An open letter to th administration

For many years the traditional cap and gown ensemble worn by seniors at graduation has been provided to this school by the Herff Jones Company of Indiana. This year, the cost of renting just the cap and gown is approximately $50. While this may not seem like much money, it can be a burden on many families. This problem is compounded by the fact that if a senior does not wear a cap and gown they are not permitted to walk at their high school graduation.

Currently, Herff Jones is the sole provider of cap and gown attire for this school. This monopoly provides no incentive for Herff Jones to offer a competitively priced product. The fact that the situation exists is puzzling, since many providers exist, and expenses are relatively low. Many companies across the country could compete by simply shipping their product to the school for distribution.

I encourage this school’s administration to address this situation by allowing other companies to compete for students’ business. Competitive pricing will lead to a substantial decrease in cost for students and their families. Since the product in question is fairly homogeneous in quality and style, a competitive market will not impact the uniform appearance of the graduating class. The competition will benefit the most important entity in this situation: the student body.

Senior Evan Colvin