Crowded line at the border

In addition to a slight rise in profits and patronage, the
recent introduction of Taco Bell to the Cooperage has brought
increased congestion near the new eatery during the lunch hour and
comes at a time of budding plans for a newly remodeled
Ackerman.

“We ask the campus to be patient for the moment. This is
not the permanent location for Taco Bell,” said Jerry Mann,
director of the Associated Students UCLA student union and student
support services.

Replacing Cooperage Pizza this past summer, Taco Bell has
returned after almost a year-long hiatus.

ASUCLA voted against renewing their contract fall quarter last
year.

The decision against renewing Taco Bell’s contract was due
to the alleged labor abuses that Taco Bell was accused of,
primarily concerning the practices of the company’s tomato
suppliers and the low wages paid to the tomato pickers from the
Immokalee region of Florida.

“The intention was also to push Taco Bell into a socially
responsible position, and now we’re really glad they’re
back.” Mann said.

Intending for Taco Bell’s current placement to be
transitional, the Cooperage must now support long lines of dozens
of students during the eatery’s peak hours.

Although the definitive numbers were not available from ASUCLA,
Executive Director Bob Williams said numbers are up for Taco Bell
compared to this time last school year.

“We moved Taco Bell there temporarily with the intention
of a remodeled Ackerman in the summer of 2006,” Mann
said.

Williams also recognized the current crowding around Taco
Bell.

“It is a temporary position for Taco Bell for the school
year. The planned Cooperage remodeling will bring larger facilities
and more … space for students to line up,” Williams
said.

The crowding and minimal space will continue until the plans for
construction are underway.

Mann said the remodeling will produce more benefits for
everyone.

“The cost will be better for us, and the delivery will be
better for the customers,” Mann said.

Williams emphasized that the plans for space expansion in
Ackerman will aid with the congestion and help promote higher
sales.

“Where we had to put Taco Bell affects the profits. The
sales could be higher with space,” Williams said.

With the move of Taco Bell from its original location at Campus
Corner to the Cooperage, the Campus Corner remains unfilled.

“We need to tear Campus Corner down. It isn’t up to
code. We need to work to fix that,” Mann said.

At the moment, there is a snack cart filling the void at Campus
Corner, though there are no definite plans for the future.

“We don’t know what we want for the Campus Corner
yet. We are waiting. It all depends on the plans for the remodeled
Cooperage and the budget,” Williams said.

Uzma Kolsy, a fourth-year political science and communication
studies student, recently visited Taco Bell.

“It’s sad that they took away the pizza. I prefer
internal restaurants, UCLA food, rather than franchises.”
Kolsy said.