Marvin Center and University Conferences officials are developing a contract to regulate on-campus student organization fundraisers that collaborate with food vendors such as Crepeaway, Pita Pit and Campus Fresh, representatives from the University said last week.
Assistant Vice President for Events and Venues Michael Peller – who declined to comment on the specifics of the contract until it is finalized – said the University wants to ensure that students make a profit from on-campus fundraisers, despite charges from the University for services like renting out Kogan Plaza or UPD presence if cash is on site.
“This contract is being developed to protect student organizations, to ensure that they receive the maximum benefit as a result of hosting these types of fundraisers,” he said.
In the past, vendors worked directly with student organizations, and the only involvement the University had was making sure the organizations paid the required expenses implemented by the school.
The new contract will ensure vendors are carrying out the fundraisers appropriately and are not charging students additional costs, thus helping student organizations make the most of an event.
Talks of a contract between food vendors and the University began last January – the first of its kind, as a fundraising contract between the University and food vendors had not previously existed.
The University wants to make sure all parties involved know their role in these fundraisers, and the contracts will make this legally binding.
Vendors like Pita Pit and Campus Fresh are still able to hold on-campus fundraisers before the contract is finished because of their location in University buildings. However, they are not allowed to be involved in Kogan Plaza fundraisers until the contract is signed.
Already there are standard costs for any event in Kogan Plaza, whether the fundraiser is student-run or University-sponsored, as long as bringing in a third party is involved, Peller said.
“There are expenses required. These are reasonable, but not free. Our main concern is ensuring that these expenses do not go above the fundraising profits, and that student organizations and their fundraising opportunities are protected,” Peller said.
The costs include facilities charges, including trash removal and clean up, and liability insurance. Costs for having UPD present are also required if cash transactions are involved.
