Sometime in the near future, AU will decide on the fate of a premiere piece of real estate on campus. The spot currently occupied by Auntie Anne's Pretzels will soon be replaced, either by a Starbucks or a Pura Vida coffee shop.
Strangely, the administration has brushed off a huge outpouring of support for Pura Vida as "less than one-fifteenth of campus." Considering how much bigger that proportion is than most previous campus movements that have actually made progress, it's very questionable for AU to not consider those petitions. While it may be true, as the administration says, that focus groups point to students wanting a Starbucks, it simply cannot ignore those who support Pura Vida.
It seems likely that AU will end up choosing Starbucks. It wants the status symbol that comes with having the Starbucks brand on campus. It wants to be able to impress prospective students by pointing to a Starbucks, next to the Chick-Fil-A, down the hall from the Einstein Bros. Bagels.
Frankly, we do not see a real use for another coffee place on campus. You can already pick up coffee from the Eagle's Nest, Einstein Bros. Bagels, the Davenport in the SIS Building, Wagshall's in the Ward Building and Megabytes Caf?. Additionally, there are three Starbucks shops within walking distance of campus. Neither Starbucks nor Pura Vida fulfill a need that is not already met on campus. In fact, with all the coffee available, it would be nice if the spot in the Mary Graydon Center were filled with a Dunkin' Donuts or a Krispy Kreme.
Since that's not an option, though, if we had to pick another coffee place, we would go with Pura Vida. Its support of fair trade and living wages for employees should be rewarded, and supporting such an organization fits with AU's goal of preparing globally aware citizens.
