UH Students for Fair Trade

We are having a press conference on Monday June 16 at 1 pm in front of M.D. Anderson Library on the main UH campus. It’s at 4800 Calhoun road, use entrance number 1.

“Student Performance: A Library Starbucks Cart will make the Library more appealing to many students, this may result in more students studying in the Library, thus increasing the University G.P.A. Higher Grade Point Averages will help enhance the University’s image and increase the caliber of new students.”

—General Assumptions Regarding the University of Houston Library

The big question is: Does the administration still hold to this reasoning? I think this document has gone relatively unnoticed on this website. Maybe you should check it out.

SFT president Ross Barnard has called a press conference for Monday March 3 @ noon in front of the M.D. Anderson library. Check out the media advisory for details. Get the details.

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 4^th, 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.