Eloy Oakley, former superintendent/president of Long Beach City College, has been appointed to a temporary position advising the Biden Administration on higher education issues.

Oakley left LBCC in 2016 when he was appointed chancellor of California Community Colleges in Sacramento. Deputy Chancellor Daisy Gonzales will serve as acting chancellor until his return, expected in the late fall, according to a statement on Monday, July 19, from the statewide college system.

“Chancellor Oakley’s temporary assignment to work as a special advisor to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona is a win for California and the nation, providing more opportunity to improve higher education policy and help millions of American families,” Pamela Haynes, Community Colleges Board of Governors president, said in a statement. “Answering this call to service is a recognition of the work our system is leading.”

Oakley’s new assignment starts July 26.

Oakley served as superintendent-president of Long Beach City College for nine years, when he helped create Long Beach College Promise, which helps connect Long Beach’s primary, secondary, junior college and university systems to improve graduation rates among Long Beach residents. The program has spurred similar programs around the state and country.

California Community Colleges oversees policy, fiscal and advocacy matters for the 116-college system that serves roughly 2.1 million students.