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Volume 41, Issue 2
September 16, 2003
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September 16, 2003
Machines irk
thirsty patronsistrict filled with clash
Daniel
Raven
Mesa Legend
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| Santiago Manriquez
Mesa Legend |
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Returning students might have found it more difficult than usual to obtain
a beverage from the Pepsi machines around campus lately.
Problems encountered include machines which are understocked, erroneously
stocked, or simply nonfunctional.
Product shortage may not be surprising given the unusually high enrollment
number, which neared 27,000 students as of Aug. 29.
However, enrollment does not explain the problem with keeping correctly
stocked machines operational on campus.
Frustrated students who lose money attempting to purchase beverages have
not found service telephone numbers on machines.
The only numbers posted on machines have been for repair.
Refunds are available in the campus cafeteria; however, few students are
aware of this.
Student Racheal Brown said, “More than $5 has been stolen from me
by the soda machines.” As a result, she has chosen to walk to the
cafeteria when she wants a beverage.
“In the last year I have yet to get, more than once a week, the
product I want, if any product at all,” Erin Berry, a student, stated.
“I buy Coke at the store because I know I’ll have it.”
Pepsi machines on campus are the result of a contract between the Maricopa
Community College District (MCCD) and the Aramark Corporation.
Aramark is a food services company, which subcontracts for Pepsi for vending
services.
The contract lasts until June 30, 2010, and includes commitments to make
$725,000 in renovations to school grounds over the first two years; and
to give the school 20 percent of vending machine commissions, and 1 percent
of café and catering sales; or a combined $75,000 minimum, annually.
The proceeds go to the auxiliary services, which funds student government,
athletics, and clubs.
Student complaints surprised Rick Ecker, Aramark Food Service director
on campus.
He claimed to be unaware of the situation, and stated that he needed to
“get more tuned in.”
As to the nature of the problem, Ecker said, “I don’t know.
I would think that Pepsi would want to keep their machines full.”
The Aramark contract with MCCD holds Aramark responsible for “providing,
installing, and maintaining all vending equipment,” not Pepsi.
This makes Ecker the responsible party on campus.
As a result of student complaints, Ecker made commitments that included
an additional day of service to the machines every week and refund-related
stickers on all the machines starting Sept. 9.
He also claimed to have spot-checked all the machines as of Sept. 2, and
stated that they were all “good.”
Ecker urged students to come forward with refund requests at the cafeteria.
Days after his spot check machines are still malfunctioning across campus,
so refunds may be in order.
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