Sac State Starbucks will not offer ASU classes

State Hornet Staff

Sacramento State University’s on-campus Starbucks, planned to open this fall, will not be providing the online educational opportunities Arizona State University offered through their recent partnership with the major coffee chain.

Angela Rader, director of Marketing Services at University Enterprises, Inc., confirmed that like Starbucks at airports, hospitals and grocery stores, the campus store is not owned by the company, but instead licensed and franchised. This means there will be no involvement between Sacramento State and the Starbucks College Achievement Plan.

“Accordingly, the employees working at Sacramento State’s licensed store are not offered participation in the ASU online tuition program,” Rader said.

Associated Press Food Industry Writer Candice Choi revealed in her article that Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz told an audience of 340 employees and guests his motives for this partnership were personal, because he was the first in his family to attend college.

“I could care less about marketing. This is not about PR [Public Relations],” Schultz said.

He has received cynicism about this decision.

The program would offer full tuition coverage to employees who completed at least two years worth of college credit, while offering partial financial aid to those who have less than that. The only requirements are that employees work at least 20 hours a week and have the grades needed to be admitted into ASU’s program.

Starbucks announced a hike in coffee prices to be expected June 24, including a 10 to 20 cent rise in cost, depending on the size and type of drink. Schultz said in a press release that there are several reasons for the change.