Paul G. Rubin

Dr. Paul G. Rubin (he/him) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Utah, with expertise in higher education policy, sociology, and philosophy. His research focuses on improving college access and degree attainment for underrepresented populations, analyzing how state-level politics and governance structures influence policy outcomes. Rubin also investigates the role of empirical research in policy-making and mechanisms to enhance academic-policy collaboration.

• Education: PhD in Higher Education from the University of Georgia; M.S.Ed. in Higher Education from the University of Pennsylvania; BA in Communication and Political Science from Boston College.

Research Interests:

• Higher education governance reforms
• Deservingness framing in scholarship policies
• Cross-state policy comparisons
• Equity in degree reclamation strategies
• Knowledge brokering in federal education policy

Recent Article Trends: His work examines state-level responses to national college completion agendas, tuition-setting policies, and pandemic-era funding decisions. Key themes include the interplay of political context with policy design, equity-focused interventions, and the influence of intermediary organizations.

Scientific Awards:

• Outstanding Reviewer for the 2024 ASHE Annual Conference
• ASHE/Ascendium Fellow (2021)

Teaching: Courses taught include Foundations of U.S. Higher Education, Higher Ed. Finance, and research-focused seminars for doctoral students.