Sacramento, CA (2018) – The California State Senate confirmed three Commissioners to the California Student Aid Commission (Commission) July 5, 2018. Dr. Charles Nies and Alejandro Lomeli were appointed to serve their first terms, while Dr. Jamillah Moore was reappointed to her post. It was also announced that the Commission’s Chair, Dr. Lande Ajose, was elected to the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

Dr. Nies, who was appointed to the position by Governor Brown, served as vice chancellor of student affairs at the University of California, Merced since 2016, where he has held several positions since 2006, including interim vice chancellor, associate vice chancellor, dean of students and assistant vice chancellor. He held several positions at Miami University from 2000 to 2006, including assistant dean of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies, director of student life, adjunct faculty and leadership and organizational theory teacher. Dr. Nies is a member of the American Leadership Forum. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in education administration and leadership and a Master of Education degree in counseling psychology from Washington State University.

Alejandro Lomeli, who was appointed to the position by Governor Brown, just completed his AA degree at Long Beach City College. Commissioner Lomeli is vice president of system affairs at the Student Senate for California Community Colleges and served on the Long Beach City College Board of Trustees from 2015 to 2017.

Dr. Moore is the president of Cañada College in Redwood City. Prior to her position at Cañada College, she was Vice-Chancellor for Educational Services and Planning of the San Mateo County Community College District, Chancellor of the Ventura County Community College District, President of Los Angeles City College, and Senior Vice Chancellor for Governmental and External Relations for the California Community College Chancellor’s Office. Dr. Moore earned a Doctorate in International and Multicultural Education from University of San Francisco, and is also the recipient of the 2014 California State University, Channel Islands African American in Higher Education Achievement Award.

Dr. Ajose was one of seven newly elected WSCUC commissioners announced this week. The new WSCUC commissioners will serve three-year terms, joining 26 existing commissioners, including five public members who are unaffiliated with an institution of higher education. The WSCUC is a regional accrediting agency serving a diverse membership of public and private higher education institutions throughout California, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands as well as a limited number of institutions outside the U.S. WSCUC is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as certifying institutional eligibility for federal funding in a number of programs, including student access to federal financial aid.