New Member Information

New members often feel like they're in the dark when they first move to Escher. The House Constitution and FAQ page may also help answer your questions, but the purpose of this page is to list all member responsibilities so you can rest easy knowing you haven't forgotten anything.
Failure to uphold these responsibilities could result in a fine(s). Please email the President or other relevant officers if you have any questions or concerns.

Your responsibilities as a member

URGENT RESPONSIBILITIES

• You should receive a welcome email prompting you to email either the President or VP of Relations with your expected arrival time. Either way, email one of them as soon as you know the date you'll be arriving and update them if your ETA changes. Otherwise you may not receive a room key.
  • If you filled out a move-in form at the beginning of the Fall contract period, you can ignore this step.
• Pay your charges on time every month! See Monthly Charges, Late Fees, and Eviction for more information.
• Fill out the Work Survey BEFORE you arrive. If you arrive after the start of a term, email the Work Manager to ensure they received your response.
• Make sure to attend New Member Orientation to avoid a $100 fine! Check your email or click here for more info.
• Check your email for the latest Work Schedule where you will be assigned a house labor shift according to your responses on the work survey. You must attend your work shifts weekly after the latest Work Schedule goes into effect (AKA check your email each day to make sure no changes have been made)! If you are confused, please see the [Member's Guide to Work at Escher]. If you still have questions, reach out to the Work Manager.
• Suite chores are also required each week. Your Suite Manager will assign a task to you (or allow you to choose one). This will be something like vacuuming the hallways, wiping down the kitchen surfaces, or getting the mail. Make sure your Suite Manager knows who you are (you can find their email here), and that you have been assigned a suite chore.
  • If it is the beginning of a contract period and the Suite Managers have not have been elected yet, look out for an email with the date and time of your suite's election so you can vote (or run yourself)!
• Everyone cleans their bathroom a few times each semester at Escher. Inside the bathroom closest to your room, you will find a bathroom cleaning sign-up sheet. Write your name in at least four spaces on this sheet. If you've moved in after all the spots are filled, consult your Suite Manager.
• Our Secretary should add you to the email list on the day (or a few days before) you arrive according to the email address you listed on your Rent Manager account. If you suspect you are not receiving house emails, contact escher.secretary@icc.coop with your name, preferred email address, and room number ASAP. Mistakes do happen and we don't want you to miss any important house information!

RECURRING RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work Holiday occurs once each semester, near the beginning of the term. You are required to sign up for Work Holiday or sign up to complete four hours of work at a later date if you are unavailable. Keep an eye on your email for more information about the date and expectations.
  • If you moved in after the start of a contract period, you can email the Work Manager to see if Work Holiday has happened yet or not.
• Read the current [bit.ly/escher-covid-policy COVID Policy] to understand how masking and quarantining works at each house 'level'.
• Update your mailing address when you move in and anytime you move to a room in a different suite. See the suites page for the mailing addresses.
• When you notice something is broken or malfunctioning in the house, submit a Request for Assistance, or [RFA]. The two types are Maintenance RFA and Tech RFA.
• If you have a car and want a space in our parking lot, read the parking page for more information and to learn where guests can park. You must be issued a parking pass to park in our lot.
• If you install a personal AC unit you must fill out this AC form. AC units cost $26 monthly (added to Rent Manager charges) in the Spring/Summer semester and rooms with unreported AC units are subject to fines.
• If you wish to bring a pet to Escher, read and understand our Pet Policy.
• If you plan to host a guest at any point, read and understand our Guest Policy.
• When you get ready to move-out, read and understand these Move-Out instructions.
• Understand the difference between the types of Release Requests in case you ever need to request one.

Cooperative behavior

This section lists cooperative things you can do that don't have hard-and-fast rules, but go a long way towards making Escher an awesome co-op.

• Attend house meetings! Make sure your voice is represented in the house by attending bi-weekly house meetings. participating in discussions, and voting! Keep an eye on your email for the agenda that will be sent out by the President 24-48 hours before these meetings.
  • Write a proposal to change something at Escher. These will be voted on at House Meetings and can be submitted to the President to be added to the agenda. Example: A budget proposal to buy guff inflatable tubes to use on the Huron river!
  • Join to give pinecones to someone for their contributions to the house.
• Attend officer meetings if you have suggestions to share. While some officer meeting discussions must necessarily be private, you are welcome to attend the regular officer meetings that occur twice a month. Each of these meetings will have a Member Time period where you can raise concerns directly with a room full of officers.
  • If you take issue with something an officer has done, but do not want to bring it up to them directly, contact your suite's House Council member. They can keep your complaint anonymous if you wish and work with you to determine how best to rectify the situation.
• Join the Discord. Though email is the primary form of house communication, the Discord serves as a quick way to share information with with suitemates, housemates, and officers. It has become increasingly relied upon in recent years and so I highly recommend everyone to join. Plus, many morale & culture-building memes are shared there!
• Explore and contribute to this wiki, and the Escher Member Drive.
• Communicate with your housemates and aim for conflict resolution at the lowest level. If you need extra assistance, contact someone relevant and/or trusted on the house leadership team.
• Be kind. Do your best to understand inclusive language, like that outlined in our LBGTQ Workshop page.
• Organize a house social event. The Discord is a great way to get the word out, or you can contact the Social Chair for help with planning bigger events. We have house funds set aside for social events, and the Social Chair can also help spread the word about your event.
• Aim for sustainability.