the Rice Thresher Vol. XCI, Issue No. 23 SINCE 1916 Friday, March 19, 2004 Jacks cause little harm Willy Week pranks include defensive moves, counterattacks by David Brown Jack failures included a Will Rice College at- THRKSHKR EDITORIAL STAFF tempt to install a giant door in an arch outside Baker College and a failed Brown College Late Sunday night, a Rice Broadcast Tele- bird-seeding of the Martel quad. vision camera in the Grand Hall of the Rice Lovett, however, delivered a blow to its Memorial Center captured a group of Lovett proclaimed colony, Sid Richardson College, College students spelling "Martel Sux" in gi- last weekend, when members sent a mis- ant letters on the long tables left over from the leads g letter home to the parents of every Taste of the Town event. Soon after Martel Sid student. College students snuck in to change the phrase "We are writing to inform you that your son to "Martel Rox," members of other colleges or daughter has not fulfilled his or her duties restored the original version. The seven days as a member of Sidney Richardson Colony," of inter-college practical joke warfare known the letter stated. "It is essential that he or she as Willy Week had begun. satisfy these responsibilities in order to re- main in good standing within the colony." Wli ile Sid's college coordinator and students Willy Week events a mixed success so far. See tried to deal with phone calls from confused Story, Page 9. parents, Ixivett followed up with another jack, establishing an "immigration checkpoint" on Sid students' route to classes. • • 'V-' In what has been mostly a defensive Lovett junior Travis Younglood, donning SUSHI SUZUKI/THRESHER struggle, "One-Eyed Willy Week" has been camouflage pants and combat boots, com- Sid Richardson College freshmen John Martinez and Chris Ottolino prepare for the annual "Sid dominated by jacks thwarted by vigilant col- manded the checkpoint on the walkway be- Chug Night" Tuesday. Freshmen and sophomores compete against each other chugging cartons lege defenders sleeping with one eye open. See JACKS, Page 12 of milk. The freshmen won overwhelmingly. Course evaluations will be online by Risa Gordon dents will be able to choose more informative than the numeri- whether to have their comments cal evaluations currently posted. THRKSHKR STAFF posted. The course evaluations will "I think I would i use it]," Escarra Written course evaluations from be scanned in and will join the nu- said. "I think that's a good way to see Fall 2004 will be available on online merical evaluations already avail- what exactly students are thinking in spring 2005, in time for course able online. instead of just numbers." registration for Fall 2005 classes. Baker College sophomore Matt Outgoing Student Association co- The written course evaluations will Escarra said making written course President Bryan Debbink said the be posted anonymously, and stu- evaluations available online will be See EVALUATIONS, Page 6 Faculty approve 2005-1)6 calendar by Mark Berenson midterm recess, approximately change the calendar to have mid- three weeks of classes will remain term recess March 1-5, as some THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF before spring recess, April 13-14. thought March 15-19 was to. > late. The 2005-'06 academic calendar Midterm recess will be the third An amendment to tie the Spring was approved by the faculty at week of March, the latest it has been 2006 midterm recess to HISD's break Wednesday's faculty meeting. The in several years. This year, midterm failed overwhelmingly at the meeting. calendar resembles the 2004-'05 cal- recess took place the first week of President Malcolm Gillis said at endar set in November, but mid- March, after seven weeks of classes, the faculty meeting that although term recess is one week later in the and next year it will be the second there is no formal deadline for set- semester. week of March, after eight weeks of ting the academic calendar, the ear- In the fall, Orientation Week be- classes. lier it is done, the better for Rice, as gins Aug. 14, and classes begin Aug. The faculty meeting included a it allows departments to plan con- 22. As has been standard for the past lengthy debate about attempting ferences knowing facilities will be few years, there will only be one once again to tie Rice's midterm re- available. week of classes after Thanksgiving cess to the Houston Independent One other change from the recess, with classes ending Dec. 2. School District's spring break. 2004-'05 calendar to the approved The Spring 2006 schedule has In Sept. 2002, the faculty approved 2005-'06 calendar is a lengthening RACHEL DAVIS/THRESHER been adjusted somewhat more than a 2003-'04 calendar with a floating of the period students have to the fall. Like the 2005 schedule, midterm recess — one that would schedule their self-scheduled final Head over heals classes being on a Wednesday — be set to coincide with H ISD's break. exams with the Registrar's Office. Jan. 11. However, midterm recess When HISD announced in Jan. 2003 The period has been three days in Members of the South Asian Society dance during last Friday's SAS will occur March 13-17, after the that its 2004 spring break would be the past, but beginning in Fall 2005 Night performance. ninth week of classes. Following March 15-19, the faculty voted to it will increase to a full week. Spring Elections yield close results INSIDE man, it's had this image as a stagnant body OPINION Page 3 by Emily Yeomans Beer-Bike that doesn't do much." Stephens said. "I hope THRESHER STAFF Be sure to come out this Saturday for to change the way the Rice community per- Beer-Bike, which will be held on the bike A&E Pages 15-16 Eight students were elected to office in the ceives the Student Association and to allow track behind the stadium. The alumni College plays galore! Spring Elections, which ended Monday with them to become more active members." race will be at 1 p!m., the women's race will less than 10 percent of students voting. Most Brandon Wagner, a Wiess College sopho- be at 2 p.m., and the men's race will be at positions filled in the Spring Elections were more, ran unopposed for the position of SA SPORTS Page 21 3 p.m. Preceding the races will be the Golf shoots best of millennium those left unfilled in the General Elections, treasurer. Like Stephens, Wagner said he is annual parade and water balloon tight looking forward to what can be done in the including the Student Association internal vice around the inner loop starting at 11 a.m. Quote of the Week president and treasurer. Three positions in upcoming year. "Beer-Bike ... has a cosmic, metaphysical University Court and Honor Council remain "I want to provide the Student Associa- significance that transcends what the unfilled because no petitions were submitted tion with management of their money and Yum, a Dining section uninitiated can perceive." for them. make sure that it gets spent as they would Turn to page 20 to see the debut of our — Eric Novell (Baker '94) on the importance Newly elected SA Internal Vice President like it to get spent," Wagner said. "[SA Presi- Dining section, where restaurants and of Beer-Bike has. To celebrate Beer-Bike, this I Justin Stephens said he hopes to use his posi- dent Derrick Matthews) has already laid out other local eateries will be reviewed. Have week's feature looks at several key issues tion to improve the SA's committee system. a lot of things that he wants to accomplish, any comments? Please e-mail us at facing Beer-Bike today. See Story, Page 14. "I believe the best way to do this is to hold and I totally back him up on his goals and [email protected]. Bon appetit! Weekend Weather the committee heads responsible for the goals platforms." set at the beginning of the semester," Stephens, Matthews, a Will Rice College junior, said Scoreboard Friday Mostly sunny. 81 58 degrees a Wiess College junior, said. "I also want to he is looking forward to working with the Men's Basketball Saturday make people more aware of the committees members of the SA executive committee. Rice 63. Wisconsin-Milwaukee 91 Mostly sunny, 77-59 degrees Women's Basketball and what they do." Matthews said his schedule has been Sunday Rice Louisiana Tech 76 As a member of the executive committee rushed, because two positions on the SA ex- 52, Mostly sunny, 74-56 degrees Stephens said he also hopes to work toward ecutive committee were not filled until the Baseball broader goals for the SA in the coming year. same day as SA changeover. Rice 2, Houston 3 Rice 14, San Jose State "Ever since I came onto the SA as a fresh- See KI.KCTIONS. Page 7 !• ' J ' • .<>i: f» THE RICE THRESHER OPINION FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 2004 ———_______________ the Rice Thresher FAS5I ON 11 Avoid 2006's cruel "THE EMPIRE STAKES stretch of solid class Think the seven-week stretch of uninterrupted classes that we are enduring now is grueling? Just wait until spring 2006, when eight consecutive five-day weeks will precede midterm recess. (See Story, Page 1.) We see no reason that the calendar the faculty approved Wednes- 5 day has midterm recess scheduled for the third week of March — a move which results in a long period of uninterrupted class. The '' iuinut; break is scheduled to fall two weeks later than it did this semester and a week later than it will in 2005.