Whereas, on May 11, 2023, the Student Assembly passed Resolution 1: Starbucks Off Our Campus, demanding a termination of Cornell University’s relationship with Starbucks Coffee Company [1].
Whereas, on May 17, 2023, Cornell University President Martha E. Pollack responded to Resolution 1, writing that “Cornell supports fair labor practices in compliance with federal and New York State law” [2].
Whereas, Starbucks Coffee Company is widely regarded to be one of the largest violators of U.S labor law in modern history, breaking the law over 130 times in response to union organizing across six states beginning in 2021 [3].
Whereas, the National Labor Relations Board ruled Starbucks Coffee Company violated the National Labor Relations Act by closing two Ithaca stores at 130 East Seneca Street and 722 South Meadow Street in response to workers, including many Cornell students, unionizing [4].[SD1]
Whereas, the National Labor Relations Board ordered Starbucks Coffee Company reopen its Ithaca stores, and the company has not complied with that legal order for over two years.
Whereas, the first Starbucks location to unionize and form Starbucks Workers United was in Buffalo, New York, with Ithaca’s locations quickly joining them to become the first city to unionize all its Starbucks locations.
Whereas, Workers United is a partner organization with the ILR School’s Buffalo Co-Lab extension, which sponsors Cornell students to work with Workers United every summer through the High Road New York State Fellowship Program.
Whereas, on November 13, 2025, thousands of Starbucks workers at hundreds of stores began an unfair labor practice strike [5].
Whereas, as of August 25, 2026, Starbucks workers have called for a boycott of all Starbucks stores and products, noting that until Starbucks workers’ demands are met, “allied organizations” must “run a Starbucks-free organization,” which means to “exclude Starbucks from all events, catering, and sponsorships.” [6].
Whereas, as of June 2023, Cornell University promised that it would terminate its relationship with Starbucks Coffee Company no later than the expiration of its then contract in June 2025 [7].
Whereas, Cornell University dining halls and Eateries have since primarily replaced Starbucks Coffee Company products with products from a combination of La Colombe, Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Finger Lakes Coffee Roasters, Copper Horse Coffee, and Sun Coffee Roasters [8].
Whereas, Starbucks Coffee Company products are currently being sold in vending machines, including but not limited to those in Balch Hall, Becker House, Goldwin Smith Hall, Ives Hall, the Physical Sciences Building, Malott Hall, Martha Van Rensselaer Hall, Milstein Hall, Olin Library, and Uris Hall.
Whereas, Starbucks Coffee Company products are currently being sold Cornell Eateries across campus, including but not limited to Amit Bhatia Libe Café, Bear Necessities Grill & C-Store, Goldie’s Cafe, Green Dragon Cafe, Mac’s Cafe, Mann Cafe, Mattins Cafe, Straight from the Market, and Terrace Restaurant.
Whereas, it is recognized that Starbucks Coffee Company has a 50/50 partnership with PepsiCo and we are a “Pepsi school.” However, this partnership does not necessitate that Starbucks Coffee products be sold on campus, as not all Pepsi products are represented across our campus.
Whereas, Cornell’s contracts with PepsiCo or any other vendors are not publicly available.
Whereas, Article III, Section 1 of the Student Assembly Charter provides, “the SA will have legislative authority over the policies of the Department of Campus Life and the Office of the Dean of Students, and will have the authority to review the budgets and actions of said departments,” which thereby vests the Student Assembly with the authority to determine policy for the Department of Student and Campus Life and its subordinate entities, including Cornell Dining [9].
Whereas, Article III, Section 1 of the Student Assembly Charter also provides, “the SA shall by majority vote have the authority to require at any time information directly from a department or a specific individual within that department or a specific individual within that department concerning the budget, policies, or actions of said department. The request for this information shall be made in the form of legislation at a SA meeting.”
Be it therefore resolved, the Cornell University Student Assembly stands in full solidarity with Starbucks Workers United and striking Starbucks workers across the country in their fight for a fair contract, with better wages and working conditions, and intends to work to bring Cornell fully in line with the boycott.
Be it further resolved, Cornell University must live up to its commitment to ending its relationship with Starbucks Coffee Company and cease selling all Starbucks Coffee Company products across all dining facilities, cafes, and retail locations. without generating any profit.
Be it further resolved, as we are empowered to do by our Charter, the Student Assembly requires that the University publicly releases the terms of all ongoing contracts with PepsiCo or any other vendor that enable Cornell to sell Starbucks products.
Be it further resolved, Cornell University should sell non-Starbucks Coffee Company bottled coffee products, such as those it already sells from La Colombe.
Be it further resolved, any remaining stock of Starbucks Coffee Company products should be sold at a discounted price, so that Cornell University recovers its initial expenditures from purchasing these products
Be it finally resolved, that this resolution be formally conveyed to President Michael Kotlikoff, Vice President for Student and Campus Life Ryan Lombardi, Cornell Dining leadership, and all other relevant University administrators responsible for dining services, purchasing, and procurement.
Respectfully Submitted,
Adriana Vink
Student Workers’ Representative, Student Assembly
Yasmeen Masoud
Brooks School of Public Policy Representative, Student Assembly
Adam Sendelbach,
School of Industrial and Labor Relations Representative, Student Assembly
Works Cited
[1] “Resolution 1: Starbucks Off Our Campus.” Student Assembly, 11 May 2024, https://assembly.cornell.edu/resolutions/student-assembly/sa-r1-2023-2024
[2] Pollack, Martha. “Resolution 1: Acknowledged by the President.” Office of the Assemblies. 17 May 2023, https://assembly.cornell.edu/resolutions/student-assembly/sa-r1-2023-2024/acknowledged-president?_sp=1d516970-a2ff-44b6-ae36-ff1ca9d3e001.
[3] “News: HELP Majority Staff Report on Starbucks.” U.S. Senate Committee on Health Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), 26 Mar. 2023, https://www.help.senate.gov/dem/newsroom/press/news-help-majority-staff-report-on-starbucks
[4] [SD2] Dougherty, Matt. “NLRB Rules Starbucks Violated Labor Law by Closing Ithaca Stores Over Unionization Efforts.” Ithaca Times, 25 Sept. 2024, https://www.ithaca.com/news/ithaca/nlrb-rules-starbucks-violated-labor-law-by-closing-ithaca-stores-over-unionization-efforts/article_b1b40fb2-7b57-11ef-b40b-1b2fa89a78fd.html.
[5] “Our Strike.” Starbucks Workers United. https://sbworkersunited.org/our-strike/.
[6] “Boycott Starbucks.” Starbucks Workers United. https://www.boycottstarbucks.net/.
[7] Mong, Jonathan. “Cornell to End Partnership With Starbucks by June 2025.” The Cornell Daily Sun, 16 Aug. 2023, https://www.cornellsun.com/article/2023/08/cornell-to-end-partnership-with-starbucks-by-june-2025.
[8] “Cornell Dining Welcoming a New Coffee Program to Campus.” Office of Student & Campus Life, 5 Feb. 2025, https://scl.cornell.edu/news-events/news/cornell-dining-new-coffee-program.
[9] “Charter: Cornell University Student Assembly.” Student Assembly, 19 Feb. 2026, https://assembly.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/2026-05/SACharter02192026.pdf
