New York University, the nation's largest private university, which had removed Coca-Cola from campus from 2005 to 2009, brought it back and is again the focus of campaign activity in New York City.
Barry Diller who sits on both the boards of NYU and The Coca-Cola Company, owns more than $160 million worth of Coca-Cola stock. As a Coke director since 2004, Mr. Diller has opposed every shareholder proposal aimed at preventing and holding the Company accountable for human rights abuses.
In a March 17 letter to NYU's president, administrators and university senate, noted ministers Rev. Donna Schaper and Rev. David Dyson called upon the university to "once again remove all Coca-Cola products from campus indefinitely and publicly censure Mr. Diller or demand his resignation from NYU's board."
Rev. Schaper, whose Judson Memorial Church is located in the heart of the West Village adjacent to New York University, stated, "Universities stand for the highest ethical and moral standards and we hope New York University will continue that great tradition and remove Coca-Cola from campus."
At the rally, which is a special event of the Workers Unite! Film Festival, a new Campaign brochure will be distributed, entitled, "Scandals and Lack of Ethics Plague NYU," describing NYU's connections with The Coca-Cola Company and the financial scandals embroiling New York University, its president, board of trustees and top administrators.
'The unethical actions of NYU and Barry Diller's support of Coca-Cola shouldn't surprise anyone in light of revelations of recent scandals besmirching the university that involve President John Sexton, top administrators and the Board of Trustees.'
NYU Trustees: Greed & Shady Dealings While the Rich Play — NYU Students Pay
Diller's Maserati, $1 Million Office Carpet and $469 Million Pay Grab
Caught: Citibank and Jack Lew Prosper While Miring Students In Debt
New York Coca-Cola Plants: 'Cesspools of Racial Discrimination'
It's time for New York University to dump Coke, dump Diller and reaffirm its commitment to human rights and social justice!