BurmaNet News: Building the Net (r)

[ai268@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

> ************************************************************** 
> BURMANET: CONTACT REQUEST--UNIVERSITY CAMPAIGN ORGANIZERS
> November 12, 1994
> 
> BurmaNet has received a request from a U.C.L.A. student for
> information on other groups organizing university campaigns.  If
> you or someone you know is involved in a boycott or selective
> purchase campaign, please contact BurmaNet and you will be put in
> contact with others involved in the same issue.
> 
> Here is an extract from the original request:
> 
>      ...a group of students at UCLA in the Environmental
>      Coalition is pushing for a Pepsi Boycott on campus and a
>      selective purchasing agreement with the University.  I
>      wanted to find out on the Net or wherever you think it
>      would be appropriate what campuses are doing similar work
>      to share resources.  I don't know how to send out this
>      kind of request or where to send it but it would be
>      really helpful to us.  Do you have any ideas?  I'd really
>      appreciate it.

I'm not sure if I can help or not - people here worked on the South African
divestment campaign a few years ago, but I'm not sure how applicable a Cdn
experience would be to California.  Also, our current struggle is with a
company with an exclusive marketting deal with PepsiCo.  The first question
then, is can you get Coke or RC or whatever on campus?
  
The problem for some Cdn schools has been that the school may have a
financial interest in PepsiCo or a company with a marketting agreement
with them.  If they own shares or whatever, then you're facing a classic 
'divestment' struggle if you want to get PepsiCo to at least share shelf
space with other brands.  If it's just a matter of a exclusive contract, 
then its important to suggest to them viable, attractive alternatives.  If
there's no special relationship at all, then you can combine promoting the
boycott with encouraging students, staff and the BoD to push for 'selective
purchasing' in general. 


-- 
Reid Cooper
(613) 729-5409  or  (613) 788-2757  //  fax: (613) 7884060 ("Attn: OPIRG")