UNK listening sessions on University of Nebraska president search are June 20

Susan Fritz
Hank Bounds
Hank Bounds

Faculty, staff, students, alumni and supporters, and members of the public are invited to a series of listening sessions June 20 at the University of Nebraska at Kearney to gather input on the search for the next president of the University of Nebraska.

The executive firm assisting NU in the search, AGB Search, will host the listening sessions together with the Board of Regents. Attendees will have the opportunity to share the qualities and characteristics they would like to see in NU’s next president. Input from the sessions will inform the development of a leadership profile that will be used to help attract candidates.

While generally targeted to specific stakeholder groups, all sessions are open to all members of the University of Nebraska community and public.

Tim Clare
Tim Clare

The following times are set aside at UNK on June 20, with listening sessions hosted at the Nebraskan Student Union, 1013 W. 27th St. in Kearney:
8 to 9 a.m. – Faculty listening session
9:30 to 10:30 a.m. – Staff/administrator listening session
11 a.m. to Noon – Student listening session
12:30 to 1:30 p.m. – Alumni, business, community listening session
2 to 3 p.m. – Open listening session

Current President Hank Bounds is stepping down in August after four years at the helm. The Board has named Dr. Susan Fritz, NU’s executive vice president and provost, as interim president-elect.

“Nobody knows better than the extended University of Nebraska community what we should be looking for and what we should be thinking about as we begin our next chapter. My colleagues on the Board and I want to hear from as many stakeholders as possible throughout this critical search process,” Board of Regents Chairman Tim Clare said.

Additional listening sessions will be hosted by the Presidential Search Advisory Committee and AGB Search on Aug. 27-28 on each of the university’s campuses. Details for those sessions will be announced when they are finalized. Input from the August sessions will refine the criteria by which the Presidential Search Advisory Committee screens and evaluates applicants.

Following a public solicitation of nominations for the advisory committee, the membership of the committee is expected to go before the Board for consideration at its June 28 meeting.

Members of the university community and public who are unable to attend any of the listening sessions are encouraged to submit feedback to presidentsearch@nebraska.edu on the qualities, characteristics and skills they would like to see in NU’s next leader.