University of Nebraska President James B. Milliken has named a 10-member committee to seek candidates for the position of vice president for university affairs (VPUA).
The committee will be co-chaired by former Aliant President and Chief Executive Officer Frank Hilsabeck of Lincoln and University of Nebraska at Kearney Chancellor Doug Kristensen of Minden.
The VPUA is directly responsible for a division within the university administration devoted to strategic communications, public relations, and marketing; state and federal government relations, and economic development and university engagement. Communications and government relations were overseen in the past by a vice president for external affairs, a position held by Milliken in the mid-1990s and later by Kim Robak.
Responsibility for economic development and university engagement have been added as key components of the newly named vice presidency for university affairs. The previous position of vice president for external affairs has been vacant since Robak resigned on Dec. 1.
The change in responsibility of the vice presidency reflects President Milliken’s view of the role of the University of Nebraska in the life of the state.
“There has never been a more important time for the engagement of the University of Nebraska with the citizens of the state,” Milliken said. “Not only should we do this through traditional means, but also through new kinds of public-private partnerships with regions, communities, businesses, and agricultural enterprises. The University must look for new ways to share knowledge and innovation resources. The vice president for university affairs will lead our efforts to work with the public and private sectors to help build Nebraska’s economic competitiveness and to effectively communicate the role of the University of Nebraska to all of our constituencies.”
More information about the position and how to apply may be found on the Web at http://www.nebraska/edu/hr/hr_openings.shtml.
Members of the search committee include:
- Frank Hilsabeck, former Aliant President and Chief Executive Officer (co-chair)
- Doug Kristensen, chancellor, University of Nebraska at Kearney (co-chair)
- David Brown, president, Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce
- John Christensen, vice chancellor for academic ands sudent affairs, University of Nebraska at Omaha
- Alan Moeller, assistant vice chancellor, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Prem Paul, vice chancellor for research and dean of Graduate Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Tom Rosenquist, Ph.D., vice chancellor for research and professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Sharon Stephan, director of marketing, University of Nebraska
- Dara Troutman, senior associate to the president, University of Nebraska
- Ed Wimes, assistant vice president for Business and Finance and director of Human Resources, University of Nebraska
The review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.