Students can search Marquette Place high and low. They can go to every vending machine on campus, every drinking fountain in every dining hall, but their search for a Coca-Cola product will be futile.

However, venture less than fifty yards from the Alumni Memorial Union to the Jesuit Residence dining room, and one will find a soda dispenser boasting Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite and Fanta.

That’s right. The members of the Society of Jesus have access to the drink unavailable to students through Sodexo-operated venues: Coke.

While Pepsi products are ubiquitous at Marquette, students are unable to use their meal swipes, dining dollars or Marquette Cash to purchase any Coke products through University Dining Services.

But conceivably, students could buy Coke products with Marquette Cash at nearby establishments such as Open Pantry or Subway.

According to Sodexo’s Web site, it has contracts with both Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola. However, Marquette’s contract with Coke ran out a few years ago, according to Kevin Gilligan from Sodexo Dining Services.

“I’m not sure of the exact reason,” Gilligan said. “But I think the university chose to partner with Pepsi after Coke failed to deliver consistent service. I believe this might have been before my time, and they had a survey processed that Pepsi seemed to be preferred by the campus community.”

The Rev. James Flaherty, director of the Jesuit Residence, said he has no idea why Coke products are present there.

“The decision, whenever it was made, I have no idea, but it was before I became rector,” he said.

Many students are thirsting for Coke on campus, and some are downright angry about not being able to drink the same soft drinks as their frock-wearing instructors.

“I think that is a major wrong to students,” said Jimmy Barrett, a junior in the College of Communication. “As a participant of the Pepsi Challenge many years ago, I successfully identified Coke as the better soft drink. The fact that the ‘Jes Res’ has one and that the students don’t is an injustice to our tuition check.”

Some students, however, see the lack of Coke products not so much as an injustice, but rather as a crushing deprivation, especially as finals week approaches.

“I have a Diet Coke addiction,” said Ceara Milligan, a sophomore in the College of Business Administration. “Diet Cherry Coke is my weakness.”

Milligan compensates by drinking large quantities of Coca-Cola products when returning home for breaks during the school year.

“I am happier than a kid in a candy store,” Milligan sighed.

Other students see the lack of Coke products as a jab to their freedoms as college students.

“It would be nice to have a choice,” said Kasey Ehrke, a sophomore in the College of Education. “It’s not a huge deal, but some people are just Coke people, not Pepsi people.”

But at Marquette, all those Coke people are living in a Pepsi world.