LMU Student Takes to Reddit to Save Campus Coffee Cart
By Gilbert Falso :: 5:26 PM
A Loyola Marymount University student, Marc Papakyriakou, has taken to Reddit to help garner support to save a coffee and pastry service cart at the Los Angeles institution.
The cart, run by the couple pictured above, had apparently been a fixture on the campus of the private Jesuit school for many years, but its contract was not renewed this summer by the University’s dining plan administrator, Sodexo.
This story brings together many things that make it attractive to the Reddit community. It features a victim, a senseless, faceless big company, and a conspiracy theory wrapped around the idea that Sodexo and LMU waited until the summer time to force the coffee cart couple off of campus, when student input would be less of a factor in the decision.
“We want to keep our coffee cart that is a unique part of the culture and spirit of our campus,” read part of the Papakyriakou’s post. The University had attempted to defend its decision by stating that many other schools offer franchise options, like Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf – something the Reddit poster doesn’t think rises up to the standards he or she expects from a Jesuit institution.
In addition to the Reddit post, a Facebook group has been formed to gather supportive students. The group has about 2,500 members, roughly a quarter of the student body.
Looking back at this past weekend, when a Reddit post about pizza resulted in a children’s hospital wing being inundated with pizza delivery, it is clear that LMU and Sodexo will likely have a public relations crisis on their hands here – a popular Reddit post is not a force to be reckoned with. The post has already reached the number one spot at the top of Reddit’s front page, after being posted about three hours ago.
Redditors have been quick to join the fight in the comments sections, with many remarks decrying the action, and pointing out the shortcomings of Sodexo as a food service corporation. Neither LMU nor Sodexo have referenced the Reddit post yet, or replied publicly about the incident.
Fuck Sodexo
Former LMU student – pre-coffee-cart years. Not surprised that the administration is making this move when few students are around. You should e-mail LMU’s president, David Burcham, at david.burcham@lmu.edu to let him know how you feel. I will, and I’ll also let him know that my usual yearly donation won’t be coming this year until this issue is resolved.
You will be glad to know that many of us have already reached out to the administration to express our concerns in the matter. As you may have guessed, we have all been receiving copy-and-paste responses and the university has yet to release an official statement