June2025

Pine Press Pine Press J u J u n n e e 2 0 2 0 2 2 5 5

M e e t The VPE Onyx Bromley I am super excited to work as VPE while finishing up my degree in sociology this year! Keep an eye out for fun volunteer opportunities for the membership to allow more interhouse and community engagement. I hope to establish required trainings for education officers to spread to their housemates in order to increase overall inclusion, understanding, and safety within the SHC. In regard to the Pine Press, I encourage you all to create material for publication if you are interested. I hope that this can be a creative reflection of the overall personality of the Spartan Housing Cooperative. More involvement will only improve these results. If you are ever interested in creating something, but need direction of any kind, please reach out to me through the education email listed below.

Contact Info: education@spartan.coop

Office Hours Tuesday - 10am-12pm Thursday - 10am-12pm - 3pm-5pm Friday: 10am-12pm

Likes 80s synth/Darkwave Sandalwood Cooking meals for others Hiking/ Backcountry camping

Dislikes Slow walkers Squash/Eggplant Sand Any weather above 75 degrees

↟ SPARTAN HOUSING COOPERATIVE ↟​​ Management Report, {April & May, 2025}

Membership House Occupancy Levels

➔​ Plenty of rooms are available for this Fall, especially at the bigger houses like Phoenix, Bower, New Comm, Howland, Orion, and Apollo. Specifically, there are 55 spots left at all houses. This screenshot is as of May 20th, 2025. ➔​ There were 25 tour cards submitted in April and 12 in May.

Democracy Governance ➔​ During the All Member Meeting, a Phoenix member brought up the Facilities Abatement code. The implications of the policy regard carrying charge abatement for members under the conditions of blocked, inaccessible, or unusable amenities of their house. Currently, the code is on the Executive Team’s agenda to review, and I will give updates following their decision. ➔​ At the April 21st board meeting, the board approved changes to the Executive Limitation policies, 2.1: Treatment of Member Residents, and 2.5: Business Planning and Financial Budgeting. The policy changes regarding 2.1 and partially 2.5 allow member involvement and input in the SHC’s annual budget setting, while the Executive Team provides information about the budget process and charge setting as a guide, and requires the board to approve any changes to member assessments. For the changes in 2.5, the board wants to ensure a concrete multi-year plan from the Executive Team so that they don’t make decisions that only impact the short-term. This can help the board monitor the team better and hold them accountable for any actions taken.

Finance Income and Expense ​

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↟ SPARTAN HOUSING COOPERATIVE ↟​​ Management Report, {April & May, 2025}

➔​ March Books1 $128,8322

Income Expense Routine Maintenance (incl.

Inspections, windows, electrical, plumbing, and new washer/dryer)

$4,800

Programs (incl. All Member Meeting and Annual Debates, deposit for Board Retreat, member screening)

$3,647

Overhead (incl. Staff payroll, EC stipend, CC fees, office furniture, office rent, and software bills)

$45,064

Net Operating Income (NOI)

$75,321 Loan Payments (Interest only)

$5,743

➔​ April Books Income

$116,256

Expense Routine Maintenance (incl.

Reinspections, plumbing, electrical, and new dryer)

$7,955.48

Programs (incl. Pride shirts, All Member, EC retreat)

$4,673.68

Overhead (incl. Staff payroll, EC stipend, CC fees, office rent, and software bills)

$41,459.83

Loan Payments (Interest only)

$5,981.90

Net Operating Income (NOI)

In each management report, the finance books will be from a month prior as the books need time to be reconciled. These numbers represent the ballpark in which the finances stand. DO NOT count on them as fact. The books get fully reconciled at the end of each financial quarter.

2 This number is a little higher than usual because we are switching instead of annually to quarterly recording of our CD investment interest. This interest is coming from back in September of 2024.

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↟ SPARTAN HOUSING COOPERATIVE ↟​​ Management Report, {April & May, 2025}

Facilities Current Capital Improvements ➔​ The Collingwood parking lot was finally repaved in May. It was filled with potholes, making it a nightmare to get in and out of if you had a car because of its small size. The board approved its financing in November, but the maintenance team had to wait until the weather was warm enough to work with the asphalt efficiently. Congratulations, Hedrick and Ferency, on your new parking lot!

Work Orders ➔​ There are 44 maintenance requests submitted for April. The top three houses with the most maintenance requests are Bowie, Phoenix, and Ferency. Most of the maintenance requests in April regard wall damage, flooding, or dryer issues.

➔​ There were 46 maintenance requests submitted in May, most of them coming from Phoenix and Hedrick. Most issues, as detailed below, can be attributed to Windows not closing or opening properly, tree landscaping because of the recent tornado, and some dryers not drying loads correctly. Always remember that if you see something, say something! You don’t have to be a facilities officer to make a maintenance request and can easily submit one through AppFolio!3

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Refer to the next page for May’s maintenance request chart.

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↟ SPARTAN HOUSING COOPERATIVE ↟​​ Management Report, {April & May, 2025}

Property Development Grants ➔​ $3,959 is left in the grant budget from this previous fiscal year for any house to apply for a project! If you have an idea for your house, submit a proposal! It will be reviewed by the facilities committee and decided on.

Events SHC T-Shirt Design ➔​ Congratulations, Avie from Phoenix! This design will define the SHC for the next year. If your house hasn’t already done so, make sure to vote on a shirt color from dark green, brown, or cream as a house!

SHC 5K ➔​ The 5K occurred on April 19th at 10:30 am. Starting at Bower, there were only approximately 7 participants, but with high motivation! The route went around all of the campus co-ops, ending at Bowie. Several houses were in support of the member runners by providing water and snacks to help keep them refreshed and energized during the event. ​

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↟ SPARTAN HOUSING COOPERATIVE ↟​​ Management Report, {April & May, 2025}

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Cord Pick-ups ➔​ For MSU grads, the SHC provided cords to wear during their graduation!

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​ Field Day

➔​ Field day was held at the Valley Court Park next to Raft Hill on May 10th. Several co-opers attended from the houses! AJ notes that this was a very successful and fun event and is looking to make it a yearly occurrence.

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Courtesy of Trixie from Bower House; Trixie wearing her SHC cord.

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↟ SPARTAN HOUSING COOPERATIVE ↟​​ Management Report, {April & May, 2025}

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Co-op Movement Cooperation Among Cooperatives ➔​ Michigan Community Land Co-op Board Rep, James Gleespen ◆​ MCLC is planning to purchase Atlantis, which has been in development for the past half year. They’re also developing another co-op house on North Ave with people moving in next month!

➔​ Eastside Lansing Food Co-op Board President, Holly-Jo Sparks ◆​ The store just had a reset, bringing in a variety of new products. Hojo spoke to the National Coop grocer and is trying to network with other Coop grocery stores within LILA (low-income, low-access) neighborhoods. However, this will take time to establish. Currently, sales have been going up from their downtrend throughout the winter months.

Cooperatively,

Bec Melaku ☆ Bec Melaku, Corporate Secretary

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tf has aj been doing as vpm? (may 25')

(a mini accountability report/monthly communication)

completed tasks/projects shc field day - may 10th shc/cdf 5k - april 19th t-shirt design contest/ordered t-shirts shc/el pride shirts ordered marketing materials for el pride, queer reality project.

s! i y u g to aiii ppy in! h : a aj so h aga m p m rd v a ur orwa ar e f e b ok sy i lo ll thi fer! i a to to of s ha as! y <3

upcoming projects/tasks facilitating el pride/vendor management organizing event calendar for 2025-2026 contract year prepare for summer new member orientation onboard new membership officers

Queer Movie Recommendations for Pride Month

The Boys in the Band - Gabe, Hedrick

Bottoms - Lily, Beal -Clay, Phoenix

Am I Okay The Watermelon Woman - Rebecca, Howland - Bella, Hedrick

I Saw the TV Glow - Jake, Phoenix

The Birdcage - Kylie, Hedrick -Emma, Ferency -Gavin, Orion

Queer Movie Recommendations for Pride Month

Queer Planet - Chloe, Bower

But I’m a Cheerleader - Abby, Orion -Clay, Phoenix

Heavenly Creatures Portrait of a Lady on Fire - Esh, Toad Lane - Sammie, Phoenix

Uncle Frank - Eric, Howland

All of Us Strangers - Onyx, Bower

Queer Movie Recommendations for Pride Month

Slay - Saylor, Beal

Dicks: The Musical - Avie, Phoenix

Happiest Season - Shelby, Beal

Straight-Jacket - Clay, Phoenix

The Babadook - Jack, Bower

D.E.B.S. - Rachel, Beal

NEED FOOD AID? Check out the MSU Student Food

Bank or the Eastside Lansing Food Co-op

MSU STUDENT FOOD BANK Weekly food pickups Tues/Weds/Thurs, 9am-5pm Available to MSU students and others EASTSIDE LANSING FOOD CO-OP Daily Hours Mon-Fri: 10am-7pm Sat: 10am-6pm Sun: 10am-4pm Local Produce Prepared foods from local chefs Accepts EBT as payment

2024-2025 President’s Annual/End of Term Report James Gleespen, May 13, 2025 When the Executive Committee term ends each year in April, Executive Committee members are required to submit a report focused on their term. This is my third one, and the first one actually completed after a full year in one position. Woo hoo!

I am very proud of the work done by the Executive Committee this past year. Besides myself, all of the other members of the 2024-2025 Executive Committee started in their positions last May, and I have seen them learn and grow so much since then. They have worked hard to solve problems, support members, and find new ways to make the SHC a better place. I had a feeling that this was a particularly exceptional group, but some of the data that we collected this spring helped back that up: the average ratings that Executive Committee members received in their end-of-term Committee Evaluation improved from last year in every question category1, and the Member Satisfaction Survey question rating Executive Committee performance was the second highest rated SHC-wide question. Beyond all of this hard work, they are also wonderful, dedicated people who I am grateful to have gotten to know and work with.

This year’s cohort of Board members have also done an amazing job. I noticed that over the course of the year, the initiative and responsibility taken on by Board members increased, culminating in a very busy April as we discussed policy proposals submitted by Board members.

Some major decisions stemmed from Board members this year, including the introduction and approval of a proposal that requires the Board to approve all changes to member carrying charges, the introduction and approval of a policy that requires the Executive Team2 to present the Board with a strategic plan at least once a year, and the decision to hold the referendum to directly purchase 324 and 328 Regent St (instead of the Board voting on whether or not to financially and operationally support another organization in purchasing the houses). Figuring out how the Board works can be a challenge, and it takes dedication to consistently come to Board meetings prepared and ready to be fully engaged (as opposed to just rubber stamping things), so I am very grateful to have gotten to work with a Board that has brought this dedication to such a degree!

One of the most significant things that occurred this term was the referendum regarding the purchase of the Regent Street properties. It’s weird to look back on, honestly—it feels like it occurred so long ago, and while I would consider it to have been a success, what comes to mind first when I think back on it is how stressful it was. Although the vote passed with 63.97% in favor, those opposed were much louder than those in favor, and I struggled not to feel like the people who were angry were specifically angry at me. The first week of the referendum was especially rough—between work related to the referendum, the Visionary Retreat (which was unfortunately that weekend), and everything else I was responsible for, I put in almost 50 hours of SHC-related work, and the week ended with me crying in my car after a rough referendum 1

For anyone curious, the highest rated one asked about how well the SHC facilitates a culture of consent and mutual respect, and they were rated 5.7/7 and 5.6/7, respectively.

2 The Executive Team = the President and the Executive Director

discussion at a house. One thing that made that period particularly frustrating was the amount of misinformation that went around. I felt like I was running around trying to put out fires, and as soon as I could get one out, another one would start spreading. Even recently, someone said in their Member Satisfaction Survey response that the membership voted no on purchasing the Regent St houses and then we held a revote to get the vote to pass, which definitely did not happen (and was not something I knew anyone thought). The project still had primarily positive outcomes—by the end of the year we’ll have space for six more co-opers, it brought the Board together, and even the backlash helped us learn about and address issues within the SHC—but it was a lot to be in the middle of!

I’ve noticed that misinformation is a common issue in the SHC. I think that this is in part because of how confusing it can be to navigate the SHC as a member, which was especially heightened during the referendum3. In addition to this, though, I’ve noticed a pattern in which an issue occurs, that issue gets attributed to malice, and there isn’t a search for more information or resolution beyond this attribution. For example, early in my term I was told about a house (by a member not from that house) that was experiencing a significant maintenance issue that the Maintenance Team was refusing to take care of. I was very frustrated about this and brought the issue up to holly jo, only to find out that the staff had no idea that this issue was happening and there had never been a maintenance request submitted for the issue. I hesitate to discuss this, because I am worried that it will be taken as me saying that all issues within the SHC are a result of misinformation or miscommunication—there are definitely real issues within the SHC and the way that we do things—but I have a lot of stories like this. I aim to continue to help decrease the amount that this occurs by making information more accessible, encouraging and participating in thorough communication, and making members feel comfortable enough to reach out to me to discuss issues they experience. My ask of you, though, is that you reach out to myself or others who work for the SHC when you encounter issues and avoid attributing the issue to malice without taking steps to ensure that we are on the same page about the problem. In the issue I mentioned above, we might still not know about that problem if the member from another house hadn’t brought it up. I want to help improve the experience of living in the SHC, but I can only do that if I know about the issues that members are experiencing.

Somewhat in line with that tangent, one of my goals during my time as President has been to increase the degree to which the Board and the membership can fully engage in “democratic member control”—or, in other words, the degree to which we are truly a member-run cooperative. These efforts have largely involved trying to make it easier to understand how the SHC works and how members can get involved and affect change within the cooperative. At the start of the term, I focused on creating the SHC External Shared Drive and informational documents to store inside it. I also worked to make sure that we were sharing more information with members throughout the year. On a Board level, I revamped the Board orientation process and have been working to create more written documents that can help Board members 3

While we worked very hard to get information out during the very short timeline that we had to work in, the short timeline definitely made things more confusing. For anyone that doesn’t know, we had originally expected that the house wouldn’t be ready for sale until Summer/Fall 2025, but the houses ended up being ready for sale in December 2024, creating a sudden time crunch that overall made the referendum efforts very condensed.

understand how to fulfill their role. I also planned the Board’s Visionary Retreat in January with a focus on helping Board members learn how to use the Board’s policy governance structure to shape and direct the path of the SHC. In addition, I worked to improve the functionality of monitoring reports4 through reworking their contents, improving data collection efforts, and ensuring timely monitoring (every ends policy and Board self-monitoring policy was monitored this term!).

Another one of my primary goals was increasing the level of support given to Executive Committee members. Last May, I started doing one-on-one meetings with Executive Committee members, which I have continued to do on a monthly (well, almost monthly) basis. I’ve also worked to create structured planning and evaluation processes to help guide the work that we do, involving the annual Executive Committee retreat, Executive Committee meeting discussions, check ins at one on ones, and survey-style evaluations. I hope to build upon this in the next year, conducting evaluations more regularly and increasing the amount of Executive Committee meeting time that is spent on planning and group work.

One aspect of the President role that I had the most trouble with initially was navigating the supervisory role that the President plays to the Executive Director. Looking back, I’m not sure if I knew that the President supervised the Executive Director when I took on the position, and I definitely did not fully understand how the division of power between the two worked. It is also just difficult to become someone’s supervisor in an effective way when they have been working in their job for ten years and have a Masters degree from M.I.T and you are a 21 year old college student5. I had to learn how to take on this role thoroughly, to make sure that I was actually fulfilling my supervisory responsibilities, but also thoughtfully—being someone’s supervisor creates a power dynamic that needs to be taken seriously, and while I immediately prioritized being a supportive supervisor to the other Executive Committee members, I realized a few months into my term that this is just as important in the context of the Executive Director.

I’ve enjoyed my time as President thus far; if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be doing it again! It has been so rewarding to get to work to help people make things happen and to work towards making the SHC a better version of itself. Certainly, it has been hard at times. I got really bitter during the fall because of the ratio of criticism to gratitude: it felt like no matter how hard I was working, only the things that I could do better were noticed. Things have gotten better since then, though.

I’ve been working to take useful feedback in stride, have some trust in myself to distinguish between useful and unuseful feedback, and not see all criticisms of the SHC as my personal failing (though I continue to struggle with that last one). I’ve also received a lot of support from other members, which has made me feel better about my work, helped me get over some of my fears about people hating me for my role in the SHC, and made me enjoy my life in the SHC 4

The Board is responsible for first setting the policies that create the framework that the Executive Team (ET) works within (essentially, the things that we must advance the cooperative towards achieving and the things that we must not allow to occur), then for monitoring whether the ET complies with these policies. This monitoring is primarily based on “monitoring reports”, which are reports that present data on the ways that we have complied or not complied with the policies. If these reports do not contain thorough information or do not contain information that is useful in actually assessing compliance, the Board cannot truly hold the ET to following its policies.

5 Let the record show that I am now a 23 year old with a Bachelor’s degree.

more overall. Although I started my term feeling a greater distance between myself and other members than before I became the President, I now feel more connected and a part of the co-op community than ever before.

The 2025-2026 Executive Committee term started May 1st. We had the least amount of turnover that I’ve seen during my time on the EC thus far: only the Vice President of Education and Vice President of Facilities positions are changing hands. We had to redo the VP Facilities selection process, but we do finally have one again (yay Jack from Bower). I’m currently working on planning the June Executive Committee retreat, where we’ll be doing much of the planning for the next year. I’m very excited about this upcoming year, and I am glad that we have such a solid foundation from this past year to build upon!

I’ll end this letter looking ahead to the next-next term (2026-2027): someone is going to need to be the next SHC President. I have been working for the SHC since February 2023, and while I am excited to get to complete another year, it will be my last. If you are even vaguely interested in this, please reach out to me! I have a lot of love for the SHC, and I would like to see the President role left in good hands.

In cooperation, James Gleespen SHC President 2024-2025 president@spartan.coop

Salus Center 408 Washington Sqr, Lansing Lansing’s LGBTQ+ Community Center

Trans-fem support group Trans-masc support group Nonbinary support group Queer Lansing AA Neurodivergent and queer support group Gender affirmation project financial and logistical support for legal name/gender changes QTBIPOC community space Lansing syringe access popups

www.saluscenter.org Check out the website for a detailed calendar of events!!

SHC Field Day 2025

jack (bower) drawing doodle bob with chalk, mehoymenoy!!

the first one ever!!

On Saturday May 10th a few co-opers gathered in the quaint little Valley Court Park in East Lansing Michigan to do something never seen before in the SHC....A FIELD DAY! In a response to wanting more sober events and opportunities to connect with people from different houses, the Membership Committee came together to find a way to get us out of our houses and into the great outdoors.

What is a field day you may ask? For those who went to an American school let me take you back to a nice spring day back when you were eight years old. For those who did not grow up with a Field day, let me indulge you in a lovely vision of childhood fun and whimsy.

Field days often were days at school in which students would play various games, competitions and do various activities at the guidance of school staff and teachers.

Like the name suggests, the games would take place in a field, often times including tug of war, parachute games and the like!

Some of the sweetest memories could be found on these fun days.

In an effort to get our co-opers outside, interact with our local community and enjoy the beauty of East Lansing, the Membership Committee banded together to make bring a slice of nostalgia into our lives.

Planning for this event began in February, and served as a means for membership officers to get to hear what events would best, budget restrictions, as well as timing and facilitation. I could not have asked for a harder working group of folks :3

The Day of....

The sun shone happily upon the park as Angie (Vesta), Krystal (Bower), and Chloe (Bower) bustled about getting the space ready for general members to arrive. Chalk was set up beside the basketball court, bracelet making and face painting supplies made their home on a lovely little table. Meanwhile, Sam (Phoenix) and Avie (Phoenix) tackled filling about 250+ waterballoons, only to lose a few soldiers along the way. right to left: eric, caleb, georgia, rachael, chris (all of Vesta) and an unseen co-oper planning the grand siege of the flag

Chloe (left, bower) watches as holly jo, her child, and others play during the event

The Day of continued...

Before long, a bountiful gaggle of Bowerites and a good group of folks from Bowie arrived and checked in. Vesta also made sure to make an appearance and with that we had a gathering of almost 30 co-opers!

Our games first began with a “sponge relay”. Two groups of 11 people sat behind another, with one full bucket of water and a sponge at the head of the line and another empty bucket at the end. It was a race to see who could fill their bucket first by passing a sponge soaked with water over each person’s head, and it was going to be fierce.

With jabs from team 1 and team 2, the race began in a frenzy.

Yells and cheers ripped through each line until team 2 was able to fill their bucket first (note team 2 was filled to the brim with Bowerites- love you Bower!!!)

Ready to face off in the sponge relay!!!

With folks soaked, the teams dissolved for a little bit, taking a break to find a moment to draw with chalk, shoot some hoops or get their face painted.

Before long, we found our lovely teams getting ready to once again play another game: capture the flag. Each team took their time to hide their flag, and to make various strategies on how to land the best offense and have the strongest defense.

The game was long and arduous, with many close calls happening before coming to the consensus that maybe it was just too hot to play capture the flag on such a big field. It was a draw, but that is still fun!

Now that everyone was definitely way too warm, it was time to break out the water balloons that Sam and Avie so graciously prepared for us. Originally, they were intended for a balloon toss.....but they ended up being used in war.

Waterballoons flew and caught even the most unsuspecting co-opers, but they were accompanied by great laughs and shrieks. It felt nice to feel like kids again. Lastly, we all got together to play an intense game of tug of war!

I truly was really happy with the turn out of the event, and it could not have been what it was without all of the help given to us by membership officers, and the members that came out and had fun! Thank you guys so much for everything, and I hope we can have one next year!

Right to Left: jack (bower), Chloe (bower), cullen (vesta), leda (bower), annie (bower) (also present but cannot see: ashton and trixie both of bower)

About Me Hello SHC! My name is Jack Kraushaar, I’ve been the facilities officer of Bower for the past year, and I am so thrilled to announce that I will be serving as your Vice President of Facilities for the 2025-2026 term! During my term, I plan to fight to improve house infrastructure, expand ADA accessibility, streamline communication between our members and the maintenance team, stand as an assertive voice of reason on the Executive Committee, and much, much more.

I have a lot of ambition and that I’m bringing to this role. On top of my skills in handiwork and fixing shit, I also have a lot of experience in the world of interior design.

Aside from all of that, the most important thing for me to do as VPF is to be the bridge between the maintenance team and our members - so if y’all need anything, reach out!! (I’m really nice I promise, I’m not like a regular VPF I’m a cool VPF) The best ways to reach me are either A| through my E-Mail: facilities@spartan.coop B| through Google Chat: same email (good if you want to send me a quick text) Or if you need to reach me in person, I’ll be in the SHC Office from 10AM to 1PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays

Okay now that I’m done yapping about my qualifications, I’m gonna dedicate this column to telling y’all a bit about myself teehee: I’m a student at Michigan State university, studying Fashion Design. I have a passion for the arts and self expression. I love anything that goes big and doesn’t hold back. This probably makes a lot of sense to anyone reading this who has seen me out in the wild wearing some crazy clothing combination.

Another big thing about me: I love old shit; old houses, old trinkets, old clothing, antiques, you name it. I’m obsessed with the old hollywood glamour of the 1940s and the dramatic art deco designs of the 1920s.

In my freetime, I enjoy long walks on the beach, watching trashy reality tv, and being a menace in the Roblox Dress to Impress chatroom. And a final fun fact about me is that when I was 3 I would have repeated dreams that a goat would come out of the outlet in my wall and I’d ride on the back of the goat back into the wall and I would get chased by this dancing cow and that resulted in me having night terrors and my parents had to remove the outlet from the wall (I’m so quirky lol).

PP Survey: What was your favorite co-op party this year?

Honorable Mentions: Hedrick Techno Hedrick Halloween Bower Gothadelic Phoenix Black Tie

Join us for an exciting

GREEN TEAM POTLUCK

Come for the Green Team meeting, stay for the potluck and fun! Garden project planning and education.

June 6: Meeting @4pm, Potluck @7pm All Nations Co-op, 131 Whitehills Dr, EL

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆​ June 3rd, 2025 To whom it may concern, Well, folks, we’ve reached the end of my first year as Corporate Secretary! I can’t believe I pushed myself into this role, something I’ve never done before, and now absolutely love doing!

At first, I was extremely nervous and intimidated by this role. It felt like it had too much responsibility, and, as a perfectionist, I was terrified of somehow messing up the entire fate of the organization. While I am being somewhat dramatic, these are real thoughts that went through my head. However, thanks to my experiences taking minutes, attending meetings, some trial and error with some projects, and facilitating the elections, I have deepened my understanding of what it takes to be an effective and adequate secretary for the organization.

When I first received my determination after my interview, I was feeling mostly relieved, yet excited. After the EC retreat, I was ready to face my title as an Executive Committee member and simultaneously be a part of the board. At this point, I was brainstorming ideas on what to do with my term, several of which weren’t things that the Corporate Secretary normally did or initiated. For example, I wanted to facilitate a mass revision of code with all of the VPs for their respective sections, and as a part of the Governance Revision committee in the board. It seemed like a no-brainer to me, as a lot of the code is outdated, or we don’t actively practice. However, with most of the ideas I had in mind for my term, I only did them partially, or not at all. This came as a hit to my ego, but a part of the learning process is knowing that with change in an organization such as this, it happens slowly, and you learn to pick up the pieces along the way.

Another one of the projects I would have liked to complete was initiating Clubs within the SHC. I came up with this idea because, after Covid, I felt as if I had no remaining social skills, as the last time I interacted with a group of people was in 2020, right before everyone was sent home for an undefined period. Then, I moved into the co-ops in mid-summer of 2023, trying to find my footing amongst the 20 people I lived with. I would have loved to bridge the gap between meeting people by having a space for coopers with common interests. I talked to AJ about the idea, he loved it, and helped me draft a survey to send out via QR code in the Pine Press. After all was said and done, I had received a handful of responses from coopers, but I started panicking as I didn’t know what to do moving forward. At this point, I decided it was best to postpone the idea until I had a clearer picture of how I wanted to facilitate the initiation of this process. Thankfully, I recently took a class on Project Management, and I plan to use what I learned in that class for this project if I get re-hired as the Corporate Secretary.

Moving forward to the fall of last year, I started taking minutes more seriously since the board was full again. I had trouble balancing between taking good minutes and participating in the board meetings; my brain could not split the two. My current process is recording the meeting so I can later go back and take minutes as accurately as possible. When writing them, I take comments and discussions that contribute to the conversation and summarize the main points discussed. I also love providing direct links, working the format into the template to give it a sleek look and make it as readable to follow as possible for board reps. The longer I’ve been in this role, my minute taking has only improved. So, for future Secretaries, do not put too much pressure on yourself for it not looking the best or perfect at first. :-) 1 ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆​ June 3rd, 2025 The goal I accomplished was bringing back the management reports from previous years.

When I first interviewed for this position, I wanted to have communication with the membership about what goes on in the daily operations as a main focus for my term. My process was mainly refining its structure, while trying to give the most accurate report by talking to several staff and EC members around the office. What I was most excited about in the report was giving everyone a snapshot of our finances. I met with Hojo monthly to compile the financial reports. For a while, it was just the board that was receiving them, as originally, it was thought that it would be the most relevant for them to receive this information. However, my original intention was for it to go out to the membership. As I’m writing this, the first one to the membership will go out via email and Pine Press tomorrow. :-) Another thing I did that wasn’t in my vision at the beginning of the year was draft one of the board’s annual themes, Diversity and Inclusion, and make the 2.7 Direct Inspection committee. I was eager to write my proposal since I wanted more attention towards the lack of racial diversity in the coops. Since 2016, the coops have grown significantly in sexual orientation and gender diversity, which is great to have such an open and accepting space. I grew up in Lansing, which is very racially diverse, and know that the resources and spaces that the coops provide can serve Lansing’s community well. As for the Direct Inspection committee, having a committee formed to inspect maintenance was on our annual agenda from the Fall Board Retreat. My intention in following through with this action was to help board reps and the membership recognize all that is being done to provide adequate maintenance throughout the houses. Overall, I have noticed a lot of apathy among the membership towards the maintenance staff, all for different reasons. If the report comes from the members who do not get paid to do this, it holds more power than if it comes directly from our Executive Team, whose members may not interact with them as often.

This journey hasn’t been easy by any means. I currently work three jobs, including this one, and am going to school full-time. Strangely enough, it helps me stay accountable to a certain degree. Time management was especially a struggle around election season. It’s the busiest season for the secretary between advertising for the event to the membership and making flyers, trying to compile the President, Vice President of Membership and Education’s materials, schedule and coordinate a space for the debates, and get food for participants; it’s an entire ordeal. I was frightened at the idea of hosting and facilitating this, as I am not a public speaker by any means and tend to overthink what I say. To my surprise, the debates and the election went well as a whole. It directly helped with my communication skills and gave me more confidence to do more public speaking in the future.

I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity to help develop myself professionally in this manner. Because of this position, I am a better communicator, a better leader, and I feel more confident in my abilities to do this job. Along the way, I have also learned to love it rather than seeing it as a job that makes me money. I am directly contributing to an organization that helps give housing and provides a safe space and community to those in need. It feels good to do good.

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☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆​ June 3rd, 2025 Cooperatively,

Bec Melaku ☆

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Call to Action Join us in sharing your Queer Reality Statement to be featured in an Art Piece at East Lansing Pride!

The Spartan Housing Cooperative and East Lansing PRIDE invite you to share your story! We want to hear about your journey, your joys, your hardships, and the Queer community you have found in the Greater Lansing area!

Scan the QR Code or Visit hwww.cityofeastlansing.com/2548/East-Lansing-Pride to learn more about the Queer Reality Project!

Submissions due by June 8th, 2025

QUEER REALITY‌ PROJECT‌

(He/Him) b. 2003 WANT TO SHARE YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE AS A QUEER PERSON OR ALLY IN THE GREATER LANSING AREA? SUBMIT YOUR STATEMENT VIA THE QR CODE OR LINKTREE

QUEER REALITY‌ PROJECT‌

PP Survey: What is Your Dream Summer Vacation Destination?

Bower House - Gabe, Hedrick Czechia - Justin, Vesta The SHC Office! - Liam, Hedrick Howland Basement - Alec, Hedrick Seattle, 25 years after the cordyceps outbreak - Daniel, Bower Your mom’s house - Yousif, Hedrick Greece is the ultimate dream, but I’d be down for anywhere on a lake with a firepit - Bella, Hedrick I wanna go to Cali - Lily, Beal Literally anywhere international, I’ve never left the country and I fucking hate that - Alexina, Orion Wherever the baddies @ - Chris, Vesta Hiking Aurlandsdalen and Kungsleden trails in Norway and Sweden - Jake, Phoenix

PP Survey: What is Your Dream Summer Vacation Destination?

Glacier National Park - Kylie, Hedrick Home - Emma, Ferency The wilderness of British Columbia - Eli, Phoenix Grand Tour of Eurasia - Gavin, Orion Cedar Point at least once a month! - Avie, Phoenix Puerto Ricooooo - Emma, Bowie Italy - Chloe, Bower Theme parks theme parks theme parks theme parks Sammie, Phoenix Your mother’s house - Eric, Howland Patagonia - Saylor, Beal Netherlands - Shelby, Beal Just away - Clay, Phoenix

PP Survey: What is Your Dream Summer Vacation Destination?

Norway - Divya, Orion Anywhere with an aquarium - D, Ferency Spain or Sweden - Rachel, Beal Either Olympic or Zion National Park - Onyx, Bower Your Walls - Jack, Bower

Shark and Coral Reef Conservation in Sodwana Bay, South Africa -Gabe, Hedrick

Vice President of Facilities Eric Saunders 2024-2025 End of Term Report.

How many among you can say they did more the community for me than me?

Know this, I didn’t have to do any of the 20 things I’ve to listed, it wasn’t required of me to do so. I did them because, like many of you, I saw issues with the SHC. And I love this community, but, it could be so much better. Here’s what I did: 1. Remodeled (or created) the Physical Development Sheet: I created a clear and structured Physical Development (PD) Grant Sheet something the SHC never really had before. Pinecones to JD of Orion for pointing out the issue Before this, there was no clear way to submit a PD Grant for approval. I fixed that by looking at past grants, like Phoenix’s WiFi routers, The Shire’s lawn mower, and Code of Operations 4.03, and using them to build a simple, effective system. The proof? Bower’s garden beds grant was submitted properly (shoutout to Jonathan from Bower) and was approved unanimously for $1,041 out of the $5,000 fund. The process worked perfectly.

2. Bought back the Golden Broom:I brought back the Golden Broom competition, which the SHC hadn’t held since 2018 and it would have stayed dead if I hadn’t come across it while serving as a Board Rep. Ideally, I wanted the 2023-2024 Membership Committee to take it on, but I brought it up too late in the term for that to happen. So, VPM AJ and I made a plan: since the Membership Committee already had a lot on its plate, it made the most sense for the Facilities Committee or the VPF to take over the competition. Fourteen out of eighteen houses signed up, and they totally delivered. The judges were blown away I went non-verbal hearing their praise. One judge was even moved to tears (TO TEARS) by the organization of a particular house.

Overall, the event was a huge success, but there were two key issues that need to be fixed or addressed in the future. First, some members thought it was unfair because of house sizes. I had two scoring methods: one based on the highest overall score and another ranking houses within small, medium, and large categories. However, the Facilities Committee favored the highest-scoring house overall. Second, the scoring system itself changed mid-competition. I originally gave all Facilities Officers the judging criteria, but one judge requested modifications, and I approved it. In the end, the system was heavily adjusted. Thankfully, all houses were judged fairly since the judges were SHC staff, not members, and I wasn’t a judge myself. Oh, and one more thing, I doubled the prize money from $150, $100, and $50 to $300, $200, and $100. How’s that for inflation?

3. Helped re-established the Green Team: I helped re-establish the Green Team, though I wish I had brought up my new system a day earlier. Because I missed the timing, Luca from Apollo took the lead, bringing the Green Team back with a fresh system. Looking back, I’m glad he did for two reasons: 1.​ It’s better for the Green Team to be its own club within the SHC rather than a subcommittee of the Facilities Committee.

2.​ I wouldn’t have given it the time and care it needed, I probably would have rushed it.

Even though I didn’t lead its revival, I was there from the start and still support it.

Here’s what I contributed to the Green Team: -​ Suggested the idea of Green Team potlucks (though Bower deserves credit for actually hosting and planning them).

-​ Proposed that the Green Team have open membership, allowing non-SHC members to join. This was approved.

-​ Proposed a leadership structure with a Head Facilitator, a Secondary Facilitator, and a Back-Up Facilitator. The Back-Up Facilitator is a staff or Executive Committee member, voted in by Green Team members, to ensure leadership stability.

-​ Created the Green Team Instagram.

-​ Designed the Green Team logo and most of its graphics.

4. Had the most meeting turn out in history for any committee meeting, and most meetings. Had the highest meeting turnout in SHC history for any committee, plus the most meetings held. This is just me flexing on how GOATed my Facilities Officers were. I reviewed past agendas from every committee Board, Education, Facilities, Finance, Membership and no other term had officers show up and exceed expectations like mine did. Seriously, they raised the bar. If I’m elected VPF again, I’ll probably hold fewer meetings because they’ve already set the standard so high. And one more time for the people in the back This year's Facilities Officers had the highest meeting attendance in Spartan Housing Cooperative history!

We only missed quorum twice. If you want numbers on average the committee meetings have a 50% attendance of present during the meeting, ours was 70% attendance present, highest in any committee history.

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5. Brought Back Facilities Trainings: I’m unsure if the last VPF to do trainings was VPF Zach Crews or VPF Cam but, it’s been done in years since the last time they were conducted. I brought them back with a hands-on approach. My original plan was to get members together at a house, work on a current issue, and take turns learning how to fix it. Our first training was at Orion, hosted by Josh and I. We repaired a damaged window screen, with Josh demonstrating the process. I also provided extra screens to Bower and Apollo, as they had the worst ones at the time. But it later made the most sense to have them after the Facilities Committee meeting, We now continued trainings at Howland after Facilities Committee meetings. Here are a few skills we covered: -​ Installing and removing door handles -​ Cleaning bathroom fan vents -​ Mold prevention -​ Cleaning stove top hoods

6. Facilities Committee Meetings at Howland:I found it a bit silly that Facilities Committee meetings were only held at the office instead of at a house. Howland was happy to host as long as they got the leftover pizza. Moving the meetings there had several benefits: -​ Way better location since Howland is on M.A.C. Ave, close to Beal, Orion, Vesta, Phoenix, All Nations, and Bowie, making it easier for Facilities Officers from those houses to attend.

-​ Unlike the Campus Mall parking lot, M.A.C. Ave offers free parking, making it more convenient for those with cars, until midnight though.

-​ One common ongoing issue in the SHC is that houses don’t interact much outside of parties. Having the Facilities Committee meetings at Howland created an opportunity for members to connect.

-​ This allowed us to bring back trainings after meetings. Facilities Officers could see real issues, learn how to fix them, and help with basic maintenance at Howland. It was a win-win for everyone!

7. Preventive Maintenance, the Highest Completion in Three Years: The Facilities Committee and the Vice President of Facilities responsibility had changed a great deal thanks to Rowen, our former AmeriCorps VISTA representative. Before he left in early fall, he made much-needed changes to the SHC maintenance system. However, many of his contributions weren’t officially documented outside the maintenance team and staff/EC. One major change was a preventive maintenance tracking sheet Rowen introduced three years ago. This sheet listed simple tasks like cleaning and routine checks that Facilities Officers could handle without involving the Maintenance Team.

However, in both 2022-2023 and 2023-2024, preventive maintenance completion was 0%. In my term (2024-2025), we reached 40% completion, the highest in three years.

Frankly I didn’t care about total completion, my goal was to make sure we had accurate tracking data. Don’t get me wrong, the Facilities Officers did an amazing job, and I even expanded the sheet when I received it and added All Nations and 11 more tasks. Without these additions, we would have hit 60% completion. I’m proud of what we achieved, but I hope future Facilities Officers see this as a possible record to break.

8. Guest Speakers at Facilities Committee Meetings: I know that the facilities committee had more guests attend our Facilities Committee meetings than any other committee. Here’s a list of the guests and what they talked about: -​ President James: Discussed purchasing two new houses for the SHC. -​ Vice President of Education Mackenzie: Talked about getting a lead testing kit for the SHC office.

-​ Maintenance Coordinator Zach Crews: While it’s part of his job to attend Facilities meetings, it’s always great to have him come.

-​ Ben Lowen of New Community: Came on behalf of the Board to learn how we operate and ask questions.

-​ Cass of New Community: Shared their expertise on mold and discussed how we can address mold issues.

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Rowen SHC’s AmeriCorps VISTA representative (Formerly of Hedrick and the Inter-Cooperative Council of Ann Arbor): Came to pass the torch and suggested ways the Facilities Committee could collaborate with the Green Team, like getting bikes registered with MSU police in case they’re stolen.

Luca of Apollo: Came on behalf of the Green Team to talk about its revival and growth.

9. Testing House Water:One of the first things I wanted to address as Vice President of Facilities was a potential water issue. I thought there might be lead in our water, but after looking into it, I found there was never actually an issue. I reached out to the City of East Lansing, the City of Lansing, ELMWSA, and anyone worth there salt to see if any of our houses had water problems. I even called, emailed, and spoke with experts to confirm if our water was safe to drink and shower in. Every professional I contacted confirmed our water is clean. To be sure, I got a water testing kit and tested the water in six houses. The results matched what the professionals had told me, so I ended the testing. In the end, we have clean water I just needed to check for my own peace of mind, but I can confidently tell you we have clean water in our houses.

10. Fire Safety: During my term, we had two major fire violations, which is a vast improvement from pervious years. After the first issue, I took strong action to ensure our houses were fire-safe and that everyone understood fire safety laws. The second issue happened because someone didn’t respond to my emails, texts, DMs, or the flyer in the Pine Press about fire safety. It's really important that everyone stays on top of these messages, I don’t want anyone to face legal trouble or, more importantly, get hurt. To help prevent further violations, I had our Facilities Officers attend a fire safety presentation by Zach. The presentation Zach gave was the same presentation that Facilities Officers gave to their house, and if they couldn’t, I went to house meetings myself to deliver the information. I also wrote an article for the Pine Press about fire safety and added it to the preventive maintenance tasks for the Facilities Officers to handle. When I attend house parties, I make sure there are no fire violations in case the fire department or police show up. I’ve worked hard to build a good relationship with the fire department they used to not be fond of us, but now we’re in a better place. Working with them has been a huge challenge, but it’s been worth it to ensure everyone’s safety.

11. Facilities and the Pine Press: During spring break, I learned that VPF Nikki wanted to have the Facilities Committee mentioned in the Pine Press. But, I’m unsure if that actually happened. I do know for a fact, I’m the only VPF who has regularly tried to included Facilities Committee highlights in the Pine Press for transparency. I’ve also written articles about P.A.C.E. violations and fire safety violations After every Facilities Committee meeting, I go over everything we discussed, pull out the important points, and send them to your Facilities Officer so they can share them with your house. I also send the updates to the Board, just in case the messages don’t get accessed elsewhere.

12. Documenting all the SHC keys: Big shoutout to former VPF Austin from Bowie for noticing the key issue. Here's the problem: Some locks wear out, break, or get lost, and there was no system to track the keys. If a new lock is needed, it costs $40 or more from house savings. The Staff and Executive Committee (EC) didn’t have a key inventory because it was expected that houses would keep track themselves, but why not both? Austin started a master key inventory in a Google Sheet, but only documented about 8 keys. When I took over as VPF, I asked why some houses hadn’t filled it out, and the answer was that it was public. So, I created a private Google Sheet that only the VPF, President, Maintenance Coordinator, Maintenance Tech, and Executive Director could access. During my term, we documented over 130 keys, and now half of our houses have all their keys documented. This is important because instead of paying $40+ for a new lock and keys when something is lost, members now only need to request keys that cost $2-$4, which come out of house funds. Over the next 10-20 years, this will save your house thousands of dollars. It’s a big achievement, but honestly, this should have been done much earlier, like 10 years ago. If you would like states, my my day as VPF we had 4% house key documented completed, at the end of my term we had 77% all house key documentation.

13. Bought Back House Walkthroughs: I think VPF Cam or VPF Zach might have been the last ones to do a house walkthrough, but it’s been three years since then.

I used this opportunity to see the issues in your houses and spot potential future problems. It also gave me a chance to talk to your facilities officers about any challenges they’re facing and answer any questions they have about being a Facilities Officer. I made these walkthroughs open to everyone in the house to share any maintenance problems or other issues with the SHC. I’ve brought up your concerns to the right people, anonymously, so hopefully, you’ll see improvements soon. I didn’t visit Bowie, but I helped the fire techs with the panels over the summer, which took 5 hours. As an extra bonus for some houses, I brought Andrew from All Nations along so he could learn more about our co-ops to help develop All Nations. He also has pianos to give away, so let him know if you're interested!

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14. Code of Operation Changes: This is where the fun begins ! There are a lot of maintenance issues in the SHC, but the biggest one is the lack of transparency between houses and staff. My job is to make sure member concerns get addressed. A common issue is that when members look at the Code of Operations, it doesn’t always match what the SHC actually does. So, during my term, I’ve been working on updating the Code to make it better fit the SHC. Here are the changes I’ve made: 4.02.01 House Occupancy: This change hasn’t been passed by the Executive Team yet, but here’s what the Facilities Committee and I fixed: -​ Added all SHC houses (some were missing).

-​ Fixed incorrect or switched addresses.

-​ Added house names to the code.

-​ Updated room counts with accurate numbers of available rooms.

4.07 Paint and Member Room Damages Policy: This policy has now been passed and added to the Code. Here’s what we changed: -​ The original policy only mentioned “inappropriate or absurd” colors, so we added examples: “such as excessively bright, neon, or highly contrasting colors, should be avoided.”​ We also updated the policy so that if a member causes damage, they will pay for it, not the house’s savings. This must be voted on by the house.

4.15.03 Removal: This policy stated that all tools should be stored at Phoenix House, but this hasn’t been followed in 8 years. We now have a better system for storing tools, so I’d like to remove most of 4.15 because a lot of it is outdated, though some parts still work.

10.03.01 Article X Maintenance: We changed the responsibility for Article X inspections, which were previously required every month, to now be done annually. Monthly inspections for 18 houses were impossible to keep up with, so this change makes more sense.

15. Reaching Out to My Predecessors: I reached out to former VPFs like Zach, Jimmy, and Jonathan, and had a few chances to check in with Austin. I also got in touch with Jake once. I didn’t hear from Nikki and decided it wasn’t necessary to contact Cam or other VPFs. Everyone I spoke with was really helpful and shared valuable experiences about the position. Learning from their experiences helped me understand how to improve things for the next VPF. The key takeaway is that learning from the past helps prepare for the future. The system we have now is the best it’s ever been, but it takes time to fully work. From where I stand, SHC maintenance is doing well, but we're working on a long-term plan. Things are getting done, but it's a process that takes time.

16. Facilities on the SHC Drive: Big thanks to James for all his hard work in creating the SHC shared drive! I found all the agendas from past facilities committee meetings and added them there (with James’ help). I also added anything else I thought was important so that future VPFs won’t have to struggle as much.

17. Made the Facilities Committee Handbook: This was on my to-do list for a while, but over the summer, I finally created a 21-page handbook. It covers everything about SHC maintenance and what Facilities Officers need to know. The handbook also includes video resources showing how to handle maintenance tasks on your own.

18. Fixed House Issues Myself: There are certain maintenance tasks, like fixing appliances (lawn mowers, vacuums, snow blowers, etc.), that Zach and Josh aren’t responsible for, even though they’re capable. So, I took it upon myself to fix 7 appliances for the houses that needed it. I wasn’t able to fix two of them due to time and tool limitations, but I tried to help as much as I could for the record I went and helped out with maintenance issues Also, I helped 9 members who were locked out of their houses by getting them back in within an hour. The first time someone got locked out, I didn’t have

the master keys, so I climbed through the window to help them get back inside. Since Cam’s term ended, going to houses hasn’t really been encouraged, but you know me.

19. Working with Elite Fire: Working with Elite Fire was challenging, not because they weren’t professional, but because they didn’t trust the Spartan Housing Cooperative. From my perspective, it felt like they didn’t believe in us. However, I worked hard to raise the standard, and now our facilities officers and members are more aware of fire safety rules. For example, we no longer allow furniture in staircases during parties, and everyone knows the fire violation laws. Over winter break, I worked with the Elite Fire Techs to test fire extinguishers and alarms, making sure they actually worked.

Because of this, we discovered a few issues, like smoke alarms that hadn’t been documented, which was due to previous fire techs not doing their job properly. The good news is we now have proper documentation, and I also built a better relationship with the fire techs, which should improve the future cooperation between the SHC and Elite Fire.

20. How to be the Vice President of Facilities: Many past VPFs mentioned that they didn’t know what to do or lacked guidance. To address this, I created a detailed document just for future VPFs on how to do the job successfully. This document is for VPFs eyes only because it includes specifics on what past VPFs did well, where they struggled, and how to improve on those challenges. I also cover maintenance issues that might come up, like members cutting holes in doors, documenting keys, or handling floods in houses. This way, the next VPF will have more confidence and a clearer idea of how to handle these situations. ​ 21. House Inspections pass rate as been the highest in two years: The credit goes to Maintenance Coordinator Zach and Maintenance Tech Josh as well as all the members who read Zach and Josh’s emails and doing the tasks themselves, to those members you are amazing! But so many times Zach and Josh have done the task that are supposed to be done by the members such as mow a house's yard, replace a lightbulb and clean up an of a house, Josh and Zach are always out there making the SHC a better community for all of us, and they really care about the SHC, and we don’t deserve them. Having a house not pass an inspection by the City or the Fire Department will raise our insurance, making everyone's rent cost more. So if we want lower rent please help out Zach and Josh if they ever need anything from you in the future.

You're welcome

I asked, The SHC answered: Gay Daughter or Thot Son?

MSU F AME

C L OSE E R A T C DRIVE FAME is seeking support filling their care closet for students in need, and education committee is holding a donation to help out. Donations can be dropped off at the SHC office, or Bower House for collection THE HOUSE WITH THE LARGEST NUMBER OF DONATIONS BY JULY 31 WILL WIN A NESTING CAPYBARA PLUSHIE

Items Needed: shelf stable food and snacks laundry pods - toothpaste deodorant - shampoo - conditioner body wash - shaving needs - toilet paper - disinfectant wipes disinfectant spray

24/25 CT End of Term Report​ Fellow Co-opers, Serving as the Corporate Treasurer of the SHC this term has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences I’ve had during my time in the organization. This role pushed me to expand my financial literacy, leadership capacity, and collaborative communication in ways that will stick with me far beyond my tenure.

A large portion of my responsibilities centered on onboarding new finance officers. This meant ensuring that each officer understood their house budget, how to correctly complete reconciliation sheets, and the processes surrounding fines and credits. More importantly, I aimed to instill a sense of fiscal stewardship, encouraging officers to view their roles not just as administrative, but as vital to the financial health of their communities.

One of the most technically challenging (and ultimately rewarding) parts of my role was learning and implementing our internal auditing process. This involved diving deep into financial documents, reviewing bank statements, understanding journal entries, and identifying inconsistencies. It was a steep learning curve, but I gained practical experience that was only enhanced through conversations with our CPA, who provided valuable insight into professional accounting standards.

A special project that stands out was facilitating discussions around what “affordability” means within the context of our housing cooperative. These conversations were difficult, complex, and necessary. Bringing to light the nuance between financial sustainability and member accessibility.

I also completed a meeting facilitation course during my term, which helped me tremendously in leading our finance committee meetings. Coordinating discussions among 18 finance officers from 18 different houses came with its own set of challenges. Participation and attendance were recurring hurdles, but I gained a much deeper appreciation for the skills needed to foster engagement and guide productive, inclusive meetings.

All in all, this position gave me a meaningful introduction into the world of nonprofit finance, internal audits, and collective decision-making. I’m grateful for everyone who supported me along the way, and I look forward to applying what I’ve learned in future roles, both inside and outside the co-op.

In cooperation, Tomas Miralla (He/Him)

PP Survey: If you could change your haus’ name, what would you change it to?

Headrick - Gabe, Hedrick Head-4-Ricky - Alec, Hedrick Lebron Memorial Co-op - Daniel, Bower Yousifrick - Yousif, Hedrick Hedland - Bella, Hedrick Compass - Chris, Vesta Orange Howland - Jake, Phoenix Hendrich - Kylie, Hedrick Constellation Haus - Gavin, Orion The Gay House (quote from neighbors) - Emma, Bowie Peenis Haus - Sammie, Phoenix Howlandia - Eric, Howland Boobopolis - Saylor, Beal Southwood (in honor of the late King of Bower) - Jack, Bower

Who in your house would die first in a zombie apocalypse?

Your housemates gave their opinions in the PP survey, and these are the highest voted candidates

Hedrick: Ali Bower: Caleb Beal: Saylor and Lily Phoenix: Avie Orion: Seth Raft Hill: Natalie Vesta: Chris Howland: Joe Toad Lane: Koji Ferency: Emma

Who in your house would last longest in a zombie apocalypse?

Your housemates gave their opinions in the PP survey, and these are the highest voted candidates

Hedrick: Not Ali Bower: Malachi Beal: Rachel Phoenix: Jake Orion: Chad Raft Hill: Logan Vesta: Chris Howland: Damon Toad Lane: Alex Ferency: Ryn and Kyla Bowie: Fish

As I reflect on the Executive Committee of 2024-2025, I am filled with a deep gratitude and sense of fortune for being able to serve in this position.

Because of the opportunity you all have given me, I have been able to put my absolute heart into continuing to build up our cooperative as your Vice President of Membership. Not only this, but also I was able to discover and utilize skills that I had never would have learned otherwise. ​

In being your Vice President of Membership over the past year we have been

able to accomplish many amazing things! We have: ●​ Curated and executed community events both new and old: ○​ The SHC Yard Sale, the 2025 MSU Homecoming Parade, Hayride 2025, The All Member Holiday Potluck, the SHC Candygram Sale, the SHC and CDF 5K, and the SHC Field Day! ●​ Further Developed Membership Officer Resources and Functioning of the Membership Committee. ○​ Creation of an updated membership officer manual, updated onboarding process. ●​ Further established ties with groups in and outside of the SHC in hopes for increased community engagement. ○​ Pursuing the creation of a mutual aid alliance between non profits across the greater lansing region alongside the East Lansing Human Rights Commission. ​ ​

Again, I want to thank you all for trusting me with this position. In doing this

work, I have found my calling in supporting other individuals and you all! It has been very rewarding to serve you all in this way, and I look forward to being able to work for you all for another year!!!! Thank you! much love and cooperation -​ aj :33

PP Survey: What is a theme that you would like to see used for a co-op party?

Spongebob -Gabe, Hedrick

Country -Liam, Hedrick

Cowboys VS Aliens -Alec, Hedrick

Donte’s Inferno -Daniel, Bower

Whores for Al Gore -Lily, Beal

Silent Party -Chris, Vesta

Spiderman -Ethan, Orion

Masquerade -Kylie, Hedrick -D, Ferency

Chess but Sexy -Jake, Phoenix

PP Survey: What is a theme that you would like to see used for a co-op party?

Lady Gaga -Jack, Bower

FNAF -Avie, Phoenix

Kid-Core -Sammie, Phoenix

Legs -Clay, Phoenix

Shrek -Saylor, Beal

Bugs -Emma, Ferency

Backyard BBQ -Rachel, Beal

Stoplight -Emma, Bowie

Rhinestone Cowboy -Shelby, Beal

Sounds of the SHC Hanauta to Mawarimichi by Aida Rikako - Justin M, Vesta Santeria by Sublime - Liam, Hedrick Filthy Dog by Joost - Alec, Hedrick Troglodyte by Viagra Boys - Daniel, Bower Neon Kitchen by Devon Hendrix - Yousif, Hedrick Egg by Djo, and My King will be Kind by Inhaler - Bella, Hedrick The album Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil ‘66 - Sophia B, Miles Davis If you like metal and/or vocaloid music, you should check out Utsu-P, who does both very well. I've been listening to the Warufuzake album on repeat since January (unfortunately it's only available on YouTube) - Alexina, Orion Wish You Were Dead by Lola Young - Chris, Vesta Kiss from a Rose by Seal - Jake, Phoenix Sleepytime Fantasy by Joywave - Kylie, Hedrick

Sounds of the SHC Rorschach by Tournament has been on the mind, Big Cheeseburgers and Good French Fries by Blaze Foley is a very good song - Logan, Raft Hill Hell’s Coming With Me by Poor Man’s Poison - Emma, Ferency Silver Springs by Fleetwood Mac - Eli, Phoenix Vagabond by Caamp - Gavin, Orion All of Mayhem by Lady Gaga - Avie, Phoenix Garden of Eden by Lady Gaga - Chloe, Bower Garden of Eden by Lady Gaga and Until I Forget by Tigerclub - Sammie, Phoenix 3 Nights by Dominic Fike - Ethan, Orion Sad Disco by Flipturn - Saylor, Beal Summer Breeze by Seals and Crofts - Shelby, Beal Honest Life by Courtney Marie Andrews, The Bug Collector by Haley Heynderickx - Clay, Phoenix Nasty by Sickick - D, Ferency Always Then by The KVB - Onyx, Bower

PINECONES Good Housemates - Liam, Hedrick Jonathan for leading the revamp of our garden - Daniel, Bower Yousif for all that lovin - Alec, Hedrick General love and pinecones to Hedrick - Bella, Hedrick To my Beal Babes, love you always - Lily, Beal Y’all are cool and based - Alexina, Orion Shout out to my Vestians for throwing me a birthday party! Ily fuckers.

Shoutout James and Ethan for the Orion x Vesta luv - Chris, Vesta To Seth and Alex for helping me clean the pantry during the storm Jake, Phoenix Chloe and Bec from Bower for getting most of Bower to pull up to Raft the other day. Andrew, Ben, Lucienne from NewComm, it was so great to be with NewComm again I miss you guys - Logan, Raft Hill I would like to thank all of the students that are a part of the council because I cannot imagine dealing with that and classes at the same time - Emma, Ferency I extend my thanks to my Hausmates, and to the entire SHC, for welcoming me and helping me through my last year at MSU. Go Green!

Go Pines! - Gavin, Orion

PINECONES Pinecones to Kale, Clay, and Collin for hanging out at the Nintendo party! :D <33 - Avie, Phoenix Pinecones to Peyton for always making me laugh - Emma, Bowie Thank you for all you do!! Your work is much appreciated! - Chloe, Bower Clay for always being so great to work with - Sammie, Phoenix Kaylee and Damon. ABSOLUTE HOMIES - Eric, Howland Pinecones to Shelby and Lily for being my shopping buddies - Saylor, Beal You know who you are ;) - Shelby, Beal Pinecones to Seth for runs, pinecones to our lovely staff, pinecones to Eva for the baklava and always being so sweet, pinecones to Nick for being Haus boyfriend - Clay, Phoenix Pinecones and congrats to the Beal babes who graduated!! - Rachel, Beal Pinecones to the entire garden crew at Bower. Keep up the good work, it’s looking great!! - Onyx, Bower