Pillen Calls For Action Following Alberts Departure

LINCOLN—(KFOR Mar. 14)—About 24 hours after it was first reported that Nebraska Athletic Director Trev Alberts was leaving to take the same job at Texas A&M, Governor Jim Pillen on Thursday said he’s issuing a “call to action” by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents following the announcement that Alberts accepted the job.

Pillen issued the following statement:

“The University of Nebraska has existed as an institution for more than a century and a half. It is immeasurably bigger than any one person. But leadership matters, and the long-term success of our University depends immensely on having committed public servants as its leaders.

I am deeply disappointed by Trev Alberts’ decision to leave so soon after restating his commitment to Nebraska and I don’t fully understand or know his reasons why. I do know that the time for reflecting on the failures of University leadership, which led to his decision, must come later. Now is the time to act.

This morning, I am issuing a call to action to the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. It has been 206 days since Ted Carter announced his departure as president. It is unacceptable that the University’s elected leaders have failed during this time to appoint permanent leadership. It is imperative that they act urgently and decisively to end this uncertainty. Without any delay, they should support Interim President Chris Kabourek’s efforts to immediately appoint a new permanent athletic director.”

It was confirmed just before 5pm Wednesday that Alberts was taking the Texas A&M job.