Aaron R. Tolbert, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs
Aaron R. Tolbert, Ph.D. is an academic leader, teacher, and scholar with two decades of experience in higher education, with nearly a decade in executive academic roles. His experience across institutional types is vast, having served in small regional public and private colleges both in Maine and New York as well as having served in the two largest higher education systems in the country, the SUNY (State University of New York) system and the California Community College system. His scholarship and work have all focused on creating more equitable access to higher education, ensuring that the American dream is a reality for individuals from all backgrounds. Furthermore, he privately consults to help schools best utilize and integrate technology actively to improve the retention of students, especially those from historically marginalized backgrounds. He is an expert in the utilization of Policy Discourse Analysis, a research method that provides unique insights into the framing of common social problems, providing novel options for solutions. Aaron holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Maine, a M.A. in English from the University of Vermont, and both a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in English from the University of Vermont.