UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, opened his October all-campus forum by thanking everyone involved in the recent University of Nebraska Board of Regents visit to the Omaha campus.
“The regents had a phenomenal time,” he said.
He also discussed the passage of a Board of Regents policy waiver that will allow UNMC to hire architects and engineers for the planning phase of Project Health: Building the Healthiest Nebraska, the first part of Project NExT, the planned $2.19 billion teaching and research facility, and he credited a “very impressive campus visit” for the unanimous regents’ vote granting the waiver.
“Project Health is focused on our local needs for clinical teaching, clinical research and clinical care here on the Omaha campus,” he said.
The chancellor and Anne Barnes, vice chancellor for business, finance and business development, also fielded questions on the zero-based budgeting process currently underway, with Dr. Gold assuring a questioner that “we are doing everything we can do to protect our academic programs.
“Are we looking at graduation rates and coordinating commission requirements? Absolutely. Are we going to do everything we can to optimize those academic programs? Absolutely. But that will be the last thing to have any type of significant budgetary impact. Even this modified zero-based budgeting process that we’re going through does not involve faculty, just staff and programming right now.”
Barnes added, in response to a follow-up question, that UNMC “did not have a structural deficit coming into the fiscal year. … The plan at this point does not include staff reductions.”
The chancellor also introduced new UNMC College of Dentistry Dean Gerard “Gerry” Kugel, DMD, PhD, who talked about his background and the reasons that drew him – and his wife, a Nebraska native – to UNMC.
“I love Nebraska, so I’m a very happy person right now. And go Huskers.”
Dr. Kugel also spoke about his life as the son of a widowed mother, and how he received a lot of his dental care as a child from dental schools, leading to his lifetime in dentistry.
“I want a better presence for us with UNMC in Omaha, more activities between our campuses,” Dr. Kugel said. He added that he would like to see new technology at the college, increase the college’s research portfolio – “not just our bench research, but clinical research” – and improve clinical efficiencies at the college.
“The dental need in this country is dramatic – the more I improve efficiencies, the more patients we treat, the more experience our students get,” he said.
He also aims to improve community involvement by both the college and its alumni. He mentioned a Veterans Day event he attended where he said 600 people showed up for dental care.
“There’s a dramatic need for dental services,” including pediatric patients, as well as a national hygienist shortage, Dr. Kugel said.
Additionally, during the forum, Dr. Gold:
- Called for people to “show grace” in the face of the tragic events going on across the world.
- Gave an update on the search for a new University of Nebraska president, noting that the search committee will include faculty, students and community members and strongly recommending that UNMC faculty, staff and students attend one of the two Omaha campus listening sessions at UNMC. See more information on the listening sessions here.
- Reminded the UNMC community that benefits open enrollment begins Oct. 30 and said more information would be coming via email to staff ahead of enrollment.
- Mentioned Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October and Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in November.
- Reminded listeners that the annual campus giving campaign will begin on Nov. 6.
- Spoke about the campus safety forum and some of the changes that have resulted, including signs to reduce traffic speed and enhanced lighting in parking structures. He thanked public safety officials, students and others for their efforts, while noting there was still work to be done, especially as it is getting dark earlier.
- Spoke about construction, including a late-October groundbreaking planned for the CORE (Campus Operations and Research Excellence) Building.
- Applauded the success of this year’s Berenberg Invitational golf tournament and its support of the Pancreatic Cancer Center of Excellence at UNMC.
- Said the med center currently has flu, COVID and RSV vaccines available.
- Reminded the audience that the UNMC Distinguished Scientist Awards and Research Innovation Awards will be recognized this fall.
- Updated the audience on the university’s efforts to be invited back into the AAU, discussing the criteria the group looks at and the fact that the effort will take several years, as the data is a 10-year rolling average.