Coke-drinking faculty members can relax. Despite an e-mail message sent to some faculty members two weeks ago, university officials said faculty can still be reimbursed for nonbulk purchases of products from Pepsi's competitors.

The e-mail message said that faculty members could no longer purchase products from Pepsi's competitors with university funds because of the university's exclusive contract with Pepsi.

"This policy applies in all situations, including meetings or receptions held in private homes," the e-mail message stated. "If you hope to be reimbursed from any university funds for beverage expenses, they must be Pepsi products."

The memo became public after Rosa Eberly, associate professor of English and communication arts and sciences, posted it on a blog called "The Blogora," http://rsa.cwrl.utexas.edu/.

However, Penn State spokesman Steve MacCarthy said there had been no change in policy.

"While the intent was correct, it probably was too broadly stated," he said.

MacCarthy said that the policy applies only to bulk purchases; smaller events, such as a personal lunch, were not an issue.

"[Individuals] will not encounter a situation where they would not be reimbursed," he said. MacCarthy said the memo was sent out to remind faculty of the policy after a minor issue with a "third-party vendor situation," which he refused to comment on.

"It's not a big issue within the university," he said.

Karen McCullough (graduate-communication arts and sciences) said she received the message through the communication arts and sciences department. She said she was shocked but not surprised.

"[The e-mail] wasn't that surprising to me, but to have it be in terms of outside of school -- that just seemed a little over the top to me," she said.

McCullough said there was little reaction within her department.

"It was mostly a lot of eye rolling," she said.

McCullough said she was never notified that the e-mail was inaccurate.

"I would definitely have expected a prompt follow-up," she said.

According to Penn State Policy AD26,"The university agrees during the term of the Agreement to purchase its total requirement of soft drink products from Pepsi."

It also states, "Any employee representing the university in an official capacity while on-campus (e.g., interviews, open meetings, etc.) should refrain from using soft drink products that are in competition with Pepsi."

The exclusive contract began in 1992 and was renewed in 2002 for another 10 years.

Lisa Wandel, associate director of food services, said that food services is required to buy Pepsi products over competitors when the option is available.

"There's times where we would like to try a different type of beverage," she said. "If Pepsi has a viable alternate we are required to use theirs."

Amelious Whyte, chief of staff of student affairs at the University of Minnesota, which has a contract with Coca-Cola, said that Minnesota's contract is primarily concerned with what happens on campus -- off-campus events have nothing to do with the university.

"If I'm entertaining people off campus, they're free to drink [Pepsi] products," he said.

Ronald Bettig, associate professor of communications, said that exclusive contracts were becoming more common among public universities since state funding began declining.

"One of the responses of the university is to turn to the corporate sector," he said.

Bettig said the Pepsi contract was similar to the contracts the university has with Nike, MBNA and Barnes & Noble.

Boris Minkovich (sophomore-psychology) said that he was not bothered by the contract with Pepsi.

"I'm so used to the exclusive contract that frankly I don't mind," said Minkovich, adding that his high school had an exclusive contract with Coke. "I can't really tell the difference."