Over the past months of business, we at the food service student run businesses; Greeno Sub Shop, Earthfoods Cafe, Sweets and More and Sylvan Snack Bar, have encountered many rightfully disappointed students expecting to pay with transfer swipes for their food. We apologize, for we fully expected to be authorized to accept your swipes by now, but unfortunately have been forced to turn them away.
Last spring, the SGA passed an act to officially include food service student business as venues on campus that will accept YCMP transfer swipes. It was the absence of Vice Chancellor Mike Gargano's signature from the act that introduced the problem we now currently face. Upon further investigation, it became evident that the Vice Chancellor was advised by Joyce Hatch, the Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance, to not sign this act because, "transfer swipes were not designed to be used in student run businesses and therefore not priced to support the option for use in the student run businesses." While this is understandable to some extent, every freshman and sophomore student that is required to pay for their meal plan each semester knows that auxiliary services is in no legitimate financial distress.
The student-run businesses are a unique feature of our University. They represent a diverse range of students from the School of Management to Sustainable Agriculture who come together in cooperation, eager to learn the principles of small business ownership. From donating tip money to creating a sense of community on campus, we try our best to make positive contributions. Yet, the reluctance of Auxiliary Services and others to help financially support us, as demonstrated in the act's rejection, is an example of how we feel misunderstood by some of the administration.
This most recent policy issue is in the context of many policies initiated by Auxiliary Services that aim to deemphasize the presence of student run businesses on campus. An example of this is how in a regular YCMP meal plan, where a swipe is worth $6, student businesses are reimbursed only 90 percent of each $6 swipe. The fact that Auxiliary Services has the power to pass such policies emphasizes the point that we are no legitimate competition to the monopoly that they have over student dining.
The motto of the student businesses is "students working for students." We at the businesses want the same things out of this University that you do. In light of all the challenges we face, we are fortunate to have loyal customers who appreciate us and therefore it is very important that we clear up this misunderstanding. We also encourage you to help fight for flex swipes in the upcoming semesters by petitioning your area government senators to rewrite and reissue the act.
Greeno Sub Shop, Earthfoods Cafe, Sweets and More, Sylvan Snack Bar
In support: People's Market, Campus Design and Copy, Tix Unlimited and Bike Co-op
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