Co-ops

What Are Co-ops?

Cooperative living has thrived at Stanford for over forty years, and it's still going strong.  The seven co-ops (576 Alvarado, Columbae, The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, Hammarskjöld, Kairos, Synergy, and Terra) are more homes than houses, with a distinctly intimate, warm, and welcoming feel to them.  When living in a co-op, you become part of a community, and each of the seven co-ops holds distinct community values.  Many offer gender-neutral housing; some feature vegetarian kitchens and meals; and some make house decisions through consensus decision-making.  They have focuses on alternative lifestyles, intentional communities, LGBT friendliness, international awareness, or social change through nonviolent action. 

All of them bring residents together with hundreds of small, intimate events and invite the campus in with a few large parties across the co-op system throughout the year.  Co-op programming often focuses on art, self-expression, and providing a vibrant outlet for bands and DJs from around campus and around the world.  New experiences and a good time await all who immerse themselves in a co-op and discover the traditions and legacies of decades of co-operative living at Stanford.

The Co-op Job System

One central feature across the co-op system is that you become part of a job system when you live or become an eating associate in a co-op.  You cook dinners, sometimes work in the garden, and clean up after yourselves shoulder-to-shoulder with your fellow co-opers.  In this way, meeting and knowing everybody in your co-op is built into the fabric of daily life.  These jobs reinforce the residents’ personal contribution and accountability to each other and to the student staff who ensures things are running smoothly.  Cooking and cleaning for yourselves are not only a great chances to bond with your community, take pride in your contributions, and learn important real-world skills, but these jobs save you thousands of dollars a year on rent and board bills!

Environmental Consciousness

Another common theme in co-ops is an orientation towards environmental consciousness.  Many residents use cooperative life to explore ways of living that are more sustainable.  In addition to attention to food sourcing (most food is local, fresh, and organic), some co-ops feature solar panels, rainwater catchment systems, and extensive gardens.  They encourage ecologically-conscious living through gentle education and by changing the defaults of daily life from consumption to conservation.

Aspects of Co-op Communities

Finally, co-ops serve as an important outlet and supportive home for lifestyles and world views that are often stifled in more conventional contexts.  Students often discover an integrated, authentic life when they live in a co-op, because co-ops are places that encourage self-expression, question social norms, and intentionally foster happiness, contemplation, and compassion.  A strong extended community of visitors, eating associates, and alumni are drawn to the trust, comfort, and honesty which are hallmarks of the co-op experience.  Co-op residents have a unique opportunity to shape their communities through their participation and contributions, and the Stanford co-ops repay them with experiences and friendships that stay with them for the rest of their lives.

Pre-Assigning into Co-op Communities

In order to pre-assign to any Co-op Community, it is essential that you fill out the Residential Education application online. PLEASE NOTE: The deadline to apply for pre-assignment is Thursday, April 9th, 2015 at 1pm. If you have any questions about pre-assignment in general, please contact the Co-op Peer Advisors.