Lewis students do not seem to have a very high level of school spirit. We receive the emails nearly every week about the results of the previous ‘”Flyer Red Friday,” but many times the student chosen was not wearing red or Lewis apparel. Does this mean there is a lack of interest in school spirit, or is this apparent decrease in enthusiasm caused by something else? The cost of Lewis’ spirit wear could be to blame.
With the economy the way it is, many college students do not have extra money to spend. They are required to pay for essentials like tuition, gas, food and car payments. With all of these important obligations, students have to look for ways to save money. This may mean spending less on other items like specialized clothing.
The high prices of the spirit wear at Lewis discourage students from choosing to buy their apparel here, as opposed to stores where they can get more for their money. So where do we see Lewis apparel besides the campus bookstore. It would seem that the prices would be competitive in the bookstore if there were more places off campus to purchase the university’s items. However, a past experience with a Flyer staff member was denied the opportunity to carry the Lewis trademarked items in a family owned store would suggest otherwise.
It was told to the owner of a collegiate apparel store that an agreement with Follett Higher Education Groups did not give the university the ability to allow outside merchants the ability to sell Lewis gear.
Many items in the Lewis bookstore cost around $50 apiece, with several of the clothing found on the bookstore’s online shop range in price from $26-$52. This may cause students to not buy items from the bookstore or to buy less than what they want.
If prices of the spirit wear at Lewis decreased, students would be more likely to buy their clothing from the university bookstore. The location is convenient and most of the merchandise is sold there is something that college students, alumni and faculty would want to wear. College students like the comfortable clothing offered in the bookstore, and their school name is an added bonus.
Other students of university have multiple pieces of school attire in their wardrobe, so we continue to come back to the question at hand. What is the problem with Lewis spirit? It is the price that is the issue.
If spirit wear was more affordable for students and faculty, the school spirit around campus would definitely increase. Students would be able to wear the Lewis apparel they had wanted but could not previously afford. The bookstore would probably make more money with the increased interest in shopping due to the lower prices.
Lower costs would not only benefit the students and faculty, but the university as a whole.
The Lewis Flyer
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