By Libby Nelson

Washington

President Obama has nominated Eduardo M. Ochoa, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Sonoma State University, as assistant secretary for postsecondary education.

If he is confirmed by the Senate, Mr. Ochoa would be in charge of the Education Department's Office of Postsecondary Education, which administers most of the federal government's programs for colleges and college students. The assistant secretary has also typically served as the chief adviser to the education secretary on higher-education issues.

Mr. Ochoa, who is 59, has been provost at Sonoma State, which is part of the California State University system, since 2003. He is also a professor of economics. Before that, he was dean of the College of Business Administration at California State Polytechnic University at Pomona, where he was also a professor of international business.

At Sonoma State, Mr. Ochoa has been in charge of the university's academic programs as well as strategic planning and the campus's diversity efforts over all. During Mr. Ochoa's tenure, the academic-affairs department has put in place a process to review academic programs that incorporates assessment of student learning.

He has also led Sonoma State's participation in Cal State's "Graduation Initiative," a program system leaders announced in January that seeks to increase six-year graduation rates across the 23-campus system to 54 percent by 2016, from 46 percent now. In 2008, Mr. Ochoa was one of three finalists for the presidency of San Jose State University.

Mr. Ochoa, who was born in Argentina, has a doctoral degree in economics from the New School for Social Research, a master's degree in nuclear science and engineering from Columbia University, and a bachelor's degree in physics and philosophy from Reed College.

Although the job of assistant secretary for postsecondary education is regarded as one of two key higher-education posts within the Education Department, the position has been vacant since Mr. Obama took office more than a year ago. He nominated Martha J. Kanter for the other top postsecondary job, under secretary of education, last April, and her appointment was confirmed in June. If Mr. Ochoa's appointment is confirmed, he would report to Ms. Kanter, who also came from California, where she previously was chancellor of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District.

Mr. Ochoa's experience in a public university system suffering from budget shortfalls gives him critically important experience for his new job, said Terry W. Hartle, senior vice president for government and public affairs at the American Council on Education. "He knows firsthand the challenges that colleges and universities are facing in the current environment," Mr. Hartle said.

Diane Auer Jones, who was assistant secretary for postsecondary education for a year under President George W. Bush, said Mr. Ochoa would also bring the benefit of his experience with the economic and racial diversity of the California State system.

Still, the shift from state politics to the federal environment requires a significant adjustment, said Mr. Hartle and Ms. Jones. One of the most difficult aspects of the job, Ms. Jones said, involves satisfying lawmakers who don't provide enough financing for education grant programs and yet demand that those programs show benefits for their local constituents.

Ms. Jones said that she had met Mr. Ochoa only once, during a visit to Sonoma State, and that she was "really impressed" with him and the institution.

It could take several months before the Senate completes the confirmation process, Mr. Hartle said. The Education Department appears to be "in pretty good hands" in the meantime, he said, with Daniel T. Madzelan, a career official who has been with the department since 1978, serving as acting assistant secretary for postsecondary education.

Paul Basken contributed to this article.