From the Office of the President: A message from President Gold on his first 100 days.
To the students, faculty and staff of the University of Nebraska:
It’s hard to believe we are nearing the halfway point of the semester. I hope each of you has had opportunities over the past six weeks to make new connections, unlock new discoveries or, better yet, both. I see that happening around me every day – the privilege of being part of the University of Nebraska community.
It is tradition, when one assumes a new role, to pause at the 100-day mark and reflect on achievements underway and opportunities for the road ahead. Today is my 100th day as president of this great university. I did not imagine I could feel more honored and excited than I did on July 1, but I do. And as I shared last month when we gathered at the people’s house to celebrate the work and impact of our institution, I am convinced the University of Nebraska is poised to rise from excellent to extraordinary.
I called on Nebraskans that day, and call on all of you, to join us on this “odyssey” to extraordinary – a bold path forward that will build on our legacy of excellence to achieve new heights in student success, partnerships, world-class research, workforce development, athletic achievements and service to Nebraskans in every corner of the state and people around the world.
Today, 100 days into our odyssey, I am proud to tell you that we are building momentum – a credit to the work you do every day to grow our university and serve the state:
- We have achieved our highest enrollment since 2021, with overall growth among Nebraskans and undergraduates, and in areas crucial to the future workforce, like agriculture, engineering and the health professions. I am pleased students and families continue to recognize the unbeatable combination of quality and value that our campuses offer.
- We have set another record in philanthropic giving, a remarkable statement by our private partners that they recognize our momentum and are willing to invest their precious resources in our continued success. As a supplement to the state’s strong support, private giving allows us to extend the reach and impact of the University of Nebraska even further, to accelerate our odyssey.
- We are moving forward with bold initiatives on every campus: Project Health at UNMC, the most ambitious public-private partnership in university history; the new Regional Engagement Center at UNK, which we just celebrated with a ribbon-cutting last week; the new USDA facility at UNL that will transform agricultural research and innovation; and exciting plans to update and expand the Peter Kiewit Institute at UNO to grow Nebraska’s STEM workforce. And those are but a few examples.
- We are pushing forward with the potential opportunity to be readmitted into the prestigious Association of American Universities. We are carefully reviewing metrics that define extraordinary academic excellence with an eye toward what Nebraska needs to do to close the gap and truly lead.
- We work closely with our athletic departments, athletic conferences and national leaders, competing to win on the field, court and ice rink as we establish a clear voice at the table when it comes to potential policy and structural changes.
- We have partnered even more closely with agricultural communities across the state and nationally to enhance understanding of future opportunities for our university to support and strengthen our farming and ranching industries and define our leadership role.
- We continue to strengthen our partnerships with a wide spectrum of federal departments and agencies, particularly in the national security sector. Once more, we have been called upon to advise our nation in the health security and cyberterrorism sectors, both here and across the world.
- We are taking steps to meet Nebraska’s needs today and in the future. A new bachelor’s degree in artificial intelligence, collaboratively offered by UNO and UNL, will, for example, prepare students to lead in the coming AI revolution. And we are standing up a system-wide team to assess our current research and educational efforts with regard to AI and make recommendations for future growth.
Importantly, we are also looking ahead. I am pleased to share that we are in the early stages of a systemwide, comprehensive strategic planning process that will put rigorous detail and metrics behind our “Odyssey to Extraordinary.” From teaching, to research, to clinical care and service, our strategic plan will define what it means to be truly extraordinary. It will be informed by the ideas of every person who has a stake in the success of the University of Nebraska. I am excited to begin this process with you and will share more information on how you can get engaged as we move forward.
As I shared during my investiture, the resounding message I have heard over and over during the past 10 years and especially during the past 100 days is that an affordable, accessible, high-quality and thriving University of Nebraska is even more important now than when we were founded 155 years ago. I’ve heard loud and clear that Nebraskans are looking for aspirational change. And that’s an opportunity and responsibility we take seriously.
Indeed, we are well on our way. It is the privilege of a lifetime to be on this odyssey with all of you.
As fall break approaches, please take time to rest and recharge with family and friends. Thank you for all you do for the University of Nebraska and our great state.
Jeffrey P. Gold, MD
President, University of Nebraska