Target: Western Washington University President, Sabah Randhawa
Goal: Switch Western Washington University’s food service provider to one that doesn’t profit from the carceral state.
Western Washington University, like many other universities and public institutions in the United States, uses a company called Aramark as it’s primary food service provider. Aramark is also the primary food service provider for many for-profit prisons, and thus profits from the carceral state. Students at WWU had been petitioning university decision makers to choose a different food service provider when Aramark’s contract with the school expired in 2021. The university chose to extend their contract with Aramark until 2023.
The United States has the largest prison population in the world, with 20% of the world’s incarcerated population, while only having 4.2% of the world’s population. Likely due in large part to its high levels of profitability, US incarceration rates have jumped a staggering 500% in the last 40 years. A vast array of companies, like Aramark have been able to profit from this jump. Worse still, is the high number of already marginalized US community members who are impacted by the for-profit prison system. BIPOC, low-income, and immigrant populations are often targeted by the carceral state, and disproportionately so.
Universities and other public institutions should not be associated with, or financially supporting, the carceral state. Sign below to urge WWU’s president Randawa, please do everything in his power to ensure the university no longer contracts with Aramark.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear President Randhawa,
The United States has the largest prison population in the world, with 20% of the world’s incarcerated population, while only having 4.2% of the world’s population. US incarceration rates have jumped a staggering 500% in the last 40 years. A wealth of companies have sprung up in tandem with this jump in order to profit from this increase. Aramark, WWU’s primary food service provider, is among this companies.
Universities and other public institutions should not be associated with, or financially supporting, the carceral state. Western Washington University not only continues to use an institution that profits off of the private prison system, but also does so against the wishes of many of its students who have been actively engaging university decision makers to change providers. Please listen to your students, and do not renew any contracts with Aramark.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Luis Argerich
College’s may find this way cheaper and effortless but supporting for profit prisons is a disturbing practice in our country. Our taxes are collected and should pay for prisons but in some manner these for profit prisons began popping up. Feeding prisoners is a must. I’m sure colleges find this extremely convenient. Yet for profit prisons should not even exist in America. Public institutions should not be supporting this type of for profit business. Listen to your students and do not renew with Aramark