Someone elsewhere noted that Crofts is the wildcard.

It's interesting to note the difference between Potter (his predecessor) and Crofts. Potter believed that the Commissioner was hired by the board to be a consultant to the presidents -- he generally acted when asked by the president or acted quietly. Crofts seems to see his position as a tad more proactive. Ultimately, however, both are employed by the board as the super-CEO reigning over all 8 institutions in the absence of the board.

Apparently, Crofts knows the difference between **** and moonshine and ain't afraid of saying so.

Let's see if in his short tenure the Board/Board staff gets shaped up. The staff can lead the board and does in little ways if it acts persistently and urgently, but the commissioner and one other key board staff position have been weak for a number of years in MS. Layzell was a joke and Potter was hampered by defections and stupidity. (Look at the activities of other boards/board staffs: it's impossible to believe that considering the actions of the board/board staff that institutions in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Idaho, Utah would be placed on probation by their accredititing agencies. They embrace processes that are not at odds with accreditors but that reflect the tenor and requirements of those agencies, even that get ahead of those requirements.) Our board is meandering. It can't stay focused on governing or even coordinating academic matters and adopting policies that seek to accomplish its stated goals. Where is the consideration of the strategic/master plan for the coast campus? Where is academic planning? Where is program review -- the rightful domain of the board? Where is strategic planning in general? Where is the articulation agreement with community colleges?