Sylvan Snack Bar

The Sylvan Snack Bar is a non-profit student run cooperative business located in the basement of McNamara in a room which was once used to serve as storage for students' trunks and suitcases.  The idea for a snack bar originated in 1970 with the Sylvan Area Government.  This group felt strongly that because Sylvan is a remote residential area, the students would appreciate a place nearby to get food and to socialize.

 

With the new idea in hand, the Sylvan Area Government brought their proposal to the Student Government Association (SGA), and the project was agreed upon.   The SGA loaned funds to the Sylvan Area Government and the project was soon underway. The Sylvan Snack Bar was built over the winter session of 1971, making it the oldest student-run businesses on campus.  Students provided the plans and blueprints for its design.  Cowl's Building Supply provided the materials and in five weeks the room was completely transformed.

 

The SSB was first organized as a managerially run business with all major functions carried out by four to five co-managers.  In the fall of 1997, the SSB joined the rest of the student-run businesses on campus by changing over to a cooperative management structure.  As a cooperative organization, all of the employees have an equal say in the business and operate as co-managers.  The managerial tasks of the SSB were divided into different committees which serve to allot each member equal control in business affairs.  There are now fifteen committees which include:  Bookkeeping, Board of Student Businesses (BOSB), Cash-out, Communications Co-manager, Catering, Dot/Star, Handbook, Hiring, In-house, Marketing, Organizational Specialist, Payroll, Pro-card, Purchasing and Steering. Each committee is then represented on the steering committee by one of its members (keeping in mind that one person can represent more than one committee, which is encouraged) at which point any major issues that are to be brought up at all-staff are discussed.  This structure serves to involve everyone in the running of the business, with all members sharing in both its failures and successes.