As we approach President Lester Lefton’s retirement July 1, 2014, the presidential search is underway with a 16-member team working with a private executive search firm. While it’s easy to reflect on Lefton’s term at Kent State, it’s time to look to the future.

At times, our generation is viewed as an apathetic bunch who are quick to complain but slow to actually do anything about our situation. Our national government cannot count on us to participate in any type of election, local or national. This presidential search is an opportunity to not only prove these types wrong but also exert some control over the next four years (or more) of your academic life.

We challenge you, Kent State, to:

• Attend the open forums presented by Undergraduate Student Government. The first is Sept. 15 in the Student Governance Chambers on the second floor of the Student Center.

• Meet with the two student representatives on the search committee, Michael Allen, executive chair of the Graduate Student Senate and Amish Patel, executive director of Undergraduate Student Government.

• Go to the Presidential Search Committee’s website to complete a survey regarding the search and even nominate an individual.

As the presidential search continues, we urge students to continue to educate themselves on the process through local and campus news outlets.

We challenge you to take time to consider what qualities you would like in Kent State’s 12th president. We want a president who is accessible to talk with students, campus leaders and faculty. Our 12th president would be present on Kent State’s campus and not just a name and a title we see lining press releases. We envision the next president of Kent State continuing the physical transformation of our campus while strengthening the connection to downtown Kent.

The above editorial is the consensus opinion of the Daily Kent Stater editorial board.