Biography

Rick A. Griffin is The Wood Distinguished Professor of Law and Constitutional Studies at CCS, the Director of the Constitutional Studies Minor Program (CNST), and an Associate Professor of the Department of History and Political Science at Utah Valley University (UVU).

Griffin was markedly also the founding Director of The Center for Constitutional Studies - a highly successful university-wide academic institute examining constitutional issues at the intersections of law, history, public policy, political thought, education, and economics. In that capacity, he played a cardinal role in building the center from just "an idea" to a nationally recognized academic institute.

Dr. Griffin is an award winning professor, earning three teaching awards and a rare Utah Valley Magazine commendation. He has lectured on a variety of constitutional law, constitutional history, legal history, education law, public law, disability law, and judicial politics topics. Currently, he is writing a monograph on George Washington and the first Federal Government under the U.S. Constitution.

Griffin has also completed a multi-year appointment on the President's Policy Taskforce, and is the co-creator and co-host of the college course and television political talk show - State Legislative Process (with Bill Sederburg) broadcast throughout Utah on Channel UEN. Moreover, he is a co-author of the university’s Policy 101 - Policy Governing Policies.

Academic degrees

J.S.D. Doctor of Juridical Science - University of California, Berkeley
LL.M. Master of Laws - University of California, Berkeley
Ph.D. Doctorate of Philosophy in EDLF, focus - legal and constitutional aspects of education - Brigham Young University
J.D. Juris Doctor - University of Mississippi (including law studies at the
University of Cambridge, and at Brigham Young University)
BA Bachelor of Arts in History - Brigham Young University

Teaching