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The University of Maine?s 10-year contract with Coca-Cola Co. to be the exclusive soft drink served on campus is coming to an end. UM officials are preparing to start the bidding process for a new contract. Buy Photo
ORONO, Maine — As the University of Maine’s 10-year exclusive contract with the Coca-Cola Co. winds down, campus officials are preparing to start the bidding process for a new contract.
When former UMaine President Peter Hoff signed the contract with the soft-drink giant in July 1999, it was among the first such exclusive beverage deals in the country, said campus officials.
Though Pepsi drinkers — and people who did not want to see the university become a billboard for Big Business — groused at first, UMaine spokesman Joe Carr said it has been a good partnership.
“It’s clearly been exceptionally beneficial for students,” he said Thursday.
That’s because Coke has paid the school $3 million for the rights to stock its dining halls and vending machines.
“A decision was made at the beginning of the process that the money would be used to directly benefit students,” Carr said.
Those benefits have included new seats in Hauck Auditorium, more books in Fogler Library, and classroom upgrades.
“Ten years ago, there were regular complaints that Pepsi products weren’t available,” Carr said. “Over time, that issue has faded. To some extent, that’s certainly due to the benefit that the university has received because of this contract.”
Part of the acceptance has come because exclusive beverage contracts are a widespread campus phenomenon these days.
“Ten years ago, UMaine was a little bit ahead of the curve,” Carr said. “Now it’s very common at colleges and universities to have a pouring-rights agreement.”
Carr said that university officials should finish a request for bid proposals around Thanksgiving.
On 10/31/08 at 5:44 AM,
Govt2Big wrote:
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Diet Coke is the #1 soft drink! For some reason, however, the Maine State Employees union "requests that MSEA-SEIU members boycott Coca-Cola products" at http://www.mseaseiu.org/ (see the "Stand Up for Union Workers Brutalized in Colombia" article toward bottom of site). They also have a prominent link to another bad website called www.corporatecampaign.org/killer-coke/index.htm.
Since the state's union is also involved with UM, I hope this negative publicity doesn't impact the new bid.
On 10/31/08 at 6:02 AM,
Louise wrote:
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I have always preferred Pepsi,myself. But what is the big deal? It seems to have worked for them all this time. If you prefer Pepsi, bring it with you when you come in!
On 10/31/08 at 6:30 AM,
SteveyDee wrote:
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Unions suck, just another reason this country is in hard shape.
On 10/31/08 at 8:55 AM,
Educator wrote:
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Coca Cola is implicated in recurring attacks on union workers at Coca Cola bottling plants in Colombia. The university owes it to the people of Maine to choose its business partners carefully. More at http://www.killercoke.org/
On 10/31/08 at 9:50 AM,
aaronprill wrote:
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I was a student at UMaine back when the contract went into effect and remember how p*$$ed I was (an avid Mt. Dew drinker at the time). Now I'm not sure how I feel, but I tend to lean toward the "more choices are better" mantra. However, if UMaine can financially benefit from an exclusive rights contract then I can't fault them. (UM Class of 2001)
On 10/31/08 at 10:28 AM,
PeterTaber wrote:
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Michigan State, Hofstra and Union Theological Seminary are among the educational institutions whose students and staff have successfully rejected Coke because of the company's collusion with para-military thugs in Colombia in terrorizing workers at its bottling plants there. Why have literally hundreds of these workers been kidnapped, beaten and tortured? Why have at least seven been murdered? Because they attempted to organize for better working conditions.
Educator makes a good point in asserting the university (the news story is unclear: does this bribe/contract apply to the Orono campus alone?) "owes it to the people of Maine to choose its business partners carefully."
The people behind the monikers SteveyDee and Govt2Big might be forgiven for their foolish remarks because they are clearly ignoramuses. I hope the students and staff of my alma mater are made of better stuff and will take the trouble to educate themselves on this not untrivial issue. A good start is the killercoke website, which in addition to documenting these charges provides would-be student activists with specific help in taking action.
On 10/31/08 at 11:31 AM,
DanielSchwartz wrote:
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Do people really drink soda? Soda is bad for you. Drink water instead. Too bad UMO doesn't contract with Poland Springs. Water is your friend, so drink it up.
On 10/31/08 at 12:30 PM,
mariahstorm wrote:
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Let us first understand that we do have communist people in special positions within our school systems nationally! If you believe all instructors are saviors of our children you are wrong. How else does one infiltrate their views and impose them on others, other than "teaching" them!?
This soda issue is eliminating FREEDOM OF CHOICE! How much stock in coca cola does Hoff have??? He's been here for the last ten years we have had trouble with Zionist movement? I remember when you got a hot home cooked meal at college for 3.00. When i went back to usm later, it was all vending machine food, pricy and terrible. WE the students didn't like this new setup!!!! Even as undergraduates we were smarter than those who forced out good food for vending machine garbage. So this tells you the ADMINISTRATORS certainly have another view regarding the care of the student. Notice nothing was spent on education in that 3 million ... more buildings???? Not one scholarship to the students????? SHAM!
Vote NO on any spending........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
On 10/31/08 at 12:32 PM,
mariahstorm wrote:
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PS: Monopoly is now taught in college by the President's?????
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