Dr. William Berndt, former UNMC chancellor, dies

picture disc.Funeral services are scheduled for 10 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 5 for William Berndt, Ph.D., former chancellor of UNMC. He died Thursday, Aug. 31 at The Nebraska Medical Center due to ongoing lung complications.

Dr. Berndt, 73, joined UNMC in 1982 and held several key administrative posts over the next 20 plus years, serving as chancellor from 1996 to 1998. He was the seventh full-time chancellor in UNMC history and was one of the key leaders involved in the 1997 merger of University Hospital and Clarkson Hospital to create The Nebraska Medical Center.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 213 N. 13th Street in Fort Calhoun, Neb. Visitation will be Monday, Sept. 4, from 4 to 7 p.m., and a vigil service from 7 to 7:30 p.m., at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church.







What others said:



Eric Scholar, Ph.D., professor, pharmacology and experimental neuroscience – “The thing that impressed me most about Bill Berndt was that for all the important positions he held at UNMC he was a very low key and down-to-earth person, both in the way he acted and spoke. He always treated everybody as an equal and I appreciated that very much.”

L. Charles Murrin, Ph.D., pharmacology and experimental neuroscience – “Shortly after Bill arrived at UNMC as dean of graduate studies, I was talking to him about how to move ahead in my career. One piece of advice I have always remembered is ‘When someone asks you to do something, don’t say no.’ This was advice Bill lived by, and because of that UNMC benefited tremendously. Bill could walk into any position, from chairman to dean to chancellor, and make things work. His down-to-earth, honest style of dealing with people and his great sense of humor made everyone trust him and eager to help move things forward. He loved to talk science, share a laugh and excellent scotch. We will miss him as a leader, a colleague and a great friend.”

James Armitage, M.D., professor, oncology-hematology – “Very few people have contributed as much to UNMC as Bill Berndt. Among his many important contributions was being the chancellor during one of our most turbulent times. His grace and common sense got us back on track.”

Howard Gendelman, M.D., chairman, pharmacology and experimental neuroscience and director, Center for Neurovirology and Neurodegenerative Disorders – “Bill was a great mentor. He was a guy with a wealth of administrative, faculty and life experiences. He taught me how to be a leader, and was an example in patience, perseverance and determination. I have profound sadness at his passing, but I also celebrate what his life meant to me and the medical center.”

David Bylund, Ph.D., professor, pharmacology and experimental neuroscience – “Dr. Berndt was remarkably successful as an administrator at all levels from department chair to dean to chancellor because of his unpretentious style and lack of a personal agenda.”

College of Medicine Dean John Gollan, M.D., Ph.D. – “Bill had been actively working in the college, serving a key role in helping us with our departmental reviews. He was perfect in that role because it brought out the best in his personality. He was fair, balanced, admired for his sound judgment, highly respected, cared passionately about the college and was a true gentleman. He was always kind and thoughtful and displayed the finest of human traits. Up until recently, he would just drop in to the dean’s office and, when asked, always had sound advice on issues. He would never overstay his welcome, just pop in, have a chat, drop an opinion and be gone again. I will miss those visits and his cheerful demeanor.”

University of Nebraska President James B. Milliken, J.D. – “Bill was a caring teacher, an accomplished scholar and a gifted administrator. He was a man of the highest integrity. Bill was a good friend, and he will be sorely missed by all who had the good fortune to know him.”

Dave Crouse, Ph.D., associate vice chancellor, executive associate dean for graduate studies – “I can remember the first time I met Dr. Berndt when he was interviewing for the graduate dean position. He came into the room, took off his coat and threw it on the back of the chair. He had a long sleeved white shirt on with rolled up sleeves. He loosened his tie and tipped back in his chair on two legs and with a big smile said, ‘OK, what’s your questions?’ He was very open, very forthcoming and very easy to talk to. He made quite an impression on the entire group. I never expected him to become the friend and mentor he did to me, and I’ll miss him a lot personally. His sage advice was sought by many people and we all enjoyed his laugh.”

JoAnn Moore, retried administrator in graduate studies – “He was a joy to work for. We were always ready to go to work because we knew there would be laughter. We also got lots of work done because it was a fun atmosphere to work in. He was so honest, energetic and bouncy.”

Marcia Beer, finance/business associate, academic affairs – “What can I say about Dr. Berndt that has not already been said. Dr. Berndt was a mentor to all. He allowed his staff to do their work and was always available for advice and guidance. I’ll miss the jingle of coins in his pocket and the twinkle in his eye for a job well done.”

Ernest Prentice, Ph.D., associate vice chancellor, regulatory affairs – “I worked with Dr. Berndt for over 20 years and found him to be not only a good friend, but a visionary leader who always had the interest of UNMC foremost in his mind. He was highly supportive of all of my activities that involved protection of human subjects and appropriate use of animals in research. He was a scholar that not only kept abreast of his field of research, which was toxicology, but also was very familiar and very interested in the evolving regulatory standards for the use of either humans or animals in research. One of his unique characteristics was the fact that he had a tremendous sense of humor. He laughed a great deal and that laughter was contagious in the work environment. I personally will miss him very much and I think this sentiment reflects all who knew him.”



“Bill was a great man who did wonders for UNMC at the time of our darkest days,” said Harold M. Maurer, M.D., UNMC chancellor. “He was the Walter Cronkite of UNMC and was trusted by everyone at the university. He always seemed to make the right decisions for the benefit of the medical center.”

Dr. Berndt joined UNMC in 1982 as professor of pharmacology and dean for graduate studies and research and was elevated to vice chancellor for academic affairs three years later. Berndt served as vice chancellor until his retirement in 2002 with the 17-year stint interrupted only when he served as interim chancellor in 1991-1992 and chancellor in 1996-1998.

Prior to joining the UNMC faculty, Dr. Berndt served on the faculty at Dartmouth Medical School for 13 years and the University of Mississippi Medical Center for eight years. At Dartmouth, he moved from instructor to professor in the pharmacology department. He served as professor and chairman of the department of pharmacology and toxicology at Mississippi.

Following his retirement as vice chancellor, Dr. Berndt remained active at UNMC, serving as interim chairman of the pharmacology department from 2002 to 2004. In addition, he chaired the search committees for a chairman of the department of the cell biology, anatomy and genetics in 2003 and for a chairman of the department of psychiatry in 2004.

“Bill placed his trust in people and expected them to do a good job,” Dr. Maurer said. “Because he would look at the multiple sides of an issue, he was often called upon to serve in a leadership capacity, whether it was as chancellor, as department chair of pharmacology or as a mentor for a budding leader. He was a wonderful rugby player who enticed people to play with him on occasion. We will all miss him.”

One of the highlights of Dr. Berndt’s career occurred in 1996-97 when as chancellor he was instrumental in getting UNMC and Clarkson Hospital representatives to put aside their differences and sit down and discuss a possible merger. As a result of the discussions, a partnership was created and Nebraska Health System (now The Nebraska Medical Center) was formed.

A native of St. Joseph, Mo., Dr. Berndt received his undergraduate degree from the Creighton University College of Pharmacy in 1954 and his Ph.D. degree in pharmacology from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1959.

A prolific researcher during his career, Dr. Berndt published more than 270 articles, abstracts and book chapters in scientific journals and made presentations or lectures at more than 70 scientific meetings. He received funding on 16 grants during his career.

His professional and research interests involved both pharmacology and toxicology, in particular the effects of chemicals on kidney function. He was a diplomate for both the American Board of Toxicology and the Academy of Toxicological Sciences and a fellow in the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education.

The growth of research on the UNMC campus is one of many accomplishments that began during Dr. Berndt’s tenure. Annual research funding, which was only $4.7 million when Dr. Berndt started at UNMC in 1982, has skyrocketed, reaching nearly $80 million during the past fiscal year. Several new programs were launched at UNMC under Dr. Berndt’s direction. These included:


  • The first Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC);
  • The first modern Institutional Review Board (IRB);
  • The development of comprehensive radiation and chemical safety programs;
  • The emergence of several new or restructured graduate and other academic programs.

Dr. Berndt is survived by his wife, Bonnie, and their five children, 13 grandchildren and one great grandchild. The Berndts, who lived in Fort Calhoun, Neb., celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary on Aug. 28. Their children and grandchildren reside in Fort Calhoun, Blair, Neb., Miami, Kansas City, Austin, Texas, Vermont and England. Memorials may be given to the University of Nebraska Foundation William Berndt Memorial Fund.