For Emporia State, the Foresight 2020 and The Kansas Commitment approved by the Kansas Board of Regents on Sept. 15 would be a new opportunity and a challenge.

“The opportunity is that the six goals provide clear direction for us in terms of what the expectations are from the Board of Regents,” said Tes Mehring, vice president of academic affairs and student life. “The goals also provide challenges. Some of the goals are clearly inspirational and will require continued and intense commitment from faculty and administrators to meet the goals.”

Foresight 2020 is a 10-year long agenda composed of six strategic goals, which aims to improve the quality and efficiency of Kansas higher education system. The Kansas Commitment is funded by a $50.4 million state general fund with $27,075 other funds to stimulate Kansas economic development by investing in higher education.

“If the legislature funded it, we believe it would be a considerable opportunity for the university,” said Raymond Hauke, vice president of administration and fiscal affairs.

Besides being beneficial by increasing the state’s higher education budget 2.73 percent, restoring building maintenance projects and keeping the university’s sales tax, according to The Kansas Commitment, ESU will get $1.125 million in funding mainly used to build three new degree programs: e-commerce, student affairs administration and sustainability.

“That would probably happen if the legislature provides the funding, and we will know the result by next May 1, after the legislature’s meeting in January,” Hauke said.

Jonathan Rivers, senior secondary education major and president of ASG said he attends the Kansas Board of Regents meeting every month as a member of the Student Advisers Committee and to give suggestions and feedback from the perspective of student.

“Last year our message was ‘no more cuts’… you don’t have to give us (ESU) more money, just stop cutting us because we can’t survive right now. We were cutting programs. We were losing teachers. We were losing students. Our message for this year is investing Kansas then you will see positive returns for economy,” Rivers said.

Rivers said ASG will have open forum to discuss the funding plan and listen to students’ opinions. The regents will visit campus early next week.

Han Yan

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Freshman Pharmacy major Nicolas De La Torre buys a Coke from a Coca-Cola vending machine Wednesday afternoon on the ESU Campus. Alissa Miller/The Bulletin.

After Emporia State’s 10-year contract with Pepsi expired on June 30, the campus officially switched to Coca-Cola products. ESU started the new 10-year contract with Coca-Cola on July 1.

Raymond Hauke, vice president of Administration and Fiscal Affairs Department, said that Coca-Cola offered a better deal than Pepsi. Now, the university will receive a 10.5 percent cut of products sold, and the Coca-Cola Company also provides an amount based on the total cases and products consumed at the end of the year.

“So, how much money ESU can make depends on how much the products are considered and it really depends on how much product people drink,” Hauke said.

The contract with the Pepsi Company provided a flat amount of money plus $30,000 at the beginning of the year with a percentage. The campus had been a “Pepsi campus” for the past 12 years.

“We felt what Coca-Cola offer is better arrangement for the university,” Hauke said.

There will be 38 vending machines selling Coca-Cola products on campus, and Hauke believes that people will find that the arrangement and service of machines is better than before. The price of soft drinks went up from $1.25 for Pepsi products to $1.50 for Coke products.

Senior Rehabilitation Major Lauren Lowry said she felt Coke burns her throat, and it would be better if they had both Coke machines and Pepsi machines on campus.

“It never bothered me until it changed this year. I was upset that I found out last week that I can’t get Mountain Dew on campus and I get used to get Mountain Dew and do homework in the library,” Lowry said.

Hauke said that if Pepsi and Coke both had machines at the university, the school wouldn’t get any money.

“So at least the university and the students of the university get some money from the products that they are consuming,” Hauke said.

Hauke said Coca-Cola Company is local in Emporia, so it is an advantage because the company is able to refill the Coke machines more frequently than Pepsi.

“Over the last few years, since Pepsi served out of Wichita, it took longer to get products in the machines,” Hauke said.

Jeff McCullough, General Manager for Sodexo, food services contractor for the Memorial Union, said he has had good experience with the new vendor during the transition.

“Coke has been instrumental in helping us upgrade the concession program at the stadium, as well as supporting our recycling and sustainability efforts,” McCullough said.

Hauke said he thinks the new contract will work out well.

“I think the Coke Company enjoys doing business with us,” Hauke said.

Lauren Lau

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