IUSB removes Chick-Fil-A from campus
Published: Monday, January 24, 2011
Updated: Monday, January 24, 2011 22:01
 "Photo: Courtsey of: www.union.umd.edu")
Courtsey of: www.union.umd.edu
Chick-Fil-A will no longer be sold on campus or passed out for free during events such as Welcome Week during the fall semester.
Related
Links:
A statement by Dan Cathy, President and CEO of Chick-fil-A : http://vimeo.com/18680127
Students missing Chick-Fil-A from the Courtside Café on Wednesdays should not expect the fast food restaurant's sandwiches to be made available any longer. IU South Bend has officially removed Chick-Fil-A as a vendor for the university.
The decision comes as a result of recent news that a Chick-Fil-A franchise restaurant in Pennsylvania will be donating food to the Pennsylvania Family Institute and Family Life for The Art of Marriage: Getting to the Heart of God's Design event. This event is a day and a half long event that promotes family and marriage. The PFI and Family Life organizations are both "against the homosexual lifestyle," according to their websites.
Linda Young, Director of Student Teaching and Clinical Practice in the School of Education at IUSB, brought the issue to the attention of fellow Campus Ally Network member Dr. Bruce Spitzer.
The Campus Ally Network is an organization on campus that involves students, faculty, and staff. Its mission is to promote acceptance and support to the LGBTQ community at IUSB.
"Because I believe in the Campus Ally Network purpose statement and the IU South Bend campus mission statement, I forwarded information to Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, Dr. Jeff Jones," said Spitzer. "My email included a request that the university initiate steps to stop this company from having a presence on our campus."
Jones forwarded the email to Bill O'Donnell, Vice Chancellor for Administrative and Fiscal Affairs, who also oversees campus dining services.
After working with Steve Rose, Director of Dining Services, O'Donnell brought the issue to the attention of the Academic Senate, who then made the decision to remove Chick-Fil-A from IUSB.
This means that Chick-Fil-A will no longer be sold on campus or passed out for free during events such as Welcome Week during the fall semester.
O'Donnell said that there will "probably not" be another vendor brought to campus to replace Chick-Fil-A.
"The IU South Bend Campus Ally Network is happy to be able to have this kind of collaborative conversation on our campus," said Spitzer, "and we appreciate the fact that people are listening to each other and demonstrating respect for each other."
Since the news spread throughout the media, Chick-Fil-A president Dan Cathy published a video on the internet addressing the issue.
"The operators simply agreed to provide sandwiches and brownies for the events, as many Chick-fil-A franchises have done over the years for community events, businesses, and civic groups," said Cathy. "Let me be clear: Chick-fil-A serves all people, and values all people."
Cathy continued on to say that because one locally-owned restaurant in the franchise donated food for an event does not mean that the company endorses "the mission, political stance, or motives of this or any other organization."
Chick-Fil-A is normally served on Wednesdays in the Courtside Café. It has been absent the past two weeks, and there has not been much question about the lack of this item.
Freshman Luke Beyler is proud of IUSB for its decision to remove Chick-Fil-A.
"I didn't think that IUSB would make any stand, but honestly I am very proud of my school for doing so," he said. "It's comforting to know that I am receiving my education from a school that supports all of its students regardless of their race, gender, beliefs, or sexual orientation."
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