A UC Regent will assume the post of California’s Secretary of Education, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced yesterday.
Regent Bonnie Reiss, 54, is a Democrat and currently resides in Los Angeles. She will receive $175,000 compensation for her work, and will not need to be confirmed for the position by the state senate.
UC President Mark Yudof applauded the governor’s choice.
“This is terrific news for California,” Yudof said in a press release. “The governor could not have made a better choice. As a University of California regent, Bonnie has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to and passion for the cause of public education. Now more than ever, we need an effective ally in Sacramento, and Bonnie certainly will be all that and more.”
According to a statement from the governor’s office, the Secretary of Education, as the main advisor on educational matters to the governor, is given the mandate to create, promote and support the governor’s policies to provide a respectable education for all Californians.