Rival drinks duke it out

By Emily Martin - Public Affairs Reporter

Pepsi and Coke have long rivaled for our affection in advertisements and product placement, but now the red-labeled cola may have more to prove than its classic taste to some Illinois universities.
Northern Illinois University decided to maintain an exclusive contract with Pepsi-Cola in 1998 and UIS could follow suit in coming months. NIU cites their decision as purely financial, but a campus closer to home had another reason for wanting to break ties with Coke.
The Illinois Student Senate at UIUC wrote a resolution last September asking the administration to put a halt to Coca-Cola’s beverage contract until the company agreed to a third party investigation of alleged human rights violations. As it stands, the university still provides Coca-Cola in campus machines, and has sought no such investigation. Human rights may be in the sights of some universities, but as the allegations remain unclear, many say switching to a single beverage provider is a matter of economic efficiency.
Some U.S. campuses have decided to exclude Coca-Cola products because of alleged human rights violations in South America and Indonesia and environmental discrepancies in India. Students at the University of Michigan donned mock soda cans labeled “killer coke” last week to protest the school’s beverage choice, stating their campus should not support the company’s unethical decisions.    
SGA President Samantha Drews said a member of Witness for Peace addressed Coke’s supposed violations in Columbia at UIS last semester. She said the speaker accused Coca-Cola of using intimidation tactics against union workers to limit the rights of organized employees and said Coke was allegedly responsible for the deaths of eight union leaders. Drews said she wants to remind students that none of these claims have been substantiated, as Coke purportedly refuses to allow a third-party investigation. 
As for environmental injustice, the SGA president said the company has also been accused of using water recourses as leverage in less financially stable areas of India. “If a family has a well 10-feet deep, and a company digs a hole 30-feet deep next to it, the business draws out the water and the family can’t afford to keep up,” she explained. 
 Drews said she encourages students to get involved and learn all they can about the accusations. “I think that in the future this may be something worth lobbying for.” She said after getting more student feedback the SGA may write a resolution asking to ban Coke from our campus.
Regardless of the allegations, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Stephen Chrans contends, and Drews agrees, Illinois universities can benefit financially by having a sole beverage distributor on campus. Monetary incentive, says Chrans, is the only provable fact in the Coke vs. Pepsi debate as of now. So far, he said Pepsi is in the lead with the lowest bid.
 Chrans explained the payback of carrying only one beverage label, saying businesses receive a higher commission of sales if they buy from only one distributor. “The money from beverage sales goes to food service and [the added revenue] would help hold down the cost of food to students,” said Chrans last Wednesday.  He also said the state of Illinois has proposed a state-wide beverage bid, where one of the colas will likely replace the other in all state agencies such as IDOT and the Department of Motor Vehicles. Chrans said he did not know when or if the state’s anticipated beverage bid would be finalized, but the university would be affected if the state decided to carry only one product line.   
Campus soda sales indicate a 2:1 preference for Pepsi and machine placement at UIS reflects this preference, said Chrans. He said the decision to switch to Pepsi exclusively would have to be based on facts and student opinion, not purely accusations against the competitor. As the contract with Coke expires June 30, both the SGA president and the assistant vice chancellor say they hope to hear student feedback as well as progress of the statewide beverage bid soon.
Coke drinker Mason Summers said as long as there is still tea available on campus, he would not mind the switch to Pepsi products. “It would make sense if it saves us money,” said the CAP scholar. But to many UIS students, the answer to the Pepsi or Coke question is not cut-and-dry.
“I like to mix it up sometimes,” said Barbara Wheatley, senior R.A. of Bluebell Court. The sociology/anthropology major said her beverage choice also depends on the choice of cuisine. “When I have Italian food, I like Coke,” but she says “junk food” calls for Pepsi.
Communication major Stephanie Settles agrees, saying, “I like products from both distributors. Sometimes certain ones taste better with different food.” Settles also says she prefers Pepsi’s Mountain Dew to Coke’s Mellow Yellow, but favors Dr. Pepper over Mr. Pibb. Settles was surprised both of these distinct, dark beverages are affiliated with Coca-Cola; Mr. Pibb is owned by the Coca-Cola company, and Dr. Pepper is licensed under their name. Similarly, A&W, IBC and Barq’s root beer all reside under Coke’s name. A complete list of the company’s product can be found at their homepage.

Some faculty not thrilled about possible merger

By Ashley Rook

Depending on the results of the Campus Senate vote on Feb. 23, the College of Public Affairs and Administration and the College of Education and Human Services may merge into one.  However, despite the administration’s push to combine the colleges, the lack of faculty support may ensure that the merger is not achieved.
Last fall, the deans and faculty representatives of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College of Public Affairs and Administration and the College of Education and Human Services met for a one-day retreat to discuss the pros and cons of merging the colleges and to work together to figure out a way to accomplish that goal.  According to the faculty of both colleges, including associate professor of legal studies Nancy Ford, reducing the number of colleges from four to three has considerably more advantages than disadvantages, but the provost is still in favor of the merger.
If the merger is approved, both colleges will undergo some changes.  The faculty of each college will be required to establish a new internal governance structure and new bylaws.  According to University of Illinois statutes, “Each college… shall be governed in its internal administration by its faculty... governance of each academic unit shall be based on unit bylaws established and amended by the faculty of that unit." 
The faculty of the two colleges would then need to elect a new College Executive Committee.  Larry Stoneciper, the current dean of the College of Education and Human Services, has already been chosen as dean of the new combined college.  The merger would not directly affect any of the academic departments within the existing colleges; however, at least one department has been told by the provost that he intends to eliminate the on-campus offering of its graduate degree.
The issue will be voted upon at the Campus Senate meeting Feb. 23, but the lack of faculty support may prove to be a serious obstacle.  Faculty from both of the colleges oppose the proposed merger, saying the disadvantages of a merger outweigh any advantages and have passed resolutions opposing the action.  The provost and chancellor will have to seek and obtain approval for the merger because University of Illinois Statutes state that when there are proposals to change existing academic units, the Senate must be consulted.  
Article VIII, Section 1.c. indicates that in any reorganization of a college, “the president shall submit the proposal...together with the advice of the senate and chancellor and the University Senates Conference to the Board of Trustees for action.”
If the vote passes, the merger will be set for 2007.

New ways to celebrate V-Day

By Ashley Rook

With a few days left before Valentine’s Day, single and attached students everywhere are in a last-minute hurry to come up with the perfect plans for the 14th.  But if dinner and a movie sounds a little boring to you, try some of these more interesting and creative ways to spend your day for couples and singles alike.
For Couples
You’re lucky enough to spend Valentine’s Day with the one you love, but coming up with the perfect date can be stressful.  To spend a romantic but unique evening with the one you love, try one of these ideas:
Even if you have two left feet, you and your loved one can have a great time dancing the night away, whether it’s dancing at a club or trying out a more traditional dance style like the salsa.  On Friday, the Crowne Plaza Hotel will be hosting a night of swing dancing complete with dance lessons, which could be a fun way to get close to your significant other and learn a new skill.
For students a little low on cash this semester, making a romantic dinner at home is a perfect alternative to going out to eat at an expensive restaurant.  Choose an easy recipe and include little touches like candles and flowers, and you’ll have a romantic and private dining experience.  The downside?  For students living in the dorms, a meal of Spaghetti-Os and Pop Tarts might not exactly impress your date.
Much like shoe shopping, visiting art exhibits is one of those activities that strike fear into the hearts of most men.  But if you and your significant other are more artistically inclined, a visit to a local art gallery, such as The Blue Door Gallery, might be an interesting way to absorb some culture together.
If dinner and a movie sounds like a good idea, but maybe a little bit too predictable for a special day, mix it up a little.  Try ethnic food, such as Japanese, Thai or Indian cuisine and rent a romantic foreign film - the French film “Amelie”is a good choice for a sweet romantic comedy.
For Singles
While Valentine’s Day might be the day of love, there’s no reason why a single person’s plans for Feb. 14 should include spending a night alone with sappy chick flicks and a five-pound box of chocolate.  Try these ideas for a great time alone or with friends:
Even if you’re single on Valentine’s Day, quality time on the couch with your favorite movie star is a good backup plan (even if the closest you can get to them is through a trip to Blockbuster), so invite your friends over for a Valentine’s Day movie marathon.  “Casablanca,” “The Princess Bride” and “While You Were Sleeping” are all personal favorites.
So you have no boyfriend/girlfriend but a great friend of the opposite sex?  Try a “fake date” – go out for Valentine’s Day with your friend and have fun, but make sure to leave any romantic intentions at the door and keep it platonic. You’ll have fun with a friend, minus the stress of planning an elaborate date.
Feel like having a luau in February? Or partying in your pajamas?  Throw a Valentine’s Day theme party and invite all the eligible singles you know.  The theme is up to you, but silly costumes and good friends are guaranteed to beat the Valentine’s Day blues, and who knows?  You just might meet someone special in the process.
And for those of you who are completely sick of the Valentine’s Day hype, eliminate the opposite sex altogether and have a Girls’ or Boys’ Night Out with your closest friends.  For girls, a spa day or shopping excursion is a good way to spend bonding time with friends, and guys will definitely enjoy a trip to a sports bar followed by a night of Halo.

Rival drinks duke it out

Some faculty not thrilled about possible merger

New ways to celebrate V-Day