Interim Chancellor Davies holds first campus forum

In his first all-campus forum, UNMC Interim Chancellor Dele Davies, MD, outlined his goals and vision for UNMC’s future, including his commitment to continue the med center’s momentum.

“When (NU) President (Jeffrey P.) Gold asked me to look at the opportunity to become interim chancellor, the first question I asked him was, ‘Am I going to carry on the momentum we’ve had here, or am I going to be a placeholder?’ It was very clear that we’re going to continue the momentum, and that’s exactly what I intend to do.”

Since his appointment July 1, the former senior vice chancellor for academic affairs and dean of graduate studies has spent the past two weeks meeting with faculty, staff and students from across UNMC and Nebraska Medicine, as well as the University of Nebraska Foundation and University of Nebraska.

“I’ve been doing a lot of listening and meetings and have reaffirmed my belief that UNMC is a very, very special place,” he said.

Members of the UNMC community can view the forum.

Having lived on three different continents and visited more than 30 countries, Dr. Davies understands it is the people and culture that make a place special. A native of Nigeria, Dr. Davies left the country when he was 15 to complete high school in England. He attended pre-medical school in New Brunswick, Canada, and went to medical school at the University of Toronto, with his first degree being his MD. Following residency in Toronto and a clinical and research stint in Calgary, he went to Michigan State University, where he served as chair of pediatrics and human development. In 2012, he joined UNMC as vice chancellor.

“All of these experiences have taught me the value and importance of not only higher education, but the critical role health plays in the lives of people every day,” he said.

As interim chancellor, his goals are to continue to:

• Grow the health workforce in Nebraska.
• Grow UNMC’s research enterprise.
• Enhance UNMC’s commitment to innovative education.
• Provide new opportunities for excellence.
• Create an environment where all voices are heard, and everyone wants to work.

He will continue to move forward projects already in progress, he said, including Project NExT/Project Health, “Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future” and the rural health education complex on the University of Nebraska at Kearney campus.

“We will not lose a second of momentum,” he said.

Long term, Dr. Davies said, he wants to expand student scholarship opportunities and remove the financial burden for health professions students. He also wants to expand what it means to have a career in health care (think of the many supporting roles on campus, he said, from IT to attorneys to accountants) and build on UNMC’s pathway programs by reaching students at a younger age. He also wants to help counselors at undergraduate campuses and community and state colleges better understand the pathway to becoming a health care provider.

“We cannot take for granted that they know we’re here,” he said. “Many of them have never heard what a radiology tech or medical lab tech does, so they’re asking us to educate them on how they can advise and counsel students.”

NU’s goal to regain entry into the Association of American Universities, a coalition of the nation’s most elite research institutions, aligns with UNMC’s mission, he said. “Our mission says we will ‘lead the world’ … that is an aspiration and something we all take very seriously. We need to be at the table with people who are known to lead the world and with the very best institutions who get to influence and shape policy across this country.”

In other matters, Dr. Davies:

• Said campus shuttles tentatively will be available beginning Aug. 12. The launch will include a GPS tracking system that enables riders to see where the shuttle is on a given route.
• Noted that everyone is responsible for campus safety, so if you ”see something, say something” and have Public Safety’s emergency and non-emergency numbers programmed into their mobile phones.
• Congratulated Jane Meza, PhD, Kendra Schmid, PhD, Karen Gould, PhD, and Chris Kratochvil, MD, on their recent appointments, noting “it shows the incredible bench and talent we have here at UNMC.” He also said he’s proud that 50% of UNMC’s leaders are women.
• Emphasized that it takes everyone to maintain UNMC’s culture of respect and understanding, adding he looks forward to implementation of the Staff Advisory Board so staff voices can be at the table. “When we have everybody working together, this place will only continue to grow and thrive,” he said.

Dr. Davies closed by reiterating his appreciation for the “incredible opportunity” to serve as UNMC’s interim chancellor and his commitment to listening and having an open door.

“I’m honored to be in this chair. … Thank you for what you do every day. It’s because of you that we are who we are.”