HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. -- A local university is the latest to cut ties with Papa John’s Pizza.
Northern Kentucky University's food services partner will remove the eatery from its student union in the wake of racist remarks made by the company’s founder, Director of Public Relations Anna Wright said.
Papa John’s founder, John Schnatter, resigned as chairman this month after it was revealed he used the N-word on a conference call in May. Papa John's International Inc. has started scrubbing Schnatter's image from its marketing materials and has said it's evaluating all of its ties with him. Schnatter still serves as a board member.
The move is one of President Ashish Vaidya’s first at the helm; he started as president of the university July 1.
"Northern Kentucky University has a longstanding commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion that is embedded in all facets of our campus. It is a defining characteristic that makes me proud to serve as president of this university whose faculty and staff are focused on helping our students lead meaningful lives and successful careers," Vaidya wrote in a letter to the campus community. "We believe our students, faculty and staff benefit from a rich environment of thought and experience that is gained by welcoming people from all backgrounds and perspectives."
NKU's food service provider will replace the Papa John's with a different pizza-based eatery and the employees will keep their jobs, according to Vaidya.
