The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs will lose one of its assistant directors on Friday as Eric Newman steps down to take a job at Drexel University. Newman, a 1986 Wharton graduate, has been assistant director of OFSA for almost four years, but he has been involved in the Greek system for much longer. As an undergraduate, Newman was president of the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity, and also worked part-time at OFSA for two years. After working at another job for three years, Newman decided to return to OFSA while also obtaining a master's degree in higher education. Newman will be moving a few blocks away to Drexel to be both assistant dean of students and the director of Greek affairs. In essence, the latter job is similar to that of OFSA Director Tricia Phaup. "It's a step up the career ladder," Newman said. "I see myself moving up in the university administration setting." Newman described his current position as a "programming" one, with responsibilities that include working with the Greek Social Action Committee, the Interfraternity Council, the Panhellenic Council and the Bicultural Inter-Greek Council. Newman added that he works more closely with the fraternities because Phaup has a "greater understanding" of the sororities. "He's definitely a caring role model for the students and someone who takes time to really listen to the students," Phaup said yesterday. "He's been very good at organization [and] creativity. We'll really miss him when it comes down to those kinds of things." "Eric always had the best interest of the system at heart, and always worked in the long term for what was in our best interest, though sometimes in the short term it didn't always feel that way," IFC President and College junior Morris Massel. "He's been great to know, and we're obviously going to miss him dearly at Penn," the Alpha Chi Rho brother added. Newman said he feels that the Greek system has changed greatly since he was a University student. He said that when he was an undergraduate, fraternities did not care "about the University or anyone else" and were only interested in throwing parties. He also said that while philanthropy projects barely existed in 1986, the fraternities and sororities in 1992 raised $32,000 through community service projects. Newman added that students' attitudes towards alcohol have changed drastically as well. "The amount of alcohol abuse has gone down significantly," he said. "You don't have 10- and 20- and 30-keg parties every weekend. There's a tremendous difference in the amount of alcohol that's being served." Phaup said that a process is already underway to find a replacement for Newman, and OFSA is currently accepting applications and resumes. Interviews for the candidates will take place "either the week before [final] exams or the week afterwards," so that students can help in the interviewing process, Phaup said. Phaup added that a new assistant director will be chosen in time for the fall semester. And while Newman is not moving far away, he is still sorry to be leaving the University. "I've had a lot of fun in the last three and a half years," he said. "I've enjoyed it and it is an experience I wouldn't trade for anything."
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