Todd must continue to be more accessible to students and faculty

UK President Lee Todd has been out and about lately – and some of us are kind of surprised.

Since the firing of Billy Gillispie and the hiring of John Calipari, the president had a presence at the press conferences, but it needs to be more because of what he did on Tuesday — he held a forum in the Cats Den.

Todd should hold more events like “An Evening with President Lee Todd,” and make himself more accessible to the student body.

Now, Todd is a familiar face at the football and basketball games, but through forums he is able to answer questions directly from students about a wide range of topics chosen by the students.

Some of the topics addressed during the March 31 forum included the incorporation of veterans returning from war into UK’s campus, the problems facing non-traditional seniors, building maintenance, transportation to campus and carrying concealed weapons on campus.

By having the event, hosted by Student Government and the Student Center Director’s office, it showed that Todd is willing to work with students. He even had Student Government President Tyler Montell with him to answer questions. By appearing with Montell at a Student Government event, Todd further showed his willingness to work with students.

This kind of outreach needs to be more than once a school year, or even once a semester. Events like this will not only enhance his reputation with the students, but also further their education on some hot topics, such as tuition increases, lobbying concerns, and who deserves funding.

Todd has continued to become more accessible this school year with things like the recent forum and the creation of his own blog that allows students and the general public to hear from him more often and in a less conventional way than a news conference.

President Todd, we urge you to continue making your presence more felt in the UK community; it will only benefit your legacy, and most importantly, the students’ experience during your era.