Several items are expected to be finalized out of the upcoming University of Nebraska Board of Regents meeting later this month, including the annual budget, said UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, during Monday’s all-campus hybrid forum.
No formal instructions regarding the budget have been received, said Anne Barnes, vice chancellor for business, finance and business development, who joined Dr. Gold at the event. However, Barnes said, the board is expected to take action on the proposed salary guidelines, including a 3% merit salary plan and the system’s operating budget, at the June meeting.
Dr. Gold added that UNMC is prepared for the next budget cycle, especially since the university isn’t dealing with recurring structural budget deficits due to enrollment or use of one-time money to deal with those gaps.
See the June forum online at this link available to UNMC.
After addressing the wider budget, Barnes said UNMC parking rates are expected, for the most part, to remain the same starting July 1.
Campus shuttles are expected to be up and running in July, too. Shuttles would run Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. at six stops with additional shuttles available during busier times. Barnes said they hope to offer an app that would let shuttle riders track when the vehicles are approaching stops around campus. Check UNMC Today for further updates.
In closing, Dr. Gold thanked the UNMC family for more than a decade of teamwork and shared his optimism for the future of UNMC based upon the dramatic trajectory of growth and excellence.
Dr. Gold also:
- Gave a construction update on plans for two pedestrian/bike walkways to increase accessibility to the campus. Barnes said the projects are pending city approval, but they should be completed in 24 to 36 months.
- Addressed other construction projects across campus. Work is underway on the Catalyst facility. It’s expected to open, at least partially, by the end of the year. The CORE building also is under construction and is expected to open in mid 2026.
- Said work continues on the first and second phases of Project NExT.
- Advised people who notice issues around campus, such as burned-out lights or questions about ramps, to report issues or pose questions online at “Create Maintenance Request.”
- Answered a question on equity and inclusion. Many states have discussed and banned diversity, equity and inclusion programming and the funding of it. “These issues, ideologically, are not going to go away,” Dr. Gold said. “We have to meet all of our children where they are in the sense of making sure they have access to education, health care and access to participate as fully as possible. We have to make Nebraska a destination where they feel welcomed and they belong.”
- Congratulated graduates after commencement ceremonies were held in early May. He went on to congratulate Jonathan Vennerstrom, PhD, professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Benson Edagwa, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, for receiving system-wide President’s Excellence Awards. He also applauded the UNMC College of Allied Health Professions physical therapy program, which received the 2024 University-wide Departmental Teaching Award.
- Offered condolences for the family of Michael Sorrell, MD, who died May 25 at age 88. He was an emeritus professor in the UNMC Department of Internal Medicine and a legendary UNMC physician world-renowned for expertise in liver disease, liver transplantation and gastrointestinal disorders.
- Offered condolences and acknowledged the work of Patrick Gottsch, the founder of Rural Media Group Inc, parent company of RFD-TV, The Cowboy Channel, The Cowgirl Channel and Rural Radio 147. Gottsch died May 18. “It reminds us all how fragile life is,” Dr. Gold said. “Those of you in the health care professions recognize the fragility of human life. We can’t take it for granted.”