Michael Bastedo

Michael Bastedo is Marvin W. Peterson Collegiate Professor of Education and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Affairs at the Marsal Family School of Education, University of Michigan. He is affiliated with the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education (CSHPE), Organizational Studies at the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, and the Center for European Studies.

• Ph.D. in Administration and Policy Analysis from Stanford University
• A.B. (Honors) from Oberlin College
• M.A. (With Distinction) from Boston College
• A.M. in Sociology from Stanford University

His research focuses on the governance, politics, and organization of public higher education, particularly stratification, college admissions, rankings, and enrollment management. He examines how institutional logics drive policy shifts and how contextual data can improve equity in admissions. His work spans U.S. and international contexts, including the Netherlands, Brazil, Mongolia, Ukraine, and European Union integration.

His recent articles highlight experimental simulations with admissions officers using contextual dashboards to address low-SES student underrepresentation, gender disparities in elite college enrollment, and institutional effects of college rankings on organizational reputation. He also explores organizational theory applications for managing universities and policy interventions to counter stratification trends.

• Early Career Award, American Educational Research Association (2013)
• AERA Fellow (2021)
• Fulbright Scholar in the Netherlands (2005-06)
• Global Policy Fellow, Ford Foundation
• Research Director, Institutes on Public University Governance (Mellon & Carnegie Corporation)

As Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Affairs, he oversees graduate programs and research initiatives. His collaborative projects include partnerships with the National Science Foundation, National Center for Educational Statistics, and Institute for Higher Education Policy. He has developed policy briefs on holistic admissions practices and contextual data use to address equity gaps.