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Oregon Daily Emer
o J
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Wagner serves up home cooking Page 5
Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon
Volume 105, Issue 86
The taste of change
Erb Essentials offers an alternative for Coke loyalists in the wake ofits expired contract with campus monopoly Pepsico
... mumpi
Erb Essentials in
the EMU now
stocks some of its
shelves with
Coca-Cola after
its contract with
PepsiCo Inc.
expired on Dec.
31,2003.
Photo Illustration by
Adam Amato
Senior
Photographer
By Caron Alarab
Senior News Reporter
In the ongoing cola war against Pepsico Inc.,
Coca-Cola Co. has crossed enemy lines at the
University.
After the expiration of a binding contract, Erb
Essentials Store, the Pepsi-dominated conven
ience store in the EMU, has allowed the compet
ing cola company to stock its shelves.
"A lot of people are excited," Erb Essentials
employee Christ Wriston said. "It's nice to have
a choice."
According to an informal Emerald survey
based on a random sample of University stu
dents, 41 percent of the students surveyed said
they prefer Coke, while 39 percent chose Pepsi
and 20 percent had no preference.
"Everywhere you go, it's all Pepsi," senior Todd
Melrose said. "It's frustrating."
A self-titled "Coke-loyalist," Melrose said he
"doesn't really care for Pepsi."
"I don't like the taste; it's too sweet," he said.
Now that at least one University-managed
store sells Coke on campus, Melrose said he will
know where to go next time he needs a cola fix
at the EMU.
"It's just nice to have the option," he said.
As a business major, Melrose prides himself in
knowing which colas are served at his favorite local
restaurants. Melrose said he tends to pass up Taco
Bell, Subway and some pizza restaurants for Burger
King and McDonald's, both which sell Coke.
"When I'm hungry and thirsty, it influences
my decision of where I want to go," he said.
EMU Food Services — which manages Erb
Essentials, Buzz Coffeehouse, Daily Grind,
Greatful Bread and three other campus cafes —
has signed contracts with both cola companies
at different times.
While Coke dominated all the vending ma
chines on campus from 1997 to 2002, Pepsico
obtained the campuswide fountain machine
contract. During Erb Essentials' remodeling in
1998, Pepsi also picked up the refrigerator con
tract, which covers all Food Service units.
According to Pepsico's contract, the company
agreed to give the convenience store a brand
new, seven-door unit under the condition that it
held "only Pepsi-bottled products" for the fol
lowing five years.
After the contract expired on Dec. 31, 2003, the
University took full ownership of the unit and al
lowed Coke to deliver stock to Erb Essentials just
in time for the first day of winter classes.
Although Coca-Cola is the only company
that has taken advantage of the previously re
stricted space, EMU Food Service Director John
Costello said he expects other, smaller bottlers
to catch on soon.
"Our intention is to allow different operators
to market their products on campus," he said.
Over the years, Coca-Cola has received some
negative press, including anti-Coke e-mails circu
lating online.
Although most consumers consider them
selves unaffected by bad cola press, some admit
to disliking Coca-Cola because of the negative
Turn to COKE, page 8
February
election
revives
tax clash
Measure 30’s supporters
and opponents renew debates
over the merits of increased
taxes after voters rejected 28
By Ayisha Yahya
News Editor
With Oregon's Feb. 3 special election
approaching fast, proponents and oppo
nents of Measure 30 are rallying voters to
surcnaiges, changes to cor
PART 4 OF4
Thursday: Education
Friday: Social services
Monday: Police
Today: Pros and Cons
porate and
property tax
and an exten
sion of the cig
arette tax to
2005.
Since the
measure was first referred to voters last
"ers have been subjected to dur
ing viewpoints on whether to approve the
‘"n Gov.Ted Kulongoski stressed
the importance of the measure in ‘dlevia
ing the state's financial crisis and keeping
^measure is more a vote aboutyou.
vour future — the future of the state
than it is about a debate about tax, he
said during a recent visit to
Referring to the potential cuts, he saia ne
iss^aiotofunretaMngrogroups
about the consequences of the measur
"This vote sends a message tc p P >
he said "If it goes down, the message l
^nds to people is that they're not witting
l° Education adrninistrators also hope die
measure will pass.
Turn to MEASURE 30, page 4
Grant ensures FPEP at UO Health Center until 2006
f-amily Planning Expansion Project
offers services such as birth control
and tests for STIs to those who qualify
By Lisa Catto
News Reporter
University students will have the opportunity to
get free family planning services for nearly three
more years.
Many students who had Family Planning Ex
pansion Project appointments during the last sev
eral months may have been told that the services
would no longer be available after the new year,
but FPEP was saved when the University Health
Center received a portion of Lane County Public
Health's grant to run the program until 2006.
FPEP, a Medicaid project that provides many
free family planning services to men and women
who qualify, has been available at the health cen
ter since July 2000.
For women, FPEP provides such services as an
nual exams, various methods of birth control,
pregnancy tests and emergency contraception,
while men can receive condoms and spermicide.
Sexually transmitted infection screening is
also available to men and women, but it must
be combined with some form of birth control.
FPEP will only provide services if the intention
is to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
The health center's Web site states that in order to
qualify for FPEP, students must be eligible to use
the health center, be an Oregon resident and have a
social security number. Women must be under the
age of 56, but there is no age restriction for men.
Also, single students with no children can't earn
more than $1,365 per month to take part in the
service That doesn't include parent's income if the
student is a dependent.
Birth control, annual exams,
emergency contraceptives,
pregnancy tests and STI screening
are available at the Health Center
through the Family Planning
Expansion Project.
Tim Bobosky Photographer
University Health Center Busi
ness Manager Daralyn Dehaven
Murdoch said FPEP's main goals
are to reduce unintended pregnancies, reduce the
Turn to FPEP, page 3
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