All too often, University presidents are unapproachable and distant from students and the University community. Yet, during his first few days on the job, President B. Joseph White has shown himself to be refreshingly down-to-earth and an intelligent leader with a visible desire to make the University of Illinois a better place to live, work and learn. In short: we like him.

Just after he was named president, White said he wanted to meet janitors, secretaries and other University staff that are usually ignored by administrators. He spent his first day as president walking around the Illini Union, talking to students about campus life, handing out business cards and encouraging students to e-mail him with their concerns. During his walk, he bought tickets to a Chinese New Year event from two students.

“If you’re not going to interact with students, why would you want to be a University president?” he asked at a Wednesday meeting with the Daily Illini editorial board. It’s a good question, one that many of his colleagues have forgotten to ask.

This approachability is nothing new. As interim president of the University of Michigan, he won praise from students for his openness and willingness to talk to student leaders and student protesters. Hopefully, White will use this same approach in dealing with the never-ending shouting match between supporters and opponents of Chief Illiniwek.

White also wants to be a member of the University community – this week, he moved into the President’s House with his wife Mary and his dog Webster and he jogs regularly around campus and shops in local supermarkets. This is a marked contrast with former President James Stukel, who lived in and spent most of his time in Chicago. While the University president needs to spend time on each of the University’s three campuses, this does not mean that the flagship campus here in Champaign-Urbana should be neglected.

White shows a fervent determination to improve the University. One thing he said he will start on immediately is to promote the University’s “brand-name” across the country.

“We got the steak – we need more sizzle,” he said. His enthusiasm in talking about how he wants to make the University a household name outside Illinois is contagious and shows his pride in his new school.

As University president, White has many jobs – he must be a CEO, teacher, economist and politician. White has considerable experience with the first three, and we’re confident that he can easily hold his own at the State Capitol.

White takes office at a time when state funding is shrinking, minority enrollment is falling and the University is still searching for a new chancellor. Certainly, White can’t be expected to solve these problems right away. To his credit, White doesn’t claim to have all the answers. Rather, as the newest Illini, he is doing the right thing – he’s listening and learning.

Bernard Joseph White has both the attitude and the ability to become one of the University’s finest presidents – even if he is an ex-Wolverine.