14
Q
Voices
of Central Pennsylvania
October 2007
University
Local co-ops gain mainstream popularity
by Kevin Mannes
No longer is the cooperative philosophy considered social-
ist, now it is just considered good business.
An old fortune cookie saying is taped up
on Jay Sletson’s desk that reads
“Make
happy those who are near, and those who
Cooperative Housing group and also a sec-
“Cooperatives form when people realize the
are far will come.” Sletson, the executive
ond-year member.
benefits of getting together to solve a com-
director of the Fraternity Purchasing
For cooperatives like the Fraternity
mon problem,” Sletson explained.
Association, has made this his personal phi-
Purchasing Association, however, a lot of
No longer is the cooperative philosophy
losophy and he runs the FPA accordingly.
responsibility falls on Sletson. For starters,
considered socialist, now it is just consid-
The FPA is what is commonly known as
the FPA has 49 fraternities, 21 sororities,
ered good business.
a cooperative. More specifically, it is a pur-
and almost three dozen community organi-
“Basically it’s an economic decision,”
chasing cooperative where the owners, con-
zations ranging from churches to theatres as
said Jim Romano former Vice President of
sumers, and beneficiaries of the company’s
members. This means that Sletson has over
FPA-member Sigma Alpha Mu.
“I never
work are the members.
100 bosses with different needs that must be
thought of it as socialist. We’re college stu-
Photo by Kevin Mannes
In fact, Sletson himself is just an employ-
met. Nevertheless, Sletson remains com-
dents so we don’t have much money. We
Jay Sletson, executive director of the Fraternity
ee. His bosses are on the 15-person board
mitted to his goal of helping people take
have to be smart about what we buy and
Purchasing Association, is dedicated to helping
of directors who are elected from the vari-
control, which is exactly what cooperatives
smart about how we buy it, so if the best
the FPA members take control.
ous member groups. As a result, Sletson’s
are meant to do.
way to do that is to work together then that’s
ultimate goal is to make his boss, the cus-
Even more importantly it is the diversity
what we’re going to do.” Economics is at
simultaneously being able to afford to live
tomer, happy.
of the member organizations who buy into
the root of most cooperatives which is what
off high-quality food from local businesses.
Cooperatives, Sletson said, are “an eco-
the cooperative philosophy that makes this
makes them a truly viable alternative to the
“Basically everything we buy is from local
nomic justice delivery mechanism.” Nearly
model of business so interesting.
25 years
corporate way of doing business. It is not
businesses. We don’t shop at Wal-Mart or
any business model can be run in a cooper-
ago a cooperative such as the FPA would
just the ability of purchasing cooperatives
even Giant and we try to keep trips to
ative fashion but rather than the profits
have been labeled as socialist and anti-
to buy wholesale; other cooperatives simply
Wegmans to a minimum,” said Lenes.
being distributed unequally amongst own-
establishment.
allow their members the ability to afford to
Formed three years ago, the CPCH has
ers, shareholders and workers, cooperative
Nevertheless, now it has members that
live without relying on large corporations.
quickly grown to 18 members who now run
members are the owners, investors, and
traditionally have represented the establish-
For instance, many housing cooperatives,
and operate two houses on West College
consumers. “We try to operate as democrat-
ment in churches and fraternities working
such as Central Pennsylvania Community
Avenue.
“I doubt I would still be at this
ically as possible,” said Josh Lenes, Board
together for a common cause. This, howev-
Housing, came about from a group of peo-
school if it wasn’t for this cooperative,”
Chair of the Central Pennsylvania
er, is the greatest asset of a cooperative.
ple’s desire to find low-cost housing while
Lenes said.
Football violence has effect on State College
said former Beaver Stadium parking lot
by Michele Russell
“Football has turned its ugly head in a lot of different
attendant Joe Boris.
As the local saying goes, State College is
Boris worked for the stadium’s Lot 3 and
areas... the crowd mentality is there and it’’s getting worse
a “drinking town with a football problem.”
used his field pass to watch the games, but
and worse.”
Recently, this description is proving to be
namely, he observed the crowds there.
--Joe Boris
true. College football may be causing an
“The fans treat the game of football as a
increase in violence and tension among its
religion, and in a religion there is the pro-
fans.
failure, the number of assault crimes report-
“It just seems as though State College is
fane and the sacred…Penn State football is
“The size and scope of a football game
ed in State College changes.
a much happier place when the Penn State
the sacred,” said Boris.
here is an unusual thing,” said Penn State
In January
2004, State College police
football team is winning,” said Jones.
Football’s growing fan base is also a
Vice Provost of Student Equity Terrell
responded to 327 assault and disorderly
Football’s popularity at other large
major contributor to the intense atmosphere
Jones.
conduct reports, according to the
schools is creating similar problems.
“I
in the stands.
“I have ridden around with police during a
Pennsylvania Uniforms Crime Reporting
think in any school with a large athletics
“I’ve noticed, especially with close game
home game weekend, and I see that it takes
Systems Web site.
department we can see these types of [vio-
that there was a feeling of tenseness in the
all of our police services just to maintain the
The Penn State football team won four of
lence] problems,” said Jones.
crowd. I think that as [the fans] care more
safety and order of the crowd,” he said.
11 games in the 2004 season.
One example is the aggravated assault
about the team and the sport, they become
“On a Penn State home football game
According to the same Web site, police
case involving an Oklahoma University
less neighborly with those around them,
weekend, the population of State College
handled 224 assault and disorderly conduct
football fan attempting to rip off a rival
and this gives them an excuse to hurt peo-
increases, making it the third largest city in
reports in December 2005, the same month
University of Texas fan’s scrotum Sept. 11.
ple over this ‘religion’ they have created,”
the state [during these times],” said Jones.
in which Penn State completed an almost
“Football has turned its ugly head in a lot
It seems that with this population
perfect winning season and were headed to
of different areas…the crowd mentality is
see
Football
, pg. 15
increase and the football games’ success or
the 2006 FedEx Orange Bowl.
there and it’s getting worse and worse,”
