The Rice Thresher, Vol. 94, No. 23, Ed. 1 Friday, March 16, 2007 Page: 3 of 24
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THE RICE THRESHER OPINION FRIDAY, MARCH 16,2007
Guest column
Gym cannot hold up to student strength
"Now walk it out, now walk it out,
now walk it out, now walk it out..."
DJ Unk sings to me through the
Autry speakers and I listen. I decide
to follow his advice and
walk it out; I'm walking
out a muscle strain in my
leg. My strain is due to an
equipment failure in the
weight room: loose bar-
bell collars. The weight
has slid off the bar and
crashed into the baby-
shit tan floor. By sheer
luck, nobody has lost a
foot to the monstrosity.
I return to the squat
rack to find that it is not
how I left it. Not two minutes have
passed before someone has stripped
the weight off the bar and taken over.
Autry has only one rack to serve the
needs of more than 4,000 graduate
and undergraduate students. This
results in lifters perpetually usurp-
ing it from each other.
I choose another exercise, but
not before spending a few minutes
collecting barbell plates from every
corner of the room. Scrounging for
weights has become the norm for
any lifter who arrives during peak
hours. There simply are not enough
of them to go around. The same
can be said for the dumbbells and
benches — around 7 p.m. there
are usually three people who si-
multaneously need the same piece
of equipment.
Competent staff members are
similarly in short supply. When not
Rex
Hubbard
performing their routine duties,
they are scolding lifters for making
unavoidable noise, using too much
weight on the barbells (i.e. being
too strong), and generally
failing to conform to the un-
spoken norms that ensure
a calm, hospital-like en-
vironment. Disregarding
their whines and exhorta-
tions only guarantees that
the Autry managers—who
are similarly ignorant of
strength training—will be
summoned to enforce the
rules. Either way, the lifter
who wishes to get stronger
is inevitably surrounded by
a pack of charlatans intent on foiling
his or her progress.
This leads me to ask the question
that nobody at Autry wants to hear:
How is it that Rice University, a great
institution in so many respects, has
a weight room that is inferior to that
of most high schools? How is it that
some of the lifters seem to know
more about strength training than
the entire Autry staff combined?
Nearly all of the serious lifters
try at some point to use the Cox
Gymnasium, which is reserved Tor
varsity athletes only. But like an
ant sniffing out an invader from an-
other colony, the strength coaches
inevitably detect the foreigner and
eject him from this athletic Holy
of Holies. This policy is upheld
even when there are no athletes in
the gym and the equipment could
be used without inconvenience.
Thus, the serious lifters who are
not varsity athletes are consigned
to the pitiful state of affairs known
as Autry Court.
What justifies this ban on com-
mon use of Cox Gymnasium? While
discussing the matter with a var-
sity coach, I found out that the Cox
insurance policy covers ath-
letes only. Thus, proletariat —
non-varsity — common use could
lead to legal difficulties in case of
injury. But why can't students sim-
ply sign waivers that discharge the
relevant parties of responsibility in
case of injury? Or instead of waivers,
why not have an insurance policy
that covers use of both Autry and
Cox Gymnasium? It is not as if the
equipment in Cox presents greater
dangers that demand additional
insurance. Its superior condition
actually reduces the risk of injury,
if anything. And both gyms contain
equipment that any Rice student
is more than capable of using
properly.
There is talk of a new recreation
center that will be completed in a few
years, and I appreciate Rice's inter-
est in eventual improvement. But in
the meantime, Autry's weight room
could be greatly improved by the
acquisition of more weights, dumb-
bells, racks and other necessities.
The only tiling that prevents these
changes is complacency on part of the
Autry staff.
Rex Hubbard is a Jones College
senior.
Self- proclaimed gadfly
Lox and bagels: Keys to a better Rice
As part of President David
Leebron's Vision for the Second
Century, Rice has set a goal of
attracting more qualified students
from outside Texas. Most
likely, many of these
students are expected
to come from the North-
east. But we are late in
the game, with other
southern schools such
as Washington University
in St. Louis and Emory
University already draw-
ing significant portions of
their student bodies from
Northeastern states. And
with a Texas stereotype
already against us. Rice will have
even more trouble convincing
teenaged Yanks that Houston will
be a comfortable home for their
next four years. But I think I have
a found a solution to Rice's prob-
lem, explainable in one alliterative
proclamation — better bagels.
While Houston Reuben fanatics
only look to the impending sale of
Kahn's Deli with preparations of
tearing their jackets while crying "I
have no pastrami on rye!" Houston
does have bagel bakeries abound.
Whether your nosh of preference
is the New York Bagel and Coffee
Shop down on Hillcroft Avenue
or the Hot Bagel Shop just up on
South Shepherd, Rice has plenty
of sources for fresh breakfast-
time bagels. Given these options,
Rice's current bagel malaise is
just unforgivable.
But imagine next Owl
Weekend — or Owl Sunday Monday-
Tuesday — when our Yankee guests
shuffle into the servery in their New
York Mets pajamas, expecting the
Southern gruel that is grits, or, even
worse, some sort of stale, blueberry-
dotted. Texan excuse for a bagel.
But instead, they are greeted by a
veritable smorgasbord of hot bagels,
complete with all varieties of cream
cheese and, most importantly, lox.
Every morning will be a reminder
of home. With a breakfast like that,
not even the Ix>ne Star-induced yee-
haws of some cowboy hat-wearing,
wannabe frat boy will dissuade them
from attending our fine university.
Indeed, instead of vying for
Best Student Life or Best Diversity
Evan
Mintz
awards, if Rice wants to reach its
goals, we should be striving for
U.S. News and World Report's Best
Bagel award.
But the benefits of lox
and bagels at breakfast
do not stop at recruit-
ment. Rice students are
on the go, and often don't
have time for the sorts of
hearty, balanced break-
fasts featured at the end of
kid's cereal commercials.
The wonder that is a
bagel with lox and cream
cheese has the vitamins,
nutrients and protein to fill
up students for a morning
of studying and note taking, all in
a quick-to-assemble and easy-to-
carry sandwich.
And let's not forget that fish
is brain food. With Rice students
scarfing down lox for breakfast
— or the low-sodium option of
nova — don't be surprised to see
more attentive students in morn-
ing classes, with stomachs full and
brains ready to be filled, too.
Now, according to the last epi-
sode of Arrested Development,
the most important thing is
breakfast — something Rice
serveries should remember. Al-
though according to the first episode
of that televised source of truth,
the most important thing is family.
But with lox and bagels, we can
have it both ways. After all, 1 know
my mommy would be ecstatic to
hear that Rice improved break-
fast, as explained in the following
fictional conversation:
"Evan, you look so healthy and
you've put on weight."
"Well, I've been eating lox and
bagels every day for breakfast after
President leebron's direct order to
Mark Ditman demanding that they
be added to every servery."
"Well, that President Leebron has
made my day. I should thank him by
making a large monetary donat ion to
the university."
See, not only would bagels and
lox at breakfast make my mom
happy, but it would encourage her
to make a donation to Rice. Indeed,
1 foresee similar conversations with
my grandma, aunt, girlfriend and
moms of various friends, all glad to
make donations to Rice. And given
all our new planned construction, I
think that's the sort of good morning
a lot of administrators would like to
wake up to.
So as you eat the lies that are
servery Cheerios — they're not
real Cheerios, merely the generic
brand — or drink but a cup of cof-
fee as you run to class, sure, you
can think of the new students Rice
needs to attract. You can think of
your own empty stomach, wither-
ing away until lunch. You can even
think of my mommy, smile on her
face and check in hand. But what
you should really think about is that
delicious pink breakfast treat, set
atop a bed of double-whipped cream
cheese, all on a warm onion bagel.
Because even if all my predictions
about lox and bagels at Rice don't
come true, you'll still get to have that
for breakfast.
Evan Mintz is a Hanszen College
junior and executive editor.
Guest column
International students
bring prestige to campus
Rice is a paradise in the middle of
the desert. It has been ranked first
for diversity and quality of life. Its
name spreads so far that students
often say that "Harvard
is the Rice of the North-
east." Undoubtedly, Rice
University is one of the
most prestigious univer-
sities in the nation. But
is our reputation really
that solid?
As we go beyond the
borders of Texas, the
United States and finally
out into the world, Rice
seems to shrink into,
well, the size of a grain
of rice.
The problem is that Rice's
reputation, together with its com-
munity, cannot continue to survive
if it keeps its splendor in isolation.
We can no longer remain a hidden
gem. Instead, we must face the
challenging and competitive world
around us.
For too long, Rice has relied
upon and taken advantage of the
benefits its location provides.
Houston is a culturally rich city
that benefits the campus' diversity.
However, this diversity relies upon
a generation that comes from dis-
tinct cultural backgrounds within
the United States. But these cul-
tural differences tend to disappear
as they become integrated into the
American culture. Sure, Rice is
ranked first in race diversity, but
that does not necessarily mean
that it is culturally rich.
So who can bring cultural diver-
sity? International students. Rice
does not seem to recognize the
importance of having international
students as part of its undergradu-
ate body, nor does it appear to be
interested in making its name
known worldwide. According to
U.S. News and World Report, Rice
is ranked 17th nationally, but ac-
cording to the Academic Ranking
of World Universities by Shanghai
Jiao Tong University it is only
ranked 87th in the world.
Why is Rice's international
recognition so low? First of all,
certain flaws in the system prevent
international students from being
incorporated into the student body.
When foreign students apply, they
are faced with the following di-
lemma: "Need-based financial aid
at Rice is available only to United
States citizens and documented
permanent residents."
In my experience, coming
from the most expensive school
in Argentina, I saw that most of
Marcos
Hung
my friends had a family budget
constraint on education that did
not exceed $20,000 per year—not
enough to cover the expenses
of an education in the
United States. Most
had to apply for finan-
cial aid, and still some
were not lucky enough
to be able to pursue an
American education.
The truth is that
potential international
students, especially
from Latin America,
lack the resources nec-
essary for an expensive
American education.
The lack of financial aid offered
to non-U.S. citizens, plus Rice's
uniquely complicated application
process for international students,
act as deterrents for international
students to consider Rice — if
they even know the name in the
first place.
Merit awards do not help with
the problem. An economically
disadvantaged applicant does
not have the chance for a merit
scholarship if he must first
prove that he can pay the first
tuition year.
Furthermore, we know that
the difficulties of English as a
second language create disadvan-
tages in standardized tests that
will, in turn, lower their chances
of winning such an award.
I myself did not come to know
Ric^ as a result of attending univer-
sity fairs, speaking with my high
school counselor or other alumni. I
came to know Rice through a maga-
zine of college rankings. Rice was
not my first choice, but now I would
not change anything for it. I believe
that given the opportunity, more
people would have the same opin-
ion. If Rice makes an effort to make
its name known — for example, by
sending alumni out to recruit or
represent the university in foreign
countries — it will boost its inter-
national recognition.
Rice is known for its elite
students, comparable to those of
Harvard or MIT, but why isn't it
recognized as much as these insti-
tutions? The root of all problems
resides in Rice's indifference to
foreign students on campus. We
can accomplish further university
excellence by providing financial
aid to international students, and
we have the resources available
to make this happen.
Marcos Hung is a
freshman.
Wiess College
the Rice Thresher
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Bursten, Julia. The Rice Thresher, Vol. 94, No. 23, Ed. 1 Friday, March 16, 2007, newspaper, March 16, 2007; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth442993/m1/3/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.