BSC MEMBERS DIGEST -- July 29, 2024

BSC GETTING MONEY FROM THE CITY??

Hi there everyone!

I hope everyone is doing well, I have some great news to share! The BSC will be having an item at THIS TUESDAY'S city council meeting, please read through the email to learn more :D

Why does the Berkeley City Council Meeting on 7/30 matter?

Written by Cristian, Vice President of External Affairs

At this Tuesday's (7/30) city council meeting, there will be an item titled "Berkeley Student Cooperative (BSC): Relinquishment of Council Office Budget Funds to General Fund and Grant of Such Funds". This is item 17 on the consent agenda.

The intention behind this proposal is to garner support from respective city council members (CMs) to invest in the very necessary work of taking care of our buildings. This project in particular is seeking to get CMs support with partially funding the costs of replacing Casa Zimbabwe's (CZ) skylights. CM Lunaparra and CM Wengraf have committed to donating to the project and the goal is also to get other CMs to match donating to the BSC from their respective council member discretionary budgets.

This deferred maintenance project was chosen due to the feasibility of the cost, in addition to it impacting one of our largest collateral buildings with Wells Fargo.

Currently there are a number of projects across the units that need support and as we have a queue for our BAPs (Board Approved Projects) and are working towards catching up with our deferred maintenance we will continue to find ways to solicit city and larger community support to fund the projects.

This item is the product of just a few short meetings with CM Lunaparra and CM Wengraf, which I’m confident will lead to further support and exciting opportunities for future BSC x City of Berkeley endeavors!

Who represents you?

Why should I attend?

Over the last year, the BSC has worked to make our presence known within the city and create a sense of awareness and investment in the wellbeing of the co-ops! Earlier this year, we were able to get them to celebrate our 90th Anniversary with a City Proclamation and now we're seeking their support in directly impactful ways to our community.

Coming out to show support for the community is an extremely powerful tool at city council meetings, it demonstrates the will of the community, the need for the support, and the gravity of the issue at hand.

Also, if you are a current or former CZar your attendance is extremely needed! There will be a time for public comment and sharing your lived experience will be impactful to demonstrate the need for city investment. This could look like…

• Sharing some of your favorite memories at CZ
• Considering the funding is going to the skylight in the womb, what are some of your favorite memories there?
• What are the ways you or CZ has contributed to the community
• Share the essentialness of the house
• Share the need for support to get maintenance done

Logistics

If you are able to join in person that would be most helpful so we can stack the room with co-opers! Make sure to wear your BSC swag too! (We might be able to get a few shirts for folks that come out….)

The city council meeting will be taking place at:

SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD ROOM 
1231 ADDISON STREET 
BERKELEY, CA 
94702

Note: I’ll be leaving from CZ around 5:30 PMto head over! All are welcome to join so we can all leave together!

Not able to join in person?

Not a problem! Here is how you can join on zoom: https://cityofberkeleyinfo.zoomgov.com/j/1611538218 .

Online Agenda 

Our item is on the consent agenda so when they say they're taking public comment on consent agenda that's when we go up to the left of the room to get in line to give public comment.

Consent agenda is at the start of the meeting so it will be extremely important to get to the meeting early!

We'll be bringing BSC swag with us too! So come out and show your support with some BSC merch :)

If you have any questions, comments, concerns, anything you would like shared at the City Council Meeting, please reach out to me at vpea@bsc.coop and we can further discuss! See y’all Tuesday!

Cooperatively yours,
Cristian

Vice President of External Affairs

New Professional Staff Members

Please join us in welcoming Victoria and Yoshi. We are so excited to have them join our team!

Victoria Fowler (she/her)

joined us as the Member Resources Coordinator (MRC) for the Berkeley Student Cooperative on July 1, 2024. Victoria lived in the co-ops for 5 years and worked at Central Office as a Receptionist for 4 years while she acquired her Bachelors in Psychology and her Masters in Counseling Psych. She interned as a therapist for the Pacific Center for Human Growth, an LGBTQ+ community services agency, and then followed a different path in communication, Marketing. Victoria most recently worked for Berkeley Humane as their Marketing Manager, where her work life was full of adorable dogs and cats. She's been on sabbatical which began last fall when she traveled in Europe for 3 months. Victoria is thrilled to rejoin the BSC. When she's not working, Victoria loves creative projects like painting and music, dream practices, and house projects in her over-100 year old home.

Joshua “Yoshi” Fenton (he/him)

Yoshi joined us as the Executive Director (ED) for the Berkeley Student Cooperative on August 1, 2024. Yoshi grew up in Los Angeles where he spent most of his time playing basketball and listening to the Grateful Dead. After graduating from UCSC with a BA in Political Science, Yoshi attended the American Jewish University where he received Masters Degrees in Education and Rabbinic Literature, as well as Rabbinic Ordination. Since 2007 Yoshi has worked in organizations throughout the Bay Area, supporting schools and educators. First in San Jose and then San Francisco, he ran central agencies and capacity building initiatives including the Florence Melton Adult Mini School, the Silicon Valley Teacher Enrichment Program, the Kesher Initiative, and One Bay One Book. Yoshi was the founding Executive Director of Studio 70 and launched the Voices from the Field Conference and he is also the former Head of School at Tilden Preparatory School where he was hired to lead the school during Covid. Most recently Yoshi has been the Posse Foundation Director in the Bay Area. Yoshi writes and speaks nationally on topics including innovations in education, teen engagement, experiential learning, organizational development and strategy, leadership, and parenting and families. He lives in Berkeley California with his children where he spends his time coaching youth sports, playing guitar, gardening, and still playing a little basketball.

BSC JOB OPENINGS

WRITTEN BY JAE MANN (HiCom Chair)

Hello Dearest Coopers!

Apply now for BSC jobs. Positions are first come first serve.

Unless stated otherwise, jobs fulfill workshift and any extra hours are compensated with a $22/hr rent credit.

HiCom emails OFTEN go to SPAM. To prevent missing out on interviews and jobs, please add " hicom@bsc.coop " to your contacts.

When hired, most positions can be continued to the following term!

Starting ASAP: Administrative Committee Assistant 

• 12 hours a week.
• Review all payment extension requests submitted to the Administrative Committee.
• Work with members to gather required documentation to support their request.
• Work with Central Office staff (e.g. Accounting, Housing, Operations, etc.) to gather all necessary information related to the member’s request.
• Along with the Operations Manager, review and determine outcomes of payment extension requests.
• Monitor approved AdCom payment extensions, send reminders (when possible) and follow up with members who are out of compliance with their approved payment arrangement.

All other jobs starting in Fall.

Apartments

Fenwick Assistant Manager 

• 20 hrs./wk.
• Must live in Fenwick
• Staff the Rochdale/Fenwick office at least three days per week, (this may include Saturday), during regular office hours (Monday - Saturday, 12pm-6pm.
• Supervise workshifters.
• Assist Rochdale Fenwick Facilities Manager with various tasks.

Central Food Services

CFS Operations Team Leader 

• Required scheduling availability:  Three days a week, Monday - Friday, 8am - 1pm.
• 15 hrs./wk.
• Coordinate the efforts of the Produce, Proteins, and Dairy Coordinators.
• Must be willing and able to lift up to 50 lbs on a regular basis and work with cold/frozen items and animal products.

Waste Reduction Coordinator 

• 12 hrs./wk.
• Must have 8 hours of availability during CFS working hours.
• Must be willing and able to drive a truck (automatic), have a valid California Driver’s License and a good driving record.
• Must be willing and able to lift up to 50 lbs repeatedly.
• Must have knowledge of recycling & re-use programs.

Delivery Coordinator 

• Drive the truck and drop off deliveries to all houses
• 8 hrs. / wk.
• Afternoon availability required, starting 12-1p and ending as late as 4-5p.
• Ideally free two or three afternoons during weekdays

Dump Run Coordinator 

• 10 hrs. /wk.
• Available for three-hour time blocks Monday–Friday, 10am–5pm.
• Must have valid CA drivers license and clean driving history
• Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs repeatedly

Conduct Committee

Restorative Justice Practitioner 

• up to 70 hours per semester
• RJ Practitioners will be trained in Restorative Practice (RP), Restorative Justice (RJ) and other forms of conflict resolution.
• Responsible for providing services in these areas for members and managers in the Berkeley Student Cooperative.

Conduct Committee Chair 

• 5 hrs./wk.
• Train ConCom members
• Hold ConCom meetings
• Ensure that the decision-making processes of the Conduct Committee are fair, procedurally sound, efficient, sensitive to the member, and well documented.

Cooperative Experience/Member Resources

Member Resources Assistant 

• 17 hrs./ wk.
• Preference will be given to former house managers.
• Provides support for and assistance to the Member Resources Coordinator in their duties, including the organization and development of training programs, New Member Orientation, NASCO Institute, correspondence and research, clerical support and budget monitoring.

Operations

Operations Crew Member 

• 10 hrs./ wk.
• Assist the Operations Team by completing various unit-level and central office improvement projects
• Must have a valid driver’s license and a good driving record.

Fill out the BSC Job Application (Google Form) to apply! .

Already applied? How to re apply:

• If you applied after August 2023 and kept the link to your application, you can just edit the application. Most important is that you update your availability to coincide with the job.
• You should probably also take this time to spruce up your application. I made a page with some tips for filling out the application in a way that might get you interviewed. 
• If you didn't keep the link, search your email for it. I have it set up to send confirmation emails. If you didn't get one, it might have gone to a hidden folder like "Updates" or (hopefully not) Spam. If neither of those, I think you can use the application link and if you're on the same machine and still have cookies, it will allow you to edit it. If none of that works, email me what jobs you're interested in and we'll figure something out.
• If you applied PRIOR to August 2023 , email me what jobs you're interested in and we can figure it out so you don't have to redo that application.

News from Phoenix: The Poetry of Catching and Reflecting

Good communication can be an internal and somewhat invisible experience. When we share something authentic, vulnerable, tender, or raw with another, it's a precious moment of risk. We send out our words into the space, hoping they will land in someone’s ears and make their way to their heart. In that moment after I've shared my message I often wonder—how is my truth landing in the universe of the other human being?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could visualize that internal and relational experience, like some surrealistic painting? It might look like a big net connected to one's heart, catching these words embedded with feelings and energies sent in your direction. But catching is only part of it. The next part is getting the other person to see that you caught them. Maybe it would look like a curtain over your heart dramatically opening, revealing the picture of whatever scene they painted on your psyche.

Since we don’t have a net or curtain, verbal reflection can support the act of catching our fellow human being. In a verbal reflection, you offer the other person a short paraphrase or summary of what you heard them say. There are many communication tools in Nonviolent Communication for connecting deeply with others, and in this article, we’ll focus on the tool of reflection.

Verbal reflection is something that gets easier and easier to do over time. I often receive feedback like, “Wow, you said that better than I did and more succinctly,” that’s the result of a lot of practice. One of the great aspects of being a partner and co-owner at LIFT Economy is that all of us have studied Nonviolent Communication. It's been great to see one partner, who initially disliked offering reflections, now embrace it so much that he offers it often. He got better at it but it's also that he saw the value of it. He improved not only in his skills but also in his understanding of its value.

Like in any team, we have disagreements. Harmony comes from how we handle them. When he, or any of us, offers a reflection, this gentle art of catching slows down the conversation. In that moment, we prioritize understanding where the other person is coming from rather than disagreeing, critiquing, rebutting, or trying to get our point across. Instead of the usual rapid-fire exchange that can escalate conflicts, a reflective pause can transform the atmosphere.

If you’re talking about a sports game, the weather or something else mundane and rather neutral, then a reflection can be overkill. It’s also important to note that some people don’t like receiving a reflection. I’d say 85% of people enjoy it, but for the other 15%, it might not be well-received. And some people want you to repeat back everything they said, exactly as they said it, which is challenging for most human brains. Just because one tool works with some people doesn't mean it will work with others.There’s no magic bullet for communication, it's not a computer program. It's more of a creative practice.

Reflection isn't just about the words we exchange; it's one of many ways to connect and honor the humanity beneath the words. When someone catches what we send out, it feels like a lifeline—a small confirmation that we exist and our words have weight. This act of catching transforms our interactions, making each conversation a collaborative dance rather than a contest.

As we continue to explore these depths in our Fall Culture Offerings Series , we invite you to join us. Discover the magic of catching and being caught, where communication becomes a bridge to deeper connection and understanding.

With care, 
Phoenix

Did you know?

Want to get Board, Cabinet and Committee Updates, Meeting Agendas, and Announcements?

Come join the Members At Large listserv if you are interested in learning about the discussions that take place at Board, Cabinet and Committee spaces and receive Board updates, agendas and announcements. Please click the following link to join or rejoin as the listserv was recently reset:

https://groups.google.com/a/bsc.coop/g/members-at-large 

Housing Department

Giovanni Smith, Housing Supervisor will be holding regular Advising/Office Hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 1:30pm-4:30pm .

Schedule an office visit with Giovanni Smith, Housing Supervisor .

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Useful information with FAQs about who to contact at the Central Office. 

CENTRAL OFFICE

2424 Ridge Road, Berkeley, CA 94709 
(In front of Casa Zimbabwe) 
Central Office: (510) 848-1936 
Central Food & Supplies: (510) 549-5969 
Central Maintenance: (510) 549-5965 
Business Hours: Monday-Friday 10AM-5PM 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bsc.coop/ 

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