UCSD Co-Op Dispute Deadlock Continues : University: Students fear they’ll lose control of stores if UCSD owns the locks.

The students who run the co-operative stores at UC San Diego refused Friday to sign a lease proposed by the university administration, saying that to give in would lead to further university control over the co-ops.

The decision came after a meeting among the students Thursday night at the Groundwork, a co-op bookstore.

The conflict arises over who should own the locks on the co-ops. The administration wants to issue keys to students running the stores and to keep a set of keys for emergency, safety and health reasons. The students do not oppose the administration having keys, but they feel they should own the locks.

“It’s more symbolic than anything else,” said Jason Carbone, chairman of the University Center Board, which has been acting as mediator in the lease negotiations.

“It’s not about these locks going on doors, it’s about what kind of active participation does the university want to take place with the co-ops and how much interaction does the co-op want with the university,” Carbone said, adding that the co-ops want more autonomy from the administration.

Students fear that university control over the locks, while making no short-term changes in existing operations, may in the long run lead to more university control, said Paul Eykamp of the UCB.

The UCB, a committee of students that advises the vice chancellor on issues concerning the center, had drawn up a lease agreement that was rebuffed by the administration. The administration then returned with its proposal, Carbone said, adding that the locks is the only issue preventing the three-year lease from being signed.

“If the administration goes through with this and ignores the UCB and co-ops which represent the students, then the administration is setting a precedent of ignoring student input,” said Tony Smith of the Che Cafe co-op.

“In view of all the developments of world democracy, I think it’s a disgrace.”

University officials said they will not be evicting any of the four student-run businesses, but will begin changing co-op locks to university locks which have have keys that can’t be duplicated.

“The co-ops are entities of the university with tremendous amounts of autonomy, but the reality is that they are student organizations and the university has some responsibilities,” said Jim Carruthers, the director of the University Center and in charge of approving leases.

“They are university buildings first, and they are no different than any other university facility,” Carruthers said, pointing out that every other building is secured with university locks.

But Eykamp said the center is different because it was built from funds raised through student fees, and as such the center should come under student control.

The co-ops put their own locks on the doors in 1980 when a campus security officer was allegedly found in one of the co-ops with the cashbox. Carruthers said that the co-op locks are illegal and must be removed.

The students, however, are determined not to let the locks be changed.

“The Food Co-op, the Groundwork and Che Cafe are all going to be open for the next 72 hours to prevent them from being changed,” said Heidi Mitchem, who works at Che Cafe. There will also be a midnight vigil today at Che Cafe.

“When they decide to change keys, hopefully we will be here and we will be able to stop them,” Mitchem said.

Others, however, said the administration will wait until students have left for spring break or the summer to change the locks.