Rice Among Eight Survivors After WAC Splits in Half
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the Rice Thresher Vol. LXXXVjssue No. ltf SINCE 1916 Friday, August 28, 1998 Rice among eight survivors after WAC splits in half by Jose Luis Cubria San Diego State University. "[The problems included] a lack of changing the competitive structure that we could work it out under the IT1RESHER EDITORIAL STALL In addition to Rice, left behind any natural affinity among the 16 in the WAC, but we had no idea five-year deal." are fellow ex-SWC refugees South- member teams, a breakdown of tra- [they] would consider breaking it In reality, the 16-team conference For the second time since 1994, ern Methodist University and Texas ditional rivalries, the huge geo- up. will have existed for three years. when the Southwest Conference dis- Christian University, along with the graphical spread and its attendant 'The two-year time frame was The'originally scheduled 1998-'99 solved, Rice's Athletiqs Department . University of Hawaii, San Jose State travel expense, erosion of fan sup- too short," he said. 'The conference athletic year will be played out as if found itself at a critical crossroads. University, the University ofTulsa, port, the inability of the present con- already solved some of frs problems, nothing happened. Earlier this summer, officials from Fresno Slate University and the ference to achieve greater national and we absolutely felt that with more The papers formally announcing eight Western Athletic Conference University of Texas at El Paso. recognition and TV revenues and, time and more effort, the 16-team the intentions of the breakaway schools, not including Rice, an- Following the May 26 announce- finally, a serious decline in per-mem- format could've functioned effec- schools were sent to the league's nounced they would split from the ment, BYU's sports information de- ber revenues and a major increase tively." \ offices and to the remaining eight 16-team superconference and form partment released a statement out- in expenses that affects all schools." Hawaii President Kenneth schools Monday. their own league in June 1999. lining the reasons and motives be- The announcement came as a Mortimer agreed. "I think the with- The 16 members of the WAC The eight departing schools are hind the split. shock to the remaining eight drawal was hasty and ill-advised," Board of Directors held a confer- Brigham Young University, the Uni- "[The departing schools] con- schools, especially since the much- he said. "We signed a five-year agree- ence callTuesday during which they versity of Utah, the University of cluded that the present 16-team con- anticipated 16-team superconference ment to experiment, if you will, with voted unanimously to enable the New Mexico, the University of Ne- ference has been unable to achieve was given up after only two years. a far-flung, 16-team league that had eight departing members to resign vada at Las Vegas, Colorado State its intended goals, and the chal- "This was totally out of the blue," never been tried, at least not in the as members of the board in what University, the U.S. Air Force Acad- lenges faced by the conference are Rice Athletics Director Bobby May modern era. We knew we were tak- Rice President Malcolm Gillis called emy, the University of Wyoming and insurmountable," the release reads. said. "We had recently talked about ing a chance, but we also thought See WAC, Page 1M Dr. Amanda Schnee, director of Health Services, dies at 51 by Susan Egeland niKI SHLK EDITORIAL STAIT Director of Student Health Ser- vice Dr. Amanda Schnee died July 19 after suffering from full cardiac arrest two days earlier. She went on life support at St. Luke's Hospital July 17, but never regained con- sciousness. Dr. Schnee, a Rice staff member for 20 years, worked as one of two full-time physicians in Health Ser- vices and collaborated with the Health Education Office to improve the psychological and physical health care provided to students. Dr. Schnee, who would have turned 52 in December, is survived by her husband and four daughters. Lindley Doran, assistant dean of Dr. Amanda Schnee student affairs for health programs, the depth of feelings that 1 have a; rUBELCCA BtRGQUISI. THRESHLR worked with Schnee on many the loss of my friend and co-worker." Members of the Class of 2002 attend Sunday's matriculation ceremony in Stude Concert Hall. projects. "She was lively and she Doran said that Dr. Schnee's ulti- cared deeply about Rice students. I mate contribution to Rice will be saw her work, hard on many occa- realized after her death. "["Dr. Class of '02 matriculates, starts Rice career sions to try to break down adminis- Schnee's] main goal was to get a significance last spring when Vice trative barriers and hassles for one decent health center on campus, and by Joel Hardi On the walk from Stude to the President for Student Affairs Zenaido Sallyport, Wiess College freshman reason, to ensure that students got she achieved that," she said. 'There I HKESHEK EDITORIAL STAL L Camacho forbade advisers from at- Lydia Baldridge said her first few the care she determined they will be a new health center in two to Only hours after arriving at Rice tending the ceremony, moved it into hours at Rice had been easier than needed," she said."She look her three years, to include Health Ser- with parents, siblings and boxtfs of Stude Concert Hall, and scheduled they could have been. work as a physician very seriously vices, the Counseling Center and belongings in tow, the 648 members it for the Sunday of O-Week instead "It was-a lot less hard than I ex- and was intent on providing this cam- the Health Education Office." of the class of 2002 poured through of Monday. pected," she said. "A lot of times, pus with excellent health care ser- Plans have been made to fill Dr. the Sallyport Sunday night, met by Camacho's changes had no snlall people just sit around looking at each vices, despite having to work in Schnee's position by early Novem- their cheering Orientation Week effect. Sunday's matriculation other." grossly inadequate physical space- ber. Dr. Jenkins will become the advisers on the other side. passed without incident, free of the Lovett College Master Connie for 20 years," Doran said. new director, and Dr. Stacey Ware, This year's freshman class not college chants and pranking that Burke said she'd met about half the Students also expressed similar a board certified .internist in the only contains the largest number of interrupted last year's event. Also Lovett freshmen so far and had been • sentiments for Dr. Schnee. "She Houston area, will fill his position. Oregonians in history, it's also the absent was the traditional scuffle for positively impressed. was a wonderful physician, the kind Dr. Schnee's family and Rice set most socially skilled in years, if the control of Willy's statue.' 'They talk a lot — they don't just of doctor that I hope to someday up the Dr. Amanda M. Schnee Stu- first-day opinions of several advis- And then there's the freshmen, sit there like lumps," she said. "It's become," Brown senior Davi^l dent H&ilth Service Memorial Fund ers and college masters are to be who a number of O-Week veterans very encouraging." Gaskey said. to help create the modern health believed. said were the chattiest and the least Another Wiess freshman, Rob- Dr. Schnee's counterpart in facility that Schnee envisioned. The Matriculation 1998 took on extra frazzled tlfey'd seen in years. See FRESHMAN, Page 6 Health Services, Dr. Mark Jenkins Development Office, MS-81, 3rd said, "The six years that I have spent floor Allen Center, is accepting all in partnership with Amanda at Rice donations. Rice will hold memorial have been the most rewarding of my services for Dr. Schnee at 7 p.m. Martel Foundation to name Rice's ninth college professional career. Outside of work, Sept. 9 jn the Hanszen College quad, she was a loving and caring soul and outside of Health Services. All are trance 12. spending, $110 million has been by Christof Spieler a good friend. Words cannot express invited to attend. THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF Design of the colleges is currently raised so far, including a $21.4 mil- delayed due to new food service plan- lion gift to the library and two recent Within five years, Rice under- ning that includes shared eating ar- $15 million gifts. graduates may find themselves eas, rather than kitchens specific to According to Biddy, the Martel INSIDE chanting "Martel." £ach college. (See Story, page 4) Foundation's right to name the new Rice's ninth college, currently Meanwhile, a final design has college comes not in return for a Rice sues court to OPINION Page 2 referred to as North College, will be been chosen for the new humanities specific gift, but in recognition of Check out freshman cartoonist located near Jones and Brown Col- building. the foundation's long-standing sup- amend charter leges and will be named by the Designed by architect Allan port of Rice, which includes a large Rice petitioned a Harris FEATURES Page 10 Martel Foundation. Greenberg, the building will be lo- gift to the current campaign. County state district court Aug. Guide to Houston restaurants The tenth college, currently be- cated along the Inner Loop next to The new humanities building is 4 to strike a Restriction from its ing called South College, will be Rayzor Hall and Fondren Library. scheduled to be completed in 2000, charter that forbids the Univer- SPORT'S Page 12 built behind Hanszen College.