Geoffroy says ISU trying to position itself for Big 12 changes

Iowa State University President Gregory Geoffroy declined Tuesday to talk about how possible Big 12 Conference changes might shake out for ISU, beyond saying ISU officials are working in the best interests of the school.

"Athletic Director Jamie Pollard and I are working diligently to make sure Iowa State is positioned as well as possible when the dust settles," Geoffroy said during a break in the state Board of Regents meeting today in West Des Moines.

Geoffroy said he was not going to say anything beyond that statement about possible scenarios for ISU if the Big 12 Conference realigns or members leave.

University of Iowa Athletics Director Gary Barta, also at today's regents meeting, said the Big Ten Conference is not talking about possible new members or entertaining expansion at this time. The conference added Nebraska this year, and officials are happy with the conference membership, Barta said.

"That's where it sits right now," he said.

Regents President Craig Lang referred comment about the Big 12 Conference issues to Geoffroy.

The University of Oklahoma's board of regents and their counterparts at Texas granted their school presidents the authority to take action regarding conference realignment on Monday. The moves clear the way for the Sooners and Longhorns to apply formally to the Pac-12, with whom they have been undergoing discussions in recent days on how to make the schools' addition to the conference work.

On Sunday, those talks were still a long way from the point at which Pac-12 leadership would be comfortable recommending the move to the league's presidents, a source told ESPN.com's Andy Katz. The proposed expansion would include fellow Big 12 schools Oklahoma State and Texas Tech.

"There has been a great deal of movement around the country and press reports around the country concerning conference realignment,'' school president William Powers told the Texas board. "We believe that it would be very helpful if the campus and I, and along the terms that were discussed earlier with consultation the chancellor and the chairman of the board and others, be able to explore options and have the authority to make decision with respect to this including continued participation in the Big 12.

Scott Dochterman contributed to this report.