A new staff advisory council and a soon-to-launch pilot shuttle program highlighted Monday’s all-campus forum.
Progress continues on launching a new UNMC staff advisory council, which will be similar to those at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Nebraska at Omaha and University of Nebraska at Kearney, said Interim Chancellor Dele Davies, MD.
The council will provide opportunities for UNMC staff members to share ideas, promote common interests and facilitate communication with the chancellor, he said. “I’m excited for this development at UNMC. The council will bring a voice to the staff at the leadership level.”
Members of the UNMC community can view the forum.
Anne Barnes, vice chancellor for business, finance and business development, joined Dr. Davies at Monday’s forum and said organizers have “put months and months of work into helping us develop bylaws to have this group form, be effective and represent the staff of this campus.”
Dr. Davies thanked Barnes, Sarah Gloden Carlson, JD; John Hewitt, JD; and staff members Stacey Coleman, Jacqueline Hankins Berry, Robin Jaeckel, Lacey Merica, Cody Phillips and Misty Pocwierz-Gaines for their work to date. More information will be shared in UNMC Today in the coming weeks.
The pilot campus shuttle program, a joint project between UNMC and Nebraska Medicine, will launch Monday, Aug. 19, Barnes said, for students, staff, faculty and patients on the med center campus in Omaha. One shuttle will run weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and a second shuttle will run during peak hours. More information will be shared in both UNMC Today and Nebraska NOW later this week.
Parking Services will continue to assess current and future parking needs and how to best address them, Barnes said.
In other areas, Dr. Davies and Barnes:
- Noted the unanimous support Aug. 8 of the NU Board of Regents to approve the program statement for Project Health, authorizing design work on a $2.19 billion heath care facility at UNMC and Nebraska Medicine. The facility will serve as a clinical learning center to train the next generation of health care providers, conduct research and offer clinical trials.
- Summarized NU’s 2025-27 biennial budget request, which the regents approved last week. The request includes a 3% increase for salaries and fringe benefits and investments in the Research for Nebraska and Presidential Scholars programs. It also includes planning funds to begin designs on a Peter Kiewit Institute renovation and expansion at UNO and a new College of Allied Health Professions facility at UNMC, which would be built east of the Center for Healthy Living. Private funds would finance a significant portion of the UNO and UNMC capital projects.
- Announced Hausmann Construction as the construction partner on the new student residence hall being built at 39th Street and Dewey Avenue. The six-story structure, which is expected to be completed for fall 2026, will be open to UNMC students only. “This will be transformational,” Dr. Davies said, “and make it much easier for students (to find housing).” The first floor, Barnes said, will be accessible to all UNMC students and include grab-and-go food options and study spaces.
- Shared construction updates on the Catalyst Building, which will house UNeMed, UNeTech and leased space for biomedical tech entrepreneurs. Big Grove Brewery of Des Moines will anchor the north end of the building and be open to the public. Construction is expected to conclude in December, and tenants will move in in early 2025. Construction on the nearby CORE (Campus Operations and Research Excellence) Building is expected to be completed by mid-2026. The CORE facility will support computer-based research and wet lab-based research for drug discovery, oncology research and other strategic research areas at UNMC.
- Reminded attendees that issues of safety and campus climate are everyone’s responsibility. Dr. Davies said many resources – from security escorts to employee assistance programs – are available. He also encouraged individuals to extend grace in the day-to-day interactions with others.
- Said fall enrollment numbers appear promising, although official census numbers won’t be available until after Labor Day. Despite 24 straight years of enrollment growth, Dr. Davies said, UNMC enrollment should “never be taken for granted.”
Dr. Davies closed by thanking the entire campus community for their “contributions in making UNMC the special place that it is.”