About Dr. Robert J. Awkward

Dr. Robert J. Awkward is the Assistant Commissioner for Academic Effectiveness for the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE). In this role, he directs two statewide programs for public higher education:

• Increasing the adoption, adaptation, and creation of open educational resources that serve to lower the costs of textbooks and ancillaries and increase student learning, persistence and completion.

• Advancing and deepening the culture of learning outcomes assessment in order to increase student learning

Bob is also one of the principal architects of the Equity Agenda having led the development of the New Undergraduate Experience, a vision document that details the DHE’s aspirations for public higher education. He also serves as Co-PI for a Department of Education Open Textbook Pilot federal grant program along with a consortium of six public institutions that is funding faculty to adopt, adapt and create inclusive, accessible and culturally relevant open textbooks that align with our marketplace needs. Finally, Bob is a Senior Fellow with the Association of American Colleges & Universities.

Robert is a tenured professor of business administration (currently on leave) at Middlesex Community College (MA). He also serves as a visiting professor and program coordinator for the Masters in Human Resources program at Framingham State University. Finally, Bob was graduated with B.A. in Political Science and a M.S. in Economic Policy & Planning from Northeastern University; a M.Ed. in Human Resources Development from Boston University; and a Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Massachusetts Boston.