Contesting Campus Monopolies in Alabama
One of the issues that regularly raises the ire of university students—whatever their political stripe—is when a company has a monopoly on campus food service operations.
The indignation can be moral: “I shouldn’t have to support a company whose business practices conflict with my values.”Or ideological: “I support the free market economy.”
Or practical: “I want different food options.”
Regardless of the underlying reason, this practice is one that strikes many college students as unfair.
At three universities in Alabama, students are using the legal process to do something about monopolies on college campuses:
Students say in a class action [lawsuit] that the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa has given Aramark Educational Services "unfettered dominion and control over on-campus dining" by awarding it a monopoly on dining services, which "robs the students of the benefits of free choice in the marketplace." Students filed similar class actions against UA Birmingham and Sodexo, and Auburn University and Compass Group USA dba Chartwells.
Interesting that every one of the “Big 3”—Sodexo, Compass and Aramark—are included in the suit.
I’ll be interested to see where this case goes. If successful, this is an interesting model for students taking action to balance power on their campus—which usually tilts in the direction of administrators and companies and away from students.
Photo by David Smith via Flickr
