Mitch Daniels has officially started his interim presidency at Purdue University.

On July 1, Daniels filled the role after President Mung Chiang left to be president of Northwestern University. Daniels previously served as Purdue’s 12th president from 2013 to 2022.

In a video message sent out on Wednesday, Daniels expressed how honored and grateful he is to be back on campus in West Lafayette.

“I do want you to know how gratified I am and excited I am about the temporary assignment of helping Purdue move forward and maintain the great momentum that you have all achieved for the our university over recent years,” Daniels said.

That momentum is what Daniels believes has Purdue in a good spot moving forward.

“We’ve got so much going on that’s positive at this university at a time when much of our sector is struggling,” Daniels said. “Purdue is at the other end of that spectrum.”

Under Daniels, the university implemented a historic undergraduate tuition freeze beginning in the 2013-14 academic year. For 14 straight years, base tuition and mandatory fees have been stuck at exactly $9,992 per year for Indiana residents and $28,794 for out-of-state students. That rate will last through the 2026-27 academic year.

As the university continues the search for its next president, Daniels said he expects his time as interim president will be “brief.”

“My assignment is to maintain forward progress and do even better or faster those things which we believe are most essential to Purdue’s future,” Daniels added.

In 2023, Purdue renamed its business school, formerly the Krannert School of Management, to the Mitch Daniels School of Business in his honor. The business school has a brand-new 164,000-square-foot facility set to open in 2027.

Daniels also served two terms as the 49th Governor of Indiana (2005-2013) and as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President George W. Bush.