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Video and Letter for McShan meeting
Posted by admin |Filed under: Administration | Tags: mcshan, md anderson library
On April 18, 2007 the student government passed a bill providing that an all fair trade coffee kiosk be installed in the 24 hour study lounge of M.D. Anderson library. Subsequent public information requests revealed that no Request for Proposal (RFP) had gone out to take bids for a coffee vendor in that spot. Normal governmental procedure requires that the entity send out the RFP and entertain bids before a contract is awarded. Our public information request also revealed that Starbucks representatives had recently visited the library site to prepare to install their coffee business. Emails from administrators indicated that the construction for the Starbucks would be moving along rapidly.
After the Students for Fair Trade discovered the University’s actions they approached Jim McShan for an appointment to discuss it. Mr. McShan is the vice president for finance and administration and has the authority to sign all contracts on behalf of the university.
On September 4th, 2007 at 4 pm seven members of SFT spoke with McShan’s assistant Faith Aguirre. As the video reveals, she confirmed a September 11 meeting with McShan and SFT. The edited video does not reveal that Aguirre first spoke with McShan in person about this meeting.
Video of SFT members requesting meeting:
Aguirre’s email to SFT two days later mischaracterizes the meeting as tentative. This is only one example of the duplicity of university administrators.
Download PDF of Faith Aguirre’s email response: here.
