<p>I've seen this comment, "Martel is not a college" quite often now.
Why is this exclusively towards Martel?
I haven't seen similar comments on the even newer colleges, Duncan and McMurty?</p>
<p>Hahaha. I love that this is on CC actually, my roommate and I had a laugh. Okay… So… Martel is made fun of as being the “non-college” since back when it was founded, it was founded as a dorm. It was made for those people who didn’t want to be a part of the residential college system, but still wanted to live on campus. When they decided to integrate it as a college people jokingly made fun of Martel for its past as being a dorm. </p>
<p>Ironically, Martel is a very nice place to live (great rooms) and has a lot of interesting traditions that they take pretty seriously (probably trying to compensate for their “non-collegeness”). Since I am from another of the residential colleges, I am indoctrinated and obliged to tell you Martel is not a college even though the official story is to the contrary. ;)</p>
<p>Don’t take it to heart. It is all just playful teasing. :)</p>
<p>haha Well, actually, Martel was founded with every intention of being a college like the eight others before it. Rice did not receive a $15 million donation from Marian and Speros Martel in order to build a mere “dormitory” on the north side of campus. The Martels made that donation in 1998 as part of the “Rice: The Next Century” initiative, which included plans for a new residential college. </p>
<p>Martel’s current predicament was the product of the administration’s (in hindsight) poor handling of transfer students from other colleges. When Martel opened in 2003, its rooms were significantly nicer than any other place on campus. Unlike Duncan and McMurtry, though, Martel did not have the fortune of being closely shepherded into the college system by an older sister college. Also unlike Duncan and McMurtry, the administration chose not to recruit upperclassmen from other residential colleges. Instead, over 60 freshmen transfers were chosen from the older eight. </p>
<p>The students who were not invited to transfer labeled the departing students as traitors, and they unanimously decided to deny Martel recognition as a college - essentially rejecting the traitors who’d rejected them. Since it was a very nice facility full of “social rejects,” Martel was derisively labeled a dormitory or an apartment complex, but never a college. Enjoying Martel’s exclusion, the uninvited students propagated this view of Martel to subsequent classes of Rice students. It stuck and has been going on ever since.</p>
<p>The university learned from its experience with Martel, and it did a much better job of integrating Duncan and McMurtry recently. I think Martel will always suffer this exclusion, unfortunately. </p>
<p>Of course, these things are all for fun and games! With the several myths that circulate about Martel’s history, there may be a few students who really think Martel’s not a legit college. For the most part, though, I’m pretty sure many non-Martelians like myself recognize Martel as a college - even if we don’t often say it aloud. haha Also, recognition as a college doesn’t come from students anyway; it comes from the University.</p>
<p>You can see what the University thinks here: [Colleges</a> : Rice University](<a href=“http://www.students.rice.edu/students/Colleges.asp]Colleges”>http://www.students.rice.edu/students/Colleges.asp)</p>
<h1>IssueSettled ;-)</h1>
<p>Oh, really! Wow. Okay, scratch my reply. That is what I was told by my college O-Week advisers. I guess my reply is still useful, but only as an example of how stories get twisted over time. This makes me curious about the stories I heard regarding Jones and their goats, but this is not the venue to bring this up probably… Thanks Duncaroo for telling the real story!</p>
<p>So is there anyone who gets placed in Martel (or any of the “real” colleges) who gets upset about it? When I toured they said that people really don’t transfer out of their colleges unless there are major extenuating circumstances. Of course they also said that if your parents were in one college you can request to be there, which did seem a little weird. Thanks for the story behind it!!</p>
<p>@artemis - think fraternity/sorority without all the drama and that is the “college” system…ok a little simplistic, but you get the idea. That is why if someone’s parents attend a certain college, their student/child might seriously want to be in the same one.</p>
<p>My D is currently a freshman and says that all her friends love their colleges and claim them all to be the best, even the Martelians.</p>
<p>The vast majority of students are happy with wherever they’re placed! I would also like to reiterate that SchoolAdvice’s reply is completely false - in addition to Duncaroo’s story, here’s a more detailed history: [History</a> | Martel College](<a href=“http://martel.rice.edu/about/history/]History”>History – Martel College)</p>
<p>In Martel’s defense, we’ve been one of the most active colleges the past few years in terms of social scene, campus-wide reputation, academic awards, etc. We just had our 10th anniversary party last Friday and it was INSANE hearing from some of the older alums who where here when Martel was just starting out! Things we have include (but are not limited to):
- Oktoberfest
- Greek Week (fake frat/srat themed week every February coming to a close with a birthday celebration for Speros Martel; basically a week of extra college nights)
- Our current masters have established a tea&scones event where they regularly invite accomplished/influential people from the Houston community focused on social good to come chat with students. They also have a Ferrari and a Maserati, which are irrelevant here but still really awesome.
- Don’t Mess With Texas: first party of the year, huge event for out-of-state freshmen in particular and an excuse to buy your first pair of cowboy boots
- Superb student government changeover traditions (both within our larger government and executive council) that I’m keeping a secret
- THE ABSOLUTE BEST Beer Bike morning party. If you take issue with that, ask the 30+ people from your college who showed up. We do Willy Week really well; as far as I know, we’re the only college that hosts a large themed event every night.
- Nicest rooms on campus, hands down. Nicer than in the newer buildings because we didn’t try to get LEED certified (no concrete cinderblock walls). I’ve had my own personal room (with a common room and a private bathroom) since I was a sophomore.
- Our RAs have the best dog on campus. </p>
<p>MBYM etc etc.</p>
<p>Once again, sorry for speaking falsehoods about Martel! I didn’t mean to disseminate any wrong info. Regarding college placement I have not met many people who weren’t firmly convinced they came from the best college. Each of the residential college has their amazing quirks and traditions that give them very strong identities. Don’t worry about which you will be placed into, you will love it regardless! :)</p>
<p>Why is the sky blue?</p>
<p>P.S. - SchoolAdvice, I know the story behind the Jones / goats thing. If you’re interested, PM me.</p>