EDITORIAL: WIESS
As a college journalism professor once said, the college editor's job can be defined in three words: To raise hell. So, here we go.
The Wiess College renovation situation has gotten out of hand. Back-room politicking, students being cut off from the decision-making process, faculty members' comments being ignored, administrators being slandered behind their backs -- these are but a few of the activities surrounding the issue. Parties on all sides have told the Thresher bits and pieces of the story off the record . All the deception has led to two things -- a huge headache and a political cesspool.
The Wiess College renovation decision (see story, page 1) is something that may have a lasting impact on this university. A ninth college, one of the original and apparently currently-debated proposals, will alter the very institution that we now attend in a drastic manner. With the implications of this decision being so great, all students deserve to know the whole truth. And yet, the parties involved have continuously told the Thresher one thing on the record , "No comment." While it is obviously everyone's right to say this, we have one question, "Who exactly do all of you think you are?" We don't care if you are a Rice vice president or a Wiess College constituent, this issue has become a "university-wide" issue and must be given over to all students for input, especially since it can affect the dynamics of this school.
All parties have fumbled and bumbled through this one. Why not try actually talking openly instead of trying to hide the facts in a bunch of closed meetings and muttering about the situation in private? Drop the politicking -- there is no room for it in this decision. The students of this university deserve better.
All of the people involved in this need to take a step back and look at this issue from a university standpoint instead of making it into some big melodrama where the world revolves around this issue. It's no longer about Wiess College pride; it's about Rice University. One of the parties has to take a risk. Dancing around the issue will accomplish nothing, and the current course of action is a detriment to this university.
This item appeared in the Opinion section of the March 1, 1996 issue.
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