Protests Jeopardize Campus Fast-Food Outlet : Cal State Northridge: A Carl’s Jr. spokeswoman says its founder’s stances on the anti-abortion movement are his own, not the corporation’s.

Student protests over the planned opening of a Carl’s Jr. restaurant at Cal State Northridge have led campus officials to reconsider their decision to purchase a franchise.

Protesters say they object to the right-wing philosophical bent of Carl Karcher, founder of the fast-food chain.

“We object to Carl’s Jr. being on campus because with his money he supports groups like the National Right to Life Action League,” said Faith Haaz, director of the CSUN Women’s Center.

However, a company spokeswoman said there is a difference between Karcher’s stances on causes such as the anti-abortion movement and corporate support for those organizations.

“As a company, Carl Karcher Enterprises doesn’t take a position on the abortion issue. We don’t donate our charitable dollars to pro-life organizations,” said Patty Parks, media relations representative. “He draws a salary from the company and as an individual he has the right to do what he wishes with his finances.”

Last spring, the University Foundation, which runs many of the food concessions on campus, approved a plan to include a Carl’s Jr. as part of the expansion of its campus bookstore. Foundation officials say that chain was chosen over others partly because it was the only firm that would allow the foundation to buy the franchise outright.

“That way we can control hours of operation, products, that type of thing,” said Lew Herbst, associate foundation director. “And it’s more profitable for the campus. What we’re after is to keep more of those dollars on campus.”

Herbst said a marketing survey completed last spring by a CSUN student found that Carl’s Jr. was the favorite among 100 students questioned in classes and at an on-campus restaurant. That survey also found that students would be far more likely to eat on campus if they could choose a name-brand restaurant.

Two other Southern California colleges--the University of Southern California and Cal State Fullerton--have moved Carl’s Jr. restaurants onto their campuses without major incident, Herbst said.

But foundation board members agreed to reconsider their earlier favorable vote when they meet today at the request of the faculty senate’s executive committee, which became concerned after learning of the students’ anger during a board meeting to approve the overall bookstore expansion plan.

The Women’s Center collected about 40 signed cards opposing Carl’s Jr. from new students at orientation events this summer and sent 1,400 more out to continuing students.

Foundation director Donald Queen said he got 109 cards opposing the Carl’s Jr.

Haaz and some of the other students involved in the protest said they were heartened by the decision to reconsider the franchise purchase and they remained optimistic that the foundation would overturn its vote.

“If this is the restaurant that students like the most, maybe they will be more concerned about the profit margin,” said Mark Hollingsworth, spokesman for the Lesbian and Gay Alliance. “A gut feeling is they will probably let Carl’s Jr. on campus.”