Starbucks Will Send Thousands of Employees to Arizona State for Degrees

Are you prepared to order your "quad ristretto, half-caff cappuccino latte, no whip soy, double stevia, no-sugar raspberry, 160 degrees, chocolate drizzle (applied counterclockwise, please) and cinnamon..." from someone of lesser qualifications?

Why would you? It probably costs about the same as a visit to the doctor - and takes even more time! :smile:

Johann

 

Because Starbucks knocked on ASU's door and offered to make an attractive deal.

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It's normal to offer volume discounts to customers who provide you with a lot of business.

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Starbucks, obviously.

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ASU is subsidizing the cost, but Starbucks is still contributing some serious bucks. There may not be very many other organizations that can bring thousands of new students to ASU, while also contributing thousands of dollars for each student.

But if you do represent an organization like that, then by all means give ASU a call. You might be able to get a similar deal.

 

There probably already more than you realize. Starbucks was one of the only companies for a while to offer health insurance to part-time employees. That means a lot to very many.

Frankly, I think your comment is a bit rude. Why does the educational qualification of someone making a specialty coffee matter so much to you? Does it make you uncomfortable?

 

My daughter worked at Starbucks for awhile while finishing her master's degree. I don't think it's that uncommon for people who are educated to work at Starbucks or other coffee shops. Compared to hanging out someplace like McDonalds, I think coffee shops have more of a reputation for having better educated employees and also more interesting conversations between the employees and patrons. Some people work at coffee shops because that's what they want to do, not because it's the only job that they could get.

 

Some random "man in the street" reactions to the Starbucks/ASU college tuition announcement, as reported here:

 

My former sister-in-law worked at Starbucks with a BA. In only about 3 weeks on the job they made her a manager. She said she just loved that it was so simple yet rewarding. She got to know many of the regulars very well.

 

LOL.

"I have not committed adultery", said Bill Clinton, "I have had sex with someone who is not my wife."

 

This article points to a few interesting points in this deal:
http://news.yahoo.com/starbucks-contribution-scholarship-overstated-155344515--finance.html

So it appears that Starbucks is essentially shuffling money that it already pays out to workers by changing providers (from Strayer/City College to the stronger brand ASU). While the outcome may be greater expenditure, the funds are earmarked to attract better talent...I think this is good, but it fails to address the who is actually paying the bill.

ASU simply crunched the numbers, found that most Starbucks workers will qualify for a PELL grant then adjusted the cost to fit what they can get the taxpayer to fund.

It appears that in truth, any low paid person could put themselves together a similiar package at any number of online schools...

 

Good for ASU, this is the same model UOP used in the 90's to grow, and that was very profitable. No down side what so ever..

 

Inside Higher Ed has obtained the ASU-Starbucks contract through a public records request.