News Briefs

College works on new bookstore; Co-Op still suing the College

Despite a series of rumors filtering throughout campus, the College is still listed on the Co-Op Bookstore's civil suit filed Nov. 29.

The suit alleges that the Co-Op's management company [College and University Bookstore Partnering Concept] conspired with the College to run the bookstore out of business, take over the bookstore's inventory and then run the bookstore themselves.

College President Nancy Dye said, "I heard that [the civil suit] was going to be dropped, but I haven't heard any conformation that it has been."

Representatives from the Co-Op's law firm, Wickens, Herzer & Panza, did not return any phone calls.

The suit against the College came as a shock to College administrators, considering the consistent support the College offered the Co-Op through its recent financial hardships.

The suit states that the College made an agreement with CUBPaC, unbeknownst to the Co-Op, to purchase the Co-Op's inventory were the bookstore to go out of business.

College officials, however, stated that quite the contrary transpired: that the Co-Op board actually asked the College to secure CUBPaC's investment by securing the inventory.

In the mean time, the College has hired former Co-Op employees Karen Longman and Janet Eastman as consultants to combat next semester's textbook needs. They plan to address community concerns with an all campus mailing in the immediate future.

Dye also appointed a committee of faculty, staff and students to investigate the long-term solution for the College's bookstore needs. The Bookstore Committee, chaired by Controller Ron Watts, also includes reference librarian Cynthia Comer, Professor of Classics James Helm, Associate Professor of History Len Smith, Professor of pianoforte Peter Takács, junior Amy Pandjiris and junior Daniel Schwartz.

-Benjamin Clark