An executive director must be appointed by the commission to manage and carry out the duties of the commission as prescribed by law and assigned by the commission. The executive director is not subject to the State Employee Grievance Procedure Act of 1982 and may be dismissed without cause.

A professional staff complement shall be established by the executive director who shall ensure that there are persons on the staff who have the professional competence and experience to carry out the duties assigned and to ensure that there are persons on the staff who are familiar with the problems and capabilities of all of the principal types of state-supported institutions in the State. Provision shall be made for persons of high competence and strong professional experience in the areas of academic affairs, public service and extension programs, business and financial affairs, institutional studies and long-range planning, student affairs, research and development, legal affairs, health affairs, institutional development, and for state and federal programs administered by the commission. The hiring of additional staff members to any position for which funds were not specifically appropriated by the General Assembly shall require prior approval by the General Assembly.