diff --git a/edbob/sqlalchemy.py b/edbob/sqlalchemy.py
index 57f956b..39d4bf7 100644
--- a/edbob/sqlalchemy.py
+++ b/edbob/sqlalchemy.py
@@ -31,9 +31,10 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 from sqlalchemy import Table, Column, String
 
 from edbob.core import get_uuid
+from edbob.time import utc_time
 
 
-__all__ = ['getset_factory', 'table_with_uuid']
+__all__ = ['getset_factory', 'table_with_uuid', 'current_time']
 
 
 def getset_factory(collection_class, proxy):
@@ -72,3 +73,13 @@ def table_with_uuid(name, metadata, *args, **kwargs):
     return Table(name, metadata,
                  Column('uuid', String(32), primary_key=True, default=get_uuid),
                  *args, **kwargs)
+
+
+def current_time(context):
+    """
+    This function may be provided to the ``default`` parameter of a
+    :class:`sqlalchemy.Column` class definition.  Doing so will ensure the
+    column's default value will be the current time in UTC.
+    """
+
+    return utc_time()