Marshall Criser III was tapped to become Floridas new chancellor of the state university system on Wednesday, receiving a unanimous vote from the Florida Board of Governors to take over the position.
Criser, 55, will pick up where former chancellor Frank Brogan left off in the state university system. Brogan left the Sunshine State at the end of September after a long career in Floridas education system to take a similar position in Pennsylvania.
Brogans departure left big shoes for Criser to fill. Under Brogan, university enrollment increased by 7 percent, the number of degrees produced went up 12 percent and Florida saw record high attainment in graduation rates, national rankings and research.
Crisers background is a stark contrast to Brogans and is primarily in business. He currently serves as president of AT&T Florida and is responsible for managing the companys operations throughout the state. Prior to working for AT&T, Criser was vice president for BellSouth Telecommunications in South Florida.
But although hes never worked in education, that didnt stop Criser from winning over the Board of Governors in their six-week-long search to replace Frank Brogan. The board received applications from across the country for candidates vying for Brogans old job.
Other candidates interviewed for the position included Louisiana Commissioner of Education Jim Purcell, who has served in that position in Louisiana since February 2011.
Ultimately, Criser was the one who made the final cut.
One candidate .. rose to the top as the person who could best be able to articulate this boards priorities and understand the specific challenges the system faces. That candidate is Marshall Criser, said vice chair of the Board of Governors, Mori Hosseini, when nominating Criser for the position.
Hosseini chaired the committee for the nationwide search for Floridas next chancellor.
Criser is well-connected politically. He has served on various boards throughout the state, including the Florida Council of 100 and the Florida Higher Education Coordinating Council. Members of the board referenced Crisers extracurricular public service when commenting on his selection.
Criser assured the board he would be committed to excellence in higher education.
It is my commitment to you, to build upon that foundation which I believe is comprised of academic excellence, Criser said. I believe it has access to Florida students and I believe we will establish the accountability that will demonstrate to our stakeholders that the investment they make to higher education in Florida is absolutely the best possible investment that can be made with public or private dollars.
Before he was confirmed as chancellor, Criser had already ruffled feathers of some around the state over his support of the Common Core State Standards. In an op-ed published in the Miami Herald, Criser said the standards fill a vital need in Floridas education and would close a skills gap in the state of Florida.
Groups opposed to the standards were less than thrilled over Crisers comments.
"I am appalled and deeply concerned that the new leader of Florida's university system would support Common Core when even the principal architect of the math standards, Jason Zimba, has publicly admitted [Common Core is] not only not for STEM, it's also not for selective colleges,' said Dr. Karen Effrem of Florida Stop Common Core Coalition. "If Florida wants to continue its nation-leading economic recovery, it will need to actually educate its students, instead of merely training them in the low-level, psychosocial workforce skills embedded in the Common Core."
Marshall Criser will start working as chancellor Jan. 6.
