Dave Hubin has been a University of Oregon stalwart for 38 years, including 23 years as a senior aide to no fewer than seven university presidents, but those days are numbered.

Hubin is stepping down June 30 and stepping up to retirement. His years of service were recalled at a special reception May 26. 

Hubin is known for working behind the scenes, taking on thorny assignments, resolving conflicts and handling it all with skill and aplomb. Colleagues describe him as unflappable troubleshooter with a deep and broad knowledge of the university’s history and an inveterate storyteller.

After earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of California, Davis, Hubin earned his doctorate from the UO in American history, writing his dissertation on the Scholastic Aptitude Test. 

He was hired at the UO in 1978 as director of the Learning Resources Center. In 1993, he moved to Johnson Hall as executive assistant to the president, a job he held under seven presidents: Myles Brand, Dave Frohnmayer, Richard Lariviere, Robert Berdahl (interim), Michael Gottfredson, Scott Coltrane (interim) and Michael Schill.

His most recent official title is special assistant to the senior vice provosts.

“I can’t think of anyone who has done more than Dave Hubin to make this a great university,” Provost Scott Coltrane said.

His portfolio has included overseeing the university’s accreditation efforts, helping students and faculty members earn prestigious awards and stewarding the Williams Fund, which provides financial support for initiatives that enhance the quality of the education experience for undergraduate students.

He played a key role in advancing the Many Nations Longhouse project. And he was the administration’s point person in bringing the Dalai Lama to campus in 2013.

“University troubleshooter is the best way to describe Dave Hubin,” Coltrane said, “and he’s very good at it.”