Cooperative houses, or co-ops, are student-managed residences in which house members cooperate in the operation and governance of the house. While each co-op has a unique identity and ranges in size from 30 to 65 residents, the common conviction is that by sharing in the full spectrum of house activities, the members of the house develop a greater sense of community and commitment to each other.

Living in a co-op is very different from living in a residence hall or other University-operated residence. Co-op members, who live in various-sized bedrooms from singles to quints, jointly plan the purchasing of food and supplies, budgeting of finances, and coordination of jobs. Residents usually spend from 2 to 6 hours per week doing house jobs, including cooking, washing dishes, and cleaning bathrooms and other common areas. By sharing in house activities, residents often feel that a co-op is more like a home than other traditional student residences.

Co-op Housing Assignments

Students are assigned to co-ops through the pre-assignment process, although vacancies after the pre-assignment process may be filled during House and Room Selection, and then by Housing Assignments. All students who live in a co-op must agree to the terms and conditions of living in the house when they apply for pre-assignment. Co-ops are self-governing houses and many determine their own independent room assignment process. Most of the co-op houses operate by consensus and determine their room assignments accordingly.  Because these room assignments are made under the governance of the house, these houses often have some mixed gender living arrangements.  For more information on co-ops or on consensus room assignments, contact the House.

Cooperative Houses (Co-ops)

Important Assignment Information

Residential Education offers a pre-assignment system for University Theme Houses for academic year assignments. This process allows for pre-assignment, before the annual housing assignment process, of all spaces in the house to students who complete a pre-assignment application and meet specific requirements.  Any vacancies may be filled during House and Room Selection, and after that by Housing Assignments.

Synergy and Terra Hybrid Co-Ops

For 2025-26, Synergy and Terra will run as hybrid co-ops. Here is what that means:

• In the selection portal, these houses will be designated as Synergy and Terra.
• Cleaning services for Synergy and Terra will be provided by R&DE. Students will not be responsible for common area cleaning.
• All students assigned to these houses will pay the standard residence hall housing rate, not the co-op housing rate.
• Students who select a room in these residences will be assigned the co-op meal plan by default. Students on this meal plan are required to participate in cooking and kitchen cleaning responsibilities.
• Students who do not wish to be on the co-op meal plan may opt for a standard residence hall meal plan. Students who are on a standard residence hall meal plan do not participate in cooking and kitchen cleaning responsibilities.
• Students not on the co-op meal plan will need to take their meals in external dining halls.

This hybrid arrangement allows students who wish to participate in the co-op to do so, but students also have the ability to live in the house as if it were a self-op.