ISU President Gregory Geoffroy’s decision to step down was met with mixed reactions, but one thing was clear from nearly every response we on the ISD Editorial Board read or heard: Geoffroy has been well-respected in his role as the leader of Iowa State.

In most cases, when an announcement like this is made, it’s to be expected that a few usual suspects will have nice things to say. Several of Geoffroy’s colleagues, including Board of Regents President David Miles and University of Iowa President Sally Mason were quick to speak kindly of the man who has served as president of this university for almost 10 years.

More notably, a tougher crowd — ISU students and alumni — indicated their respect and warm feelings for Geoffroy. A popular sentiment was expressed in conversations, on Facebook and on Twitter: many who have interacted with him during his time at Iowa State are simply “sad to see him go.” 

From student leaders to alumni who can’t believe how long it’s been since they graduated during Geoffroy’s early years, it feels safe to assume the ISU community wishes him nothing but the best.

One Twitter post retweeted several times even went so far as to express heartbreak at Geoffroy’s departure; a bit excessive, perhaps, but still a testament to the rapport this man has developed with the students he serves.

Still, others were unsure of how to react to the news, commenting that it’s “weird” or that they didn’t see it coming.

We can’t say we saw it coming, either, and at first glance, we were unsure of how to read the situation. These are tumultuous times for public education, and we’ve always been heartened by the fact that Geoffroy hasn’t been afraid to speak out against the continuing state budget cuts to public education.

To learn that the man who has shaken our hands at Cyclone football games after a day of defending public education against an axe-wielding legislature will soon no longer fill that role, well, it kind of felt like he was abandoning us just as things got difficult. 

We soon changed our minds. While political stress has quite likely taken a toll on Geoffroy over the years — how could it not? — it seems he’s stepping down for all the right reasons. Whether he retires or continues to teach chemistry, he will have much more time to spend with family than his current role affords him. He has achieved many of his stated goals by setting records in enrollment, fund raising and external funding. 

Now seems as good a time as any for Geoffroy to go out on a high note, while setting the stage for a new president to take the helm as Iowa’s public universities continue to weather a barrage of cuts. Maintaining the quality of an ISU education is of the utmost importance and, perhaps, has never been more difficult. It will take someone strong, smart and levelheaded.

We suggest whoever steps into the role of ISU president look to Geoffroy’s legacy for inspiration, then forge his or her own path as a defender of education, and of this university.