role, Smith filled that role as acting and was formally nominated. At the time Smith predicted confirmation "might take quite a while." He held both positions--confirmed as Under Secretary and acting as Deputy--for the remaining three years of the administration. In 2001, President George W. Bush chose Gene Hickock, Pennsylvania secretary of education, as his Under Secretary of Education. In 2003 Bush used recess appointments to make various personnel changes, leading to Edward R. McPherson serving as Under Secretary. Under the leadership of Secretary Margaret Spellings, in 2006 the Under Secretary role took on a higher education focus with the appointment of Sara Martinez Tucker, the president of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, as Under Secretary. The higher education focus of the Under Secretary office was continued by President Obama, who named Martha J. Kanter, a community college leader from California, to the role. Her deputy was initially Robert Shireman; he was succeeded by James Kvaal in 2010. Kanter resigned in 2013 and was replaced by Ted Mitchell, the CEO of the NewSchools Venture Fund and former president of Occidental College. His deputy, Jamie Studley, led the administration's examination of data that could be used to help students assess college quality and value, leading to the College Scorecard. President Trump never nominated anyone to the Under Secretary role. He did continue the higher education focus of the position, appointing a deputy, Diane Auer Jones, as acting Under Secretary for the bulk of the administration. Jones revamped accreditation and other regulations to reduce federal oversight, particularly of for-profit colleges, where she had previously worked. In 2021, President Biden nominated James Kvaal, the president of The Institute for College Access and Success and a former deputy under secretary, as Under Secretary. A senate confirmation vote is scheduled for September 13, 2021. The Office's Role in the Biden Administration In the Biden administration, the Office of the Under Secretary oversees policies, programs, and activities related to post secondary education, vocational and adult education, and federal student aid. The Office of the Under Secretary (OUS) is responsible for helping to implement the Secretary's Action Plan for Higher Education, which calls for expanding the accessibility, affordability, and accountability of higher education for more Americans. Key posts reporting to the undersecretary: References External links Office of the Under Secretary United States Department of Education officials