Credit company illegally solicits on Ohio U. campus

ATHENS, Ohio (U-WIRE) — A credit company representative set up shop in Baker University Center Tuesday despite an eight-year ban on credit card soliciting on Ohio University’s campus.

OU officials attributed his presence to miscommunication among OU Alumni Association officials.

A representative from First USA set up a table in Baker encouraging students to sign up for a Visa credit card. The company was soliciting on campus as part of its contract with the alumni assocation, said Connie Romine, associate executive director of the alumni association. The contract with First USA is designed to generate income for the association through credit card distribution to OU alumni.

This fall OU officials renewed the contract, in effect since 1996, said Ralph Amos, executive director of the alumni association. Campus visits are not mandated by the contract.

An alumni association official, unaware of the ban, set up the campus visit with First USA, Amos said. The situation will not be repeated.

The alumni association does not market to students because of the negative consequences of students abusing credit, Amos said.

Credit card soliciting on college campuses has come under fire by Ohio universities this year. In January Ohio State University administrators limited credit card marketing on campus to one company.

A university policy banned credit card marketers eight years ago on OU’s campus.

—The Post

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