By Anastasia Tsioutas
For some students it would have seemed more practical to sip hot chocolate and sleep inside on a cold fall night. Tuesday night, however, Students Against Injustice (SAI) opted to sleep outside President Stuart Rabinowitz’s office building as part of an overnight protest.
In an effort to express their concern over the University’s contract with the Coca-Cola Company, members of Students Against Injustice (SAI) held a peaceful protest from 3 p.m. Tuesday through the evening and left Wednesday morning.
The “sit down” was a result of SAI’s disapproval of Coke’s alleged human rights violations and the fact that products from other beverage companies are not offered on campus.
“The reason we are here is to educate the general student population,” Will Fisher, an SAI member and junior, said. “Let them know what is going on, especially in South America.”
SAI members Richard Hawke, James Benjamin and Madeleine Banulski had a meeting with Rabinowitz to discuss the University’s exclusive contract with Coke. SAI members informed Rabinowitz of the measures they will take, if necessary, to end what they refer to as the company’s “monopoly” on campus.
Hawke said SAI presented the humanitarian and environmental reasons as to why Coke shouldn’t have an exclusive contract on campus to Rabinowitz.
Rabinowitz advised the organization to write a report that substantiates their claim. He wants the members to research other schools and find out information on how new contracts would economically affect the University.
“He said he’s really busy. When he gets time he’ll look into [options],” Hawke said. “He doesn’t want this type of contract at all, but it was here before he came in.”
However, due to a privacy clause in the contract, Rabinowitz will not let students look at the contract or give specific details of the contract. Catherine Hennessy, financial advisor to the president, refused to meet with students. according to SAI.
While the meeting went on in Rabinowitz’s office, the rest of SAI held a sit down in the downstairs lobby.
“Basically we’re trying to show strong student support to President Rabinowitz and the Board of Trustees,” Vanessa Cudabac, an SAI member and junior, said.
The goal of the demonstration was to raise awareness about Coke’s contract and their alleged human rights violations. Students were encouraged to sign the petitions and join the sit down.
Originally protestors sat inside in front of Rabinowitz’s office, but Public Safety told them they had to be outside because they were a fire hazard.
The SAI members moved their demonstration to the intersecting paths of the Axinn Library and Davidson Hall and the front step of the downstairs lobby of Rabinowitz’s office.
When Rabinowitz left at the end of the day, he saw SAI members holding posters encouraging students to sign petitions to end the exclusive contract. Hawke said Rabinowitz stood and spoke with the students gathered.
Assistant Vice President of University Relations Melissa Connolly said Rabinowitz supported the students’ rights to gather peacefully on campus.
“He was interested in hearing their views,” she said. “He agreed to continue dialogue [regarding the Coke contract].”
SAI found many students who agreed with their dissatisfaction and collected approximately 1,000 signatures.
One student who signed the petition shouted, “Yes, oh my god, yes. I love you.”
Posters proclaiming, “Hofstra students don’t swallow Coca-Cola’s lies” and “Pro-soda Choice” scattered the grass outside of the library, as one protestor shouted, “Coke’s a joke.”
“We just want the administration and school to understand that we are really serious,” Abby Thompson, an SAI member and freshman, said. “We are willing to stay here all night because we really care about this.”
The exclusive contract with Coca-Cola prohibits the distribution of non-Coke products on campus. SAI members feel students should be given other choices.
“We are not trying to get rid of Coke. We just want to have other options,” Banulski, a junior, said. “As students we have a lot of power.”
Several SAI members are boycotting Coke products because of their human rights violations and they find it difficult to purchase non-Coke products on campus.
PepsiCo Inc. also accused Coke of monopolistic practices. In the article, “Coke’s antitrust dispute may end,” written by Paul Geitner of the Associated Press, the rival beverage company complained in the 1990s that Coke’s distribution deals in Europe unfairly restricted access for competing products to store shelves and coolers.
According to the Coca-Cola Web site, the company is the world’s leading manufacturer, marketer and distributor of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups, since 1884. Nearly 400 beverage brands are produced from these concentrates and syrups.
The group has another follow-up meeting with Rabinowitz on Nov. 18 and a meeting with the dean of students was scheduled to take place yesterday.
The sit down was sparked because the University’s contract with Coca-Cola will expire in 2005. SAI members found this to be the most opportune time for a sit down, in order to get the attention of the University.
There were approximately five people at the sit down at 5 p.m. and approximately 15 students spent the night sleeping outside.
When Rabinowitz returned to campus Wednesday morning, the group was still there. He acknowledged their persistence and had hot chocolate brought down to them.
(Harry Tanielyan/The Chronicle)