David Leebron
@davidleebron
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President Emeritus of Rice University and former dean of Columbia Law School. President-designate of Texas 2036. Opinions and comments my own.
Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
Joined August 2009
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No Riley
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Chile
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Hawk Tuah
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Netherlands
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#NEDFRA
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Francia
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ラウール
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Game 6
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Olise
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Kante
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Bayern
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Griezmann
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Doña Segunda
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Rabiot
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Arkansas
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فرنسا
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Thuram
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THE BLACK DOG
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Alexis
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Holanda
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Deschamps
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#Smackdown
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Maroon
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كانتي
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DIAN
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Depay
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コインor時短
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GIL NA CAMA COM PITANDA
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This is very small fraction of what was left by over a million murdered souls at Auschwitz-Birkenau alone. Every pair of shoes, every prosthetic, every pair of eyeglasses is testimony to an extinguished human life. We honor them by remembering them & those persecuted everywhere.
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My new kicks. Eat your heart out. From my daughter. Custom made. By her.
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Great news that US government has reversed its position on proposed rules for international students and is withdrawing them. Apparently they will return to the flexible spring rules. Thanks to Harvard & MIT for filing the lawsuit, and enabling Rice & others to join support.
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I am so thrilled that our Provost,
@RDesRoches
has been named as Rices’s eighth president!!
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The rules regarding international students issued Monday by ICE have been described as reckless, insensitive, cruel & misguided. They are indeed. Our int'l students are a vital part of our community. They contribute immensely to Rice & go on to make extraordinary contributions...
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Yesterday ordered from HEB for pickup today. Tried to order a particular beer. Told "unavailable." As was every similar beer. Then realized every beer was unavailable. So changed pickup time from 11:30 to 12:30 & voilà, all suddenly available. Reform the insane Texas "blue laws".
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Rice beats
#15
ranked Marshall 20-0!!! So happy for our team and coaches. Congratulations and have a great trip home. The Owl community is excited for y'all!!
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I have a humble suggestion. Why not avoid the controversy of where the G7 meeting is held next year in the US, and celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 1990 G7 summit by bringing it back to Rice University?
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Today walked through Brockman Music & Performing Arts Center, a stunning and incredibly valuable addition to our campus.
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Happy Birthday Ping!!! (And please, don’t be constrained by concerns about embarrassing me with way more likes for this tweet than the one for my own birthday 6 days ago. I know my place.)
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Even though I know we’re not leaving the house for our 30th anniversary, when Ping says she’s getting dressed up, I know immediately I’m getting dressed up too.
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Breaking News: Prof. Caleb McDaniel wins Pulitzer Prize for his book "Sweet Taste of History: A True Story of Slavery and Restitution in America." Outstanding scholarship from an incredible citizen of
@RiceUniversity
who contributes in every way to Rice. Congratulations,
@wcaleb
!
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Hey, world. Want to understand Houston? Here's a symbolic reflection: from hurricane Harvey to World Series championship in 9 weeks.
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Stephen Klineberg: “No city has benefited more from immigration than Houston, Texas.” Angela Blanchard: “Great cities turn desperation into aspiration.” Over 80% of Houstonians favor granting citizenship to most undocumented immigrants living here.
#HoustonSurvey
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...to our country & the world in every sphere of endeavor. Rice will participate in legal action & advocate with our representatives to reverse these unjustified new rules. In the meantime we'll take the actions we can to enable our int'l students to continue their studies.
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Making today's announcement was certainly bittersweet. Serving as Rice's president has been an honor & privilege beyond description. Rice is both a great university & an extraordinary community. I celebrated today by meeting all my Fitbit goals!
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If you are really interested in superb Owls, we have a whole university full of them. Plus about 60,000 alumni.
Not into the Super Bowl? Perhaps you'd like to read about some Superb Owls instead.
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This is my kind of family. Congratulations to Angela Torres, and we welcome your family to the Rice family--as we welcome every class of 2024 admitted students and their families today! Looking forward to meeting you all on August 16th.
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After not being able to visit her for more than a year, took a 1 day (24 hrs on the ground) trip to Philadelphia to see my mom. Great to see she was in good spirits and healthy at almost 88 years old. (In Chinese culture, that’s the luckiest age!)
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We must do all we can to support the courageous medical personnel providing treatment to COVID-19 patients. Therefore "Rice will offer temporary housing for medical personnel who work in Texas Medical Center hospitals." This will be coordinated by the TMC.
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Congratulations to Glenn Youngkin on his election as governor of Virginia. He will be, to best of my knowledge, the first Rice graduate to serve as governor of one of the 50 states.
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You can now read the announcement on our new financial aid program, The Rice Investment, here:
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Things I get to do when the students are gone. 2018 version.
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And I convey my very last diploma tube as president of Rice.
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Deeply concerned over thoughtless & callous implementation of travel ban on 7 countries. We have many wonderful students from these places.
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OK, people, I’m tired of trying to handle this alone. Please pray, sing, yell, chant, meditate, dance or even tweet, whatever you believe most effective, to make Friday evening and Saturday morning rain-free for commencement.
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Perhaps not game specific attire, but ALWAYS appropriate attire.
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Today's walk thru campus was exactly 2.23 miles to remember Ahmaud Arbery, the black man shot dead 2/23 while jogging in Brunswick, Georgia.
#IRunwithAhmaud
Tonight the murderers were finally arrested. But nothing can erase either their horrific conduct or the outrageous excuse..
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Standing in a l-o-n-g line to vote at Rice Stadium. People eager to vote as soon as they can on this first day of early voting. I might not make it today (Int’l Zoom conf. at 9), but will return if necessary to make sure I cast my ballot. VOTE!!!
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Oh, the things I am willing to do for Rice. This photo is entitled, I think, the Presidents holding up the president.
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Can't say enough about our
@RiceVolleyball
team & their stunning victory over
#3
ranked UT. They broke new ground for Rice, & Rice community made for a record turnout at Tudor. Congratulations to this extraordinary team, great staff & coach
@gennyvolpe
!
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Ping: Larger than life in my office, larger than life at home (and everywhere else). Happy Anniversary as we celebrate 29 years of marriage!!
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Very excited about today's announcement of the creation of The Welch Institute for Advanced Materials at Rice, in partnership with the Welch Foundation, which has made a $100 million gift to Rice to fund this endeavor. It will be transformative for science, for Rice and Houston.
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Walking across campus today saw these two in clear violation of social distancing protocols. Stay safe!
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Our admissions office has made very clear that participation in peaceful protests will not harm a student’s chance of admission to Rice. The tragic consequences of violence from guns is an important issue, and speech, civic engagement and research on it should be encouraged.
Rice Univ. respects the right of free expression and encourages responsible citizenship among our current students and high school applicants. Disciplinary sanctions for participating in peaceful protests by students will not negatively impact their admission to the university.
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President Obama and Secretary Baker discussing lost days of bipartisanship and shared values despite policy differences. A magnificent celebration of the
@BakerInstitute
25th anniversary!
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Yesterday our seniors still on campus staged a mock graduation complete w/ march through Sallyport & band. Joyful, inspiring, bittersweet & brilliant. Our students at their typical best: making lemonade out of lemons. Thanks for seizing the moment before leaving the campus!
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Yes, today’s the day! Rolling out my new Owl kicks for their road test!
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I never tire of the beauty of this iconic building. Here with the morning moon.
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Married life. Some days feel like this and then some days feel like this.
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I cannot express the sadness and the loss the news of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's passing brings. A giant of a person who made our world so much better. A combination of brilliance and purpose that will continue to inspire so many.
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OK, Twitter, read you doubled "nearly everyone's" limit to 280. Why is mine still 140? Did you keep everyone w/ title "president" at 140?...
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Regarding the students who attended a Halloween party dressed as ICE officers, these “costumes” were remarkably insensitive given the present environment. Many of our students, including DACA students & others, are uncertain about their safety in this country. [cont.]
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And Rice wins the first conference game of the season 24-19!!! GO OWLS 🦉 🦉
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Awaiting 1500 or so students for freshmen barbecue — 965 freshmen and their dedicated O-week advisors.
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Campus today is especially beautiful with clear skies and perfect weather: 75-80 degrees and a nice breeze. If you miss a particular (outdoor) place on the campus, let me know and I’ll post a photo or video!
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OK, who authorized this 90+ degree day in mid-October? I am going to get this fixed by tomorrow.
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Thrilled to be moving our daughter into Trinity University as a freshman, and to be greeted by
@TU_President19
Danny Anderson!
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6 days ago in Minneapolis George Floyd was brutally killed. Rice students want to do something; Rice students want to make our world better.
@Summar_McGee
& others have organized a funding effort: Rice for Black Life. Today I and over 1200 others have contributed to support them.
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Campus looks absolutely gorgeous today! Our groundskeepers are just amazing. And while things are fairly quiet with undergrads mostly gone, many kids around attending various camps and families on college tours.
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WOW!! Within a month, Rice English professor
@lacymjohnson
wins a Guggenheim and history professor
@wcaleb
wins a Pulitzer.
@RiceHumanities
-- extraordinary people doing great work that changes our understanding of the world.
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How come they still need this when I’m actually here and in the same section?
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Rice has long had a commitment to making our educational affordable. Stay tuned for an important announcement tomorrow regarding that commitment.
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Thank you, Judge Hidalgo! Rice is proud to play a role in supporting convenient and safe access to the polls for the citizens of Harris County. VOTE!!!
Today I visited one of our incredible new polling locations,
@RiceUniversity
stadium. I checked in with
@harrisvotes
election workers, who are managing the largest turnout in history, seamlessly. No lines! Come to this historic stadium and cast your vote in an historic election!
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I'm sure I shouldn't retweet this but here's why to: We can all use a laugh right now & it reflects how talented & funny our students are.
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Deeply disappointed by decision on DACA. Terrible decision at a terrible time. Harris County has 2nd largest number of DACA-eligible people.
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Ping and I on campus today. (And no, that first photo is not a proper social distancing technique.) Thanks to Rabbi Kenny Weiss of Hillel for the great face masks.
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My daughter and I are now sneaker buddies. She made them both, but mine are way cooler.
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Just voted at Rice Stadium! No wait at all this morning. VOTE!!! Vote as if many lives depended on it. Because they do.
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A fabulous day of move-in and matriculation ends with a bang as our new students formally join the Rice community.
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A heartbreaking overtime loss at NCAA tournament, but so proud of our fantastic
@RiceWBB
team and every player. Thank you to these remarkable women,
@CoachLangley
and her terrific staff. Can’t wait until next year!!
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"I do want to welcome Pres. Obama, & note as ... The Thresher did 11 years ago our amazingly parallel careers. We both attended Harvard Law School. We both served as president of the Harvard Law Rev. And as noted then by the Thresher, we both married women way out of our league."
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To our dispersed students: more than ever, please stay in touch with each other. And as you develop your social media circles, please include some additional folks you might not have thought of. This is a time not to narrow your social circle, but to expand it.
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In very late 1800s, my great grandmother arrived in the US from the Ukraine w/ her 2 young sons, including my grandfather. This samovar is the only possession that survives today from that voyage. Today I feel concern & sadness for Ukrainians there, here & around the world ...
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Yesterday we were thrilled to host on lawn at our home a celebratory lunch for the fantastic
@RiceWBB
team & 2021 WNIT Champions! So proud of this team of great women. Always a joy to interact with
@nancymulkey
, although she makes me look a bit short in this photo.
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As students were preparing to march through the Sallyport, randomly encountered one very happy one.
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Very excited that Rice today revealed beautiful designs for the transformation of the midtown Sears building into a new innovation hub--The Ion, as in innovatION, creatION, collaboratION and inspiratION. The Ion will create new possibilities for our city.
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Only at Rice: Breaking news—the Faculty Senate has approved making April 8, 2024, when there will be a total eclipse of the sun across Texas, a holiday from classes! I am strongly in support of this! (People will need to travel from Houston to be in path of totality.)
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We voted! Have you? Vote—it’s a patriotic act of participation in a democracy.
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Watching resumed House and Senate proceedings this evening. Sen. Josh Hawley gives a speech of stunning dishonesty and hypocrisy.
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I'm grateful for the extra 140 characters that Twitter gave me. But it might cause some to drag out their tweets, make them less succinct and pithy. And longer. And more redundant. And more equivocal. And take more time to read even though the words don't add much. Oh never mind.
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After more than a year, it felt great to once again be able to walk around the campus without a mask, take a picture and calmly post it on Twitter. But keep your mask handy for when you closely engage with others or enter a building.
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It's 7 AM Sunday August 18. Do you know where your children are? If you're the lucky parent of one (or in two cases two) of the 967 new Rice freshmen, they are arriving at their new homes, Rice's extraordinary residential colleges!
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A great group of loud and enthusiastic students made their way to NRG stadium to cheer the Owls on against UT. While the game result was disappointing, the Rice spirit was fantastic!
#RiceFightNeverDies
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You’re welcome! Thanks to all those who prayed, danced, sang, chanted, meditated, rallied, MOB-ed, or made vegetarian offerings.
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Today was last day of classes for this most difficult spring semester. It was hard for everyone, although the burdens don't fall equally. Thanks to the students who persevered despite this, faculty who with little notice moved all courses online, & the staff who supported both.
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Congratulations to
@TheRiceThresher
on its
#3
ranking in just released 2019 Princeton Review! (Up from 12 last year!) While we don't agree all the time, an independent, and sometimes critical, student newspaper is a vital component of a vibrant university. Just like our nation.
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In other Princeton Review rankings, Rice once again (4 years in a row) ranked
#1
for "lots of race/class interaction." Diversity isn't just about the statistics, it's about the richness of learning opportunities. And our students learn especially from each other.
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Yesterday evening we were thrilled to host the first event of the new academic year - our annual dinner to thank the O-Week coordinators and leaders. What a great group! I have no doubt our new students will get and outstanding welcome to Rice!
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Here's the tie I chose to wear my first day in the office after Friday's travel ban directive.
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And the first group—from Baker College—is welcomed through the Sallyport!
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The dinner instructions said “Dress to impress.” I figured the only way I could do that was to wear a tie that 😱 screamed “I’m with her!”👉
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Rice honors the dedicated health care workers in the Texas Medical Center and welcomes those who will be taking up residence at two of our residential colleges on the Rice campus!
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Yes, that’s me in the excavator taking the first few whacks at demolishing Abercrombie to make way for our incredible new engineering and science building. You do get to do some fun things as a university president.
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I'm very excited to become part of
@Texas2036
, the premier non-partisan policy institute in Texas that on the basis of sound research and data seeks to aid our legislators & political leaders in enacting policies that will bring prosperity and opportunity to the people of Texas!
Texas 2036 is excited to announce today that former
@RiceUniversity
President
@davidleebron
will join the organization as its incoming president and CEO.
David will succeed former U.S. Sec. of Education Margaret Spellings.
Learn more:
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This photo doesn’t really need a comment. It’s spectacular in every way, and perfectly embodies the amazing spirit of our
@RiceVolleyball
team. Hoping to get a super large version for the president’s office.
📸🏐
#NCAAVB
Photo of the Week
Senior outside hitter Tabitha Brown celebrates a big point in
@RiceVolleyball
's upset win over No. 3 Texas last Wednesday. It was the Owls first-ever win over a Top-10 team and the first win ever against Texas.
Credit: Maria Lysaker
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And it’s another beautiful Houston morning at the most beautiful place in Houston. (My almost unbiased opinion.)
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Yesterday toured the new
@SidRichCollege
. Stunning building, great interior spaces (thanks to student input!), and remarkable views. Hey Sid Rich, time for a new Twitter photo.
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There are some advantages to the earlier sunset. Caught these on the way home.
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Running out of superlatives to describe this inspiring team, now 19-3. Googled "what word is more awesome than awesome?" Exactly: breathtaking, amazing, stunning, astounding, astonishing, awe-inspiring, stupendous, staggering, extraordinary, incredible, unbelievable. GO OWLS!
Big road win! We've tied the school record with our 12th consecutive win, matching the streaks of the 03-04/04-05 teams.
#GoOwls
👐 x
#Fight4Greatness
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Congratulations to Ahalya Lettenberger on winning silver medal in 200-meter individual S7 swimming medley at the Tokyo Paralympics!
Ahalya inspires us, and we're grateful & proud she chose Rice. Good luck to Ahalya in next event: 400m freestyle in 4 hrs.
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It’s Election Day—VOTE! Whatever the lines at polls, vote. Whatever time it takes to get there, vote. Whatever your agreement or disagreement w/ policies being pursued, vote. Voting is not only the fundamental right in a democracy, it is the essential prerequisite to a democracy.
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