[Alumni-chat] What will the BOT do?

[john_hevelin (bwotte at rexx.com)]

Hi, Liza,

>Hi John,
>
>The post of mine to which you responded was a follow-up to one in which I said
>
>>I always thought of co-op as an integral part of the post-Morgan Antioch education. And as Travis said in another thread, co-ops had a tremendous impact on many of our lives. I was shocked to hear that the requirement had been cut to 3 co-ops in only 3 locales.
>Rowan responded with a comment to the effect that the co-op communities were not an idiotic idea.
I wouldn't call it an "idiotic idea."  Personally, I wouldn't have wanted that much structure to my co-op experiences, but I can understand others finding such a community beneficial.  I liked the loose, informal relations that often developed amongst co-ops in the same city, sometimes as friends or roommates or just a comfortable network of mutual support.  Earlier posts on this subject have described co-ops as just being thrown into a new city to find their way alone.  I don't recollect that -- I seem to recall meetings of co-ops destined for the same city as a way to form contacts and support groups.  I seem to recall a lot of support prior to leaving campus.

>What I found socially disruptive was not graduating in 4 years, but having to pick up and move every twelve weeks.
Personally, I found it invigorating and stimulating, but I know that many people shared your discomfort.  Students used to joke about graduates getting the "urge for going" every three months.  :)  I do know that it was good preparation for a life that has had sudden, unpredictable dislocations.

>What I was suggesting was that we _retain_ a certain number of away co-ops but also have an expectation of completing, say, two in Yellow Springs.... This would enable people like me who find moving every quarter socially disruptive a chance to get to know their cohort a little more slowly.
But if I recall correctly, getting a co-op in Yellow Springs was always an option, wasn't it?  I don't recall any requirement that compelled you to leave town.  I'm probably missing your point, since I'm not that familiar with the current program.  But I guess my goal would be to expand offerings and options in a revitalized College.  I'm not sure offerings limited to New Mexico, Washington, or Yellow Springs would have interested me when I was choosing a school.

>We might be able to involve students in campus renovation in a way that was win-win financially for both the students and the college--and I think that participating in rebuilding Antioch (in any number of ways--not just renovating the buildings) would be tremendous in enhancing the sense of community. Just a thought. You are certainly free to disagree.
Actually, I agree with you quite strongly, and thought I had expressed a similar view at some point, although it may have been in a private communication with someone.  I believe that much of the restoration of the College should be an "organic" process, not an exercise in Robert-Moses-style urban renewal ("let's bulldoze those nineteenth century monstrosities and build another Davis!").  I think such a process could be cheaper and better and educational to boot.

John Hevelin '68