University of Nebraska System President Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, sent this message to the University community on Friday, July 24.
Dear Faculty and Staff,
This summer has been a time of strategy and planning across the University of Nebraska System. Campuses have submitted their Operational Strategic Initiatives, which we are reviewing now. We recently celebrated final approval of joint accreditation between the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and University of Nebraska Medical Center. And over the past several months, we have commenced a systemwide assessment focused on identifying opportunities to strengthen alignment, coordination and long-term effectiveness across our institution.
To support this effort, this past spring we engaged Deloitte Consulting, which has been meeting with campus leaders to assess our current strengths, identify opportunities for improvement and evaluate how our structures, processes and resources support the University’s mission. Deloitte will also conduct a system-wide financial sustainability analysis and share best practices drawn from its experience with colleges and universities nationwide.
Deloitte’s role is to gather information, identify opportunities and present options for consideration. Any decisions resulting from this work will be made by University leadership through our established governance processes and with input from faculty, staff, students, alumni and the communities we serve. Ultimately, this process is intended to help us build on each campus’s strengths, position the University for long-term success and advance our Odyssey to Extraordinary.
As this work continues, additional members of our community will be invited to participate through interviews, focus groups, listening sessions or other opportunities for input. In addition, we encourage all faculty, staff and students to submit their thoughts and comments as specific future recommendations evolve via an online form, which can be found on the NU System assessment webpage, along with additional information on this process.
We recognize that many faculty, staff and students may be away from campus during the summer months. Opportunities for engagement will continue into the fall, and we are committed to providing meaningful opportunities for our University community to share input throughout this process. Your voice is incredibly important as we look toward the future, together.
Thank you in advance for your engagement in this process and for all you do in support of the University of Nebraska System, our state and our future.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey P. Gold, MD
President, University of Nebraska System