This past thursday, I was startled by the presence of Walmart on Geneseo’s campus. Swarming around the lobby of our beloved union, Walmart’s sweet (and underpaid) employees received the brunt of my anti-corporate leanings. “Would you like a warm cookie?” they asked me. Not today! Why was a corporate entity allowed space for advertising and recruiting within the College? The values of Walmart and fellow corporations are not only antithetical to those of the College, but destructive to the Academy as a whole.
By granting Walmart space on Geneseo’s campus, the College is supporting a corporation that threatens the future of public education. While Geneseo’s Mission, Vision and Values seeks to “[demonstrate] the enduring power of a public liberal arts education,” Walmart contributes to the campaigns of politicians who work to systematically defund public schooling. As founders of Walmart, the Walton family has contributed $6 million to Betsy DeVos’s Alliance for School Choice (ASC). DeVos, the United States Secretary of Education, is working to construct a “voucher system” that would allow taxpayer funds to be redirected from public schools to private and religious institutions. Although this system directly affects elementary and secondary schools, it is important for the College to take a strong stance on this issue. As a member of SUNY– the largest system of public higher education in the nation— Geneseo has an ethical obligation to advocate for the public school system. A lesser student body might say, “isn’t the College just connecting students with job opportunities?” But in order for Geneseo to fulfill its Mission to “inspire students to be socially responsible and globally aware citizens,” the College must be consciously stringent in deciding what parties it affiliates with.
Equally important is the College’s value of Inclusivity. Although Geneseo’s Mission, Vision, and Values espouses its commitment to “fostering a diverse campus community marked by mutual respect,” the College’s affiliation with Starbucks troubles said commitment. As recent headlines show, Starbucks has a race problem (or, to be more precise, Starbucks as a corporation reflects the systematically racist norms of America). Earlier this month, two black men were arrested while waiting to order coffee at Starbucks. Because Geneseo’s union is home to a Starbucks franchise, such an occurrence should prompt campus-wide reflection. In response to Starbucks’ actions, I believe Geneseo should cut ties with its darling coffee chain. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “I need my freshly brewed, ethically sourced double-double!” But how ethical can your brew be in the face of such injustice? Isn’t there a better option? A coffee shop by any other name would taste as sweet. In order to fulfill the Mission, Vision, and Values’ belief in “ethical local… citizenship,” the College should consider forming a student-created and student-managed coffee shop.
Moving forward, the College must exactingly review the corporations it chooses to partner with. And while administration may be slow to enact such changes, students must realize their duty as ethical citizens to protest partnerships antithetical to the College community. Please don’t mess up Coca-Cola, or the Student Association will have to figure out how to brew their own soda.