SEC chairman Mary Schapiro will officially step down from her post on Friday.

Mary Schapiro’s departure from the Securities and Exchange Commission leaves the board politically split – with thorny market issues to resolve.

With Mary Schapiro stepping down as chairwoman, how effective is the SEC in policing securities markets?

Mary Schapiro, chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, announced that she will leave her position. Schapiro took her post at the SEC just after the financial crisis and is credited with helping to craft reforms to prevent future economic disasters.