Dr. Robbie Totten is Associate Professor of Politics & Global Studies at American Jewish University (AJU), where he also serves as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. Since 2018, he has led the University’s academic operations as Chief Academic Officer, working closely with faculty, deans, and academic administrators to guide the development and management of AJU’s for-credit and degree-granting programs, including those housed in the Jewish Learning Experience, the Masor School for Jewish Education and Leadership, and the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies. Dr. Totten has played a key role in launching a growing suite of online academic programs and in reestablishing doctoral-level education at AJU—the first such programs offered since the 1970s. He has also helped lead a reimagining AJU’s undergraduate offerings around distinctive, Jewish-themed pathways, such as a B.A. completion degree in Jewish Early Childhood Education and online for-credit courses for high school students delivered in cohort models through their synagogues. Under his leadership, the Office of Academic Affairs has prioritized student-centered innovation and leadership development for future educators and professionals in the Jewish community. He also serves as AJU’s Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) to the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), and successfully led AJU through its 2023–2024 comprehensive review, resulting in an eight-year reaffirmation of accreditation. Dr. Totten joined AJU in 2014 as Chair and Assistant Professor of the Politics & Global Studies Department and currently holds the rank of Associate Professor. Prior to his time at AJU, he held academic positions at UC Santa Barbara (Visiting Assistant Professor of International Relations), UCLA (Lecturer in Political Science), and UC San Diego (Pre-Doctoral Fellow at the Center for Comparative Immigration Studies). His research has been published in academic journals and policy-oriented volumes, with expertise in higher education administration, international relations, U.S. immigration policy, and the American Founding. He recently authored an article for The Project on Allyship to Combat Antisemitism, offering historical insights on Jewish immigration advocacy and its relevance for today’s leaders. He also coauthored a chapter titled “A Pandemic Higher Education: Applying Lessons Learned at American Jewish University,” which focuses on takeaways for higher education administration drawn from AJU’s academic leadership experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the “publications” tab above, you can see his research at ResearchGate. As an educator, Professor Totten enjoys teaching courses on American Political Development, International Relations, U.S. foreign policy, terrorism and security studies, globalization, and immigration. He took pride in advising AJU’s successful undergraduate Model United Nations team, where students represented countries such as Brazil, Israel, Nigeria, Spain, and Sweden at conferences in San Francisco and Seattle.