OP-ED A&E P. 9 SPORTS P. 12 This one's on the house Can you give a movie negative stars? Pool party for swim team Opinions Editor Ryan Gupta writes open letters to the adminis- We're usually nice to bad movies, but Season of the Witch is Swim team dominates highly ranked North Texas in the team's tration, RUPD and the student body about drinking at Rice. a curse on humanity. last home meet. 1 thVOLUME XCVIIIe, ISSUE NO. Ric16 STUDENT-RUe N SINCE 1916 FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 2011 Rondelet back after two years TM, BY RUBY GEE M'm* THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF Rondelet returns tomorrow at 10 p.m. after a two-year hiatus. While the location of the dance remains at the Trevisio restau- rant in the Texas Medical Center, several changes, such as the ad- dition of a winter theme due to a change in event timing, have been implemented in an effort to revive the formal dance. Rice Program Council Social Co- Chair and Interim Vice President BRIEF HISTORY^ Wrm- <& Libby Ulman said that they had •MNRMRLLETI hoped to bring back the tradition in Rondelet, in the Remembering Martin Students and other Rice community memberMs:**s at the Rice Memo - a slightly different way while main- form of a festival, rial Center Chapel participate in a Martin Luther King Day vigil or- taining the spirit of Rondelet. occurs for the first Luther King ganized by the Black Student Association. "In the past few years, Ron- May time. It replaces delet has just kind of died out 1947 May Fete, which because of low popularity," Ul- started in 1921 as a man, a Sid Richardson College spring celebration. sophomore, said. "This year, In addition to a the idea was to revamp it, bring 5A alcohol forum springtime ball, it back at a different time and Rondelet weekend hope to get people energized now includes a about it." May Songfest musical DUULL' discusses safety Tickets sales for the formal 1959 competition, an dance began Jan. 12, with a regu- informal dance at BY BOB CHEN AND one another is by notifying college not just a little bit of alcohol but a lar ticket costing $15. For $25, the Student Center HALLIE JORDAN chief justices of private parties, lot of alcohol of 11 [one per college] attendees can get a ticket and and a picnic. THRESHER STAFF Wiess College Chief Justice Jon En- kinds in a very short course of an wristband for alcohol if of age. The Rondelet dean said. According to the policy, evening," Hutchinson said. Wristbands may be purchased Pageant is held at After an influx of calls to Rice if a party has a keg, it must be reg- Lovett College Chief Justice Jay at the door. According to Ulman, the residential Emergency Medical Services for istered as a private party. Patel said he thought more than RPC had sold approximately 520 colleges, while the excess alcohol consumption, the "If you host a party, you are taking just discussion needs to happen to tickets out of the allotted 600 as April Rondelet Ball is Student Association held a panel to responsibility for all who consume bring change. of Wednesday. 1964 held in the Texas discuss what can be done to reduce alcohol," Hutchinson said. "Tell your "A lot of the issues were said, Ulman said that a strength Room of the the number of intoxicated students. chief justice for support." but we have not established what to of past Rondelets was the prox- Houston Club. The panel, held Wednesday eve- Communication between stu- do next, and I think we really need imity of its location at Trevisio, Tickets cost $1 per ning, included seven panelists whom dents does keep the level of EMS to do that," Patel said. which is located on top of a person. the SA felt represent and are informed calls significantly lower, Zaidi said. The intent of the meeting was building in the Texas Medical The tradition of about Rice's alcohol policy, Will Rice "Public gatherings that are to promote communication and re- Center. Trevisio is an award- April electing a Rondelet College Senator Renee Dudley said. planned will see a distinct decrease ceive input from the student body, winning restaurant that is queen and court "We had more ambulance trans- in EMS calls," Zaidi said. "Howev- Dudley said. known by locals for its fine din- 1970 officially ends. port to the hospital last semester er, people from private parties are Associate Dean of Undergradu ing and event catering. than we had in any other semes- found in a state when they need ates Donald Ostdiek made sure to "It's a really cool venue With the theme of ter year in the EMS history," REMS hospitalization immediately." emphasize this idea. within walking distance of Rice, "Night in Old Houston," Rondelet Captain Hashim Zaidi said. "That's Several students in the audience "The policy was written by and with a really pretty view of the is held in the Crystal just last semester." questioned if more EMS calls could large by the students," Ostdiek med center and a nice little bal- March Ballroom at the The number of calls to EMS is signify more faith in the service and said. "It is not something that is cony area as well," Ulman said. 2000 historic Rice Hotel, something that cannot be over- not a rise in overly drunk students. imposed on you but something the "Compared to Esperanza, it's which is known for looked, Dean of Undergraduates "More EMS calls do show that community has made. Everyone sort of a fancier venue itself, so its ceiling murals John Hutchinson, a panelist, said. our community cares, but we also should have input." people should feel comfortable and wide balconies. "We are sitting at a moment of know that some people have been dressing up." The price of crisis," Hutchinson said. "The sta- found abandoned, suggesting that O see FORMAL, page 8 Rondelet tickets is tus quo cannot stand. We can't wait we have a ways to go," Hutchinson lowered from $20 to for this to go away. Crisis presents said. "For a culture $10 in hopes of itself as an opportunity. We need to of care, we must increasing student collectively stand up as a commu- help people March attendance. Three nity to say this cannot go on." not to go too 2008 hundred and fifty Though the panel discussed what far and inter- students attend the the policy actually says, Hutchinson vene. We need masquerade themed emphasized that the most effective to feel empow- dance at the Trevisio way to combat alcohol-related prob- ered to help restaurant. lems is for students to care about people, wheth- RPC cancels each other and their community and er or not we are Rondelet after only not about law enforcement. the host." selling 60 tickets. "The driving force of the policy Crawls, along The Moulin is about care, not about legal issues with private par- Rouge-themed spring at a private gathering," Hutchinson ties and the drink formal would have said. "Rice liberalized its policy Four Loko, have taken place in the with the belief that students would contributed to high February Grand Hall. pick up the slack by taking care of drinking levels, 2009 each other." Hutchinson said. One way students can work on "It is physically supporting and looking out for unrealistic to have GRAPHIC BY DAVE Watch it, Sam. Happy Birthday! '[...]sondern durch Eisen undBlut." INDEX 1 Opinion 3 Casablanca is playing tonight and tomor- If your birthday happens to be this week. The Gulf Regional Blood Center is having a blood News 4 row night at 7 at the Rice Media Center Film Also, today is the last day to add classes. drive in Farnsworth Pavilion from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Arts & Entertainment 9 »L Auditorium. Never seen it before? Of all the Still under 20 hours? We are unimpressed. on Wednesday. Don't worry, you'll make more — Sports 12 auditoriums, in all the towns, in all the world, Are you 20 years old now? Awesome. and you'll help other people get back to making Calendar 15 walk into this one. their own. Backpage 16 IB 2 EDITORIAL, FRIDAY, JANUARY 21,2011 the Rice jQhresher Booze forum successful The Jan. 20 "Booze Talk" forum regarding the future of Rice's alcohol policy was, simply put, the epitome of what makes Rice such an enduring community (see story, page 1). The discussion provided a comfortable ven- ue for students to voice concerns and suggestions about the issues at hand. The outstandingly attended intimate gathering brought together students, student leaders and administrators in an absolute testament to Rice's cul- ture of involvement and unity. Dean of Undergraduates John Hutchinson led a panel that included rep- resentatives from REMS, Socials Committees, chief justices and Judicial Af- fairs. The forum was established to ensure student input in the important issue of alcohol policy. This commitment to administration-student com- munication has been advocated by the Thresher in the past, and we would like to acknowledge the administration's distinct attempt to include the students and encourage similar discussion in the future. Nv\NoR! According to Hutchinson, the philosophy behind the alcohol policy is one which hinges upon Rice's "culture of care." In 1997, while other uni- versities were "clamping down" on their alcohol policies. Rice felt comfort- able liberalizing its own policy because of the confidence placed in student leadership to fill in the gap and make the system work in an effective and responsible way.