University of California Berkeley - Blue and Gold Yearbook (Berkeley, CA)

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As part 0 hii required jive hours oj housekeepin( work, a co-op resident cleans the kitchen. To enjoy the low cost of livini in a co-op, residents participated in housekeeping chores. Students cook themselves dinner in their apartment kitcheri. Living outside the dorms meant that students had the luxury ofhomecooked meals. Operative Effort Living together isn ' t always easy V Vith o ' er 1200 members, the Universit) ' Students ' Cooperatn ' e Association (USCA) IS the largest student housing co-op in North America. The USCA stresses democracy and cooperation through member ownership and operation. Student ownership IS exercised with the House Council, consist- ing ot either the entire house or apartment population or elected council members. Each house and apartment council discusses group ,md indn ' idual members ' concerns and elects vice managers to oversee aspects of co-op living. House members invest five hours weekly m either housekeeping, cooking, maintenance, clerical work, or sorting mail, while apartment uork shift requirements depend on the residents ' decisions, and range trom two to twelve hours per semester. The semester cost tor room and meals is only $ 1764 tor houses, and the semester cost tor room at apartments ranges trom $ 1048 to $2097, depending on location, apartment size, and number ot occupants. Amane Habib, a first semester Le Chateau resident, initially saw the co-ops as loud and dirt)-. ' Habib added, Some people take drugs to too much ot an extreme. Vet Marisa Vee telt the problem was overly exaggerated. I hear more about the drug problem trom the people who don ' t live here, Yee said. First-year co-op member Summer Breault recognized that visual aspects ot Le Chateau weren ' t ideal. It looks like a crack house or the inside of the men ' s bathroom, Breault commented. Despite the poor housekeeping conditions and drug problems, Breault emphasized that Le Chateau residents are some ot the nicest people Ive ever met m my lite-they ' re so welcoming, and sodu ' erse. Having 50 people with varied socioeco- nomic, cultural, religious backgrounds can spark conflict, but senior joe Madden has not witnessed any conflicts in his sta ' at Andres Castro Arms. And it problems do arise, Madden believes that m a house this size, even it you did have a conflict with someone. I don ' t think it would cause day-to-day problems. junior Suen Song believes that conflicts are a ' oided because cooperation and compromise are traits co-op residents usualK ' enter with. People who live here come in with an open mind, Son jsaid. In addition, the USCA otters numerous member services programs, such as a peer education program and a Majority Poli-Cultural Action Coali- tion (MPACT). which educates members regarding issues of race, class, gender, and sexuality, in order to foster healthier relations amons; co-op members. — Sharon Smith Phorai Inthgni Ching OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING 27

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i With the luxiuries of living independent came the pains of responsibility After spending their first year in the residence halls, most students are eager to move out on their own and live in an apartment. The greatest obstacle to this move is actually finding an apartment. With a large demand for apartments around campus, and scarce numbers of avail- able rentals, it is extremely difficult to find the ideal living space: one at reasonable rent and close proximity to campus, as well as aesthetically pleasing. Moststudentsbegin their apartment hunt at the Com- munity Housing Office which is affiliated with University Housing and Dining. The office serves students and fac- ulty by posting apartment listings. While the service is free, the competition for these apartments is fierce, as many students and faculty alike seek out the same list- ings. Students often look to outside rental services such as Homefinders or Rental Solutions to ease the frustrations of apartment hunting. For $65, Homefinders provides daily listings of apartments for rent, and for a fee equal to half of the first month ' s rent, Rental Solutions handles the entire process of searching and obtaining an apartment for their clients. Even when a suitable apartment has been found, the luxuries of living on one ' s own still has its costs. No longer do students have their mothers to clean their bedrooms and bathrooms, or the dining commons to cook their meals and clean the dishes. In addition to the added chores of housekeeping are the added utility expenses for phone, water and electricity. Paying the bills each month reminds students that along with the independence of living in an apartment, comes responsibility. Roommates share an apartment, living expenses and study ttme. A- ' y. m V

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A couple isn ' t embarrassed to show their a eitioii in public at Ludu ' ig ' s Fountain in Sproul Plaza. th Birds aW Bees ach semester, srudents enroll in a wide arier - ot bioiosjicai science classes to learn about the physiolog) ' and anatomy ol the human bod -. Professors fill their lectures with diagrams, charts, colorful drawings, and models to help students understand how environmental stresses an ect body functions. Classes are designed to give a general overview, but unfortunately, man} ' ot tlu- en ironmental stresses that students encounter on a daily basis cannot be taught through tlashcards or textbooks. An interest in these stresses arises fi-om the presence of sexually transmitted diseases, un- wanted pregnancies, identit} ' issues, and sexual violence in daily campus lite. 1 o promote social growth and healthy lifestyles tor anyone con- cerned with sexuality issues facing students, numerous programs have been established on campus. Within these programs, students are encouraged to voice their concerns and questions, learn about their bodies, and have the opportunit)- to help others. Health Promotions, the Mu ficu tKr.i AIDS Peer Pro-am, and the Female Se.vualit)- De With concerns about STDs and pregnancy, students and professors address the issue of sex through education Cal class allow students to deal with sexualit) ' and gender issues in a sex-positive and comfortable .setting. Health Promonom. sponsored b ' the I ang Center, recruits students to inform the campus community on topics such as nutrition, safer sex, alcohol awareness, and date rape. Students give outreaches to dorms, Greek houses, and c lasses, and spend time in the Tang Center counseling patients. I ' he Miihicuhwal A IDS Peer Program allows a diverse group of students to learn about HI ' and AIDS issues and help promote awareness in the community. The program puts on theater productions every year, with performances regarding HI pre ' ention. Women ' s Studies 98. the Female Sexuality De-Cal class, is based on the theory of women helping women. Topics included in the curricu- lum are self-examination, portrayals of women ' s sexuality in culture, erotica and pornography, honi(.ise. ualir ' , bod ' image, .md feminism. According to third-year student I X-bi a Phillips, the class gives a 1960s, i 97()s concept ot Icm.ile community. The growing deni.ind lor lie.ilth .md sexuality education is warranted by the rising rate of sexualK ' transmitted di.seases and sexu.il iolence in college-age students. The programs were designed to deal with the i.ssues that both students and community members face on a dail) ' basis and will continue to face for years to come. -Traci Brown 1 tnlhoni Chinol 28 LIFE