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VOLUME 104, ISSUE NO. 20 | STUDENT-RUN SINCE 1916 | RICETHRESHER.ORG | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2020 How did Inferno Gallery lose its flame? department initially had conversations about THROUGH THE CRACKS ELLA FELDMAN putting Inferno on hold in May 2019, when Sperandio turned his office into Matchbox FEATURES EDITOR they thought Sewall Hall might undergo Gallery and Art Space in 2009 to rectify Rice’s construction to make space for VADA faculty lack of a student-run art space. He said the First, it was an office. Then it transformed displaced by the destruction of the Rice decision to rethink Inferno was the result of into Matchbox Gallery, a 1,600-square- Media Center. Despite learning in fall 2019 many factors. foot gallery nestled into the Sewall Hall that the Media Center demolition is slated for “We had a lot on our plates and it fell courtyard. The space was the only student- the end of 2020 and the gallery space would through the cracks,” Sperandio said. run art gallery at Rice, overseen by the visual be available for at least another year, they Although Sperandio said he noticed a and dramatic arts department. In 2018, after decided to move forward with temporarily lot of student support for Matchbox in its a decade that saw numerous exhibitions, closing Inferno in order to rethink the early years, he said that recently, student renovations and leadership changes, gallery’s organization and mission. Boyle enthusiasm and attendance has dwindled. Matchbox rebranded as Inferno. During the said the department plans to appoint a new “Without a lot of student energy, things 2018 - 2019 school year, Inferno hosted six student gallery director in time for the 2020 - like this just can’t exist. The students are exhibitions and evening gallery openings 2021 academic year. driving Matchbox, so they need to drive,” that featured music, wine and a delectable Christopher Sperandio, associate Sperandio said. array of snacks from Trader Joe’s. professor of painting and drawing and Last fall, Sperandio was awarded Then, the fire quietly went out. This founder of Inferno, said that getting Inferno teaching release by the Humanities Research academic year, for the first time since its back up on its feet is a top priority for VADA. Center and took the semester off to spend inception in 2009, Inferno Gallery has been “I think it’s a shame that the gallery time in Leipzig, Germany and prepare two on a non-construction-related hiatus, with wasn’t up and running this year, but we all books for print release. He places some of the no student gallery director to chart its course. had a lot on our plates,” he said. “We want fault for the VADA department’s inability to According to Rachel Boyle, an to get it going again … it’s always been really get Inferno Gallery up and running this year administrator in the VADA department, the important to the department.” on his absence at the start of the school year. SEE INFERNO PAGE 8 illustration by tina liu Rice bans travel abroad SA advocates for COVID-19 RACHEL CARLTON fall are in the works, but Kirby said that the SENIOR WRITER administration has been focusing on the accomodations for students current semester. The Rice Crisis Management Team “We’re making plans for a whole bunch of ANNA TA coronavirus on campus. announced on Tuesday morning that eventualities,” Kirby said. “What happens if MANAGING EDITOR The resolution explicitly points to the all university-sponsored international around graduation … it seems unwise to have University of Virginia’s responses to the spring break travel and any other official a mass gathering? Or even now, we know The Student Association introduced a global outbreak. A Feb. 6 memo from UVA international travel would be suspended due people from China or Italy won’t be able to new resolution recommending that Rice directs faculty to provide services to self- to the concern over COVID-19, colloquially come and see … their child graduate. Could implement student accommodation policies isolating students returning from abroad, known as coronavirus. we do it virtually?” in the case of an outbreak of COVID-19 including providing class notes and “We wanted to have a general policy that According to Beata Loch, director of cases, colloquially known as coronavirus, leniency on attendance and late policy. said … our most important thing is the safety the study abroad office, the suspension of at Monday’s SA Senate meeting. Resolution The SA’s recommendations for of our students,” Kevin Kirby, vice president international travel does not affect students #15 also calls for Rice to “strengthen its accommodating affected students follow for administration, said. “So it was an easy who are currently overseas. public health efforts in response to the UVA’s model, including implementing live decision to say no international travel.” “For now, the most prudent decision is concerns surrounding coronavirus.” streaming service in classrooms for students Domestic spring break trips — including to advise students to stay on their programs, Will Mundy, current SA external vice unable to come to class due to quarantine, Alternative Spring Breaks — as well as where they can be best supported as president, added the resolution to the relaxing attendance and late assignment domestic and international summer programs needed,” Loch said. “We have received agenda late Monday night in response policies and increasing mental health are not currently subject to the suspension, assurances from all of our overseas partners to the events over the weekend, which services for those directly or indirectly according to Caroline Quenemoen, associate regarding health notices shared with their included a report that a Rice staff member affected by the coronavirus epidemic. dean of undergraduates and director of student population, the implementation was quarantined and others were asked to According to Wickerson, the resolution inquiry-based learning. of precautionary measures and close self-isolate. could pass as early as next week as long as Kirby said that the the Centers for Disease monitoring of the local situations.” “I think Rice should start to think about there are no requested edits. Control and Prevention hasn’t yet provided Some students have seen changes in their how we should respond to [a potential “[Passing this resolution next week] guidance regarding domestic travel. international plans. Jennifer Fu, a Duncan outbreak] now rather than later,” Mundy might be a necessary action as the “If we ever got to that point [of highly College senior, said that Fulbright China said. “[The accommodations would allow] contingency planning is happening over restricted domestic travel], our country’s suspended her program based out of Wuhan students who need to be quarantined to still the next couple weeks and we want to make in trouble,” Kirby said. “We’re not University indefinitely. engage in the classroom without sacrificing sure that this [resolution] is a part of that contemplating that at all for anything. We “There was a monthlong window in their academics for their safety. It does seem plan,” Wickerson wrote in an email. expect normal operations until something February when I didn’t know if the program like the administration is willing to listen to Mundy said any feedback on the gets dramatically worse.” would get completely canceled for 2020-21,” what we need for accommodations and that resolution can go through college Quenemoen said in an email to Center Fu said. “[It] was really stressful because I what we propose will be taken into account SA senators or directly to him. The for Civic Leadership-affiliated students began the application process in July 2019 when they’re making their final plan.” resolution was not originally on the SA that international travel through the CCL and have gone through several hurdles to get According to SA President Grace Senate agenda, but the document was for the upcoming summer will proceed as to the semifinalist stage. It’s a strain on time Wickerson, they were invited to be a part of disseminated through the SA Listserv and planned, barring any further expansion to for something that might not even happen.” the Crisis Management Team’s contingency will be available online at the SA website the university’s travel ban. And Lorraine Singleton, a Jones College planning group, which is charged with in the Senate presentation, according to Longer-term plans for summer and next SEE TRAVEL PAGE 3 planning for a potential outbreak of Wickerson. 2 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2020 THE RICE THRESHER NEWS 96% of employee donations went to Democrats for 2020 SERENE LEE THESHER STAFF Top Five Highest Democratic Presidential Candidate Rice faculty and administrators have Recipients in 2020 donated $791,014 to various political campaigns and organizations since the 2012 election cycle, with the majority of donations going to Democratic candidates, according to a review of the Federal Election Democrats Commission Records. Republicans The sum was comprised of more than 6,000 individual donations made by 330 different members of faculty in the past eight years. Top recipients of these donations include TX-07 Congresswoman 2020 Presidential Candidates Presidential 2020 Lizzie Fletcher and presidential candidate and senator Elizabeth Warren. Congressional In the current election cycle, 96 percent Contributions in 2020 Contribution Totals of all contributions have gone to Democratic campaigns, with 4 percent going to the Republican Party. The 2012 election cycle saw Total Donations to Democrats and Republicans Since 2008: the highest percentage of donations to the Top Individual Recipients in 2020: Republican Party, with 29 percent, during the Top Individual Recipients in 2020: eight-year period between 2012 and 2020. House:Lizzie Flet Lizziecher .........................................Fletcher (D-TX)...............$22,700$22,700 Elizabeth Warren....................................

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