Collection of short message cards posted online

Q:

When I used the bundle sale, I noticed the amount on the receipt didn't match, and then I realized
ら、割引き額が間違っていることに気づきました。書籍部で聞いたところ、割引額の1の位が切り捨てであると言われました。そんなことはどこにも書いていませんでした。端数が積み重なったら合計金額はかなり変わってきます。このようなことがあるので生協に対する「学生から金を貪る悪質な団体」というイメージが強まるのです。返金してもらいたいぐらいです。

A:

about the current discount calculation method
　We sincerely apologize for not adequately informing you
・From September 1st, all university co-op stores will be updated to a new register system, and
　the new registers will calculate discounts in 1-yen increments.
　switch from cash discounts to point rewards with the change to the new registers,
　but the University of Tokyo Co-op will continue to offer cash discounts.
・Until the above update (until the end of August),
　we will post the discount calculation method near the registers.
　We plan to post it from the time of opening on August 4th.

Based on your feedback,
we are considering reviewing the information provided when joining the co-op.
using the expressions and descriptions we have used so far
We will strive to communicate more accurately

Q:

Regarding the discontinuation of the student cafeteria pass.
It appears that the student cafeteria pass will be discontinued, but I feel that the explanation for this discontinuation is insufficient. Please explain the rational reasons for discontinuing it, how the app is superior to the student cafeteria pass, and why the student cafeteria pass cannot replace it. Also, there are likely a small number of subscribers who do not own smartphones, and it is unfair to unilaterally discontinue the student cafeteria pass and demand that they switch to the app without providing any alternative measures for them. I believe an explanation is needed for this as well. I await a sincere response.

A:

We apologize for any inconvenience caused regarding the transition from cafeteria pass to cafeteria money

The Gakushoku Pass system was linked to a POS register (Toshiba TEC) that was used jointly not only by the University of Tokyo Co-op but also by many other university co-ops in the Tokyo area. As part of a large-scale system overhaul across the nationwide university co-op group, including the Tokyo area, the registers will also be changed, and the Gakushoku Pass system, which was only used in the Tokyo area, will be revamped and made into a smartphone app. Since the services that have been provided through the Gakushoku Pass will continue to be available even after the overhaul, we have decided to ask members to switch to Gakushoku Money. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this system switchover will cause our members

The transition from the Student Cafeteria Pass to Student Cafeteria Money is due to a nationwide system renewal as described above, but the existing functions (cashless use at the Co-op cafeteria, limited use for eating, and viewing of usage history and nutritional information on My Page) will basically be maintained. In the future, we also plan to implement point accrual for individual items and events/fairs.
Currently, alleviating congestion at the University of Tokyo Co-op, especially at the Komaba campus cafeteria during peak lunch hours, is one of the most pressing requests from our members.
We believe that the increasing number of Student Cafeteria Pass holders and the fact that the Pass is limited to cafeteria menus are contributing factors to this congestion. The Co-op handles food items such as bento boxes and beverages not only at the cafeteria but also at its stores, so after the transition to Student Cafeteria Money, we would like to expand the scope of use to include food items at the stores as well, making it a system that further supports "eating" on campus. We hope that by promoting the dispersion of usage between the cafeteria and stores, we can contribute to alleviating congestion as much as possible.

Finally, regarding members who do not own a smartphone but are currently using the cafeteria pass, we would like to discuss and address this matter on an individual basis. We believe it is
necessary to consider alternative payment methods other than smartphones from a system perspective.

Q:

Tosho Card Next is being sold at a discount at discount shops, so to help reduce the burden of book costs for students, we would like you to consider the following:

1. Negotiate with major discount ticket shops (such as Ticket Ranger, J Market, or Ticketty) to have them install a book card vending machine in the university bookstore and have the shop replenish the book cards as needed. Alternatively, you can take on consignment sales from the discount ticket shop and sell them to students at a discounted price at the bookstore counter

2. The University of Tokyo Co-op will purchase Next Book Cards in bulk from major gift certificate shops at bulk rates and sell them to students at the University Bookstore (and faculty and staff if there are any surplus). In this case, it would probably be necessary to obtain a secondhand goods dealer license under the Secondhand Goods Dealers Act, but since they are planning to obtain a license in order to start trading in computers, I think the hurdle is low

In addition, please consider other items that might be useful to students that are sold at discount ticket shops, such as JAL and ANA shareholder discount coupons (for returning home, etc.), stamps, and JR Orange Cards (some major discount ticket shops sell stamps at a discount of nearly 20%, and Orange Cards at a discount of nearly 10%). While it
is possible for individual students to use discount ticket shops, they are small individual customers and therefore cannot receive the large-volume rates, and shipping costs tend to be a burden for small transactions, so we would like university cooperatives to handle large-volume transactions.

Q:

You requested that we sell the book vouchers at a discount, similar to those sold at discount voucher shops. We apologize for the delay in responding, as we had to check the procurement conditions from discount voucher shops based on the information you provided.
In conclusion, it is difficult to sell the book vouchers at a discount even if we purchase them from discount voucher shops.
This is because, if we were to purchase the book vouchers from the discount voucher shop you provided
, the cost would be higher than the purchase price of new book vouchers.
the cooperative also incurs certain expenses to run its business, so
it is difficult for us to sell at the same price we purchase them.

Q:

I have a question. Following the recent announcement regarding the abolition of the Gakushoku Pass, there is information that the University of Tokyo may follow the trend of other university co-ops and abolish the 10% discount on books for members. Regarding this, I would like to ask whether a decision has been made at this point regarding the abolition of the discount, and whether abolition is being considered at the management level

In addition, as we believe there are many students, faculty and staff members who are interested in this matter, we would also like to request that an official announcement be made in either case

A:

Regarding your inquiry regarding whether the 10% discount on books offered to members will be abolished, the University of Tokyo Co-op has no plans to abolish the current discount on books offered to members

Q:

I know an international student who is a heavy user of the cafeteria, even walking all the way from the Komaba Research Campus to the Komaba First Cafeteria to eat. Since they can't read Japanese, I thought they would be happy if there were message cards that could be written in English. I
also think that creating English versions of the message cards would be very useful in understanding the difficulties and misunderstandings that non-Japanese speaking users of the cafeteria may have.

A:

Even now, some people are submitting complaints in English at places like the central cafeteria, but your point is valid and we will consider some kind of response. We have signs in stores and on forms, butcontact information for the University of Tokyo Consumer Cooperative (utcoop.or.jp), so please give us some time.

Q:

The other day, I ordered a large katsu curry, but the ratio of rice to curry was about 2:1, which was definitely unbalanced.
I don't know if they're struggling with rising prices, but I wish they would either reduce the amount of rice or increase the amount of curry.

Also, it's hot during meals, so I would like you to lower the air conditioning setting

A:

Regarding your feedback about the portion sizes of curry and rice, the recipe remains unchanged from before the pandemic, with 320g of rice to 190g of curry sauce, and this is standardized across the university co-op cafeteria. We will reconfirm that the central cafeteria is serving the food according to the recipe.
Regarding the air conditioning in the hall, it appears that some of the power supply components were worn out, preventing it from cooling sufficiently. We will begin work to replace the component on Monday, July 4th.

Q:

The beef cut steak at the live kitchen corner always sells out so quickly, I wish they'd improve that.
I look forward to it, but I've never been able to eat it...
Also, I wish they'd improve the operation between 6 PM and 7 PM. There's a long line at the register, so why don't they increase the cashier staff...?

A:

We apologize for any inconvenience caused.
Regarding the live kitchen issue that we received previously, the corner is currently open from 11:00 to 14:00, and the planned number of meals is set based on recent sales performance. It is difficult to adjust while minimizing food waste, and some menu items are selling out before 14:00. Regarding the 18:
00-19:00 shift, the number of users after 17:00 has been increasing since May, and although we are recruiting staff, we are currently unable to fill the positions. We will continue to recruit staff. We also ask for your cooperation in using cashless payment for faster service.

Q:

The QR code on the notice regarding the "One-Word Card" in the central cafeteria is incorrect.
This is likely because the URL has changed, but the notice hasn't been updated, resulting in the linked page no longer existing.

A:

Thank you for pointing that out.
We have promptly corrected it. Thank you.
If you notice anything else, please use this contact form. Thank you.

Q:

The live kitchen's operating hours are far too short.
Despite the request to stagger visits until 1:30 PM to reduce crowds, when I went at 1:40 PM, they had already finished selling. Even if full-day operation is difficult, they should at least continue operating until around 3 PM.

A:

Thank you for pointing this out. We also apologize for any inconvenience caused. Currently, our corner is open from 11:00 to 14:00, but yesterday we reached the planned number of meals at around 13:30 and had to close the corner. First, we will review the planned number of meals with the staff in charge so that we can continue to serve the menu until 14:00. Regarding extending our hours until 15:00, this will take some time as it will involve changes to our organization, but we will proceed with preparations for the extension. Thank you for your understanding

Q:

At the recent general meeting, it was decided that we would start a secondhand goods business to trade in computers, but would it also be possible to buy and sell used books on campus? We believe that there is a great demand for specialized books on campus

A:

Thank you for using the Co-op. Regarding purchasing used books, we do not have the financial resources to develop a purchasing system like a secondhand bookstore, and it is difficult to train personnel with the skilled knowledge required for purchasing, as is the case at secondhand bookstores. Considering the recent trends in book sales, we are currently unable to immediately begin purchasing and selling used books. We will consider future possibilities within the Co-op based on your feedback