Vol. XCIV, Issue No. 11 SINCE 1916 Friday, November 9, 2007 I Homecoming I comeback, 56-48 Owls break records in improbable victory by Nathan Bledsoe breaking eight total touchdowns on the day. The team was also led by THRESHERSTAFF junior receiver Jarett Dillard, who be- After University of Texas-El Paso came Rice's all-time receiving yardage quarterback Trevor Vittatoe tossed leader with 2,524 total yards. a touchdown pass to give his team a Although many in the crowd may 20-point lead with 14:44 remaining in have doubted Rice's chances, the team the fourth quarter of Saturday's game, a never lost hope. large portion of the homecoming crowd "When I blocked it, I noticed that headed toward the Rice Stadium exits. their score was 48, and at the time I But senior defensive lineman George was thinking we can [come back] and Chukwu blocked the Miners' extra win the game," Chukwu said. point attempt, and before you could And come back they did. say "Homecoming Weekend," Rice's The rally did not happen im- offensive explosion began. mediately, pushing Rice's victory mil Following that stuffed kick, the deeper into the fourth quarter. In Owls (2-7, 2-3 Conference USA) put fact, the Miners looked to pile on a up 28 unanswered points to pull off couple more points after recovering DAVID ROSALES/THRESHER an unlikely 56-48 victory over their freshman defensive back's botched Brown junior quarterback Chase Clement threw for six touchdowns and ran for two more setting a Conference in-state rivals, thanks in part to junior kickoff return to start with the USA record by accounting for eight touchdowns, leading the Owls to a 56-48 victory against the University of quarterback Chase Clement's record- see FOOTBALL, page 16 Texas-El Paso on Saturday. SAC to replace Owl Weekend with Owl Days for prospectives by I.ily Chun flexibility to choose a convenient to visit, SAC a Sid Richardson College junior, said. Prospec- Houston students of the over night component," tives who are from the Houston area — with a Keith Todd, director of admission, said. "We're I HRESH FR EDITORIAL. STAFF co-Director Claire Shorall said. The SAC hosted a panel Wednesday to zip code starting with 77 — will be asked not not fencing them from spending the night, but Prospective students who want to attend discuss aspects and receive input about Owl to spend the night in order to accommodate logistically it would be better if they came at Owl Weekend this year might be surprised Days. out-of-state students. a different time." when they find out Owl Weekend no longer Unlike in previous years, parents will be "Our reasoning is that kids from Houston Although the details of this new program are exists. The Student Admission Council plans invited to Owl Days, with events separate from have beds, and it's already a strain on the still being worked out and discussed, Shorall to replace it with Owl Days, a program in their kids. In this plan, prospective students university to have extra people on campus," said Owl Weekend will be replaced by Owl which prospective students will arrive on that must travel far can arrive on Sunday and Shorall said. Days this year. Shorall said SAC is not hosting campus Monday morning, spend the night stay at a hotel Sunday night with their family Director of Admission Keith Todd said two Owl Weekends this year like they did in and leave Tuesday. Owl Days will occur and check-in on campus Monday morning. students will be encouraged to spend the night previous years because Interim Decision was three consecutive Mondays in April with the Students with financial difficulties could be ac- on campus on a different day. eliminated for admissions this year, so the two purpose of giving prospective students more commodated on-campus Sunday night, Shorall, "We don't want to deprive prospective see SAC, page 8 Honor Council closes loop- holes in penalty structure by Jocelyn Wright allows for a distinction to be made in a situation where there are no THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF aggravating or mitigating circum- Every year, about eight Rice stances, Stinnett, a Sid Richardson students officially violate the College senior, said. Honor code and get away with The council also added a change it without punishment. With the that obligates it to distinguish goal of closing this loophole and between a decision to assign an F fixing other discrepancies, the for a course or a decision to merely Honor Council voted to strengthen reduce the grade. Stinnett said this the penalties for violations in a change is primarily applicable to meeting Sunday. graduate students since, in sev- "While this is stronger text, eral graduate programs, students it's supporting a system that's only receive credit for courses in important to academic integrity at which they receive a grade of B Rice," Honor Council Chair Ryan or higher. Stinnett said. These changes are still pend- The council increased the maxi- ing approval of Don Ostdiek, mum penalty for a student found Assistant Dean of Student Judicial cheating from a grade of F in the Programs. DFIAN TABAKOV./THRESHER course and two-semester suspen- The council also approved a sion to a grade of F in the course change to Articles XII and XXI of Field of dreams and a three-semester suspension. the Honor System Constitution, Couples relax in the bleachers adjoining Minute Maid Park's Champion's Ballroom at RPC's annual fall formal, The starting penalty will remain which outline the penalty structure Esperanza, held Saturday 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. For a wrap-up of the event, see page 7. at an F in the course and a two- for students who withdraw from semester suspension. The change see HONOR, page fi INSIDE To celebrate IEW 2007, the Office of OPINION Page 2 Scoreboard Spring 2008 registration International Students and Scholars is Evan Mintz should be fired Football Rice 56. UTEP 48 Registration for the spring semesterwill start hosting a variety of activities, including the Page 10 A&E Soccer Monday at 8 p.m. Remember to obtain your 3rd Annual Rice Mini World Cup and Taste of Hanszen'sgot the peanuts Rice 1. UAB 0 RI)A pin for the spring semester and reconfirm Languages. For more information, please visit SPORTS Page 13 the honor code prior to registration. www. ruf rice. edu/~ois/lEW.html. Soccer clinches No. 4 seed Weekend Weather Friday Culture quest BS Scattered T-Storms. 63-84 degrees International Education "People shouldn't be allowed to get away with things Saturday Want to participate in a city-wide scav- like this." Isolated T-Storms. 63-83 degrees Week enger hunt with friends and compete for — Sid Richardson senior Ryan Stinnett, Honor Coun- Sunday awesome prizes? Compete in ADVANCE'S cil Chair, on Honor Code loopholes. See story, page 1. Isolated T-Storms, 65-84 degrees THE RICE THRESHER FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9,2007 r UW THE eWHtCVMeNTM K'Mu \ \:.DR TUB RCU6,fOUS Wv7\ rr /TIAHINC, s-rr/pevr G,U!LT? IT TAK%* OUT Otemsis /• 2? TELLS WORK UMWS* To THCUSAHP TIMES us we MUST ACT AS PIMP OISAOSABUS IS OVC TA*>*,8ur mcdB ev&W TO ST&U/ARPS of -mis ene. TH, so fou musT ISAI'T RUE MAKE A SVFTOT*** uMveftsrrv PLAT* THAN T tfAlotu Vru K( FCKGETT/HO, COTS TV WASH C&i/uc* TP HCLL/ ABOUT rue A ceKAmiC onef Changes to Owl Weekend POWCK OF-.. Wednesday evening, the Student Admissions Council held on i set, Yen 'ne WW oov'r toe JUST ust/vc, wyvsAfiez a panel to discuss the creation of Owl Days to replace Owl 60 SIT SHIVA Fed W*y WN'T Yon THE BMi/iecAjfMO/r Weekend, and we are perplexed (see story page 1). Rather Lj TUST PUT A RKTMT W KNtFt W than try to fix individual problems within Owl Weekend, SAC you \*IAHT MY CHEST, I SUOUlP seems determined to make an unnecessary overhaul that would vtcAuse i TJ-ltfoiU FLWAY only discourage prospective students from visiting and current CoutP Ail ~f HE C*c>oD CM iM students from hosting. rue TBRRtFYitiC} K///P. JUST PRE. Rice already saw the results of prospies visiting on weekdays last year — busy hosts and bored visitors. Currently, the proposed plan is for students to visit for just one day, barely enough time to visit classes, much less experience the greater Rice culture. Furthermore, SAC proposed that some students should stay at LETTERS TO THE EDITOR hotels during their visit while local prospies would not be able to spend the night on campus. If Rice is unwilling to show that it Alumni awards are not political" We will certainly try Marr's idea and Evan Mintz should contradicts reason. Do you seriously encourage him to be involved. I hope wants prospies on campus during their visit, why should they even believe that Gonzales' success as a sy- that Monday Night Football will bring come to matriculate? be fired immediately cophant lackey to Bush distinguishes in that crowd, and continue to facilitate We understand that some visiting students commented that him among Rice alumni? Children, I fun interactions between the drinking previous Owl Weekends focused too much on alcohol. While the To the editor: assure you that this award involved po- and non-drinking populations at Wee. For the past three and a half years, first step to fixing the problem should be to simply ask hosts to litical considerations, quack-quack.