How to Manage "Interim"

Interim is the time from the end of the semester when organized labor stops, through the first meeting of the next semester when new officers are elected and a new labor schedule is made. If interim isn't managed, the house will quickly become a pig-sty, it will fill with abandoned junk from people moving out, food won't get bought and remaining members will go hungry, and new members will arrive to a messy, disorganized house. You can prevent this from happening by properly managing interim.

1. Assign or elect an Interim Manager, or appoint yourself if there's widespread apathy.

   Somebody's got to do it. If everyone waits for someone else to do it, probably nobody will. The Interim Manager will do all the stuff below.

2. Create a Labor Table on the main marker or chalk board.

   Make sure you fill crucial labor (i.e., cleaning, shopping) before allowing non-essential labor like cooking. After a day or two when most people still haven't signed up, approach them individually and ask them what labor they'd like to do. You can walk around with a small marker board with a labor chart and say, "Tom, please choose one of these fabulous prizes."

3. Designate an area for Guff.

   People moving out are supposed to take all their crap with them, but many choose to "donate" it to the house. So set aside a special place for all this guff so that it's not strewn all over the house. Choose an empty room, the dining room, the basement, etc. Put a note on the marker board and a sign in the guff area saying that people can put unwanted stuff in there, and that anything on the table or floor is GUFF (free).

4. Get rid of abandoned toiletries.

   Put a box in each bathroom and put all the soap, shampoo, etc. in it, with a big sign that says something like, "Claim your stuff by taking it out of the box and putting it on the shelf. All unclaimed stuff becomes guff on Wednesday 5/30."

5. Check people out of their rooms.

   Please tell anyone checking out of their room to contact the Member Resources Administrator (staff). Make sure the member knows they'll get charged for an unclean or damaged room. Make sure you get the member's key so you can give it to the new member.

6. Notify the office if the house will be empty.

   If the house will be completely empty at any point during interim, call the office and let them know (476-1957).

7. Welcome new members to the house.

   Be friendly, apologize for any mess and explain that it will disappear once regular labor begins, and tell them you'll help them with anything they need. Give them a blank check-in form. (You can get extras from the office if you need them.) Also encourage them to read the house manual. If you have questions about how to handle any aspect of move-in, call the office (476-1957).

8. Give out keys.

   Get the room keys so you can give them to new members. Departing members should have returned their keys to you or to the previous membership officer. Do not give master keys to new members! If the only available key to a room is the master, then go to Breed & Co. (29th & Rio Grande) and get a copy of the key, and inform the office that the previous member didn't return their key, so the office can charge them on their deposit.

9. Post crucial info on the marker board for new members. Example:

   WELCOME NEW FOLKS!

   • Help yourself to anything in the kitchen. Group dinners start next week.
   • Please read the house manual! (Green notebook on the coffee table in the living room.)
   • House Mtg. on Sun. at 7:30pm in the living room.
   • Questions? Need help? See our Trustee (Christa, room 3) or Membership Officer (Mike, room 11).