UNMC for the record

Dr. Fritz to retire in 2021 as University of Nebraska executive vice president

Susan Fritz, PhD, the University of Nebraska’s executive vice president and provost, has announced she will retire on June 30, 2021, capping a 32-year career at the university that included a historic appointment as the first woman to lead the NU system.

Dr. Fritz, the university system’s top academic officer, served as NU’s interim president in 2019 prior to the appointment of current President Ted Carter. In that role, Fritz championed university-wide priorities of student access and success, launching a statewide partnership focused on timely graduation, advocating to elected leaders for greater investment in scholarships, and presiding over gains in student diversity.

She joined NU’s Central Administration office in 2011 and has served as executive vice president and provost since 2012. Dr. Fritz began her university career in 1989 as an instructor in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication, and has held progressive leadership roles since then.

“It’s bittersweet to leave my alma mater, an institution that has changed my life personally and professionally,” said Dr. Fritz, a Nebraska native and first-generation college student who holds bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees from UNL. “But what a ride it’s been. To have served alongside the faculty, staff and students of this great university for so many years has been the privilege of a lifetime.

“I will always be an advocate of the University of Nebraska and its profound impact on students, communities and the people of our state.”

Carter thanked Dr. Fritz for her service, noting that as interim president, Fritz ensured a seamless transition that kept the university moving forward.

“In the nine months we have worked together, Susan has been a friend and valuable advisor, teaching me as she has taught so many others throughout her career,” Carter said. “We have benefited greatly from her institutional knowledge, her dedication to students, and her commitment to the values of public higher education. “We’ll miss Susan very much — but she will leave the University of Nebraska stronger than when she arrived.”

UNMC Student Pride Alliance launches mentorship program

The UNMC Student Pride Alliance (UNMC SPA) is launching a mentorship program, beginning this month to celebrate LGBT history month. Faculty/staff that identify as LGBTQIA+ and allies will serve as mentors in this outreach program to support UNMC students.

Mentors selected for the program are involved in LGBT education/patient care and will strive to create an inclusive learning environment on our campus.

To learn more about this mentorship program please contact Jon Wood, program coordinator, or Raj Dave, PhD, SPA faculty adviser.

Learn more about the SPA and upcoming events on the organization’s Engage page.

Great Plains IDeA-CTR to host Oct. 28 talk on new COVID registry

The Great Plains IDeA-CTR will host a free, one-hour Zoom presentation on the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) for those interested in learning more or being involved in the project.

The N3C Data Enclave is a National Institutes of Health centralized, secure enclave to study vast amount of COVID medical record data from around the country. The resource is available to scientists to answer questions such as treatments protocols, disease progression and relationship of COVID and social determinates of health.

“Building a COVID-19 Analytics Platform to Turn Clinical Data into Knowledge: Introducing the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C),” will be presented on Wednesday, Oct. 28 | from noon to 1 p.m. CST.

Watch via Zoom.

For more information, contact Jerrod Anzalone or 402-836-9578.

Retirements announced

Seven retirements were announced this month by the department of human resources, including a 44-year employee.

Pamela Hergenrader, who worked in the College of Dentistry’s Lincoln Clinic, joined UNMC on May 17, 1976. Hergenrader will retire from her role in administration at the clinic on Oct. 24.

Other announced retirements include two people who have been at the university for 37 years. The list:

• Melanie Gonzales, bookstore services, retired Oct. 3 (starting date June 1, 1983)
• Roxanne Alter, FACT, retired Oct. 3 (starting date June 27, 1983)
• Philip Bierman, MD, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, retired Sept. 3 (starting date Oct. 8, 1987)
• Jane Devasure, internal medicine-pulmonary, retiring Nov. 7 (starting date July 1, 1985)
• Lynn Rowe, public safety, retired Sept. 21 (starting date Dec. 12, 2008)
• David Tolo, MD, pediatrics-emergency medicine, retired Oct. 1 (starting date Sept. 1, 2009)