Petition: Stop Negotiation, Release Information, Facilitate Discussion, Consider Sustainability
If you would like to sign this, give us an email (aes@acadiau.ca) and tell us where we can find you to get your signature.
Background
It has recently come to our attention that a Tim Horton’s may be very close to moving into the Students’ Union Building (SUB). From the information we have (which is very little), there is a contract that is being negotiated between the Acadia Students’ Union (ASU) and Tim Horton’s, but no other alternatives are currently being considered.
The ASU Executive have explained to us:
Last year, the ASU conducted surveys on food service at the SUB, where students wrote in their first choice for coffee shop. Tim Horton’s came up first with more than 90% of the vote, and over 400 people filled out the survey. In focus groups, Tim Horton’s also came up as the overwhelming first choice over other options. Students were repeatedly told about these options by emails, posters and other media around campus. They also identified the major concerns with food in the SUB, which included student employment, price, and consistency. Corporatization of the SUB was surveyed and not found to be an issue by a vast majority of students (around 90%).
After the focus groups ended, we heard nothing regarding the foodservice in the SUB until over a year later when it was announced that the ASU bought out the contract with Chartwells, and would be self-operating a market and grille. The news release said it had received a letter of intent from a business to occupy the Perkin’s space, but could not discuss any details. It was rumored that Tim Horton’s was this business. Upon hearing this I wrote an open letter to Kyle Steele, ASU President, expressing my concern over the implications of a Tim Horton’s in the SUB. A response came a week later stating reasons that Tim Horton’s “will be the operation that opens in the SUB in September 09″.
Petition
We believe that survey results and focus groups are useful in guiding a selection of options, but those options and their proposals should have been made public so students, faculty, staff and the community could weigh in on the economic, social and environmental consequences of each choice. We believe that a survey and focus groups are no replacement for a consensus reached by public discussion, and that the ASU has made no motion to engage all stakeholders in this open discussion over a decision that has definite implications for the sustainability, image and culture of Wolfville (a fair-trade town) and Acadia University (a university with a genuine commitment to sustainability).
Therefore, we call on the Acadia Students’ Union and the Acadia University Administration to halt any negotiations or decisions regarding food service in the Perkin’s space until the Students’ Union makes a public release of all information regarding this decision that is legally allowed and moves to engage all members of the campus and greater Wolfville community in the selection of an option that benefits the sustainability, image and culture of Wolfville and Acadia University. Furthermore, as a fair-trade town and university with a genuine commitment to sustainability, we ask that an option at least be seriously considered that is consistent with the Acadia University strategic plan goal of creating “a deep appreciation of our natural environment and an active commitment to sustainability among all members of the campus community.”
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