BOSTON — The former Pennsylvania secretary of education is set to become Massachusetts’ next commissioner of higher education after surpassing three other finalists to gain support from the state’s panel.

The Higher Education Commission this week named Noe Ortega, a former employee of the University of Michigan who has worked in Texas for about 10 years, as the frontrunner after a five-month survey that attracted 20 applicants. was elected as

Ortega defeated two in-state candidates, Lane Glenn, president of Northern Essex Community College and Mary Churchill, vice-chancellor of Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education and Human Development, and another out-of-state candidate, Marty Alvarado. rice field. The Office of Equitable Student Learning, Experience, and Influence at the Office of the Chancellor of California Community Colleges.

Academic Search President Jay Lemons told the board, summarizing the discussions the Search team had with Ortega’s references, that Ortega was praised for “policy and operational excellence.”

“Noe was highly respected, and it was noted that his true strength lies in diplomacy, leading groups of people to a united cause,” Lemmons said of the review Ortega received. “He has a calm approach, stands out from the fight, and enjoys a great deal of respect in Pennsylvania for his leadership, especially in times of division and turmoil.”

To make the decision, each member of the Higher Education Commission initially nominated two preferred candidates from a list of four who participated in lengthy interviews with the panel last week. Ortega and Glenn advanced to the final vote from that pool.

Eight board members — Anne Christensen, Veronica Conform, Alex Cortez, Patti Eppinger, Paul Mattera, Judy Paluca, Secretary of Education Jim Peyser, and Chris Gabrielli — voted for Ortega, but needed 9 votes short of 1 vote. Mary Burns, Travis Lawrence, Paul Toner, and Bill Walzack supported Glenn.

Barnes, who represents UMass’s board of directors on the board, described himself as “a firm believer in promoting from within” before expressing his support for Glenn.

After the votes were tallied, Toner lobbied for the board to unanimously select Ortega, and all members who chose Glenn agreed.

“I feel that President Glenn has done a great job in serving Massachusetts and community colleges,” Toner said. “It’s disappointing that he didn’t get the votes he needed, but he wants to move forward unanimously to move forward as a strong system.”

Pacer, appointed by Governor Charlie Baker, will be tasked with formally confirming the incoming High Education Commissioner. It wasn’t immediately clear when that would take place, but Peyser himself voted in favor of Ortega during the selection process.

Carlos Santiago, who has been Commissioner since July 2015, announced in January that he would be stepping down from his $243,734 salary. He had initially targeted June as his retirement date, but board chairman Gabrielli said on Tuesday that Santiago would remain in his position “until the next leadership leg is fully ready”. .

“We’ve been in a unique situation here, and having someone who’s already in the job pay homage speaks volumes to the opportunity at hand,” he added of Ortega.

Ortega served as secretary of education in Pennsylvania for about two years, most of it during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he stepped down from the role in April. Prior to that, he spent eight years at the University of Michigan in various academic and administrative roles, and several public and private universities in Texas where he served for nearly ten years.

Ortega is poised to take the reins as Massachusetts colleges and universities grapple with declining enrollments, demographic changes and persistently high costs as they move away from the impact of the pandemic that has dominated the past two years . He’s also set to start a job that’s about to begin with executive branch personnel changes after Baker left office in his January.