In an interview earlier this week, Au said the final revisions to the agreement were not expected to alter the spirit of the document or its specific intentions. Jim Wilkerson, Duke's director of trademark licensing and stores operations, said that several universities across the country were seriously considering adopting a stance similar to the agreement Duke developed over the weekend, including Cornell University, Georgetown University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I'm confident of that. Wilkerson said that in coming weeks the companies that manufacture Duke-licensed products would be made aware of the new requirements. He expects to hear from a number who will have no problem with the guidelines, as well as from some that are adamantly opposed to it, he said.
Companies have an economic interest in participating in the collegiate market.
I think that will encourage them to find a way to meet the requirements. It's too early to tell if the new requirement will adversely affect Duke's revenues from products bearing the university's name, Wilkerson said. But it also may be that it is better for the university economically in the long run. The public will be assured that Duke products will not be manufactured under unfair or abusive labor conditions. That offers an incentive for people who are socially conscious.