World class, face to face. I’ve spent the last four years pondering our school motto.

Because it seems a bit contradictory. How can you focus on contributing to a truly world-class academic institution while simultaneously trying to make a personal connection to every one of its staff and students? At some point, wouldn’t that emphasis on building relationships distract from the job at hand?

And yet, Elson S. Floyd. World class, no doubt- his list of accomplishments is long and prestigious, and speaks for itself as an indication of his effectiveness as an academic president. And as every student who’s ever spoken one-on-one with the man can attest, he had the face to face part down pat.

Elson Floyd embodied both sides of our conflicting school motto, and he did it with style.

Like most Cougs, I have my own Floyd story.

The majority of our Student Media’s funding model relies on print advertising revenue, which is on a slow but steady decline. Last year we were faced with a crossroads- either we could tie our organization to the sinking ship of print advertising, or we could find enough seed money to help us kick off projects that would disentangle us from that model. Alternative sources did not grant us the funds we needed to make that happen.

So in a last-ditch, Hail Mary effort, we drafted a letter to Floyd explaining our situation. We called his office and requested a meeting. I hoped we’d hear back within the week, and that we’d land a sit-down within the month.

He called back that day.

He had some free time in 45 minutes, he said.

Which is how I suddenly found myself in a conference room, clammy, nervous hands dancing on a heavy wooden table, preparing on the fly to defend the future of an organization that had given me so much throughout my undergraduate career to the most influential man at the university.

He came in, shook our hands, and settled in to listen. The meeting lasted nearly an hour. And the longer he listened, the more I felt my considerable nerves melt away.

I talked him through our situation and he sympathized. Not in the way a politician sympathizes- there were no patronizing smiles, no evasive generalizations or vague promises. Throughout that conversation, I witnessed firsthand the depth of President Floyd’s genuine concern and loyalty towards us, his Cougs, his children who had showed up at his office because we were passionate about our community and our cause.

We met again the following week and struck up a deal. Student Media shall live on, thanks to the actions of a university president who came through for us in a time of need. He took on an issue that was well below his pay grade, and fought for us even as he fought a far more sinister battle inside his own body.

World class, face to face. Elson Floyd was there for me. Personally. In a very real way. He helped save a cause I care deeply about, and he carved time out of his schedule without hesitation. He earned my lasting respect that day, just like he’s earned the respect of thousands of others, all of whom have a similar story about that time Elson S. Floyd came through for them, about that time he proved just how much he cares about his family.

Floyd’s death is such a devastating blow to the Cougar community because the man was the real deal in every sense of the word.

As human beings, we have a natural tendency to hold our leaders to a higher standard than ourselves. We poke and prod at them, searching for the cracks, trying to find reasons why someone else might do the job better.

But with President Floyd, there’s just no point. His reputation endures for a reason. Hold him to whatever standard you want- he’ll exceed it.

As a leader, as a president, as a Coug, as a man, a father- there are no cracks to find.