President M. Peter McPherson addressed Residence Halls Association members at the organization’s general assembly meeting Wednesday night.

His speech focused on MSU raising its standards for incoming freshmen and how the guidelines affect students already enrolled in the university.

MSU has seen a six-year trend of rising grades and test scores for incoming freshmen. This year’s incoming class boasts an average grade-point average of 3.54 and an ACT score of 24.1.

“Excellence has demands placed upon everybody,” McPherson said. “It’s an organizational principle.”

Dave Warden, the association’s secretary, said he was looking forward to seeing McPherson because it showed that MSU officials were willing to listen to students.

“I think it’s a great way for him to connect with the students,” he said. “By him showing up to our meeting, he reached out to the (Coalition of Racial Ethnic Students) and (Council of Progressive Students) and caucuses in the residence halls through its representatives.”

After McPherson spoke, he opened a question-and-answer forum for the audience.

Students raised their concerns about increased tuition, competence of professors and if rising standards lead to lower graduation rates.

The majority of the students supported the idea of MSU becoming a more respected institution.

Derek Wallbank, a Case Hall representative, asked McPherson about continuing increase of tuition.

“The way to make this university elite is to attract the best students,” he said. “To attract these students you have to have top notch faculties and facilities. The problem is all too often these costs are put on the student body.”

But Wallbank said he is confident McPherson will uphold the academic and financial standards he discussed.

“Thankfully, I think McPherson agrees with me,” Wallbank said. “He wants to keep tuition in check. I’m just not sure how he’s going to do it.”