Despite University policy forbidding credit card solicitation on school property, credit card companies have partnered with local restaurants in order to lure students off campus.
Chase, MasterCard and Discover credit card companies each ran recent flyer promotions on campus offering free food from either Domino's Pizza or Subway in exchange for participating in an in-store "promotion."
When students arrive to receive the promised food, they are asked to complete a credit card application.
"It is really wrong to students who are especially poor and will do anything to get fed," said Kate Wike, a sophomore nursing major.
After filling out the multiple-page application, credit card vendors would then purchase food for the applicant.
While filling out a credit card application may be a way for some students to get a free meal, the solicitation of students on campus is in violation of U of M and Tennessee Board of Regent Policy, according to Sam Brackstone, vice provost of extended programs.
"The Tennessee Board of Regent's policy is to promote an educational rather than a commercial atmosphere on campus and to protect the exploitation of students on campus," he said. "We interpret this policy to prevent credit card companies from being on campus. Anyone discovered on campus passing out flyers soliciting students would be asked to leave campus."
The U of M's business office asked several solicitors to leave campus after officials were informed by The Daily Helmsman of their actions.
Even though Domino's allowed credit card representatives to set up in their store, Dominos denied any participation in the solicitation of students.
"This isn't really a Domino's Pizza story," said Danna Harville, assistant director of communications for Domino's Pizza. "We have simply contracted with MasterCard to provide pizzas with their promotions."
Subway refused to comment on the promotion.
Although Domino's Pizza and Subway did not participate in handing out flyers, they are just as much to blame for encouraging students to sign up for credit cards as the actual card companies, said Jacob McMillan, a sophomore chemistry major.
"It really does involve them," he said. "They have the ability to kick people out of their stores for solicitation. They allowed it."
Even though Domino's management has stopped the credit promotion after being interviewed, partnering with other vendors in order to reach college students is just a part of business for Domino's Pizza, Harville said.
"Domino's Pizza, just like every other quick service restaurant in the industry, does do a number of partnerships with companies...this is not an uncommon practice with college students," she said. "Our objective is to simply sell pizza, and MasterCard buys our pizza."
While food vendors' main concern may be to only increase sells, encouraging students to apply for credit cards without proper education could be destructive, according to James Williams, vice president of Financial Counselors of America.
"A lot of students get credit cards without knowing how to handle credit," he said. "We see a lot of college kids in counseling. Some of them have to drop out of school and get full-time jobs just to pay off their credit cards."
Williams said working with popular food vendors in The U of M area is a way for credit card companies to target college students.
"They are preying on people," he said. "These companies know that a lot of parents will end up paying off students' debt."
Having to ask mom and dad for help in paying of credit card bills is not an easy task, McMillan said.
"My sister got a credit card and maxed it out in two weeks," McMillan said. "She had to ask my parents for help."
Although the Domino's Pizza corporate office denied violating U of M policy, general manager Angela Miller said making students happy is the more important than selling a few pizzas to MasterCard.
"I was unaware of the complaints from students," she said. "We are moving forward to make the students happy and are working on a new promotion."
