The possibility of a Chick-Fil-A coming to the Wyoming Union has been a recent discussion around student representative groups on campus. The first mention of Chick-Fil-A en masse to students was a polling question from the ASUW executive branch Fall Student Issue Survey.
“Personally, I’ve been hearing rumors about it for a few months,” Queer Community Coalition Co-Chair Hanna Crockett said. “I think the first time it was brought up is something that might actually happen was when ASUW reached out to QCC for the Fall Student Issue Survey.”
Chick-Fil-A is known by some for its very popular fried chicken sandwiches, the kind employees, its roots in Christianity, and at times, for its controversial donations.
This comes after 2019 reports stated that the fast food chain had donated funds to multiple Christianity groups with Anti-LGBTQIA+ notions.
According to the ASUW executive branch Fall Student Issue Survey that opened on Wednesday, Sept. 7, and was completed by 1,136 students.
The majority (85.07%) support Chick-Fil-A coming to campus in the Union with nearly one-fifth of students either not supporting (11.44%) or unsure (3.50%).
“We acknowledge this feedback is limited, but are confident it is a representation of student concerns across campus,” ASUW executive branch said in a recent statement about the low number of participants in the survey.
The first mass communication from a University of Wyoming-operated department came from Dining Services through a survey on student preference between Chick-Fil-A, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, or KFC on Sept. 29.
Unlike the rest of the union, the restaurants in the union areas are operated, rented, and under the jurisdiction of dining services, not the Center for Student Leadership (CSIL) and Union administration.
This includes what additions might come to these areas, like a chicken-based fast-food restaurant.
“The CSIL and Multicultural Affairs office are currently engaging in conversation with dining about root prospects and working with staff to support students that will be impacted by those decisions,” Eric Kahl, Director of Wyoming Union and CSIL.
There are some organizations on campus, like the Queer Community Coalition, that are upset that Chick-Fil-A is being considered at all for the Union.
“This is where the Rainbow Resource Center is and the Multicultural Resource Center, and that’s where queer students and students of color and those with different identities, are supposed to find safe spaces,” QCC Co-Chair Crockett said. “To put a Chick-fil-A in the Union is even more of a slap in the face than just having one on campus.”
This was further communicated by individuals who had added a comment under the survey questions in the ASUW Fall Issue Student Survey:
-”I don’t support chick-fil-a because of their views on the LGBTQ community, it would be odd to have them in the same building as multicultural affairs.”
-“I feel like bringing chick fil à to campus would be a direct insult to LGBT students on campus who already attend school in an extremely anti-LGBT state.”
-“Chick-Fil-A?? Are you actually kidding me. And here I really thought UW couldn’t get worse about queer rights. Pathetic.”
Despite the majority of students voting for the support of this addition to the Union, the ASUW executive branch has been meeting with campus communities like the QCC for additional thoughts.
“At this time, ASUW (executive branch) acknowledges the overwhelming support of Chick-Fil-A on campus, but urges the Board of Trustees and the UW Administration to consider the impact brining this business could pose to our campus community and values as well as our student LGBTQIA+ population,” ASUW executive branch said in a recent statement.
The ASUW Legislative branch has not had any official business reach the senate floor related to the ongoing conversation of a Chick-Fil-A in the Union.
“I do think the ASUW senate should address this ongoing conversation through the passing of legislation,” QCC Co-Chair Crockett said. “We have seen the ASUW senate in the past address issues like this before with the resolution against senate file 51, the anti-trans legislation that was addressed at the state level.”
ASUW Chief of Legislative Affairs Smith declined to comment if he had assisted or seen the creation of any legislation concerning this topic.
