Robert Kelchen
Known for his prompt replies to emails (averaging 10 minutes), love of daily jogs year- round (even in this bitterly cold weather) and expertise of canning with his wife (from black raspberry jam to homemade pasta sauce), Dr. Robert Kelchen joined the ELMP department in the fall of 2013. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance from Truman State University (Missouri’s highly selective Public Liberal Arts and Sciences university) then transitioned to the University of Wisconsin – Madison to acquire his master’s degree in economics and years later defended his doctoral degree.
His research interests include financial aid, college rankings, program evaluation, and higher education finance. He has worked on numerous evaluations of financial aid policies, compiles the annual college rankings for Washington Monthly magazine, and serves a key role with the US DoE to develop a college ratings system. His research is regularly presented at national conferences and has been covered by numerous media and publication outlets such as The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, and MSNBC.
A full list of Dr. Kelchen’s media coverage is available. Below are some recent publications –
- “America’s Best Bang-for-the-Buck Colleges.” Washington Monthly., September 2013
- “Change FAFSA Now.” The Chronicle of Higher Education., August 2013
- Recommendations for the Effective and Equitable Implementation of Performance-Based Funding for Wisconsin Higher Education. Madison, WI: WISCAPE., January 2013
- Review of “Getting to Graduation: The Completion Agenda in Higher Education.” Journal of Student Financial Aid, 43(1), 55-58., January 2013
In 2012, Dr. Kelchen began his first blog, Kelchen on Education and provides regular postings regarding issues in higher education. Check it out as it is quite interesting to see his view within the field. He can be followed on Twitter (@rkelchen). Oh,…he and his wife are supporters and stock owners of the Green Bay Packers! So….Go Green Bay! (Maybe Super Bowl XLIX!).
Dr. Kelchen’s office is located in Jubilee Hall, room 413. His office hours are from 2:00pm – 4:30pm on Mondays and Wednesdays.