Eduardo Ochoa
Why He Matters
Eduardo Ochoa is second in command to Under Secretary of Postsecondary Education Martha Kanter, and advises her on higher-education policy, including the disbursement of $3 billion annually. Department of Education site(1)Department of Education site
Ochoa specifically oversees the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), which supervises more than 60 programs designed to make education after high school affordable and high quality. Those programs include the eight TRIO programs for needs-based higher-ed students, the Fullbright scholarships and institutional- development programs for minority students. The OPE also certifies all regional and national accreditation agencies, and, therefore, holds the authority to determine which schools can receive federal finanical aid and Pell grants. Department of Education site(1)Department of Education site
Before coming to Washington, Ochoa served as provost and vice president of Sonoma State University in California where he oversaw five schools, 600 faculty members, 8,900 students and an annual budget of $50 million Department of Education site(2)Department of Education site. He had no prior experience in politics before he was appointed by Obama to serve under Kanter and Education Secretary Arne Duncan. The position was vacant for the first year of Obama’s presidency Nov. 2, 2010 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa.(3)Nov. 2, 2010 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa.
In His Own Words
“Given the current financial situation, we’re either going to be flat funded or see a reduction, so we’re not looking to develop new programs.” Ochoa said. Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa. (4) Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa.
Path To Power
Ochoa said that when President Obama called on him to join the Education Department, it came as “a bolt out of the blue.” Nov. 2 2010 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa (5)Nov. 2 2010 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa
He had no previous experience in politics on any level before joining the administration.
To take the job, Ochoa left his position as provost and vice president of academic affairs at Sonoma State University in California, where he led strategic planning and campus diversity efforts. Feb. 28, 2010 Chronicle of Higher Education article. (6)
The Issues
A top priority of the Office of Postsecondary Education is working to meet President Obama’s goal of making America the country with the highest proportion of college degrees by 2020.
Ochoa’s boss, Under Secretary of Postsecondary Education Martha Kanter, comes from a community college background and sees the schools as a critical tool to help reach the president’s goal. The department’s agenda has been to subsidize community colleges Oct 5, 2010 Politics Daily: Gates Pledges $34 million for Community Colleges at White House Summit (7)Oct 5, 2010 Politics Daily: Gates Pledges $34 million for Community Colleges at White House Summit and regulate loans given to students attending underperforming private, for-profit colleges. Nov. 2, 2010 Politcs Daily: For-Profit Colleges Getting New Oversight from U.S. Education Agency.(8) Nov. 2, 2010 Politcs Daily: For-Profit Colleges Getting New Oversight from U.S. Education Agency.
Gainful Employment
In 2010, the Education Department proposed regulations on federal student aid going to for-profit colleges not graduating enough students with the chance to recieve what the administration defines as “gainful employment” opportunities. Nov. 2, 2010 Politcs Daily: For-Profit Colleges Getting New Oversight from U.S. Education Agency.
Investigations by the Government Accountability Office United States Government Accountability Office Report to Congressional Committees: Stronger Federal Oversight Needed to Enforce Ban on Incentive Payments to School Recruiters (9)United States Government Accountability Office Report to Congressional Committees: Stronger Federal Oversight Needed to Enforce Ban on Incentive Payments to School Recruiters and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions: Newsroom(10)Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions: Newsroomfound that “the vast majority of students at for-profits are left with significant loan debt,” Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions: Newsroom(10)Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions: Newsroom[1]and that the students are often decieved and pressured by recruiters at enrollment. United States Government Accountability Office Report to Congressional Committees: Stronger Federal Oversight Needed to Enforce Ban on Incentive Payments to School Recruiters (9)United States Government Accountability Office Report to Congressional Committees: Stronger Federal Oversight Needed to Enforce Ban on Incentive Payments to School Recruiters
Ochoa joined the department just after negotiations over the regulations began in early 2010. Department of Education site(1)Department of Education site He had no professional or political experience at for-profit colleges before coming to Washington, but said he “plunged right into the whole gainful employment regulation process.” Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa. (11)Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa.
“It is a market where the consumer doesn’t always have all the information they need to make an informed decision,” Ochoa said about for-profit colleges. Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa.(12)Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa. “We’re trying to make sure that happens.The whole effort of regulation associated with gainful employment is about making sure students get value for their money and the government’s money when undertaking programs with the objective of getting jobs and embarking on careers. ”
Community Colleges
As chief adviser to Kanter, the first under secretary of posteducation to have built a career in the community college industry, Ochoa supports her belief that strong community colleges are key to providing more Americans with affordable degrees that are directly applicable to the workforce. Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa(13)Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa. In October 2010, the White House held the first ever Summit on Community Colleges Oct. 5, 2010 Politcs Daily: Gates Pledges $34.8 Million For Community Colleges at White House Summit(14)Oct. 5, 2010 Politcs Daily: Gates Pledges $34.8 Million For Community Colleges at White House Summit to, according to Ochoa, “shine light on the sector and make policymakers more aware of the role that they play.” Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa. (11)Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa.
“In policy circles, a lot of attention is focused on the four-year elite institutions,” Ochoa said Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa(13)Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa. “When you step back and see, that as important and valuable as they are, they only educate a small fraction. So the community college is the workhorse of the U.S. economy.”
The Network
At the Education Department, Ochoa works directly for Under Secretary of Postsecondary Education Martha Kanter, but in the department’s bid to regulate private, for-profit colleges that may be underperforming, he will also work closely with Secretary Arne Duncan and Federal Student Aid head William Taggart.
Campaign Contributions
There were no listings of political donations by Ochoa in Opensecrets.org.
Why He Matters
Ochoa is second in command to Under Secretary of Postsecondary Education Martha Kanter, and advises her on higher-education policy, including the disbursement of $3 billion annually. Department of Education site(1)Department of Education site
Ochoa specifically oversees the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), which supervises more than 60 programs designed to make education after high school affordable and high quality. Those programs include the eight TRIO programs for needs-based higher-ed students, the Fullbright scholarships and institutional- development programs for minority students. The OPE also certifies all regional and national accreditation agencies, and, therefore, holds the authority to determine which schools can receive federal finanical aid and Pell grants. Department of Education site(1)Department of Education site
Before coming to Washington, Ochoa served as provost and vice president of Sonoma State University in California where he oversaw five schools, 600 faculty members, 8,900 students and an annual budget of $50 million Department of Education site(2)Department of Education site. He had no prior experience in politics before he was appointed by Obama to serve under Kanter and Education Secretary Arne Duncan. The position was vacant for the first year of Obama’s presidency Nov. 2, 2010 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa.(3)Nov. 2, 2010 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa.
In His Own Words
“Given the current financial situation, we’re either going to be flat funded or see a reduction, so we’re not looking to develop new programs.” Ochoa said. Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa. (4) Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa.
Path To Power
Ochoa said that when President Obama called on him to join the Education Department, it came as “a bolt out of the blue.” Nov. 2 2010 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa (5)Nov. 2 2010 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa
He had no previous experience in politics on any level before joining the administration.
To take the job, Ochoa left his position as provost and vice president of academic affairs at Sonoma State University in California, where he led strategic planning and campus diversity efforts. Feb. 28, 2010 Chronicle of Higher Education article. (6)
The Issues
A top priority of the Office of Postsecondary Education is working to meet President Obama’s goal of making America the country with the highest proportion of college degrees by 2020.
Ochoa’s boss, Under Secretary of Postsecondary Education Martha Kanter, comes from a community college background and sees the schools as a critical tool to help reach the president’s goal. The department’s agenda has been to subsidize community colleges Oct 5, 2010 Politics Daily: Gates Pledges $34 million for Community Colleges at White House Summit (7)Oct 5, 2010 Politics Daily: Gates Pledges $34 million for Community Colleges at White House Summit and regulate loans given to students attending underperforming private, for-profit colleges. Nov. 2, 2010 Politcs Daily: For-Profit Colleges Getting New Oversight from U.S. Education Agency.(8) Nov. 2, 2010 Politcs Daily: For-Profit Colleges Getting New Oversight from U.S. Education Agency.
Gainful Employment
In 2010, the Education Department proposed regulations on federal student aid going to for-profit colleges not graduating enough students with the chance to recieve what the administration defines as “gainful employment” opportunities. Nov. 2, 2010 Politcs Daily: For-Profit Colleges Getting New Oversight from U.S. Education Agency.
Investigations by the Government Accountability Office United States Government Accountability Office Report to Congressional Committees: Stronger Federal Oversight Needed to Enforce Ban on Incentive Payments to School Recruiters (9)United States Government Accountability Office Report to Congressional Committees: Stronger Federal Oversight Needed to Enforce Ban on Incentive Payments to School Recruiters and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions: Newsroom(10)Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions: Newsroomfound that “the vast majority of students at for-profits are left with significant loan debt,” Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions: Newsroom(10)Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions: Newsroom[1]and that the students are often decieved and pressured by recruiters at enrollment. United States Government Accountability Office Report to Congressional Committees: Stronger Federal Oversight Needed to Enforce Ban on Incentive Payments to School Recruiters (9)United States Government Accountability Office Report to Congressional Committees: Stronger Federal Oversight Needed to Enforce Ban on Incentive Payments to School Recruiters
Ochoa joined the department just after negotiations over the regulations began in early 2010. Department of Education site(1)Department of Education site He had no professional or political experience at for-profit colleges before coming to Washington, but said he “plunged right into the whole gainful employment regulation process.” Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa. (11)Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa.
“It is a market where the consumer doesn’t always have all the information they need to make an informed decision,” Ochoa said about for-profit colleges. Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa.(12)Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa. “We’re trying to make sure that happens.The whole effort of regulation associated with gainful employment is about making sure students get value for their money and the government’s money when undertaking programs with the objective of getting jobs and embarking on careers. ”
Community Colleges
As chief adviser to Kanter, the first under secretary of posteducation to have built a career in the community college industry, Ochoa supports her belief that strong community colleges are key to providing more Americans with affordable degrees that are directly applicable to the workforce. Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa(13)Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa. In October 2010, the White House held the first ever Summit on Community Colleges Oct. 5, 2010 Politcs Daily: Gates Pledges $34.8 Million For Community Colleges at White House Summit(14)Oct. 5, 2010 Politcs Daily: Gates Pledges $34.8 Million For Community Colleges at White House Summit to, according to Ochoa, “shine light on the sector and make policymakers more aware of the role that they play.” Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa. (11)Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa.
“In policy circles, a lot of attention is focused on the four-year elite institutions,” Ochoa said Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa(13)Nov. 2 phone interview with Eduardo Ochoa. “When you step back and see, that as important and valuable as they are, they only educate a small fraction. So the community college is the workhorse of the U.S. economy.”
The Network
At the Education Department, Ochoa works directly for Under Secretary of Postsecondary Education Martha Kanter, but in the department’s bid to regulate private, for-profit colleges that may be underperforming, he will also work closely with Secretary Arne Duncan and Federal Student Aid head William Taggart.
Campaign Contributions
There were no listings of political donations by Ochoa in Opensecrets.org.