Image via Amber Woodcock

Dr. Lance Rubin pictured inside the classroom at ACC Littleton.

The temptation to rely on generated text to produce essays and papers grows stronger for students navigating college life. At Arapahoe Community College (ACC), where professors juggle teaching, grading, and digital platforms like Desire2Learn (D2L), the pressure is felt on both sides of the classroom.

Navigating education in this era of technology, Dr. Lance Rubin, a seasoned professor at ACC, shares how AI is impacting students and faculty alike.

Rubin, 59, is bald with a neatly trimmed white-and-gray goatee and a lean build. His sharp eyes and furrowed brow often convey an intense seriousness, yet his calm demeanor and warm tone give him an approachable presence. Expressive gestures and a steady voice reflect his years in the classroom.

This fall semester, Rubin teaches English Composition II and Introduction to Film.

A professor at ACC since 1999, Rubin urges students to “trust yourself,” a message he delivers with conviction. Reflecting on the pressures students face, he admits, “I’m just so disappointed, despondent… not even angry. Because who knows what I would be doing as a college freshman who’s pressed for time.”

He emphasizes the importance of learning through personal effort: “Just do this yourself and succeed or fail or learn something on your own terms.”

Rubin earned a doctorate in English, specializing in Literary Studies, from the University of Denver. He began adjuncting at ACC in 1998 and joined full-time in 1999. Over the years, he served on committees and as Department Chair for Literature and Humanities, a role that has since been transformed into a broader department structure.

Known for setting high expectations, Rubin acknowledges that some students find his courses challenging. “I read some of the end-of-the-year responses that I’m teaching at too high a level,” he says. Yet his time on the Academic Probation Committee has shown him how much effort students must invest to succeed. “I do not want to set you up for failure,” he explains, urging students to reflect on their schedules and priorities.

Rubin also pushes back against the notion that community college should be easier than a four-year institution. “Yes, this is a community college, but teaching the transfer program, these classes transfer, and we should be doing no more and no less than what our colleagues at Metro or UCD or Boulder or anywhere around the country, frankly, that they’re doing.”

Rubin’s commitment to teaching isn’t just about curriculum; it’s about character. He sees education as a space where students learn not only how to write, but how to think, reflect, and grow. That belief keeps him in the classroom, even as others begin to step away.

While some might assume he’s winding down, Rubin is quick to correct that notion with a smirk. “I’ve retired in the sense that I’m pulling on my PERAs (Public Employee Retirement Association),” he says, “but I’m not retired in the [sense] that I’m going to play golf…”

“I just turned 59, so I mean, I look good, but… I’m not done yet.”