Several storage and shipping providers claim that Tufts Student Resources (TSR) is seeking to bar them from campus with support from the administration.
TSR is a student-run business which provides summer storage and shipping in addition to other student services, and is currently the only Tufts-affiliated shipping and storage operation.
Senior Andy Katzenberg, a campus representative for the shipping and storage service company Collegeboxes, said "if TSR can see [another vendor], they'll try and block you. And the administration is behind them."
In an e-mail to students last Thursday, Director of the Office of Student Activities (OSA) Jodie Nealley said that, "What we want you to know is that there is only one authorized storage company on campus, and that is CampusShipAndStore.com in affiliation with Tufts Student Resources."
Nealley added that Campus Shipping and Storage is locally based, operates on campus through an approved student organization, and has received no complaints about its service.
Requested for an interview, Nealley referred questions to sophomore and TSR Co-President and CFO Nicole Brusco.
Brusco said that Nealley's e-mail, an attempt to clarify the difference between TSR and other companies, was in the best interest of the OSA.
"It's a lot better for the University to promote a company that has an office on campus because TSR is not entirely independent from the University. TSR has an office on campus, all of us are students, and people know where to find us. We're accountable," Brusco said.
She added that "TSR is not a monopoly. Other companies are on campus, and people can see that. The University isn't favoring TSR. It's in their interest to use us. We are accountable and they know that," Brusco said.
Brusco also noted that Campus Shipping and Storage has not received a single complaint to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) in 10 years of operations at Tufts, and that fewer problems, rather than favoritism, were the reason for the e-mail.
Barry DiBurro, owner of the UPS Store in Medford Square, also believes that "TSR decided that they wanted to take control of the business I was providing to students away from me."
In a letter to the Daily, DiBurro cited an incident two years ago in which Tufts University police asked him to leave campus after receiving a call from TSR employees.
Even though DiBurro was sanctioned to be on campus to make a delivery, he said that the TSR employees informed the police "that only TSR could only sell boxes to students," DiBurro said.
"I do want to protect what is right -- a student can call Domino's to order a pizza even though the University offers food services... why is it any different for people trying to use my services?" DiBurro said.
The UPS Store in Medford has never received any complaints through the Better Business Bureau, and according to its owner, students are being unfairly limited in their shipping and storage options.
"Over six years of service that we've provided to the students at Tufts, we've never lost or damaged a single item. We've provided early and extended returns for students as well. This has especially been helpful to the Resident Assistants who come back two weeks earlier than the other students." DiBurro said.
He added that "we've provided service directly to the student's dorm room both at pick up and when making returns."
According to Brusco, past problems with other companies included the use of substandard quality boxes that resulted in damage to student property. Missed deliveries, difficulty tracking belongings, and inconvenient or unknown locations of storage facilities resulted in further frustration and confusion, Brusco said.
"Whenever anything happens to a students' stuff, parents come directly to the University," Brusco said.
Nevertheless, other students believe that a variety of options should be made readily available on campus.
"Just because the service isn't Tufts-sponsored, doesn't mean you shouldn't use it. You should be able to do anything you want. It's clearly a strategic move to make their business look better. The problems encountered [in the past] are normal storage company problems that [TSR] faces too," Katzenberg said.
"I can understand how it's a positive to have [TSR] on campus, but at the same time, if they are bad vendors, what's the alternative? You're kind of stuck with them. I think they're pretending they're a benevolent group that is here to help us -- but [TSR] is not for our convenience, it's there to make money." Kazenberg said.
Katzenberg, who has represented Collegeboxes on campus for the last three years, said he tried to affiliate Collegeboxes with the Senior Class Council this year, promising to donate 3-5 percent of the operation's revenue to the 2004 Class Fund.
He was told by the OSA that Collegeboxes would not be allowed to collaborate with the officially-recognized Council. Collegeboxes will continue to offers its services to Tufts students.
According to OSA policy, off-campus advertising is only allowed with permission from the Director of Student Services. UPS and Collegeboxes say that they have faced hostility from TSR and OSA in the past, though both companies have continued advertising their services at Tufts
Senior Aaron Weinstein, who used TSR services during his first year, said "TSR is close to home and convenient and helping out your fellow students. So, if you don't mind paying a lot extra for storage and a little extra for shipping, then do it. But, if you are a comparative shopper, there are a lot better resources around Tufts that cost a lot less."
