Co-operative Living 

Although SCO operates out of two separate houses, it functions as a single, unified cooperative. Ensuring that members from both The Vine and the Firehouse actively participate in the governance and decision-making processes of the organization is central to our mission of cooperative living. To maintain this cohesion and uphold democratic values, all members are required to attend a monthly All-SCO meeting. These meetings serve as the primary forum for discussing and voting on key matters such as policy updates, by-law amendments, board elections, national cooperative news, budget approvals, and procedural changes.

This collective decision-making process is not just a structural requirement, it is a cornerstone of our cooperative philosophy. By engaging every member in these important discussions, we foster a culture of transparency, accountability, and shared responsibility. This democratic participation ensures that SCO continues to reflect the needs and values of its members while advancing its commitment to affordable, community-based housing

House meetings occur once every two weeks and generally last about an hour. 

Check-in and chore: each person can talk for a moment about how their week went and reports the completion of their chore or any problems they encountered.

Announcements: the secretary or meeting facilitator can remind housemates of any upcoming potluck or house events, and each member can share personal news or information about community happenings. 

Jobs: each member gives an update about how their job is going, or discusses with the house any challenges or extra needs they may have for completing their job in the coming weeks.

Agenda: taken from the previous week's meeting minutes, this may include any topic which the house felt the need to address.

Voting: After sufficient discussion on any topic such as spending, maintenance needs or a new procedure, the house makes a decision by taking a vote. If there are any members who are opposed to the majority vote, these members are given an additional chance to voice their concerns and a subsequent discussion takes place. The group should make every effort to find a compromise which addresses these concerns before voting again. 

Board meetings in the Student Cooperative Organization (SCO) serve as the central forum for organizational governance and long-term planning. Held three times per year—typically in the spring, summer, and fall—these meetings bring together the seven elected board members to carry out critical responsibilities. During these sessions, the Board writes policies, discuss annual budgets, and engages in strategic planning to guide the future of SCO. Discussions often focus on improving the cooperative experience, addressing house needs, and ensuring that SCO remains a sustainable and democratic housing alternative for current and future members. Work done by the Board is then sent to All-SCO meetings where policies are presented and voted on. 

Though not required, taking on a Board role while living in SCO is strongly encouraged. With seven necessary Board positions and a total membership of approximately 17 people, over 40% of SCO’s residents are needed to fill these roles. 

House chores are discussed at each meeting to see how everyone is doing with them and to see if any of them need to be reassigned. We are very flexible with changing chores around if you would like to do something different. Everyone in the house will have an assigned chore while they are living in the house. The chores can range from:

1. Sweeping and mopping floors

2. Cleaning bathrooms 

3. Keeping common areas clean

4. Washing dishes/making sure dishwasher gets ran

5. Taking out the trash, recycling and compost on Sunday night 

6. Cleaning out the fridge weekly of any old food

7. Dusting around the house

Along with the common chores everyone is assigned, the house will engage in "work parties" where we come together as a house to clean/fix something together. All work parties are scheduled at meeting and are talked about before of time. Work parties can range from:

1. Deep cleaning kitchen appliances 

2. Painting rooms 

3. Moving furniture around to accommodate new housemates 

4. Any larger maintenance task