the Rice Thresher Vol. XCII, Issue No. 26 SINCE 1916 Friday, April 22, 2005 . Basketball coach McKinney resigns to take Clemson job by Amber Obermeyer or external remains to be seen," May said. "I THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF think it's a big asset to have had experience at Rice. It's not a prerequisite, obviously, but After 12 years at Rice, Women's Basketball certainly it's a good thing." Head Coach Cristy McKinney resigned Mon- Moniaci said he has no specific timetable for day to become the head coach at Clemson forming the committee or naming a new coach. University. McKinney has also served as the "We want to try to d t > it as quickly as possible, senior women's administrator and an associate but we're going to do it slowly enough to make athletic director at Rice since 1997. sure we have the right person," Moniaci said. This year McKinney led Rice to its second Western Athletic Conference tournament Going to Clemson championship and school records of 24 overall McKinney, who is from North Carolina wins and a 12-game winning streak. and played college basketball in the Atlantic Senior Associate Athletic Director Steve Coast Conference for North Carolina State Moniaci will chair the search committee for a University, said she is excited to return to the new coach. He said the committee will probably ACC with Clemson. include at least one faculty member, alumnus The ACC, the facilities and the prestige and former women's basketball player as well of athletics were attractive to me," McKinney as a senior who played on the team this year. said. "The fact that it's close to home and close ERIC WILLIAMS/THRESHER Athletic Director Bobby May (Will Rice '65) to my roots was also a factor." said his main priority is finding a new coach Clemson plays its basketball games at who is a good fit for the university. Iittlejohn Coliseum, which opened in 1968 Pointed research "We'd like to get someone who can represent but underwent a $35-million renovation in Baker College junior Erica Flor explains her research at the fourth annual Rice Undergraduate Rice as well as Cristy McKinney did in every 2003, which included new practice and weight Research Symposium, held Friday in the Grand Hall of the Ley Student Center. respect, but whether that individual is internal Set* McKINNEY, page 6 Leebron-Forman spring study break to include raffle, food, performances by Katricia Lang Residential colleges have been massages at the study break. Forman and leebron will be avail- THRESHER STAFF asked not to schedule any college events during the study break. able for students to meet at the study President David Leebron and Beckwith said he expects about break, but they will not pose for pic- Dean of Undergraduates Robin For- 800students to attend this semester's tures, unlike former President Mal- man will host a year-end study break, study break. College serveries and colm Gillis and former Vice President the "Leebron-Forman Getaway Student Center businesses will pro- for Student Affairs Zenaido Camacho. Study Break" May 1 from 9-11 p.m. at vide the food, which will include tropi- Forman said he has not yet decided the Student Center. The study break cal wings, vegetable stir fry, fried tofu, whetherto wearacostume. Beckwith will have a tropical theme and will tropical ice cream sundaes, sherbet, said he is pleased Leebron is making feature student performances, door fruit, brownies, cookies and Starburst himself available to students. prizes, food and free massages. candy. The Coffeehouse will offer Jones College sophomore Misha last semester, Leebron hosted a free coffee, and Smoothie King is Teplitskiy said seeing administrators "(jetting Centered" study break that donating 750 12-ounce smoothies. in costume was not the reason he was held on three days at three differ- Student bands will perform in attended the study break in the past. ent locations—the Recreation, Student Farnsworth Pavilion, which will also "The reason I went to the study and Wellness Centers. Fewer students be the location ofa hula-hoop contest break was ... to get some food, ... attended those study breaks than pro and a limbo contest. Spontaneous to get out of the room and ... to see - " ' vious years' study breaks held at one Combustion. Rice's improvisational friends, not to see someone dressed u p MARSHA! L ROBINSON/ THRE SHER time in asingle location. Student Center comedy group; the Rice Philharmon- or meet Camacho," Teplitskiy said. Director Boyd Beckwith said Student ics, an a cappella group; and the Forman said he hopes the study Center Advisory Council members slam poetry team will perform in the break will give students a respite from A franchise cut suggested the low attendance may Grand Hall. Students will also be able their finals-week work. Freshman first baseman Joe Savery fouls off a pitch during Rice's 7-6 have been the result of the multiple to pick uo the 2003-'04 Campanile, "The study break gives students a loss to the University of Texas Wednesday at Reckling Park. The Owls dates and locations. and the Rice Student Volunteer Pro- chance to get together for a big social will stay at home this weekend to play a three-game WAC series against "We found that students wanted gram will collect money for charity. event that they can all share," Forman Louisiana Tech University, beginning today at 7 p.m. one big event so they could hang out Beginning at noon May 1, stu- said. "It's a little fun and relaxation dur- with their friends," Beckwith said. dents can sign up for 10-minute ing the finaHexam] period." Students remember English Self-scheduled exams OPINION Page 3 professor's passion, concern Today is the last day to register for Women should pay self-scheduled exams. Students should A&E Page 11 by Jenny Rees and earned a Master of Fine Arts in poetry from register for their tests online at Lovett play riveting the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop. http://wwuiruf rice.edit/ reg/self schedule/. THRESHER STAFF Page 15 Schedule now or pay later. SPORTS Dietz came to Rice as an assistant professor Baseball falls to UT Fnglish Professor Elizabeth Diet/ died of and taught courses in early modern literature esophageal cancer early Wednesday. She was and Shakespeare, as well as survey courses. I) J \ T 4.. L „ ••MM 40 years old. English Professor Helena Michie said she "Health care is too critical for the welfare of Until two weeks ago, Dietz was teaching will remember Dietz as a talented critic and Rice students, faculty and staff will the people to be held hostage by the politically motivated or the profit-minded." — Michael ENGL 300: Practices of Literary Study and poet as well a dedicated teacher. construct the world's largest nanotube ENGL420:16th Century British literary Stud- "She had an amazing feeling for language." DeBakey, former chancellor of Baylor College model today from 5:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. of Medicine. See story, page 7. ies. She came to Rice in Fall 2002. Michie said. "She was a very caring teacher in front of lx>vett Hall. Wiess College senior Nicole Joy. who is who had a great concern — even through her The (iuinness Book of World Records, will Scoreboard illness — for her students and their learning. taking ENGL 420, said Dietz was passionate certify the feat, and a section of the model Baseball And she was an exceptionally kind and ethical about teaching. will be taken to the Houston Museum of UT 7. Rice 6 person." "She was very interested in making sure we Natural Sciences for display. Men s Tennis learned, even when she was sick this semester," M ichie and English Professor Sarah Ellenz- The nanotube will be blue and 1,000 SMU 5. Rice 1 Joy said. "The last time she was in class, she weigtold the ENGL 420 class Tuesday about the feet long, or as tall as Houston's tallest Women's Tennis Texas A&M 4, Rice 0 was obviously sick, but she was still definitely seriousness of Dietz's illness. Hanszen College downtown building. all there, wanting to talk about the material. She junior Joe Chang, who is taking the class, said Weekend Weather was really into what she was teaching." he was surprised by the news. Joy, who took two other courses with Dietz, "Everybody was speechless," Chang said. Friday Jazz Fest Partly Cloudy. 64-84 degrees said she appreciated her personable manner. "We honestly did not expect her to be dying. Jazz Fest has been rescheduled from Saturday "I think it would be hard not to like her," Joy She still had energy — you could see it in her. Sunny, 54-76 degrees said. "She was very friendly, very approachable What amazed me was that when Dr. Dietz was last weekend and will take place tomorrow night from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. on the South Sunday and always willing to help." so near death, she still dragged herself to class, Partly Cloudy. 59-77 degrees Dietz specialized in 16th- and 17th-century still worked with us on our final papers. That Servery Terrace. English literature and poetry. She received a really touched me. She tried to put on a very doctorate in English from the University of Iowa See DIETZ, page 4 THE RICE THRESHER FRIDAY, APRIL 22,2005 the Rice Thresher Coach's departure shows need for new Rec Center Most of us were at Autry Court for the men's basketball team's Feb.