9 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁Smith ▁served ▁as ▁de an ▁of ▁the ▁Gr adu ate ▁School ▁of ▁Education ▁and ▁Human ▁Development ▁at ▁George ▁Washington ▁University . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁he ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁executive ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Commission ▁on ▁Res p ons ib ilities ▁for ▁Fin ancing ▁Post second ary ▁Education . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁due ▁in ▁part ▁to ▁his ▁work ▁in ▁assess ment ▁at ▁G W U , ▁the ▁California ▁State ▁University ▁rec ru ited ▁Smith ▁as ▁found ing ▁president ▁of ▁California ▁State ▁University , ▁Mon ter ey ▁Bay , ▁a ▁post ▁that ▁he ▁vac ated ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁Begin ning ▁June ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Smith ▁served ▁as ▁assistant ▁director ▁general ▁for ▁education ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁Edu c ational , ▁Scient ific , ▁and ▁Cultural ▁Organ ization ▁( UN ES CO ). ▁ ▁Work ▁at ▁UN ES CO ▁ ▁At ▁UN ES CO , ▁Smith ' s ▁education ▁experience ▁was ▁expressed ▁by ▁his ▁concern ▁for ▁the ▁well be ing ▁of ▁learn ers : ▁" Qual ity ▁is ▁an ▁issue ," ▁says ▁Smith . ▁" UN ES CO ▁has ▁long ▁encourag ed ▁the ▁international ization ▁of ▁education ▁and ▁the ▁invol vement ▁of ▁a ▁range ▁of ▁partners , ▁but ▁we ▁must ▁also ▁protect ▁students ▁from ▁in ade qu ate ▁learning ▁resources , ▁low - quality ▁prov isions , ▁degree ▁mill s ▁and ▁bog us ▁institutions ."