the Rice Thresher Vol. LXXXIX, Issue No. 24 SINCE 1916 Friday, March 22, 2002 Beer-Bike tomorrow by Rachel Rustin rity, said he took the same kind of THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF attitude toward planning Beer-Bike security as he did toward planning Despite a last-minute change in security for Wiess's Night of Deca- the parade route and worries of dence, which he also coordinated. locating bleachers for the track, "We can't assume that drunken i: Beer-Bike organizers say to- individuals will look out for their , morrow's festivities should go as own safety," Ginsberg said. "We planned. created rules which will eliminate The parade begins tomorrow at obvious safety risks." 11:30 a.m., and the alumni race is at Ginsberg said the number of 1 p.m. followed by the women's at security personnel was increased to 2 p.m. and the men's at 3 p.m. protect students. There will be one Beer-Bike Coordinators Mani security member at each tire of Kumar and Laura Schwent said they every flatbed truck, as well as one in have made security a priority in front of each truck to prevent order to ensure tomorrow's festivi- parade-goers from walking between ties are fun and safe. the moving vehicles. The parade will include cattle Parade Coordinator Graham cars like those used before last year, Swift said Beer-Bike planners when flatbed trucks were intro- decided to use cattle cars after last duced in an effort to cut down on year's trucks did not seem to injuries. However, security has been decrease the number of accidents. increased this year, and the parade Last year, 30 injuries from will feature a start/stop pattern to Beer-Bike events were reported to ROB GADDI/THRESHER allow students to cross the parade Emergency Medical Services, com- route without having to walk in front pared with 23 in 2000,25 in 1999 and Pondering the chocolate brewery of moving trucks. 13 in 1998. Political Science Professor Richard Stoil takes part in the Beer Debates, one of the Willy Week activities Wiess College senior Josh Each college must provide at least sponsored by Rice Program Council, Tuesday night in Willy's Pub. Ginsberg, who is coordinating secu- See BEER-BIKE, Page 9 Brown addition may not be ready by Orientation Week by Mark Berenson fingers crossed." THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF Last June, Tropical Storm Allison flooded Houston, causing damage to the construction With the completion date for the new wing of Martel College and delaying the move-in of Brown College scheduled for just days be- date. fore Orientation Week advisers move in, Hous- Hurricane season in Houston runs from >• ing and Dining has begun preliminary work June 1 to Nov. 30, with peak activity typically on housing contingency plans. mid-August through mid-October. Director of Project Management Barbara White said that the likelihood of the con- White said she is cautiously optimistic that struction being finished by Aug. 13 could not students will be able to occupy the new wing in be increased by working longer days. The August. number of hours construction occurs is al- "We feel that there isn't float in the sched- ready at the maximum that either students or ule, so we need everything to go right," White neighbors will tolerate, and thus no increase said. "But that doesn't mean that we couldn't would be possible, even after students leave recover if something small happens." for the summer. Construction is currently scheduled to be Housing and Dining Director Mark Ditman complete by Aug. 13, the day before O-Week said the nature of the contingency plan would CHRISTINE UANGAHRESHER adviser training begins. depend on the length of the delay. President Malcolm Gillis said Houston Ditman said if the building would be ready Dancing machines weather is always a factor. for occupation before classes began, fresh- "There are no promises because weather men and advisers scheduled to live in the new Performers at South Asian Society Night do their interpretation of Michael Jackson's "The reverses could change [the completion date]," wing would stay in existing rooms until the Way You Make Me Feel." SAS Night was held March 14 and 15 in Hamman Hall. Gillis said. "But right now we are keeping our See BROWN, Page 9 Board OKs demolition of old Wiess White said the demolition OPINION Page 3 by Mark Berenson semester. Loop closure process as a whole, which includes Cheers for college unity THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF Wiess College President Robby By 9 a.m. tomorrow, all ve- Morgan said he would prefer that asbestos removal, utility shutdown, hicles not participating in the A&E *ages 1213 The home of Night of Decadence, the building not be destroyed over demolition and debris removal, will official Beer-Bike parade must SXSWFilm. Music, Interactive the five-man and thousands of the summer. take about 60 days. However, the be off the Inner Loop or the Wiessmen will soon be reduced to a "It would be good for new fresh- destruction of the building and vehicle will be towed at the SPORTS Page 19 pile of nibble. men coming in to be able to see the removal of debris is a small fraction owner's expense. Harlan begins title quest The Board of Trustees approved old Wiess, and we can tell stories of the 60 days. tearing down Wiess College last about it and pass on some of the "We are going to prepare a new, Quote of the Week week but when the demolition will legend of old Wiess," Morgan, a smooth grassy area, hopefully with- Time for recess "I've always had respect and out any nasty holes and things like occur is still unknown. junior, said. There will be no Thresher admiration for the talent and Use of the land will be Morgan said he would prefer that that," White said. next week as we join the rest of beauty of Mexican women." determined by Student Affairs. Vice the demolition take place when Intramural Sports Director Tina the campus in taking a much — Former Mexican President President for Student Affairs Zenaido students were around so members Villard said preliminary work shows appreciated four-day weekend. Carlos Salinas de Gortari, when Camacho said one idea for the space is of the college could watch. a full-sized soccer field could fit in Remember not to set your asked on Friday at Baker Hall to create an intramural field at the site. President Malcolm Gillis said the the space if all the trees are re- alarm clock on Thursday and whether a woman would ever be Director of Project Management decision to demolish the commons moved. A flag-football field, which Friday. the Mexican president. See Story, Page 6. Barbara White said her department was made after determining that sav- is smaller, and a park area would The next issue of the also fit. is still working on the analysis of the ing the commons did not make sense. Thresher comes out April 5 — Scoreboard demolition process. She said the "We were going to try and save Villard said that before present- look for our Beer-Bike feature. Baseball analysis will hopefully be complete the commons, but there are ing any recommendation to Rice 3, Houston 1 (11 innings) within three weeks. problems in the electrical and the Camacho, opinions would be Houston 3, Rice 7 White said the analysis will structural |design]," Gillis said. "It gathered from students. Drop deadline determine whether the project can just is not feasible to let it stand." Student Association President Monday, April l,is the dead- Weekend Weather be completed over the summer. It In the Nov. 30 Thresher, White Matt Haynie said the issue would be line to drop classes for non-first Friday will also determine when the build- said the Space Planning Committee discussed at Monday's SA meeting. semester students. It is also the Partly cloudy, 42-66 degrees ing should be demolished il a sum- considered tearing down just the Camacho said he wanted any deadline to designate a class Saturday mer demolition is deemed infeasible. residential wings and using the work on the site to include land- pass/fail. Partly sunny, 53-71 degrees Possible alternative times for the Wiess Commons alone for one of scaping to create a connection be- All forms must be turned into Sunday Mostly cloudy. 58-74 degrees demolition are as early in the fall as several possibilities, including a cam- tween Hanszen College and the the Registrar's Office by 5 p.m. possible or after the end of the fall pus store. See WIESS, Page 7 THE RICE THRESHER OPINION FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2002 the Rice Thresher RanonaLe... e>y t>avit> omen waiT. if i just seT Leslie Liu. Robert Reichle Editors in Chief astoe this baLuoon ant> Love «\y Feu-ow n\an, Ttfen woulmtvt Apologizing for last THe WORLD be 3 week's misclass e>eTTeR puace? Last week, the Thresher printed a pair of misclass submissions that were devoid of any class at all. As editors of the newspaper, it is our job to judge our readers' standards for what they find distasteful or insulting. The misclass submissions that mentioned President Malcolm Gillis and his wife crossed that line on both counts. It was even more inappropriate to name Mrs. Gillis in a forum that in general only refers to more public figures. We apologize to Dr. and Mrs. Gillis for associating them with the misclass we published.