Monday marks a changing of the guard at Iowa State. Interim President Richard Seagrave will pass on his duties to new President Gregory Geoffroy.

Seagrave didn’t make huge waves as interim president.

He did made a wise decision to celebrate Veishea alcohol-free without a pledge, and he remained accessible to students even from Beardshear.

Seagrave, professor of chemical engineering, has received numerous awards for teaching and even was named 2000 Professor of the Year while he was serving as interim president.

Colleagues and students agree he has shown a dedication to ISU undergraduates. When he returns to teaching in the fall, we are certain Seagrave will continue his record of being a quality engineering professor.

Geoffroy will be joining the Cyclone family at a difficult time.

He is facing overwhelming budget cuts and tuition increases.

Geoffroy, senior vice president for Academic Affairs and provost at the University of Maryland at College Park, has a background in fund raising.

This will be good for the university, especially with Iowa State’s top fund-raisers, former President Martin Jischke and Vice President for External Affairs Murray Blackwelder, running off to Purdue.

However, it is important for Geoffroy to remember that education, not fund raising, makes a top-notch land-grant university.

University presidents are always met with many critics, and one area where previous ISU administers have had trouble in the past is with the question of whether to emphasize research or undergraduate education.

Some professors have argued that teaching is not as valued at Iowa State as it should be. We hope Geoffroy will put Iowa State’s focus back where it belongs, on student education.

Another area where Geoffroy will face controversy deals with the ISU Foundation. He supports the Foundation’s decision to keep closed records.

Many critics, including the Daily editorial board, believe the records should be opened. Closed records give the Foundation the appearance of corruption. Alumni and other members of the ISU community should be able to see how donations to the university are used.

Foundation records, education vs. research, fund raising, budget cuts and Veishea are just a few of the issues Geoffroy will have to grapple with as ISU president. President of a land-grant university is a difficult job, but Geoffroy has certainly proven he’s up to the challenge.

As Seagrave goes back to his first love of teaching and Geoffroy embarks on a new mission as Iowa State’s 14th president, we wish them both the best of luck.

editorialboard: Michelle Kann, Tim Paluch, Jocelyn Marcus, Zach Calef, Ruth Hitchcock, Cavan Reagan