University must make fair-trade policy a priority
By Jasper Seldin
Last Thursday, the Student Senate hosted a Bon Appetit forum for the Santa Clara community to voice their concerns about the university's dining services. Given the strong student support for the fair-trade movement, I asked why Santa Clara had not decided to make the switch to only fair-trade coffee at all its dining venues.
Patricia Wilkinson of administrative services stated that the university had decided against offering only fair-trade coffee because they wanted to give students a choice: to either support fair trade or buy regular coffee and save 5 cents. She went on to say that it is not the university's responsibility to promote the benefits of the fair-trade program, but that of the student organization Santa Clarans for Fair Trade.
Later in the forum, a student complained that high food prices were forcing him off campus. Wilkinson responded that the high cost of food on campus is a result of the university's living-wage policy, which pays all Santa Clara employees at least the $10 an hour living wage determined by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. She said how proud she is that the living wage policy is a part of Santa Clara's commitment to social justice, and that the students have accepted our part in this commitment by choosing Santa Clara and paying higher food prices.
If Wilkinson is willing to compromise the principles of the university to give students a "choice" with regard to fair trade versus non-fair trade coffee, why not extend that same courtesy with regard to the living wage policy? Why not ask students if they want to buy living wage or non-living wage food when they swipe their cards to pay for their meals?
It would be absurd. In this light, the current fair-trade policy makes just as little sense. It is inconsistent with Santa Clara's commitment to competence, conscience and compassion.
To live up to its mission statement, I believe it is the responsibility of the university to promote fair-trade practices. The students are doing a great job, but their influence is limited without support from faculty and administrators.
University President Paul Locatelli, S.J., and his cabinet recently agreed in principle to a "sweat-free" plan. Their decision showed that Santa Clara is willing to be a leader in the global fight for progressive change. Embracing the fair-trade movement is the next logical step in Santa Clara's attempt to create a more just world.
The fair-trade movement for coffee and other products is gaining momentum: the University of California at Santa Cruz, Harvard, Yale and the University of California at Los Angeles are among many other completely fair-trade campuses.
Santa Clara is faced with an important choice: either keep things the way they are and be coerced into a fair-trade commitment later by the sheer number of universities joining the movement, or make that commitment to fair trade now and maintain a leadership role among educational institutions fighting for a better world.
Because I believe in the principles of social justice that are important to the mission of our university, I also believe it is time for Santa Clara to become a fair-trade campus, without exception.
Jasper Seldin, a senior, is Associated Students vice president.