I'm afraid we may have to agree to disagree, Erik. In this day of lawsuits and risk management, it is almost unrealistic to expect any sorority chapter with a live-in component in stand alone housing to not have a House Director on staff. What I mean by this, is that if a sorority owns/rents/leases a chapter house where sorority members actually live in and where that property is managed by a house corporation representing the sorority in question.
Whether we like it or not, times have changed. With the overwhelming increase in co-ed college dorms, and even co-ed living floors, sororities are continually being forced to "keep up with the times." House moms just aren't all about teaching manners, keeping the boys out, and making hot chocolate during finals season anymore, although they certainly can and still do this. They are responsible for the day to day maintenance and operation of a multi-thousand to multi-million dollar property. It's their job to keep their eyes and ears open and keep their "girls" safe while making sure the residents and chapter members experience a positive and enjoyable experience living in and coming to the chapter house. If the house runs out of paper products or there continually isn't enough food at meals, it's the House Director who needs to deal. If the residents need a "pick me up" during exam times, it's the HD who schedules a snack break or arranges a stress free/relaxation zone in the house. If there is an emergency or crisis, the HD needs to know what to do and get the job done.
I may have a different perspective due to my current position in AOII, and that's okay. All I know general operating policy from a sorority--or more correctly from a NPC sorority standpoint. My personal experience from a fraternity standpoint is that their housing is run differently. Those fraternity chapters who tended to have active and involved alumnae, especially those who volunteered their time instead of or in addition to writing a check, had the fraternity houses that truly made a positive impact. The houses seemed to be cleaner, they ran close to or at capacity, there were fewer "emergency runs" for general house supplies, and so on. None of these had House Moms, either, but I believe that was and still is the norm at the schools I am personally familiar with.
A question for our fraternity men and NHPC members who may be reading this thread: does your national or international governing body require a House Parent/House Director/Property Supervisor if your GLO owns a property? Is this person required to be an non-undergrad student or is this a regular collegiate chapter officer? I'm just curious
