University of Idaho will potentially outsource the VandalStore’s management in the coming year.
Director of Contracts & Purchasing Services Julia McIlroy said UI has been debating different options for the store for over a decade — this discussion began again about two years ago.
The VandalStore currently operates under UI management with UI employees.
“The VandalStore is a department with the University of Idaho,” McIlroy said. “The building structure itself is just like any other building at the University of Idaho. The individuals that work for the VandalStore are University of Idaho employees.”
McIlroy said the main contenders for outsourcing are Barnes & Nobles, which has been operating WSU’s bookstore for over 15 years, and Follett. Both firms have said that if they are selected, they will hire all current workers who are currently employed by UI while maintaining the same rate of pay and benefits, McIlroy said. Employees will also keep the credit for the years worked prior, their previous experience being acknowledged.
“Additionally, we don’t want anyone to lose their jobs, so even though they wouldn’t be working for the University of Idaho, they would be working for… the same rate of pay.”
ICYMI: Battling University of Idaho’s budget issues
An outsourcing evaluation board has formed consisting of campus and VandalStore employees. The board will consider three proposals for different potential outcomes to their decision.
The board may decide to stick to the status quo of how the store is currently run and change nothing, McIlroy said. Management under UI with university employees would remain the same.
As a middle-ground option, the store may begin to outsource only textbooks. Other merchandise purchased would still be sourced by UI and employment would as well. Textbooks would be run through an outside firm, which would allow for greater access to a variety of books.
The third option is to completely outsource the store’s operation. This would leave management and the purchase of textbooks and merchandise in the hands of the firm chosen.
When considering the outsourcing of the operation, finalist firms have presented to the UI evaluation board. Managing hundreds of college bookstores, these firms bring benefits to campus with their experience.
ICYMI: UI Budget Forum: 3 main points from the event
“(These firms are) coming up with ideas or looking at clothing and they have replicated them on many different campuses,” McIlroy said. “They just have the greater resources because they’re a larger company.”
In the interest of students, even with potential changes, textbooks for classes will remain the same, still determined by curriculum. With outsourcing, students would have access to a greater variety of options for rental and used books.
As of now, the initial evaluation board is near the end of their consideration process. Next, the evaluation board will make a recommendation to a second UI council. If the final decision is to outsource, it will be announced in early 2020.
The final decision will come into effect next fiscal year on July 1, 2020.
Haadiya Tariq can be reached at [email protected]