SF State drops plans for exclusive beverage deal

San Francisco State University President Les Wong has decided to end negotiations with beverage companies on a contract to provide drinks to students, university officials announced Thursday.

Campus officials had sought to sign a contract that would provide the university money that could be used for student programs, athletics and scholarships, a statement from Wong said.

Wong made the decision after listening to faculty, staff and students, opposing the negotiations, his statement said.

Research by students shows sugary drinks are killing people, senior David Melville said.

Melville said that at about 2:30 p.m. today about 75 students attended a campus town hall meeting with university officials, where the students applauded Wong’s decision.

But Melville also said the conversation at the town hall quickly shifted to transparency in the work university officials are doing.

Melville said many people did not know university officials were in negotiations with beverage companies:

“This was news to many of us.”

A resolution drafted last month by the Associated Students Inc. of SF State supported Melville’s assertion.

“Up to this point, no official communications on behalf of the University has been made to the student body or faculty expressing President Wong’s and the University Administration’s intent to pursue a” contract with beverage companies, the resolution said.

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