UH Students for Fair Trade

University of Houston Students for Fair Trade members Ross Barnard and Timothy O’Brien shut down president John Rudley’s speech to the faculty senate on Wednesday afternoon September 20. They rolled into the room with a large banner that read “Rudley ignores student concerns,” “Students for Fair Trade.”

The Students for Fair Trade were angered by the administration’s actions ignoring the bill the Student Government had passed last spring. The bill required an all fair trade coffee vendor to be installed in the 24 hour study lounge in the M.D. Anderson library. Public information requests revealed that the University signed a contract with Starbucks and didn’t even put the contract out to bid. Starbucks will not sell only fair trade coffee.

Several Students for Fair Trade members had a meeting with UC honcho Keith Kowalka yesterday. He said that the student run Shasta’s ice cream store in the UC would be vending coffee by August 1. At least one blend would be fair trade. Without any prior notice, Mr. Kowalka reneged on his April promise to us to make the store 100% fair trade. The projected vendor for Shasta’s according to Kowalka is Katz coffee, which is an independently UH alumnus owned business.

Kowalka also claimed that a Starbucks would be put in the MD Anderson 24 hour study lounge by April ‘08 despite the Student Government bill passed mandating that be a 100% fair trade vendor. While the Food Service Advisory Committee meetings don’t back up that claim, Mr. Kowalka claimed the decision was made outside the FSAC.

The University, without consulting students or the Food Service Advisory Committee have decided to close the Java City outlet in the UC in 16-18 months. Currently 4 of 5 blends offered in Java City are Fair Trade Certified. Java City national sales manager Cathy Dodge refused to comment this morning and referred questions to Aramark.