As the school year comes to a close and most UNCW students are getting ready to leave campus and embrace summer, UNCW officials are preparing to work on campus improvements.

Earlier this year, the university began considering hiring a new coffee vendor for the Randall Library. The process of picking a vendor has been ongoing, and in the newest turn of events, the university has decided to call together a committee to study and eventually decide between the different possible vendors. The committee is made up of staff, faculty and students. It consists of four representatives: UNCW sophomore Anthony Gregorius, director of business & economic services William Woody Hall, director of auxiliary services Richard Fauson, and the director of campus activities Jon Kapell .

Fauson explained the process of coming to a decision. Currently, the committee is focusing on the first step, gathering information. In order to this, the committee is arranging a round table discussion with the current and potential vendors. Java City is the current coffee supplier, and the two considerations are the locally operated Folks Café, and Starbucks Coffee. The entire meeting is expected to last one to one- and- a- half hours, and address a very specific list of topics the committee has sent to all its possible vendors.

Different aspects the committee is considering include what the potential vendors will bring that is unique to UNCW, customer service, product mix, organic and fair trade policies, and company quality standards.

Fauson explained that after the meeting, the committee will then look over the results and make a recommendation to Sharon Boyd, the associate vice chancellor of business services.

“After that one- to one- and- a- half hours, the committee will try and assess what we’ve heard and come to a consensus decision and a recommended order of vendors.”

Fauson said he was added to the committee as a result of his day- to- day job, which includes oversight of auxiliary services, such as parking, transportation and the bookstore because he has knowledge about the food industry on campus. Fauson stressed that the decision will ultimately be made as a business decision and that students will show their support with their money.

” To me, the most important thing that happens in this process … after we’ve been in it a couple of months [is] that the talk among students is ‘that was a great addition for us.’ That’s my ultimate objective in this, that’s my ultimate objective in everything I do.”

The committee will have made a decision by the end of this semester, but implementation of the decision will take longer. The university aims to have it finished by fall, but Fauson said realistically the changes will take place closer to January, as there is a lot that must be done in order to institute the change.