Recent Architecture Graduates Lay the Foundations for Their Careers -4 , the MAGAZINE of RICE UNIVERSITY , FALL 2002 Lypoft
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THE MAGAZINE OL RICE UNIVLIO I EY FALL 2002 g=== Recent architecture graduates lay the foundations for their careers -4 , THE MAGAZINE OF RICE UNIVERSITY , FALL 2002 Lypoft FE AT UR ES 14 BUILDING SKILLS The Rice School of Architecture doesn't just train students to build structures. It lays foundations that enable its graduates to engage in a broader world of cultural and social design. BY DAVID THEIS 20 TO TEST OR NOT TO TEST... Standardized testing is a much-argued element ofour educational system. Are the tests fair, and how should they be used? Rice experts weigh in on the debate. BY DAVID D. INEDiNA 26 PAR FOR THE COURSE Golf pro Jack Burke hits a hole-in-one for his alma mater. BY PHILIP MONTGOMERY 30 CLASS: A DELICATE BALANCE Now in their sophomore year, several of our Class members weigh in on the academic concerns dominat- ing their time. BY M. YVONNE TAYLOR DEPAR TMENTS THROUGH THE SALLYPORT 38 STUDENTS 39 RICE: THE NEXT CENTURY CAMPAIGN 43 RICE ARTS 46 ON THE BOOKSHELF 48 WHO'S WHO 51 SCOREBOARD 53 YESTERYEAR Photo hy Tommy LaVergne FOREWORD THINKING Sallyport The recipe for a great university is, in some ways,as mysterious as the recipe for a great FALL 2002, VOL. 59, NO. 1 culinary dish. You can't just measure out ingredients and mix them willy-nilly. That's why they say that too many cooks spoil the broth. There is an art to the proportions Published by the Division of Public Affairs and the way you mix them. But one important element to cooking up a great university Terry Shepard, vice president isn't found in a recipe book. Before I mention it, though, let me run through the EDITOR features in this issue of Sallyport to make sure they reveal it. Christopher Dow "Building Skills," by David Theis, takes a look at the School ofArchitecture. We all know what architects do. They sit in an office, hunched over a drafting table or in front CREATIVE DIRECTOR of a computer. Or they stand around a building site and supervise, designer hard hats Jeff Cox on their heads, unfurled plans in their hands, and visionary gleams in their eyes. Architects design buildings, homes, and other structures. EDITORIAL STAFF If you think that, you might want to reconsider. Today, architecture is not only David D. Medina '83, senior editor about creating spaces for living and working; it is equally interested in aesthetically M. Yvonne Taylor, associate editor functional three-dimensional design that affects all Tanine Allison, assistant editor aspects of the built world and the Lorrie Lampson, production coordinator people who inhabit it. Under Dean Lars Lerup, the School of Architecture is taking these principles not only into the greater community of Houston but into society at large. Following his "elevation" of the school, David profiles the budding careers of DESIGN STAFF Dean Mackey, senior designer three recent architecture graduates who are taking their diverse design skills in Jana Starr, designer unexpected directions. Tommy LaVergne, photographer "To Test or Not to Test...." That is, indeed, the question on the minds of many Jeff Fitlow, assistant photographer educators. During the past few decades, standardized testing has weathered much criticism, and the tests themselves, such as IQ tests, the SAT, or the Texas-mandated TAAS, have undergone considerable revision to address concerns of bias and utility. THE RICE UNIVERSITY BOARD Writer David Medina talked to several members of the Rice community who are OF TRUSTEES professionally involved in different aspects ofstandardized testing to get an idea ofthe E. William Barnett, chair; J. D. Bucky Allshouse; parameters of the issues and what is at stake. Then,in an accompanying piece, David D. Kent Anderson; Teveia Rose Barnes; Alfredo Brener; Robert T. Brockman; Albert Y. Chao; outlines the history ofstandardized testing,the ways tests have been used and misused, James W.Crownover; Bruce W.Dunlevie; James and what has been done to make them not only more accurate and less biased but more A. Elkins,III; Lynn Laverty Elsenhans; Karen 0. effective. George; K. Terry Koonce; Cindy J. Lindsay; look back fondly Frederick R. Lummis, Jr.; Michael R. Lynch; It's no secret that Rice alums on their alma mater. And many do Robert R. Maxfield; Burton J. McMurtry;Steven all they can to ensure that the university continue its record of academic excellence. L. Miller; Bob Parks; W. Bernard Pieper; Karen Pro golfer Jack Burke is no exception. Although significant events have intervened Hess Rogers; Marc Shapiro; William N. Sick; L. since Burke walked the campus as a student—a world war, a pro golfing career that E. Simmons brought him multiple titles and his name enshrined in the World Golf Hall of Fame, and his creation ofChampions GolfClub in Houston—he has never forgotten his days at Rice. That's why he chose Rice as the home ofa major humanities scholarship fund, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS Malcolm Gillis, president; Zenaido Camacho, sponsored by Champions,the Houston GolfAssociation, and the PGA Tour,Inc. But vice presidentfor Student Affairs; Dean W.Currie, as much as Burke loves Rice, it's obvious from Philip Montgomery's. "Par for the vice presidentfor Finance and Administration; Course" that what Burke loves most is the game of golf. So, golfers, tee up for this Charles Henry, vice president and chiefinforma- tion officer, Eric Johnson, vice presidentfor Re- profile of one of the game's greats. source Development; Eugene Levy, provost; Terry And last, but not least, we have "Class: A Delicate Balance," the second installment Shepard, vice presidentfor Public Affairs; Scott in our ongoing series that is following the academic careers of10 Rice undergraduates, W.Wise, vice presidentfor Investments and trea- surer, Ann Wright, vice presidentfor Enrollment; who are now at the beginning oftheir sophomore year. Academics is, ofcourse, a top Richard A. Zansitis,general counsel. priority, and you may remember from the first installment that many of our Class members were undecided about their majors. That makes this year critical for them since they must declare a major by the end of their sophomore year. Writer Yvonne Sallyport is published by the Division of Public Taylor focuses on a handful of our group to see what directions they are pursuing. Affairs ofRice University and is sent to university Yes,as I look them over,I believe our features do demonstrate that vitally important alumni,faculty, staff, graduate students, parents element that makes a university great. It is the people—faculty, staff, students, and of undergraduates, and friends of the university. alums alike, all contributing their special seasonings. Perhaps its not always true that EDITORIAL OFFICER:Office ofPublications,5620 too many cooks spoil the broth. In the case of Rice, I'd say we have something that's Greenbnar, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77005. pretty savory and nourishing. Fax:713-348-6751. E-mail:[email protected] POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Rice University.,Development Services—MS 80,P.O. Box 1892, Houston, TX 77251-1892. C 2002 RICE UNIVERSITY 2 SALLYPORT THROUGH THE SALLYPORT Fall Rankings: THE SERIOUS THE ATHLETIC AND THE FUN "The phrase'big things come in small On September 26, Rice picked up The October issue of Seventeen maga- packages' is more than just a cliché the USA Today/NCAA Academic zine ranked Rice ahead of . well, when considering Rice University. Achievement Award for the best everybody, naming Rice the number With top-notch programs in liberal graduation rate in Division 1-A ath- one "coolest school in the land," and arts and sciences,a huge endowment, letics. Rice graduated 91 percent(51 the place "where girls can get the best and a below-average tuition, Rice is of 56) of its athletes who began college experience." Seventeen cited, one ofthe best buys around." So says college in the 1995-96 academic in particular, Rice's outstanding aca- the 2003 edition ofthe Fiske Guide to year. Rice was followed by Stanford, demics, a vibrant campus life, excep- Colleges. For the second year in a row, Notre Dame, and Duke, all with 90 tional extracurricular activities, and the the guide placed Rice on its list of percent; and Vanderbilt, with 88 residential college system. "Best Buy" schools, based on the percent. The award includes a And last but not least, the results are quality of academic offerings in rela- $25,000 prize. in: According to Kaplan's Annual Na- tion to the cost of attending. And to top that off, in the Sports tional High School Guidance Counse- The Princeton Review's annual col- Illustrated rankings for best college lor Survey, Rice is the third-best site lege guide,published August 20,was sports in the nation, Rice finished this year for a remake of a certain even more laudatory, naming Rice fourth among highly selective uni- American movie classic. The bad news the "Best Academic Bang for Your versities. The rankings, which came is that the classic is Revenge of the Buck," based on a survey of 100,000 out at the beginning of October, Nerds. The good news is that we were students at 345 top colleges. considered "performance during the behind MIT and CalTech and ahead of The U.S. News & World Report 2001-02 school year in the big five Harvard and Princeton. Maybe the annual, released on September 13, sports( baseball, football, hockey, and best news is that Rice didn't show up at rated Rice number five in "Best Val- men's and women's basketball); po- all on the lengthy Animal House re- ues: National Universities—Doctoral sition in the 2001-02 Sears Cup all- make list.