Move follows company’s failure to address University Senate’s November resolution
New York University will move ahead with its previously announced ban on the sale of products produced by the Coca-Cola Company. The decision was made in accordance with a resolution passed by the New York University Senate on Nov. 3, which had given the Coca-Cola Company until Dec. 8 to agree to a third-party protocol that would lead to an “independent investigation into allegations of the Coca-Cola Company’s complicity in human rights violations” in Colombia. The resolution passed by a vote of 28 to 10.
Products will be pulled from vending machines and shelves on campus beginning Friday, Dec. 9, 2005. The ban will apply to all Coca-Cola products, including the Coca-Cola, Minute Maid, and Dasani brands.
Arthur Tannenbaum, chair of the University Senate’s Public Affairs Committee, notified Coca-Cola of the decision in a letter to Edward E. Potter, the company’s director of global labor relations and workplace accountability, which read:
- Thank you for your letter last evening detailing the current state of affairs in the efforts to create a protocol satisfactory to all parties. It is encouraging that you will continue these efforts and, hopefully, will set a protocol in the near future by mutual agreement between Coca-Cola and the University Commission.
- Regretfully, as the deadline for this process is at hand, I will report to the University Senate today that the protocol is not in place, and accordingly, the ban on the sale of Coke products will go into effect.
- Any progress in resolving this matter is of much interest to us and I expect that you will keep us informed as concerns about the assessment are finalized and agreed to by all parties.
New York University, located in the heart of Greenwich Village, was established in 1831 and is one of America’s leading research universities. A member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, it is one of the largest private universities, and it has more international students than any other college or university in the U.S. Through its 14 schools and colleges, NYU conducts research and provides education in the arts and sciences, law, medicine, business, dentistry, education, nursing, the cinematic and dramatic arts, music, public administration, social work, and continuing and professional studies, among other areas.