UNO Chancellor Search Committee Named; Public Listening Sessions Scheduled

Lincoln, NE (November 18, 2020) University of Nebraska President Ted Carter has appointed a 13-member committee of students, faculty, staff and community members to guide the search for the next chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Carter also announced a series of virtual listening sessions this Friday and Monday for UNO stakeholders and all Nebraskans to share their thoughts on the search and what skills and characteristics the university should seek in UNO’s next leader.

“This is an exciting step for us, and one of the most important parts of the search process,” Carter said. “The feedback and ideas of all members of the UNO community will be critical in helping us find the right person to lead our metropolitan university into the future. I hope all members of the UNO community will take this opportunity to make their voices heard.”

The search advisory committee will be chaired by Dr. Elliott Ostler, president of UNO’s Faculty Senate and a professor of educational leadership. Other committee members are:

  • Trev Alberts, vice chancellor for athletics.
  • Brian Allison, chairman of the UNO Alumni Association.
  • Vanessa Chavez Jurado, vice president of the UNO Student Government.
  • Keristiena Dodge, academic affairs project specialist and president-elect of UNO’s Staff Advisory Council.
  • Yuriko Doku, assistant director of the Office of Latino/Latin American Studies.
  • Stancia Jenkins, chief diversity and inclusion officer for the NU system.
  • Jabin Moore, UNO student body president and student regent.
  • Barb Pickering, Ph.D., professor of communication and assistant director of the School of Communication.
  • Kellie Pickett, Ph.D., director of college access and success at the Susan T. Buffett Foundation.
  • Amanda Randall, Ph.D., professor emerita in the Grace Abbott School of Social Work.
  • Michelle Trawick, Ph.D., dean of the College of Business Administration.
  • Thomas Warren, president and CEO of the Urban League of Nebraska, board member of the NU Foundation, and UNO alum.

Additionally, Carter is seeking input from UNO stakeholders on the search, including the desired qualities of the next chancellor and opportunities and challenges facing UNO. The following open listening sessions will be held via Zoom:

The sessions will be moderated by AGB Search, the executive search firm Carter has engaged to assist with the search. AGB Search conducted a listening session with student government leaders earlier this month.

Stakeholders are also invited to provide feedback directly to Carter and the search committee by emailing [email protected].

Feedback gathered from the listening sessions and provided to Carter will inform the development of a “position profile” that will be used to recruit a diverse pool of candidates.

Current UNO Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., who has led UNO since 2017, is stepping down at the end of the fiscal year to assume the role of executive vice president and provost for the NU system. He will remain as chancellor of the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Carter has said he intends to have a new UNO chancellor named in time to ensure a smooth transition of leadership.

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