The UI at Urbana-Champaign has completed its review of pouring rights contract proposals from Pepsi and Coca-Cola, and has determined that Coke offers the most economically advantageous package for the campus.
The university's decision is based primarily on proposed commissions on sales, marketing investment and product pricing.
UI administrators have notified both companies that the university plans to enter into negotiations with Coca-Cola. Those negotiations are expected to lead to a contract, if all the issues concerning the proposal can be resolved.
The decision to privatize the beverage vending operation could have an impact on a small number of union-represented university employees, and the university is in the process of bargaining with the affected unions.
Chancellor Michael Aiken has named a negotiating team that includes S. Eugene Barton, associate vice chancellor for student affairs; Charles Knox of the purchasing division; Katharine Kral, assistant vice president for business and finance; Judith Rowan, associate chancellor; Michael Siska, past president of Illinois Student Government and a member of the ad hoc student advisory committee on pouring rights; and Bill Yonan, associate director of athletics.
The team will be meeting within the next week to make preliminary decisions about priorities for negotiation with Coca-Cola. Comments and suggestions may be sent to any team member or e-mailed to pouringrights@illinois.edu.
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