Ball State's President commended Papa John's owner, John Schnatter, despite recent controversy involving the company.
“I think [Schnatter] has been a good representative of Ball State University,” said President Paul Ferguson at Friday's ribbon-cutting of the Atrium Papa John's. “We’re here to have a good time of having some opportunities for students, we’re here to celebrate, and we appreciate the role [Schnatter] has played with Ball State University, and I’m proud of him being an alumnus.”
A franchise of the company was recently involved in a lawsuit after New York's Attorney General Eric Schneiderman issued subpoenas to a Manhattan Papa John's franchise owner to investigate wages. The investigation found that the franchise owner had shorted more than 400 workers out of their wages and tips, according to reuters.com.
Schnatter, a Ball State alumnus, also announced in 2012 he would cut employee hours and extend the company's health care costs to customers through the pizza prices because of additional costs the company would incur from the Affordable Care Act.
According to the Act, if a company has 50 or more full time employees, it must provide health care to employees.
Both Jon Lewis, director of campus dining services, and President Ferguson said they didn't have all of the details and couldn’t comment on the matter.
Lewis said the university chose Papa John's after conducting a survey to students in 2008 that asked students' preference on additions to campus dining.
“I think having a very significant name brand restaurant to provide great products and opportunity for students is important for it being student-centered," Ferguson said.
Since the lawsuit and the health care comments, Schnatter has appeared publicly announcing a new pizza idea as well as attending a funeral of a teenage employee who was killed during a robbery at a Tennessee branch.
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