COLUMN: College system brings a few of us closer but distances the rest

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by Usman Baber

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Undoubtedly, admissions' officers try to persuade prospective students by telling them how the residential colleges aid the social scene at Rice and how the Honor Code is a bastion of academic integrity and freedom among students.

After spending just a few weeks on campus, however, I am starting to realize some realities of Rice life, and I have therefore been able to formulate my own thoughts about this university.

In particular, I am beginning to see some of the down sides of the college system despite all the great things I heard about it before I arrived here.

One problem I have seen is how difficult it is to get to know people outside your college.

I first encountered this facet of college life during Owl Day. I asked a few students if they had heard of some people who had graduated from my high school and were now at Rice.

The immediate reply from the students was "What college are these people from?"

I was expecting to be asked questions like "What year are they?" "What do they look like?" "What activities are they involved in?"

Instead, however, it became apparent to me that a Rice student is more or less defiined by what college they are in, which is something that most students have no control over.

It turned out that no one I asked had heard of any of the people I mentioned from my high school. I got the immediate impression that if a person isn't from your college, then you most likely will never get a chance to meet them.

My fears were assuaged, though, when students told me that joining various clubs and organizations around campus allows you to meet people from other colleges.

The truth, however, is that most people become really involved in just a few activities which will only bring a person into limited contact with others.

Now that I'm at Rice, I am beginning to experience these same truths. The people with whom I'm always around are from my college.

Also, the few students I've met from other colleges I rarely get a chance to talk to and therefore not much of an opportunity to get to know them.

The other downside of the college system that I've seen is a result of the almost family-like atmosphere that the colleges tend to have.

Unfortunately, since the college is influential to some extent in all aspects of a student's life, it becomes very difficult to maintain privacy among peers in your college.

I have experienced this non-privacy firsthand as someone I know went through a personal experience which only after a short amount of time became public knowledge.

This disclosure of confidential information was disturbing, as we thought only a few people knew about the whole ordeal.

Despite these two complaints of mine with the college system, I do not ignore the usefulness of the colleges to Rice life. By being small and focused, they do provide a sense of security and fellowship among students.

They allow students a central location to go to and a place to feel comfortable.

They obviously aid in the planning and staging of social events and other college or campus-wide activities.

Also, unlike the greek system, the colleges are not necessarily affiliated with any type of people or clique, and students do not have to worry about being selected into a certain group.

The colleges, therefore, are beneficial but at the same time not as great as I thought they would be.

Perhaps the colleges could initiate certain programs or activities to increase interactions between students from various colleges.

Or maybe Rice should try to lessen the emphasis and focus on the colleges in the individual life of a student.

In this manner students would be able to get to know people from other colleges and gain some freedom while at the same time maintaining the same sense of security and familiarity that the colleges provide.

Usman Baber is a Hanszen College freshman.

This item appeared in the Opinion section of the September 15, 1995 issue.

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