STATE COLLEGE — Attendees of a Penn State forum held to solicit input on the search for the university’s next president said Friday they wanted their next leader to remain committed in making their beloved university the best it can be.

Most of the 20 who attended the forum Friday said the president should be eager to strengthen the quality of education and keep tuition affordable through stronger fundraising efforts, all while openly communicating with the Penn State community.

The gathering Friday was part of a series of open forums to get opinions from faculty, staff and students about what attributes the next president should possess.

Penn State hired executive search firm Isaacson, Miller, who conducted the forum, to help find the successor for Rodney Erickson, retiring by June 2014.

John O’Donnell, a hospitality management professor, said Penn State’s academic standards should attract many qualified leaders throughout the country. He hopes the future president is passionate about leading Penn State.

“This is one of the greatest institutions of higher learning in the world,” O’Donnell said. “It’s a wonderful place to live, it’s got a reputation for resources, for academics, and those things are the most important things we do.”

Erickson took over in November 2011 after Graham Spanier left under pressure just days after the arrest of retired defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky on child molestation charges. In June, Sandusky, 69, was convicted of 45 counts of sexual abuse. He is currently serving a 30- to 60-year prison term.