OP-ED P. 3 A&E . P. 12 SPORTS P. 19 Why discriminate? Violently funny [Worn-out basketball cliche] Cody Shilling writes about American intolerance for homosexu- Wiess Tabletop Theater's The Pillowman keeps Jie torture The Men's Basketball Preview2010 claims this year's squad ality — and claims it lacks a legitimate basis. onstage and entertains with an eye for detail. will make it to the postseason. VOLUME XCVIII, ISSUE NO. 12 STUDENT-RUN SINCE 1916 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2010 Doerr gives Student-athlete grad rates go up BY JUSTIN NG advice on THRESHER STAFF Athlete Graduation Success Rates, 2010 While the football team might be DATA PROVIDED BYTHE NATIONAL INFOGRAPH BY jobs, school struggling on the field, Rice athletics Overall average: 95% COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION DAVE ROSALES retains its dominance in the classroom with the release of the most recent stu- dent-athlete graduation success rates. 100% The annual study of student-ath- 92% IUR100% 92% lete graduation rates by the National Collegiate Athlete Association placed Rice sixth of 120 NCAA Division I-A schools in the nation, according to both the NCAA's graduation success rate and the federal graduation rate 83% ^ 91% Q100% §| 100% 3 released in an online NCAA report two BB weeks ago. At 95 percent, Rice student-ath- letes' graduation success rate im- proved two points over last year, while the federal rate improved four points 93% HI 100% 95% 100% to 83 percent. BY KEVIN LIN Rice's student body as a whole 2000,2001, 2002 and 2003. federal rate, only students who gradu- "The better the [baseball] program, THRESHER STAFF ranks fifth nationally with a gradu- However, the federal rate discounts ate in four years are counted, while the more people sign [with profes- ation rate of 93 percent, 1 percent midyear enrollees, transfer students the GSR allows for graduation within sional teams] at the end of their junior John Doerr (Lovett '73), a ven- higher than last year, when measured on athletic scholarship and students six years [of matriculation]." year," baseball Head Coach Wayne ture capitalist whose gift made according to the same criteria used transferring away in good academic The differences between the two Graham said. "Many players eventu- the opening of the Rice Center in the federal rate used for student- standing, all of whom NCAA's gradu- metrics can be stark. Although Rice ally graduate ... the reason behind the for Engineering Leadership last athletes. ation success rate includes. baseball garnered a 92 percent gradu- extremely high [NCAA graduation suc- year possible, returned to cam- Both metrics take the latest four- "It's a more accurate system," As- ation rate according to the NCAA, cess] rate is because a Rice degree is so pus a week ago to share some year average of collected data on sociate Director for Academic Advis- down five points from last year, the valuable. But some people are coming career advice with students at graduation rates, which for this year ing for Athletics Julie Griswold said of federal rate remains unchanged at 37 back quicker than others." RCEL. included the matriculating classes of NCAA's graduation rate. "Under the percent. S3 see ATHLETE, page 111 "Rice engineering students are well known for their excel- lent technical education," RCEL * Director Mark Embree said. Rice hosts yearly Sally Ride Science Festival "However, we haven't conscious- fee of $20, though some companies "It's the first time that a lot of offers. She stated that creating ly challenged our students to BY ELLEN LIU sponsored scholarships so that these girls have ever met a scien- many future scientists was very im- develop the other essential skills THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF more girls could attend. Keynote tist," Manning said. "It is really in- portant for the American economy that will enable them to make speakers from previous years have spiring to find someone to relate to." and consequently, her organization their greatest possible mark on More than 1,000 fifth- through included the astronauts Sally Ride, Sally Ride became the first wom- aimed to spark a passion for sci- the world." eighth-grade girls gathered on campus Nov. 6 for the Rice Space Eileen Collins, Peggy Whitson and an in outer space in 1983, and she ence in young girls. These other skills are identi- Institute's annual Sally Ride Sci- Ellen Ochoa. founded Sally Ride Science in 2001. "We want to show girls that sci- fying and engaging in the chal- ence Festival, an event geared According to Sally Ride Science Manning said that Sally Ride ence is super cool and super fun," lenges of real-world problems toward helping young female stu- Vice President of Sales and Mar- Science began hosting science fes- Manning said. that might require further tech- dents explore and gain a deeper keting Meredith Manning, the or- tivals after its founding in 2001 and At the beginning of the festival, nical study, entrepreneurship or understanding of science. The fair ganization hosts multiple festivals has been coming to Rice for five Lawrence delivered a speech about policy to see them through. Dur- was jointly hosted by science edu- around the country each year in or- years. She said they always hold the her career, all the training she went ing his address, Doerr provided cation company Sally Ride Science der to help upper-elementary and event on university campuses be- through and the importance of stay- his opinion on how these skills and professional services organi- middle school girls explore and get cause they want to introduce chil- ing in school and studying hard. Af- can be obtained. zation Deloitte, and featured as- excited about science. She said the dren to the idea of going to college. terward, she fielded questions from "I think the most important tronaut Wendy Lawrence as a key- experience is a great opportunity Manning cited the importance the girls about topics ranging from her thing to do is to have a state of note speaker, discovery workshops for these students to interact with of a strong science and math edu- family to using the bathroom in space. mind to continue to learn and for both children and adults and a their peers, meet female role mod- cation for all children as the rea- Following her presentation, grow," Doerr said. "The com- street fair. els and gain exposure to the sci- son behind the festivals and other the girls explored a street fair that pensation at the start and end ence field. opportunities Sally Ride Science • see RIDE, page 10 of your career is not what you The festival had a registration should be trying to make the most of." Instead, Doerr said that Donation program criticized learning should always be the key goal. BY RUBY GEE to donate the book to the One Planet "You want to build a really THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF program instead. Some store loca- strong foundation of experienc- tions have set out decorated card- es," Doerr said. "Do something The One Planet Books donation board bins near the buyback area of you might not imagine yourself program has been accused of selling the bookstore. doing for a long time." donated books for a profit by the Hab- Reading Is Fundamental, a non- Outside of personal develop- itat for Humanity chapter at the Uni- profit children's literacy program, is ment, the next major emphasis versity of Michigan. The Rice book- paid an unspecified amount for every should be meeting others. store, as well as other Barnes&Noble carton of collected textbooks. The "I think the most important bookstores nationwide, participates books that the student agrees to do- thing you can do is to inter- in this program, which is run by nate are collected to be shredded and view," Doerr said. "Network, Barnes&Noble's sister company MBS shipped off to a warehouse. network like crazy. Meet all sorts Textbook Exchange. According to Barnes&Noble, ap- of people and stay in touch with How the program works: When proximately 70 percent of the do- them." students try to sell their used text- nated books are transported to paper When checking out new work books to Barnes&Noble, the store re- mills in Missouri to be recycled, while places, Doerr said to pay atten- fuses to buy back some of the books the rest are sold online through Ama- tion to several important fac- deemed "no-value." As an alternative zon.com and the Barnes&Noble On- Dance it off Chowl Bhangra performs a traditional har- to throwing these books away, the line Marketplace. vest dance at the annual SAS Dhamaka. • see DOERR, page 9 store asks students if they would like O see DONATION, page 9 Der Tod und das Madchen Prison party? Take the 30-hour challenge INDEX Opinion 3 The Shepherd School will be hosting a cham- Brown College's public party, Margaritaville, is Registration for spring semester courses opens News 4 ber music festival tomorrow in Duncan Recital tomorrow at 10 p.m. The Facebook event says Sunday, so figure out a tentative schedule and Arts & Entertainment 12 Hall, with the first concert at 10 a.m. Included the party will celebrate the "bare essentials": get signed up. Not sure what to take? We recom- Sports 17 are pieces by Schubert, Shostakovich, Proko- bread, water, rnargaritas and bikinis. If you mend MATH 382: Complex Analysis, instructed by Calendar 23 fiev, Hindemith and Beethoven. forget that last one, no worries — we're pretty Leobardo Rosales. Backpage 24 sure they aren't actually essential... per se. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12,2010 EDITORIAL RICE THRESHER T ^ T the Rice esher "THE HATS Rice emphasizes BtoKEN AGA»W.