University officials, students, former government officials and an ex-president of the United States spent today reflecting on MSU President M. Peter McPherson's new job in Iraq.

McPherson, 63, has been selected to head up the economic redevelopment of Iraq. He will leave MSU temporarily during the summer months for the job, but will resume the presidency of MSU when he returns, said Peter Magrath, president of the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges.

Peter Secchia, ambassador to Italy under former President George Bush, said McPherson is made for the job.

"His expertise is perfect and what better symbol for America," Secchia said. "You can't just send dollars and troops, you have to send knowledge and expertise."

McPherson called Secchia, one of the university president's longtime friends, on Wednesday morning to inform him of the decision.

"What an opportunity for him," Secchia said. "Here's a man who has dedicated his life to finance and banking and he's being asked to help a country as rich in assets as Iraq and as far behind as any country can be."

Secchia said he hopes McPherson will hurry back to MSU.

"Peter has never backed away from a challenge," he said. "He's the perfect person for this job. He'll attack it full force."

MSU Trustee Scott Romney said McPherson has had discussions with the government about going to Iraq, but that any assignment would be temporary.

He refrained to comment further until the U.S. government makes a formal announcement.

Former MSU President Gordon Guyer learned Wednesday of McPherson's new job.

"It's quite an honor for President McPherson and the university," Guyer said.

Because of McPherson's international experience under former Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bush, Guyer said "it would be hard to find someone with better credentials."

But David Mitchell, a member of Students for Economic Justice, said he doesn't see those attributes in MSU's president.

The human biology junior said he is concerned with the future of Iraq and McPherson's intentions.

"He has a long history with pro-business policy that has caused a lot of economic problems in developing countries," he said.

Mitchell said McPherson would put U.S. corporate interests and U.S. foreign policy before the interests of the Iraqi people and would continue MSU's reputation as a conservative university.

"It will be an excuse to not deal with student issues on campus," he said.

Former MSU Trustee Russell Mawby had not heard McPherson would be serving in the reconstruction of Iraq - but he said it didn't come as a shock.

"I'm not surprised that the (Bush) administration would seek Peter McPherson's help, particularly in the area of finance," he said.

Mawby, who served as the chairman and a trustee of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for nearly 40 years, said McPherson now has a larger role.

"He will be helping Iraq move to democracy," he said. "We are going to miss him because it is a difficult year, but I think all of us will simply step in and try a little harder to carry out some of those objectives in his absence."

MSU College Republicans Chairman Marc Stemmer said McPherson's experience with the U.S. Treasury Department under the Reagan administration makes him a good fit for the job in Iraq.

"I'm a big fan of Reagan," he said. "I think (McPherson is) qualified to help pave the way for the Iraqi people to retain their wealth rather than have their income stolen by a brutal dictator."

But, Hodan Hassan, a spokeswoman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said it would be difficult for any American administrator to rebuild Iraq.

"There is plenty of help or technical assistance that our country can give," she said. "But we need to make sure we don't end up creating a model that is not suitable for the hopes and desires of the Iraqi people."

Hassan said she didn't understand why more Iraqi citizens were not chosen to help run the country.

"The Iraqis have a middle class, they're highly educated, they should utilize homegrown talents," she said.

Former U.S. President Gerald Ford said he was pleased to hear about McPherson's new position.

"Peter McPherson is highly qualified from his experience as a top executive in the federal government and as a first class president of Michigan State University," he said in a statement. "I fully endorse his appointment. He will do an excellent job."

McPherson worked as a special assistant in the Ford White House and was deputy director of the Presidential Personnel Office from 1975 until January 1977.

McPherson also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Gerald R. Ford Foundation. Martin Allen Jr., chairman of the board, said McPherson has "always demonstrated leadership and visionary skills it takes to do a task like this."

"It's a very unselfish commitment for somebody to leave their existing position to assume this kind of responsibility," he said.

McPherson's move bodes well for MSU, said Rodney Patterson, director of the Office of Racial Ethnic Student Affairs.

"It's exciting for the university that our president will take on what we know to be a very serious issue," he said.

Andrew Goetz, president of the MSU College Democrats and a State News columnist, said he's confident MSU will continue to be a quality university in McPherson's absence.

"We just wish him the best of luck," he said. "It's a dire situation over there. Hopefully, he'll be able to use his expertise to support the Iraqi people in these times."

Jared English, chairperson of ASMSU Academic Assembly, said it's an honor for McPherson to be asked to take up this position. ASMSU is MSU's undergraduate student government.

"It's great the president wants to serve his nation," he said. "Hopefully, he'll be safe during his journey over there."

Missy Kushlak, chairperson of ASMSU Student Assembly, said she was proud to hear of McPherson's move.

"It's exciting that the president of our university is being honored like that," she said. "It's very brave on his part to go over there."

Liz Boyd, spokeswoman for Gov. Jennifer Granholm, said McPherson would be an excellent choice for the position.

"It certainly would be an honor to be asked by the (U.S.) president to act in that capacity," she said. "He has a tremendous background."

U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Detroit, was not available for comment, but his spokeswoman Tara Andringa said McPherson could be successful at the task at hand.

"He's a highly qualified person for a very difficult task," she said.

Former MSU Trustee Robert Weiss said this is a great honor for both MSU and McPherson.

"When your country calls, President McPherson is the kind of man to answer," he said.

Staff writers Kelli Cynecki, Aaron Foley, Joey Guillen, Melissa Sanchez and Kendra Snyder contributed to this report.