[Alumni-chat] What will the BOT do?

[lwollin]

One of my coops was as secretary to the Community Manager.  I lived in the 
funeral home at the end of town.  There were indeed job options in Yellow 
Springs.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "john_hevelin (bwotte at rexx.com)" <alumni-chat_forum at antiochians.org>
To: <alumni-chat at w3.antioch.edu>
Sent: Monday, September 03, 2007 1:56 AM
Subject: Re: [Alumni-chat] What will the BOT do?


> 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
>
>
>
>