Eight new commissioners joined the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) effective July 01, 2019 and one commissioner was elected in February 2019 to fill a vacancy.

WSCUC Chair Reed Dasenbrock said, “We are pleased to welcome these new commissioners, each of whom brings a wealth of experience and insight that will guide our work to promote quality and accountability across our region’s postsecondary system.”

WSCUC President Jamienne S. Studley said, “WSCUC searches out commissioners committed to serving students and to institutional improvement. We’re counting on this exceptional new group of commissioners, diverse in experience and background, to contribute to WSCUC’s rigorous and fair decision-making, critical attention to standards and policy, and leadership and innovation in these dynamic times.”

Commissioners are elected by the chief executive officers of accredited institutions in the WSCUC region from a slate of nominees prepared by a Nominating Committee in accordance with WSCUC Bylaws. They serve a three-year term with the possibility of re-election to a second term. WSCUC now has 33 commissioners, including 7 public members (i.e., members unaffiliated with a WSCUC-accredited or WSCUC-eligible institution of higher education).

The new commissioners (with links to their bios) are:

• Monroe Gorden, Jr., Vice Chancellor, University of California Los Angeles
• Nicole J. Jones, Senior Special Assistant, California State Controller’s Office(Public Member)
• Richard Mahon, Vice President of Instruction, Mt. San Antonio College (ACCJC Representative)
• Leo Martinez, Professor of Law, UC Hastings College of Law
• Mary Pedersen, Interim Provost, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
• Susan Phillips, Professor, University at Albany/SUNY (Public Member elected in February 2019 to fill vacancy)
• Helen Whippy, Provost Emerita, Chaminade University
• Hon. Bob Wise, CEO, Bob Wise LLC; former Governor of West Virginia (Public Member)
• Stephen Yandle, Vice Dean Emeritus, Peking University School of Transnational Law (Public Member)

Seven commissioners concluded their service to WSCUC on June 30, 2019:

• Jeffrey Armstrong, President, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
• Cynthia Baum, Chancellor Emerita, Argosy University
• Linda Buckley, Associate Dean, California Northstate University
• William Covino, President, CSU Los Angeles
• Barry Ryan, President and CEO, Sofia University
• Sandra Serrano, Chancellor Emerita, Kern Community College
• Jane Wellman, Public Member

Dasenbrock said, “Each of our outgoing commissioners was an asset to WSCUC. They provided valuable perspectives that helped enhance our ability to serve member institutions and students, and we’re very grateful for their service to the region.”

To see a full list of WSCUC commissioners, click here.