Overcoming the Rubric Paradox

Abstract

College graduates appear to be struggling to find and retain their jobs today. Alarmingly, many graduates report they did not develop employable skills in college. The reasons for this predicament may be due to generational factors, growing mental health issues, and what the present chapter will term the “rubric paradox.” That is, rubrics are used widely in college to mitigate student stress, though the stress reappears later when there are no rubrics for other more ineffable aspects of life and success. The chapter considers how to build a better employment future for college graduates by overcoming the rubric paradox. Solutions will be presented that can be implemented by both administrators and individual educators. Pre-tenure and contingent faculty contexts are highlighted throughout.