"...How much is the state willing to spend for small classes? Even core ones and specialized ones? It goes to the heart of Mississippi's public higher education offerings, raising old, hoary issues.

If Mississippi is going to have eight "universities," meaning full academic offerings, there will be duplication; if Mississippi is going to have a two-year college within 30 miles of every potential student, there will be small classes.

In both cases, the test must be affordability and accessibility.

Does the state want to try consolidating universities again, like the aborted attempt in the 1980s? The public then said "no," and the result was to craft "missions" for the universities to provide specialties.

If Mississippi wants to eradicate small classes and duplication, the way to do that would be to create one university system with each of the existing campuses scrutinized for varying missions. That would include paring two-year colleges and placing both two- and four-year colleges under one board - consolidating the College Board and Junior College Board.

Is Mississippi ready, willing or able to do that? Politically, probably not. There are too many loyalties to vying universities, and the two-year college system, exemplary as it is, is tied to local counties and their support, and is leery of being treating as a stepchild to the universities."