Co-ops offer alternative housing

With the first half of fall semester behind them, students may begin house or apartment hunting for the next school year.

Full-time undergraduate students paid an average of $8,520 in room and board for the 2011-12 school year, according to IU’s Office of Student Financial Assistance website.
Residential Programs and Services offer Cooperative (Co-op) Housing Communities in Forest and Wright quads as low-cost, campus housing options.

“Those units were developed where students became responsible for doing the chores and the cleaning and the environment that they lived in to receive a reduced rate,” said Sara Ivey Lucas, assistant director for housing assignments. “It’s always existed the 25 years I’ve been on campus.”

Students who live in co-op housing receive a 40 percent discount on room and board fees in exchange for “light custodial work,” which includes cleaning common areas and restrooms.

Sophomore Alex Lawless said she chose to live in a single in Wright because of its location.

Lawless said she didn’t realize it was a co-op floor.

“It’s all really easy tasks, like taking out trash (or) mopping the bathroom. They take off the price because you don’t have to pay custodial fees.”

Ivey Lucas said RPS receives about 400 requests each year for the roughly 300 spaces available.

Returning students can choose a co-op floor in a dorm when selecting housing online.
 
New students must indicate that preference in their housing application contracts.

Lawless said cleaning once or twice a week is worth the discounted room and board.
“It’s cheap. It’s convenient,” Lawless said. “I’m thinking about keeping my room for next year.”

With the first half of fall semester behind them, students may begin house or apartment hunting for the next school year.

Full-time undergraduate students paid an average of $8,520 in room and board for the 2011-12 school year, according to IU’s Office of Student Financial Assistance website.
Residential Programs and Services offer Cooperative (Co-op) Housing Communities in Forest and Wright quads as low-cost, campus housing options.

“Those units were developed where students became responsible for doing the chores and the cleaning and the environment that they lived in to receive a reduced rate,” said Sara Ivey Lucas, assistant director for housing assignments. “It’s always existed the 25 years I’ve been on campus.”

Students who live in co-op housing receive a 40 percent discount on room and board fees in exchange for “light custodial work,” which includes cleaning common areas and restrooms.

Sophomore Alex Lawless said she chose to live in a single in Wright because of its location.

Lawless said she didn’t realize it was a co-op floor.

“It’s all really easy tasks, like taking out trash (or) mopping the bathroom. They take off the price because you don’t have to pay custodial fees.”

Ivey Lucas said RPS receives about 400 requests each year for the roughly 300 spaces available.

Returning students can choose a co-op floor in a dorm when selecting housing online.

New students must indicate that preference in their housing application contracts.

Lawless said cleaning once or twice a week is worth the discounted room and board.

“It’s cheap. It’s convenient,” Lawless said. “I’m thinking about keeping my room for next year.”