Richard L. Pattenaude (born c. 1946) is an American political scientist and academic administrator.
In 1968, while he was enrolled as a graduate student in economics at the University of Colorado, he was drafted into military service.
Upon his return to civilian life in 1971, he changed his major to political science and completed a Ph.D. in that field at the University of Colorado in 1974.
He left Binghamton for Central Connecticut State University, where he was vice president for academic affairs for five years.
[3][4] In October 2012, Bridgepoint Education announced that Pattenaude had been appointed president of Ashford University, with the intention of serving until August 2015.