The work of the Temporary Commission on the Future of Postsecondary Education in New York State is analyzed in this paper. Known as the Wessell Commission, it was created in June 1976 when the City University of New York (CUNY) was closed for lack of operating funds. Legislation permitting CUNY to reopen contained a provision for the comprehensive study of postsecondary education in the state by a temporary commission. Background information is provided on the enrollment shift, state student aid, interagency conflict, the leadership void, the city university crisis, and the state political environment. The commission was evaluated to assess the extent to which its stated objectives were accomplished and the general impact it had on state public policy for higher education. Interviews were held with the members of both the executive and legislative staffs of the commission. The 14 commission staff members who were interviewed indicated that there had been a definite need for the commission. The final report appeared to reasonably meet most of the stated objectives of the commission, especially those dealing with the Board of Regents, allocation of resources to the private institutions, and public sector governance. In the views of the staff, the commission had very little influence upon higher educational policy. The staff responses are analyzed and seven concluding observations are presented. (SW)