Always Coca-Cola.

This popular phrase, and the jingle that goes with it, are known across the United States and the world. And soon ISU students may know the company in a whole new way.

ISU administrators are taking bids from commercial beverage companies in an effort to help buffer state budget cuts while providing students with refreshing carbonated drinks at the same time.

A 10-year, consolidated contract between the university and the Coca-Cola Company would bring new revenue into the university’s shrinking budget, providing resources for student programs and teachers’ salaries.

While the word monopoly brings ideas of repression and uniformity to many people’s minds, it may not have the same effect as far as student’s beverages are concerned.

Coke already has beverage contracts with the ISU Center, Memorial Union and Residence Hall Food Service.

A contract with the university would simply bring all of these separate contracts under one umbrella and add a little more cushioning for the university budget to fall on.

Coke products are already the dominant beverage on campus.

Like it or not, they are the drink of choice from students in the residence halls to alumni at the basketball games.

Under the deal the ISU administration is considering, competing brands would still be available in the MU convenience store.

And Pepsi products are available at Kum & Go in Campustown and the various Ames grocery.

In the face of million-dollar budget cuts, is a Pepsi vending machine in Physics Hall really that important?

Iowa State is facing some major budget cuts in the coming years, any funding that may help decrease their impact needs to be examined and considered.

editorialboard: Carrie Tett, Jocelyn Marcus, Katie Goldsmith, Andrea Hauser and Tim Paluch