TFA left me confused. I was at ASU briefly around 2000 and while it lived up to its "reputation as a party school for hot people," it also aggressively pursued being a major research campus. What did Crow do differently? From the article, it sounds like more of the same. The administrative changes mentioned sound like the sort of thing schools do to save money but that worsen the teaching environment. I haven't kept touch with anyone at ASU, so I don't know how faculty have regarded the changes.
It's a fair question graduated HS in 2002 and lived in Tempe at the time and several of my friends' parents were professors at ASU.
To you first question about what did Crow do differently, a lot and also not much. Consider, he was chosen by the regents because his vision aligned with theirs and the direction the school was already headed.
Regarding how faculty have regarded the changes, the short answer, it depends. I distinctly remember hearing of opinions on both sides during those first few years. What I can say is the quality of the faculty, the rankings of the various colleges, and research grants and outcomes have improved beyond anyone's wildest dreams.
