Greek house moms, dads go beyond duty, take on personal problems
 

Greek house moms, dads go beyond duty, take on personal problems
By: Elicia Dover
Issue date: 9/1/06 Section: News
The Daily Nebraskan

Whether it's taking them fishing, talking about dating problems or helping with a paper, Andrew Faltin can usually be found with the boys.

Having 60 or so sons or daughters is a very involved job, but according to Greek house "moms" and "dads," it is one that is very rewarding.

"While teaching political science and going back to school to get my masters, I knew I was going to need a place to live. Being a former Sig Ep, I knew I would like being the house dad," Faltin said.

Faltin said that as the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house dad, he enjoys working with students.

"You'll go insane if you don't," he said. "I do it because these students are full of potential."

Bobby Dudzinski, a junior finance major and president of Sigma Phi Epsilon, said his house dad takes on the brother's personal problems.

"He's always there for us for family troubles, personal problems or with a girlfriend," he said.

While house dads and moms' jobs are to simply direct house orders and be involved with programming and education, others go above and beyond the call of duty to counsel the young men and women.

"I'm there more as a friend to the girls," Susie Maser, Delta Gamma house mom, said. "I enjoy listening to the girls. Having those relationships makes being a house mom the most enjoyable job ever."

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Our "Mom" was an absolute gem. The the house parent system has died at many campuses is a shame.

I still remember which fork to use for salad.

Thanks, Mom.

Our house mom was awesome. Strict, but she was very effective at keeping us in line! She tried giving us "etiquette lessons" at dinner once, but people started skipping so that kind of flopped. She took good care of us, though. :)

House dad?

Who has those?

I've never heard of it. It would be a lawsuit waiting to happen at a sorority house...and no grown man in his right mind would volunteer to live in as a supervisor for 100 college men....live in for mid-life crisis' sake, yes, but to be responsible, no.

I've known a few "house dads" over the years. They were graduate students (mid to late twenties) returning to campus to complete masters or doctoral studies. The free room and board, along with a nice monetary stipend, made it a very attractive prospect. And from what I observed and was told by them, they were treated with respect. Not all fraternities are animal houses.

"While teaching political science and going back to school to get my masters, I knew I was going to need a place to live. Being a former Sig Ep, I knew I would like being the house dad," Faltin said.

Faltin said that as the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house dad, he enjoys working with students.

"You'll go insane if you don't," he said. "I do it because these students are full of potential."

Our house mom was with us for over 10 years. And then she died--- the house mother suite was formally dedicated in her memory. Nice lady and loved by all, but she didn't interact a whole heck of a lot with the girls in her later years.

A couple of the fraternity houses on campus had live-in house moms, but no house dads. One now-defunct fraternity chapter ran their house-mom off years ago... (I'm sure the older UCF folks on the boards can easily figure out which one that was...)

The House Mom at my undergrad chapter has been there more than 20 years, and we all loved her. She is a classy lady and always found a positive way to remind those girls who broke house rules. She did teach us formal etiquette during meals (I still know to break my roll and then butter it and not to divorce the salt and pepper) and was so much fun. One year she even did the Polar Bear Plunge (where members raised money and then jumped into the campus "lake") with us for Greek Week. Her door was always open if you needed to talk about anything and I still stop by and say Hi when we're in town for football games.

The House Director at the chapter I advise is awesome. She does so much more than is required by the position and the girls love her.

I have heard of some chapters having a House Dad. Gamma Phis at Iowa State had house Parents until the year before I went through recruitment.

The Tri-Deltas at Illinois State had house parents back in the mid-eighties. There house "Dad' was an Alpha Sig:D