Stay in the loop

Assistant Dean of Students Suzanne J. Phillips has talked to her fair share of concerned parents. As director of the IU Parents Association – a group all parents are automatically granted membership in as soon as their child enrolls – she acts as a liaison between parents and University resources.

Q: Could you talk a little bit about the Parent’s Association?
A: It was created in '91. It’s a collaboration of the IU Foundations Parents Annual Fund, the IU Alumni Association and the Dean of Students Office. We’re the only affiliated group for parents that doesn’t require membership dues.

Q: Why is it important for parents to be connected to the University?
A: Some parents are more involved than others. There are hundreds of ways to be involved. We try to educate parents about them. The more parents know about what’s going on here, the more they’ll know what’s going on in their son or daughter’s life.

Q: What kinds of things do parents come to you for?
A: I get a lot of phone calls from parents after students receive their admission acceptance letters, so I answer a lot of general questions. But, for instance, one of the other roles I play is dealing with sick students. I’m the person who goes to the hospital to help sort out academic absences and things students are worried about when they’re hurt or sick. I try to give a lot of help especially to parents from out of state.
Another time, a mother from India called because she hadn’t heard from her son for a few days and was worried. It turned out that he was in the hospital. She was over within a few days, but I helped them set things up so that he could get better and return in the fall.

Q: What’s the biggest worry some parents have that shouldn’t be too much of a concern?
A: I get a lot of people who say, “My son is lonely,” or “My daughter is lonely.” That (situation) is unfortunate because there are so many opportunities to become involved here. It’s just a matter of finding what works for them. It also just takes different students a different amount of time to find their place. Sometimes, though, I’ll call a student into my office to talk about what they can do to feel more involved.

Q: Sometimes, parents need help with some situations when their child is in trouble with the University or with the law. What advice do you have for parents in that situation?
A: You’ve got to let them grow up. They learn by trying and succeeding or failing. Let them learn. They need to develop as a person, but be ready to be there, too.

Q: Do parents need to sign up for the Parents Association newsletter?
A: No. They are automatically mailed to the home address they give to the University. If a parent needs a newsletter at another address, all they need to do is call the office.