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The Undergraduate Student Government hosted the third and final debate Thursday night between Students Against Coke and Coca-Cola representatives. Ohio State's $30 million contract with Coca-Cola, which makes Coke the exclusive beverage supplier on campus, expires in June and there is controversy about whether the contract should be renewed.
SAC's resolution is to completely ban the sale of Coca-Cola products on the OSU campus. This pertains to Issue 4 on the USG ballot.
"We should never be lending our reputation and our name to an international outlaw like Coca-Cola," SAC Vice President Eddie Klatka said.
The debate featured SAC President Harry Lindner and Vice President Eddie Klatka versus Coca-Cola communications directors Diana Garza-Ciarlante and Kristen Witt.
Major issues debated were Coke's business in Sudan, the Coke ban at the University of Michigan, questionable treatment of Coke workers in Colombia, water depletion and pollution by Coke factories in India and Coke's unwillingness to debate anti-Coke professionals.
All accusations of foulplay were denied by the Coke representatives.
"Coca-Cola does not do business in Sudan," Witt said, "Around the world, Coca-Cola employees are free to exercise their rights."
According to The New York Times, the University of Michigan banned Coke products in 2005. According to Coca-Cola's Web site cokefacts.com, the Coke ban was lifted from the university three-and-a-half months later.
"Everyday, we strive to make positive impacts on the communities we serve," Garza-Ciarlante said.
The SAC representatives said that Coca-Cola would only agree to debate students, not anti-Coke professionals. The Coca-Cola representatives did not address this issue, despite prodding from the audience and SAC representatives.
Students attending the debate acknowledged the disadvantage the SAC team appeared to face.
"I think it's obvious they used the gender card," said Jillian Persall, a senior in international studies, of the female Coke representatives. "Their relaxed appearance - no power suits - gave the impression that they were very pro-working class."
However, some students were critical of SAC's Lindner and Klatka as well as the audible responses - including the phrases "fascism," "brainwashing," "censorship" and inarticulate booing and catcalling - from the anti-Coke supporters.
"I think the anti-Coke students are so immature it's made this debate a circus," said Margaret Wingenfeld, an undecided freshman. Wingenfeld originally came to the debate as an anti-Coke supporter.
However, staunch anti-Coke supporters including Andrea Jaeger, president of the student organization Free the Planet, were enthusiastic about the debate.
"It's disgusting to see all these people supporting Coke just to keep funding," said Jaeger, a sophomore in geography.
The debate ended in cordial handshakes among those who debated and students lingered to discuss the future of Coke on campus.
Angela Henderson can be reached at henderson.419@osu.edu.
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