Continued from Page 8
beginning of each term where
students sign up for jobs which
will work in with their class
schedule. Each duty is credited
with a varying amount of
points, and members choose
about three or four jobs until
they accumulate 10 points. Of
ficers’ positions count toward
job points as well.
A certain number of hours are
also alloted each term for “work
parties." Small and large house
improvements, post-party
cleaning, community services
and special building projects
are a few of the ways that
members can fulfill their work
party requirements. Typically,
10 hours of work are expected
each term, but with some help,
a radio and refreshments, the
work can be fun.
Betsy Stalker, former house
president at Janet Smith, says,
“It’s easy and it’s actually fun. I
like the jobs when I work with
other people. Dishwashing isn’t
so bad when you turn on some
tunes."
When people don’t do their
jobs, “you influence thirty-nine
other people," Clark says. “You
can’t slough off at the co-op.
You have to be responsible, or
else there are other people who
are going to get on your case.
Maybe that’s peer pressure, but
that kind of peer pressure is
good.”
This summer, several Janet
Smith residents earned work
party credit by constructing a
wood patio for the roof and
painting the house. By doing
their own maintenance and
repair work, co-op members
learn practical skills, strengthen
their communal independence
Photo by Michael Clapp
Co-op living offers an attractive alternative to dormitory and apartment living.
and save money at the same
time.
The unwritten rule that em
bodies the philosophy of
cooperatives is that members
learn to share, adapt, help and
respect each other, and they
contribute their part to the well
being of the group as a whole.
The SCA is composed of a
board elected by, and from, the
members, and it meets twice a
month to discuss financial mat
ters, house procedures and
ideas for improvement.
Like any other small
business, there is a lot of book
keeping and budget-balancing
to be done so in May the
association hired Toni Daniels
as its business manager. She
says that whenever possible,
SCA tries to do business with
other cooperative organiza
tions. “We try to support each
other... (but)it’s not always
possible (because) sometimes
co-ops can be more expensive
than regular businesses.”
SCA buys some of its food
from local food co-ops such as
Surata Soy Food, Starflower
and United Grocers. It also uses
Garbagios recycling services
and interacts with the West
University Neighborhood
Association and the National
Consumer Cooperative Bank.
Because of the high turnover
rate in student co-ops, revenue
is typically tight. Plans for
future revenue generating pro
jects are being considered such
as providing accommodations
for Eugene convention goers
and monthly bake sales. When
expenses are being met, any ex
tra funds can be returned to the
members in rebates or rent
reductions, or used for house
improvements and major pur
chases. "One of the real benefits
of a co-op is that the profits go
to the members, and they can
control what happens to the
surplus money,” Stalker says.
The other advantages aside,
most memebers say the best part
of living in a student co-op is
the friendship. Strong bonds
and feelings of unity can grow
between co-opers whether they
stay for one term or several
years.
‘ ‘The co-op was the best thing
I did for myself in college,”
Stalker says.
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