UNMC Chancellor H. Dele Davies, MD, hosted the July all-campus forum on Tuesday, his first since becoming the medical center’s ninth chancellor July 1.
Dr. Davies outlined his five-point vision as chancellor and was joined by guests Joann Sweasy, PhD, director of the Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases and the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, and Paula Kohles, director of the UNMC Office of Financial Aid. They provided timely updates on their respective areas of expertise.
Dr. Davies opened the forum with reflections on the July 4 holiday and an expression of gratitude to the entire UNMC team for the privilege of taking on his new position.
“I look forward to what we can accomplish together,” the chancellor said.
He laid out five areas of emphasis:
- Workforce, workforce, workforce. The state continues to turn to UNMC to meet this need. “We are leaning full strength into that,” Dr. Davies said.
- AI, or artificial intelligence. Our responsibility is not to ignore it, and it is not to adopt it blindly. Our responsibility is to lead with purpose, Dr. Davies said.
- Working better through the Better Processes Initiative. It’s not about asking people to do more with less but removing barriers so people can do their best work, the chancellor said.
- Strengthening trust across the NU system, with clinical partners, including Nebraska Medicine, and in communities across the state. “Our mission depends on collaboration,” Dr. Davies said.
- Financial resilience. Maintaining sustainable growth through partnerships and diversified funding sources and removing financial barriers for students and potential students remain key to our ongoing success, Dr. Davies said.
“One of my goals as chancellor is removing barriers,” Dr. Davies said, whether they be financial, work-related or in Nebraskans’ access to the medical center and its resources.
Dr. Sweasy gave an update on the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, which is investing in community outreach. The result is a statewide increase in cancer screenings by more than 250% over the past year. Dr. Sweasy said the cancer center has forged 155 partnerships across the state to engage Nebraskans in education and cancer screening. Read more on statewide/community outreach and cancer screenings.
The cancer center’s commitment to the state is outlined in the Nebraska 2035 Cancer Pledge, which received an ovation at this year’s Cattlemen’s Ball, Dr. Sweasy said.
“We are acting as a Comprehensive Cancer Center,” Dr. Sweasy said, with the goal that official designation from the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health will follow.
Kohles, director of the UNMC Office of Financial Aid, brought crucial information for students affected by the government’s Grad PLUS loans program being phased out and eliminated by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. As an alternative, UNMC has created a preferred lender list for private loans. These lenders have been vetted by UNMC and, in some ways, may offer better terms than the previous federal program.
But don’t wait long, as this process may be more cumbersome. “Please start applying for private loans and get that process started,” Kohles said. Contact the financial aid office for more information.
As he closed out the forum, Dr. Davies expressed thanks to all who contributed to the National Quarantine Unit hantavirus activation and hosting of guests; gave a heads up that several candidates for elected office will be visiting campus; touched on the latest guidance on federal grant processes; addressed Nebraska Medicine governance, joint institutional accreditation of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and UNMC and IT updates; and said space was still available in the new UNMC Residences.