Put on the red suit

Ho ho ho! Imagine the dreariness of studying for finals interrupted by catching a glint of bright red from the corner of your eye. What if IU President Adam Herbert were to dress up in a Santa suit, Herman B Wells style? It would do wonders for boosting student morale.\nWells started dressing as Santa Claus around Christmas time soon after he became IU president in 1938. He donned a red suit and passed out candy up until a few years before his death in 2000.\nHerbert has received criticism for his performance as president, for restarting the chancellor search and for decreased visibility on campus. One way to fend off such criticism is by following the example of Wells and turning the role of University administrator into that of a right jolly old elf.\nBut being a better president is not just about playing Santa. It's about reaching out to students on a personal level on a regular basis. There's no better way to anticipate the needs of the University than to be in touch with students. It might seem unreasonable to suggest that Herbert frolic around with candy canes when he has seven other IU campuses to worry about and a long list of presidential duties; but Wells proved that it can be done. Just one flash of a snowy white beard and some jingle bells could easily shake off the label of "absentee president."\nDuring Wells' days as president and chancellor, IU was more like a family. The University has grown, but a sense of community should always be a priority. Those in the highest administrative positions should feel responsible for maintaining that sense of community at a large public school. It's the personal touches that make the difference. Nothing says "I care" quite like socializing with everyone from students to janitors while wearing a festive costume.\nWells encouraged a great number of programs to shape IU. He played a role in fostering the arts and transforming IU into a research institution. He worked to desegregate the University and supported sex research at the Kinsey Institute when it was considered taboo. He also helped increase educational opportunities for students who couldn't afford to come to IU. \n"Chancellor Wells gave unselfishly of his time and his energy until the time of his death," former IU president Myles Brand said.\nWells seems to have set an impossibly high standard and left gargantuan boots to fill. The flood of criticism might come from the idea that no other president will ever measure up to the legend of Wells. But IU was smaller in the past and expectations were different. It's not fair to compare everyone directly to Wells. We live in a different time and attend a different IU. His memory should not be an impossible measuring stick held over every successor's head, but a reminder of how one person can make a large academic institution feel more like a family.\nLet's look at Wells as a role model. A little candy and a big red suit could go a long way for the current administration.