CampusCred

The UC Davis section of their site on 2010-01-29

Originally founded at UC Berkeley, CampusCred is a Groupon knockoff that caters to only those with a ucdavis.edu e-mail addresses. Non-UCD staff Townies are out of luck. Their focus is to introduce students to local businesses and eateries within their community. For those not familiar with the Groupon business model, they basically sell coupons to local businesses at a discount of 50% or more. For example, their first deal was a $20 credit for KetMoRee that you could buy for $10. Each deal is available for a few days before being replaced with a new one. Check the "fine print" section beneath each offer - there may be limitations.

CampusCred uses the tagline "only for students by students!" Although it is run and managed locally by Davis students (juniors Sherry Wang and Nikhil Sheel are mentioned as local directors in an Aggie article), it is owned by non-students.

CampusCred has nothing to do with ASUCD aside from paying for the right to use their logo. For a while the logo was displayed prominently on the webpage, as though the site were run by ASUCD. At best it was confusing; and it was probably deliberately deceptive. The process by which they first got permission to use the logo led them down a bumpy road, as well. They originally signed an agreement with Mark Champagne who was unaware he had had no authority to license the logo. When it was pointed out that Mark lacked the proper authority to license the logo, they received the proper license from the senate (see sr07.w11.pdf). Meanwhile, Occupy Davis is protesting corporate money in politics. Hmmm...

When they first started up, they also sent out an unsolicited spam e-mail to many ucdavis.edu e-mail addresses. Presumably, they got the mailing list from ASUCD, which is pretty shady in itself. The list seemed to only include undergrads, as some faculty, alumni, and graduate students have reported not getting the e-mail. They also distributed fliers in many classrooms when they were first getting started.

Those associated with the organization constantly try to whitewash this page as well.

Media

• http://theaggie.org/article/2011/03/14/aggie-senate-briefs
• New Company Plans to Help Students Save, California Aggie, 2011-01-18
• Bare Magazine, story about the Berkeley group.
• ASUCD violates its own bylaw with CampusCred agreement

2011-01-29 15:31:42   As I posted on LeoThom's page, neither Jack, nor Joey signed an agreement, plus the Senate has to approve one anyways. —EliYani

• Hey Eli! Thanks for your comment. I apologize if I was not clear in our communications. CampusCred and ASUCD, more specifically, Mr. Mark Champagne, have a signed working agreement allowing CampusCred to use ASUCD's logo. Again, if you would like to view the plain English contact, please send me your availability and I would be more than happy to accommodate your schedule for a face-to-face meeting. Thank you.
• I still think without formal Senate approval, you can't use the logo, even if Mark signed the contract. I'm not even sure if ASUCD as a not-for-profit can endorse a for-profit business.
• Regardless, even if you think it, there is an agreement signed and if any further questions can be answered by the written agreement signed by CampusCred and Mr. Mark Champagne representing ASUCD.

2011-01-29 19:39:37   So its like Groupon but for colleges? Sounds like a good idea. I wish this had been around when I was attending. —ARWENNHOLD

2011-01-31 19:04:35   Was not a fan when UCD made a deal with US Bank and I tend to avoid most businesses that try to get through to students using some weird contracts with the school (Sodexo), so a business that gets started in Davis with a potential scandal with one of my favorite groups on campus (ASUCD)? Sounds awesome (yes sarcasm). —hankim

2011-02-01 19:51:26   Some feedback on the CampusCred website: the placement of "UC Davis" and the ASUCD logo up in the header, without any explanation or anything, makes it look as though it's a program run by the ASUCD. If it's unintentional, it's simply a matter of confusion. If it's intentional, it's disingenuous. I know a couple of people have voiced this concern here on the Wiki, and it came up with another person in an off-wiki conversation recently. To the several representatives who've contributed to this page: it'd be great if you could take a closer look at the logos and figure out a way to use them that doesn't give readers a false impression. —TomGarberson

2011-02-21 21:46:28   We have removed the ASUCD logo pending the passing of the bill despite our 90-day grace period. We are not trying to misrepresent anything and all the confusion will be settled until it is passed. Thanks. —Nsheel

Now are you going to explain your attempt to spam the student body? —WilliamLewis

2011-04-25 23:10:12   I remember walking into one of my classes in Olson Hall last quarter and seeing fliers for this taped to the back of every other chair. Although they're not the only group spamming stuff on campus, I find it curiously shady. Kind of like those "students" who show up on the first day of classes and make a short presentation about that textbook website... —CecilioPadilla

• I hate those people so much. I want to go around erasing every chalkboard just to spite those asshats. —hankim

2011-04-29 14:09:11   They seem to get butt-hurt easily over negative comments about them. —hankim