*) the Rice Thresher Vol. XC1I, Issue No. 5 SINCE 1916 Friday, September 17, 2004 »> H&D changes rule, allows backpacks •> by Risa Gordon "We did n't even go to I H&D I with THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF a formal complaint yet," Matthews, a Will Rice College senior, said. "I In a reversal of a recent policy think ... they realized it's just a big change, Housing and Dining will inconvenience that isn't even a real again allow backpacks in the serv- deterrent from stealing." r eries. Residential Dining Manager Another change beinginstituted is Angela Riggs said the change was that students who have lost or forgot- made in the interest of security. ten their ID cards will be able to eat if "We don't want anything to they present an alternate picture ID. happen to your backpacks, and we Each college coordinator will provide started thinking about laptops in your a list of the students on meal plans to backpacks and your books and your the college's servery, and students money," Riggs said. "We would prefer will be required to give their student you had them with you." ID numbers and show a picture II), The backpack prohibition was such as a driver license, in order to instituted this semester following eat. However, Riggs said this option a food purchasing budget shortfall is not meant to be a replacement for of $172,000 in 2003-'04. The rule ID cards. was part of an effort to discourage "This isn't something they're students fr<>m taking large quantities going to be able to do all the time," ') of food from the serveries. Riggs said. "When I students | lose Riggs and Residential Dining their ID,we'llgivethem at least three KATIf STREIT/THRESHER Manager Julie Bogar attended days because during the weekend, the weekly meeting of the college you're out of luck. ... We're trying to presidents Friday and presented the be more lenient and understand, but You 're hired changes there. we also need to make sure that those Students talk with representatives from local companies at the Houston Area Career Fair, sponsored by the Student Association President people do have a meal plan." Career Services Center. More than 60 companies attended the fair, which was held Friday at Autry Court. Derrick Matthews said lie is pleased Students who do not have their with the change. See DINING, page 5 Balcony cleared at Lovett party RUPD intervenes because of concerns over crowd control by Joel Hernandez Ellie Quartel said. Though no one was hit, the incident drew attention to the balcony TOR THE THRESHER and prompted calls to RUPD, Quartel, a I Jsing flashlights and whistles, Rice Univer- junior, said. sity Police Department officers cleared about "Certain students acted really irresponsibly § # 70 students off the second-floor balcony at at first," Quartel said. "Unfortunately that ruined Lovett College's Pirate Rooty party Saturday. things for a lot of other students that night." •flllllj Students at three private parties on the When they arrived, the RUPD officers second floor of Lovett began gathering on the talked with the Lovett chief justice and socials second-floor balcony around 11 p.m. Because about enforcement of private party policies, the private parties spilled out into a public Reiter said. space, they became public parties under the Quartel said the chief justice and socials Alcoholic Beverage Policy, RUPD Sergeant were the first to respond to the overflowing f t Steve Reiter said. parties on the second floor. "Once those private parties become public, "[The situation I required intervention by they open themselves up to the scrutiny of the chief justice and [ socials |," Quartel said. [public parties]," he said. "But 1 think that we and the chief justice did a The Alcohol Policy states, "Any party that very good job of getting cups out of there and is public in spirit or effect is a public party. For getting people with alcohol inside." example, parties taking place in private areas Reiter also said the students were successful i • and overflowing into public spaces (such as in moving the alcohol inside private rooms. hallways, landings, lounges or other common "I didn't see a lot of alcohol on the balcony," areas) or causing disturbance to other college Reiter said. "They did a good job of policing members are public parties." themselves there. What 1 saw [as| a real prob- Early in the evening, students on the bal- lem was the fact that there was such a mass of cony threw cups onto the patio, Lovett Social See PARTY, page ft t • MARSHA 11 ROBtJSON/TMRI SHI R INSIDE Draft dodger OPINION Page 2 Brown College senior Wade Townsend, who played baseball at Rice for the past three seasons, Addldrop by 5 p.m. U.S. economy slumps/soars Today is the last day to add courses and throws a baseball with fellow first-round draft pick Jeff Niemann. Townsend is currently awaiting A&E Page 19 the last day to drop without a fee, so get a decision from Major League Baseball on whether his attending classes forces him to re-enter Bright young things the MLB draft next year rather than continuing negotiations with the Baltimore Orioles. your schedule in order by 5 p.m. f t SPORTS Pages 14-15 Silver Saver cards Tennis previews Silver Saver cards will be available in Will Rice subsidizes OC lunches "I thought [the award recipients] would be the college coordinators' offices begin- from Harvard or [someplace] like that. I didn't ning today. The cards feature discounts at by Katricia Lan^ The goal of the Will Rice program is to think Glamour would pick an African-American encourage off-campus students to attend lunch 1(S restaurants and nine other businesses. lesbian." FOR THE THRESHER at the college rather than eating off campus, at — Brown College senior Christel Miller, who was Forty off-campus Will Rice College students other college serveries or in the Student Center, selected as one of Glamour magazine's top 10 missing the meal plan got their (ill for free at McCullagh said. Speaker Series college women. See story, page 6. lunch Tuesday. The college allocated $500 to "Ifyou live off campus, being involved in the The Student Association Speaker Series Scoreboard fund free Tuesday lunches for its off-campus college should not be a burden or a sacrifice," will be held tomorrow and Sunday from Soccer students and will continue the program for he said. "A$4 meal at Subway versus a free meal noon-4 p.m. in Sammy's Various admin- UNLV 1. Rice 1. 2 0T at least another week, Will Rice President at Will Rice, Will Rice will always win." istrators will speak and answer students' Army 1, Rice 2, 0T CW McCullagh said. In the 1< >ngterm, McCullagh said l lie college questions, and lunch will also be provided McCullagh, a senior, said the college would hopes to strengthen off-campus students'pres- both days. Weekend Weather like to continue the program throughout the ence at the college and increase the number of Tomorrow's speakers will include Friday year, but he expects the funds to run out after students who move back on campus for their Athletic Director Bobby May and Associate Partly Cloudy, 74-95 degrees another week. Will Rice spent about $2.r>0 senior year. Vice President for Finance and Administration Saturday Sunny, 67-94 degrees Tuesday, the first time the free lunches were Will Rice senior Sharon Vila, who lives Neill Binford. Sunday's will include Provost Sunday of fered. Lunch at the colleges costs $6.22 for Eugene Irvy and President David D-ebron. off campus, said the program will benelit Partly Sunny, 72-91 degrees • • students not on a meal plan. Stv LUNCHES, page <> THE RICE THRESHER OPINION FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2004 WHOA DUDer, THE COWA&UM&A the Rice Thresher 80s. we*£ "TCTAU-y Backpacks are back RADf in the serveries © We're glad Housing and Dining has responded to student concerns by relaxing some of the strict policies it imposed in the college serveries at the beginning of the semester (See story, page 1). H&D lifted its ban on backpacks in the serveries last week, acknowledging that students might feel uncomfortable leaving their belongings unattended while they get food at mealtimes. We're happy to see the unnecessary policy eliminated, espe- cially since it was only sporadically enforced. Most students use backpacks to carry books, not to "steal" excessive amounts of food from the serveries. H&D also softened its stance on forgotten student ID cards. The new policy, which allows students to present driver licenses or other photo identification if they have forgotten their Rice IDs, makes much more sense than a no-tolerance rule. H&D will allow those who have lost or forgotten their IDs to eat, while still deterring students without meal plans from sneaking into the serveries with fake names and ID numbers. G0WA6UN&A! Because dining is an important part of life in the colleges, we're glad H&D has established more reasonable and student- keauie. friendly rules, and we hope H&D will continue to respond to 00 you weze student feedback. I 1 vg wneKi -rvte sos 6MbfeEi PUGrHT? Ticket offer makes UT game worth the trip LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ensure Dr. Skorczewski's stay is far other peak times, not everyone has After the success of its ticket and shuttle provisions for Congratulations on outweighed by the benefit he would deadlines available well in advance.