By Ann McBride
Arizona Daily Wildcat
About 30 university-area merchants met with the State of Arizona's Small Business Advocate last night to discuss what they see as unfair business practices at the UA.
University of Arizona officials were not invited to the meeting in an effort to ensure that the merchants could discuss any issue, said Sharon Hines, president of Campus Merchant's Association.
Joseph Dean, who traveled from Phoenix for the 1-1/2 hour meeting, has been working with the merchants as they attempt to gain access to the university's All Aboard program.
The All Aboard card allows students or parents to deposit money into an account for food products, which then can be accessed through the student's identification card. Pocket Money is a similar program that entitles students to purchase non-food items.
The lack of access to these two programs and the UA using university-owned land for non-educational purposes dominated the meeting's discussion. The Park Student Center, which is under contract to Aramark, a food service management company, also was discussed.
Terri Tucker, manager of Arizona Images T-Shirts & Gifts, 813 N. Park Ave., said she is losing a lot of business because they cannot accept Pocket Money, and Victor Nasser, owner of Cafe Casa Blanca, 974 E. University Blvd., said the UA appears to be in "business against us." The UA should either become a private institution or get out of private business, he said.
The UA appears to have little, if any, accountability, merchants said. Dean said this was not true. The UA is accountable to the Arizona Board of Regents, the governor and the state Legislature. He said Gov. Fife Symington (R) is aware of the problems confronting the merchants and he will "now know more."
Campus merchants have been trying to gain access to the All Aboard program since January, when they began a petition drive to show student support. Since then, the UA and merchants have met several times to discuss the card, and while the UA actively pursues the issue, Hines, owner of Kippy's at 831 N. Park Ave., said merchants are frustrated by the slow process and apparent disregard for their concerns.
Dean said the university needs to fairly, accurately and clearly communicate with the merchants. He plans to contact university officials tomorrow to discuss issues raised during last night's meeting.
Tomorrow's Wildcat will feature a story on the UA's plan for a pre-paid services debit card that would enable students to have access to off-campus merchants.