to one touchdown in the nal two quarters and forcing multiple punts. Redshirt senior linebacker Andrew Awe said the team’s improvement came from getting back to basics.

“In the rst half, we beat ourselves,” Awe said. “It was tackling, staying in our gaps, doing our job. In the second half, we stopped trying to make every play and just played how we’re coached. We have to do that from the start.”

Offensively, Rice struggled to stay on schedule, converting only three of 15 third downs. Abell said the Owls’ seconddown play calling made sustaining drives difficult.

“We were pretty good on rst down,” Abell said. “But we were abysmal on second down, which puts you behind the chains and makes third down really tough. We have to be better there.”

Abell praised his team’s e ort in the second half, despite the score.

“Our guys continued to ght,” he said. “A er that rst quarter, it was an even game. We need to gure out how to start faster, but they showed heart, and we will build from that.”

Senior tight end Micah Barnett said the team tried to keep its energy high even a er falling behind.

“We had extra pressure on ourselves at the beginning of the game,” Barnett said. “Then we got together and just said to go out, have fun and get that monkey o our back. Once we did that, it felt easier to move the ball.”

Barnett added that the team performs best when it plays loose and connected.

“We’re so good when we have fun,” he said. “When we’re energetic and all going for one goal, that’s when we’re at our best.”

With three games le in the regular season, Rice still has a path to bowl eligibility and a chance to nish above .500 for the rst time since 2014.

Rice (4-5, 1-4 American) will look to rebound when it hosts the University of Alabama at Birmingham at 1 p.m. on Nov. 8 at Rice Stadium.

Men’s basketball looks to break 55-year March Madness drought

After Rice men’s basketball finished 13-19 last season at the bottom of the American Conference, head coach Rob Lanier said he has hopes of turning the program around in his second season with the Owls.

“I’m excited,” Lanier said. “I like this group. I think we’re getting better as we speak.”

Last season, the team started out 11-4, which was followed by a 4-14 inconference collapse. Rice’s season ultimately concluded with a first-round exit in the conference tournament at the

hands of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Lanier said he believes positive change is ahead.

“I think player for player we’re a little bit more skilled, better ball handling,” Lanier said. “We got some guys that can create, and we can score more.”

This season marks the Rice debut of redshirt senior guard Jalen Smith, who will make his rst appearance on court for the Owls a er following Lanier to Rice from Southern Methodist University. Smith transferred to Rice in 2024 but redshirted.

“I’m an all-around player,” Smith said. “Defense, shoot, rebound, drive,

assist. Whatever Coach needs me to do is kind of what I do.”

Smith, who is entering his fourth year playing for Lanier, is one of several returning players whom Lanier recognizes as highly important pieces of establishing team culture.

“Everyone who’s come back from last year’s team has heard my voice probably more than they’d like to,” Lanier said. “I do think it helps the new guys for the information to get across.”

Lanier said the focus this season will shift to defense, physicality and speed as the team works to establish their oncourt identity.

“We’re rooted in defense,” said Trae Broadnax, a graduate point guard. “Obviously, we want to play fast, and we’re going to play a lot of full-court defense, so we want to speed people up and turn them over.”

Multiple players said their new style of play will bring some excitement to Tudor Fieldhouse, both in the box score and for the home fans.

“With the talent that we have here, I think we can have some really exciting games, and I don’t think it’ll be the same experience that [fans] had last year,” said senior guard Nick Anderson. “So I just want [fans] to come in with a fresh outlook and watch what happens.”

The ultimate question is whether or not the team can secure a spot in March Madness and break Rice’s tournament drought, Lanier said. The Owl’s most recent NCAA tournament appearance was in 1970, and their 55-year streak without a bid is the sixth-longest active drought in college basketball.

“I think that, at least for me, this is my best chance of doing it out of all the years I’ve played,” Broadnax said. “Whether that amounts to anything or not, we will

have to see.”

As it currently stands, Rice is ranked 169th out of 365 in the KenPom rankings, one of the most reliable college basketball metrics that grades teams based on their offensive and defensive efficiency.

We’re rooted in defense. Obviously, we want to play fast, and we’re going to play a lot of full-court defense, so we want to speed people up and turn them over.

Trae Broadnax GRADUATE POINT GUARD

According to the ranking, it seems the Owls have a long way to go in order to punch one of the 68 tickets to the tournament. Lanier said he thinks that under the right circumstances, his team has a shot.

“We need to become one of the better defensive teams in our league,” Lanier said. “If we’re the worst defensive team in the league — and we’ve got to outscore everyone to win — it’s probably not going to be realistic, but if we’re defending and rebounding at a very high level, then we’ll have our chance.”

Rice opened its non-conference schedule Nov. 4 against the College of Biblical Studies. Other nonconference opponents include recent NCAA Tournament teams, such as the University of Oregon and No. 18 University of Tennessee. The Owls will open conference play Dec. 31 at the University of Tulsa.

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KAIRI MANO / THRESHER Rice football quarterback Chase Jenkins attempts to throw a pass while facing pressure from a University of Memphis defender at Rice Stadium on Oct. 31. The Owls lost to the Tigers 38-14.

Strong defense clinches flag football title for McMurtry

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On a chilly night under the lights of Field 6, McMurtry College claimed the title of intramural men’s ag football champions. Behind a defensive performance led by freshman Tim Zhang and a hat trick of touchdowns from senior Connor McGrath, McMurtry rolled past Baker College 18-0.

The game began as a defensive stando McMurtry’s pushed deep into the red zone on the rst drive before turning the ball over on downs. Baker tried to seize momentum with a jet sweep that broke open for a long gain, but the drive stalled a er a sack and an interception.

McMurtry struck rst on its second possession with a deep completion that set up a short touchdown pass from junior quarterback Nate Dominitz to McGrath. The extra-point attempt failed under pressure, but McMurtry still took a 6-0 lead late in the rst half. Baker’s o ense, meanwhile, couldn’t nd a rhythm, and the half closed with them struggling to move the chains.

A er hal ime, Baker looked for a spark but continued to meet resistance. McMurtry’s front line, anchored by Zhang, swarmed the quarterback at every opportunity. Baker managed a few short completions and a scramble, but turned the ball over on downs following another sack.

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After scoring over 100 points in an exhibition game against the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor, Rice women’s basketball enters the 2025-26 season with something head coach Lindsay Edmonds describes as “special.”

“I think they did a good job of laying the foundation for who this team is going to be this season,” Edmonds said after the game. “We shot the ball well. We played with great pace. We defended at a pretty good level. I’m proud of our effort to get us off to a great start.”

Out of all my four years, this is the most special team coming in. We just have a lot of con dence, but in the years before, we’ve had to build that over games.

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Edmonds enters her fourth season as head coach, leading a veteran-heavy roster that made it to the American Conference championship for the second consecutive year in 2025, where they finished as the runner-up.

The last time Rice hit triple digits in a regulation game was in 2016 against the

Dominitz said. “This is probably the best team we’ve had. We knew Baker would be tough; they have great athletes, but our defense really showed up tonight.”

Zhang seemed to be everywhere on the eld, consistently breaking through blockers and disrupting Baker’s back eld before plays could develop.

Baker sophomore and captain O.C. SeaAkwaegbu credited his team for ghting through adversity despite the loss.

“We’re disappointed, of course,” SeaAkwaegbu said. “We lost our wide receiver one early in the game, which was really unfortunate. But I’m proud of how we rallied. We held our heads high on every drive.”

The loss was Baker’s rst of the season. Sea-Akwaegbu said the team plans to return even stronger.

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A McMurtry College student celebrates by throwing Baker College flags during the men’s flag football championship Nov. 3. McMurtry ended Baker’s undefeated season with an 18-0 victory.

McMurtry’s next drive stretched the lead as Dominitz delivered a short pass to McGrath that turned into a long touchdown.

An extra-point attempt failed, but the score doubled McMurtry’s advantage to 12-0.

Baker showed ashes of rhythm with quarterback scrambles and quick passes, but McMurtry’s rush made every yard hardearned. Zhang nished with six sacks. Even

a er Baker grabbed an interception late in the game, the drive stalled.

McMurtry answered with one more touchdown by McGrath, set up by a lateral a er another interception. The 18-0 score re ected McMurtry’s execution, but Baker’s persistence kept the game competitive until the end.

“It’s really exciting to get the win,”

“We’re gonna focus on what went wrong and what went right, and we’ll come back for McMurtry next semester,” he said. “We’ve got great depth and numbers, and we’ll just keep showing up early, practicing hard and playing our game.”

For McMurtry, the win capped o a season marked by steady improvement and a lockdown defense that came alive when it mattered most.

“We’ve had ups and downs, but this team stayed together,” Dominitz said. “It’s a fun group, and tonight we really put it all together.”

Women’s basketball hopes to continue early success

University of North Texas. Breaking that decades long streak didn’t come by accident. Edmonds said the Owls spent the o season focused on pushing tempo and playing at a fast and explosive pace.

“We talked a lot about picking up our pace and thought we had the pieces to do that,” Edmonds said. “Even when teams did score, we got the ball out quickly and pushed it up the oor. This is not a team that can play slow, and I like that about them.”

The Owls return several key contributors, including senior guard Dominique Ennis and junior guard Victoria Flores.

For Ennis, the playing style and o ensive energy have been exciting.

“Out of all my four years, this is the most special team coming in,” Ennis said. “We just have a lot of con dence, but in the years before, we’ve had to build that over games.”

Flores said the team’s cohesion extends beyond just the players.

“Everybody’s so unsel sh — we make one more pass, and it makes us all look good as a team,” Flores said. “We’re gonna do some very special things. Playing for coaches that really care makes you want to do it for them, too.”

The Owls are bringing in four freshmen and two transfers who Edmonds said have already integrated seamlessly into the system. The time the team spent playing in Italy and Greece this summer allowed the team to start building that cohesion early.

“The foreign tour was huge for us,” Edmonds said. “Our freshmen didn’t look like freshmen, and our transfers t right in.

That experience helped us build chemistry before the season even started.”

One player who Edmonds said made major strides in the o season is Aniah Alexis, a sophomore guard whose work ethic has impressed the coaching sta

“If I hear a ball bouncing in the gym, nine times out of 10, it’s Aniah,” Edmonds said. “She’s a hard worker, and the sky’s

the limit for her.”

Looking ahead, Rice opens its regular season on the road Nov. 7 against South Dakota State University, the same team that handed them a loss in last year’s opener — a loss Edmonds says the team hasn’t forgotten.

“We led for most of that game last year,” Edmonds said. “Now we’re going into their place with a bit of a get-back mentality.”

KAIRI

KAIRI MANO / THRESHER

Freshman guard Jordin Blackmon shoots the ball during a preseason practice in Tudor Fieldhouse.