KRVN Chat with the Chancellor

Rodney Bennett Author

05/17/2024 Added

5 Plays

Description

Chancellor Rodney Bennett reflects on the academic year, and James Volkmer joins Chancellor Bennett to provide an update on undergraduate student recruitment efforts.

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[00:00:00.000]Thanks so much for joining us.
[00:00:01.380]It's time for our chat with the Chancellor segment
[00:00:03.180]here on the Rural Radio Network,
[00:00:04.260]and joining us up in Studio
[00:00:05.490]two special guests Chancellor, Dr. Rodney Bennett
[00:00:08.220]and James Volkmer.
[00:00:09.060]He's the interim associate vice chancellor,
[00:00:11.100]and we are here to have an exciting conversation,
[00:00:13.230]but first I gotta remind listeners that Chancellor,
[00:00:16.710]it is your first ever academic year
[00:00:19.500]that you have just wrapped up.
[00:00:20.700]What stands out in your mind
[00:00:22.050]when you think about it?
[00:00:22.883]It's so hard to believe that.
[00:00:23.820]I mean, you know, the year has gone so fast,
[00:00:27.030]but we have had a phenomenal year.
[00:00:29.550]I mean, obviously it has not been without some issues
[00:00:32.160]and challenges, right?
[00:00:33.660]But when you think about all that we've been able
[00:00:35.460]to accomplish this year, I could not imagine a better year
[00:00:40.380]for the University of Nebraska Lincoln.
[00:00:43.230]I'm excited about commencement in a week
[00:00:45.780]or so, both at the graduate level and undergraduate level.
[00:00:49.470]Friday week we did the College of Law commencement,
[00:00:52.920]and that was phenomenal.
[00:00:54.780]So when you think about sort
[00:00:55.980]of coming down the home stretch,
[00:00:57.720]I think we are positioned well for the future
[00:01:01.110]and our future looks very bright.
[00:01:03.690]Well, I mentioned we are also joined today
[00:01:05.430]by James Volkmer, interim associate vice chancellor,
[00:01:09.450]to talk a little bit about the landscape of,
[00:01:12.420]you know, undergraduate studies here at Nebraska,
[00:01:15.000]so we'll start there.
[00:01:15.833]What is the landscape
[00:01:16.666]of undergrad student recruitment in the state?
[00:01:19.860]The populations of the states
[00:01:22.350]where we predominantly draw students from,
[00:01:24.180]which is our border states mostly,
[00:01:28.680]the college bound populations
[00:01:30.180]of those states are relatively flat,
[00:01:32.370]even sometimes declining,
[00:01:34.620]but despite that, we do really well in the sense
[00:01:38.160]that we currently have students from all 50 states.
[00:01:41.010]We have students from over a 100 countries
[00:01:44.190]and from within Nebraska
[00:01:45.390]we have representation from 91 counties.
[00:01:48.480]So I think we do well from
[00:01:51.480]an in-state population perspective, 75%
[00:01:54.060]of our students are from the state of Nebraska.
[00:01:56.460]And I think that's true
[00:01:57.810]because the heart of our mission
[00:01:59.310]as a flagship land grant institution is our commitment
[00:02:02.340]to serving Nebraskans, right?
[00:02:04.260]We strongly believe in the access to education
[00:02:07.920]for all Nebraskans,
[00:02:09.420]and I think that commitment
[00:02:12.000]is really reflected
[00:02:13.080]in our program called Nebraska Promise, right?
[00:02:15.450]That provides full tuition for Nebraska resident families
[00:02:19.410]that have an adjusted gross income of less than 65,000.
[00:02:22.650]So that in combination
[00:02:23.700]with our strong academic scholarship programs,
[00:02:26.760]really I think help us attract Nebraskans
[00:02:29.550]Well, and James, I just wanted to interject here,
[00:02:32.760]everything that you're saying is so correct
[00:02:35.370]and so exciting,
[00:02:37.530]but I think it's also important for our listeners to know
[00:02:40.440]that we're doing this work against the backdrop
[00:02:43.320]of being in alignment with Governor Pillen
[00:02:46.650]and the initiatives that the governor has
[00:02:48.810]for the state of Nebraska,
[00:02:50.070]and we're very excited about that work.
[00:02:52.380]The governor has asked us to first think about
[00:02:54.660]how we can partner
[00:02:55.800]and collaborate with community colleges across the state
[00:02:59.310]and with state colleges,
[00:03:00.660]and we are looking for ways every day to do that better.
[00:03:04.830]The governor has asked us to be focused on outcomes
[00:03:08.220]and making sure that our students graduate
[00:03:11.190]and we are focused on doing that.
[00:03:13.470]He has also asked us to think about
[00:03:15.480]how we prepare our graduates
[00:03:17.670]to be job ready on day one,
[00:03:20.730]and so we're really thinking about the curriculum
[00:03:23.490]and experiential learning opportunities for our students.
[00:03:27.450]The governor has asked us to think about
[00:03:29.280]how we recruit the best
[00:03:31.350]and the brightest Nebraska High School students
[00:03:33.840]and others, we're committed to doing that,
[00:03:36.960]as is he and the Board of Regents through the establishment
[00:03:40.470]of the Presidential Scholarship Fund.
[00:03:42.870]So a lot of what we're able to accomplish is exciting just
[00:03:46.740]for a public higher education institution,
[00:03:49.920]but to be able to do that against the backdrop
[00:03:52.920]of alignment with our governor
[00:03:55.590]and the initiatives of the governor
[00:03:57.840]is something as chancellor that I'm very proud of
[00:04:01.440]and very excited to share with listeners this morning.
[00:04:05.280]I'd also like to add that the success
[00:04:08.970]that James is talking about today,
[00:04:11.760]and I'll give your listeners just
[00:04:13.491]a little bit of insight
[00:04:15.840]if they can promise to keep a secret. (laughing)
[00:04:19.080]We are cautiously optimistic about enrollment increases
[00:04:22.590]for the fall, both for first time full-time freshmen,
[00:04:26.580]and then the overall undergraduate class.
[00:04:29.670]We don't get know what those percentages will look like,
[00:04:32.460]but all of the indicators are pointing towards growth
[00:04:36.180]for the university, and that's very exciting.
[00:04:38.850]But we're doing this work against the backdrop
[00:04:41.280]of a national landscape where the number
[00:04:44.760]of high school students is declining,
[00:04:47.490]and then the number of high school students
[00:04:49.470]who are choosing post-secondary education is declining.
[00:04:54.180]So the competition for all students,
[00:04:57.360]including Nebraska students
[00:04:59.250]to enroll at institutions across the country
[00:05:02.610]is unbelievable.
[00:05:05.160]So when we report our numbers
[00:05:07.050]and James talks about the things that he's talking about,
[00:05:09.990]it's really a testament to the alignment of the state
[00:05:13.620]of Nebraska through the legislature,
[00:05:15.600]through the governor's office, through the Board of Regents,
[00:05:18.840]through what we're doing at the campus level
[00:05:21.270]and hardworking professionals in the office of admissions
[00:05:24.870]and enrollment management to reach students where they are
[00:05:29.070]and to have messages for those students
[00:05:31.080]that those students connect with.
[00:05:33.630]And we believe that through our work
[00:05:35.820]and the work of our sister institutions
[00:05:37.800]at the community college level
[00:05:39.720]and the state college level,
[00:05:41.670]that we are building a pipeline
[00:05:44.100]for the next entrepreneurs
[00:05:45.750]of the state of Nebraska, the next business leaders,
[00:05:48.750]the next physicians and lawyers and ministers,
[00:05:52.200]and, you know, the list goes on and on and on.
[00:05:55.530]We're proud of that work, that's important work,
[00:05:58.380]that's work that matters, I believe, to the taxpayers
[00:06:01.260]of the state of Nebraska
[00:06:03.060]and as chancellor, when I reflect back on this year,
[00:06:06.990]I just have a sense of great pride
[00:06:08.970]and accomplishment with what we've been able to do.
[00:06:11.760]So, James, sorry to interrupt you with
[00:06:13.680]what you were sharing,
[00:06:14.520]but when you said what you said,
[00:06:15.930]it just sparked me to think about adding that component.
[00:06:19.560]Yeah, it's not an interruption at all,
[00:06:20.760]and I thank you for that,
[00:06:22.287]and I think another strong component of that
[00:06:25.010]is the things we're building for Nebraskans
[00:06:28.448]brings in non Nebraskans too.
[00:06:30.030]So we bring in over a 1,000 students from out of state,
[00:06:32.790]which is a great way to import new Nebraskans
[00:06:35.700]and help fill that job, right?
[00:06:37.650]The job demands that we have.
[00:06:39.540]Right, right,
[00:06:40.620]you know, one thing I'll just add
[00:06:42.060]if we have time before our break,
[00:06:45.210]but the one thing that I think would be really important
[00:06:47.640]for our listeners is that
[00:06:49.500]we are the state's flagship
[00:06:52.620]and land grant institution,
[00:06:54.690]and I know that everybody listening already knows that,
[00:06:57.840]but I wanna say it again from this perspective.
[00:07:00.360]We welcome thoughts and feedback.
[00:07:03.270]You know, we believe that in order to serve the people
[00:07:06.120]of the state of Nebraska, we need to hear from them
[00:07:09.060]on things that are important, things that we're doing well,
[00:07:12.480]missed opportunities,
[00:07:13.830]things that perhaps we haven't considered.
[00:07:16.440]I think it's one of the things in our state
[00:07:18.600]that really allows us to build a strong community,
[00:07:22.020]and that's a place for everybody,
[00:07:23.940]you know, everybody should be able to see themselves
[00:07:27.210]at the State's Flagship Land Grant University.
[00:07:30.630]So I encourage our listeners to work with members
[00:07:33.630]of the Board of Regents that represent them
[00:07:36.150]to feel free to call or email
[00:07:38.070]or text the university if there are opportunities
[00:07:41.550]that you know of in your community,
[00:07:44.010]or if there are young people that you know
[00:07:46.350]of in your community that we need to connect with
[00:07:48.900]or do a better job connecting with.
[00:07:51.690]You know, it really comes from the place
[00:07:54.390]of we're all in this together.
[00:07:56.040]We're all pulling in the same direction.
[00:07:58.170]We all have the same goals.
[00:08:00.390]And so the spirit of helpfulness
[00:08:02.820]and us wanting to get it right, to remain competitive
[00:08:06.270]and what is truly a crowded field
[00:08:08.850]of public higher education is just an important message
[00:08:12.030]for the chancellor to share this morning.
[00:08:15.060]Well, chancellor, you had kind
[00:08:16.140]of mentioned a little bit about the national dialogue
[00:08:19.440]on four year institutions, college degrees,
[00:08:22.860]so James, I wanna ask you for people listening,
[00:08:25.200]what is the importance of a college degree today as we sit?
[00:08:29.190]We get that question a lot from prospective students
[00:08:31.500]and their parents and their families.
[00:08:33.630]I think the way I answer that question is that
[00:08:36.750]a college degree's importance isn't the piece of paper
[00:08:39.810]that you get from the institution, right?
[00:08:42.977]At UNL I think about we're in the business
[00:08:45.780]of shaping the future for students, right?
[00:08:49.140]We want to help students understand how
[00:08:51.090]to harness their unique strengths and their talents
[00:08:53.910]and identify those talents along that way.
[00:08:56.430]So as part of the esteemed Big 10 Academic Alliance,
[00:08:59.760]our students get to choose
[00:09:01.080]from over a 100 academic programs.
[00:09:04.110]They learn from faculty that are renowned
[00:09:06.120]for their expertise.
[00:09:07.650]They engage in experiential learning opportunities
[00:09:10.020]like study abroad
[00:09:10.980]and internships and undergraduate research.
[00:09:13.410]So I think those are things that are available on our campus
[00:09:16.110]that really help every single student identify who they are
[00:09:20.250]and they can connect in those ways.
[00:09:22.110]And then post-graduation, right?
[00:09:23.640]Our students join a network of over 200,000 alums.
[00:09:26.700]So I think UNL does a phenomenal job
[00:09:29.550]of whatever your major of study is,
[00:09:32.520]whatever the program you graduate from,
[00:09:35.400]you're career ready
[00:09:36.660]and you're socially ready to succeed
[00:09:38.340]and make an impact on your community.
[00:09:40.800]Yeah, and I would add that
[00:09:43.830]the value in a college education really
[00:09:47.730]is a part of the long game.
[00:09:50.160]You know, it's not a short term strategy,
[00:09:52.320]but it's a long game in the sense
[00:09:54.270]of preparing our young people for the nuances of life.
[00:09:59.550]You know, for all the things that they're going
[00:10:01.620]to encounter over a 50 year plus career.
[00:10:06.450]You know, the kid, the students
[00:10:07.650]that will graduate a week from tomorrow
[00:10:10.620]will likely be a part of the workforce
[00:10:13.290]for the next 50 years.
[00:10:14.610]I know it's hard for them to imagine that,
[00:10:16.950]but their generation will live well into their 90s,
[00:10:19.740]and many of those students will work professionally
[00:10:22.650]for 50 plus years.
[00:10:24.690]So the value of the education
[00:10:26.580]that they're receiving from their state's land grant
[00:10:28.710]and flagship institution prepares them for the nuances
[00:10:33.330]that will occur over that 50 year period.
[00:10:36.330]For example, you know, for a young woman
[00:10:38.640]or man who decides to start a family
[00:10:41.700]and they may want to take a couple years off
[00:10:43.740]to raise their children
[00:10:45.450]and leave the workforce,
[00:10:46.770]their education here will give them the confidence
[00:10:49.350]to do that, knowing that at whatever point they want
[00:10:52.410]to reenter the workforce, they have the skills
[00:10:56.220]to be able to do that.
[00:10:59.100]It also prepares them to think critically, to be better,
[00:11:03.960]to analyze scenarios differently, to communicate,
[00:11:08.490]to interact with people, to really find their place
[00:11:12.120]and find their place at a level of comfort
[00:11:14.820]with regard to the global community
[00:11:17.550]that our students will find themselves in.
[00:11:20.820]And so, when I make the pitch
[00:11:22.410]for why public higher education,
[00:11:25.500]it's a pitch about the long game,
[00:11:27.840]and there's plenty of data that shows over time
[00:11:32.445]how much better college educated students do,
[00:11:37.530]in the workforce with their earning potential,
[00:11:40.770]with the confidence that they have,
[00:11:42.540]with the relationships they build,
[00:11:44.340]and the networks that they're able to farm.
[00:11:47.310]So I never misrepresent that.
[00:11:49.290]On Saturday, you're gonna walk across the stage
[00:11:52.290]at historic Memorial Stadium
[00:11:55.080]and on Sunday, you know, the skies are gonna open (laughing)
[00:11:59.310]and the universe is gonna bestow upon you all
[00:12:01.620]of these virtues that will...
[00:12:03.690]You know, that's not the way that it works.
[00:12:05.550]On Sunday morning, you're gonna wake up
[00:12:07.320]and your mom and daddy are gonna say,
[00:12:09.037]"Now when do you go for that job interview?" (laughing)
[00:12:11.760]Or "Have you talked about a start date?"
[00:12:13.890]Or "What about an apartment
[00:12:15.150]to get out of the basement?" (laughing)
[00:12:16.920]I mean, I think that's the reality
[00:12:18.540]of what we're talking about,
[00:12:19.590]but it's a long game,
[00:12:21.630]and so we have to help our students
[00:12:24.180]have an appreciation
[00:12:26.280]for it being a long game
[00:12:27.810]because most of what happens in their life
[00:12:30.780]is instant gratification through their cell phone
[00:12:33.810]and through their relationships
[00:12:35.310]and through the things that they are more familiar with,
[00:12:39.900]but the value is well documented.
[00:12:42.990]And I think for those of us
[00:12:44.310]who have invested in a higher education,
[00:12:47.730]I think we would agree
[00:12:49.800]that it has been well worth the investment.
[00:12:53.940]James can talk about this if he'd like to,
[00:12:56.520]we do have to think about cost of attendance.
[00:12:59.010]You know, we have to think about
[00:13:00.150]how we keep the education at UNL affordable
[00:13:04.590]for all families across the state of Nebraska.
[00:13:08.010]I can submit to you this morning
[00:13:09.900]and to our listeners that that
[00:13:11.310]is becoming increasingly more challenging to do
[00:13:15.030]as the cost of just operating
[00:13:16.860]the university continues to rise,
[00:13:19.770]but we do have an eye towards cost of attendance
[00:13:22.860]and making sure that things are affordable,
[00:13:25.590]but also not wanting to lessen
[00:13:29.190]or compromise the quality of the experience
[00:13:32.820]that our students receive here, both inside the classroom
[00:13:36.630]and outside the classroom.
[00:13:37.980]And James, I don't know if there's anything
[00:13:39.960]that you want to add about cost of attendance
[00:13:42.630]and just the role that, you know,
[00:13:47.160]access and availability might have
[00:13:49.200]in a student's experience with us.
[00:13:52.050]Well, I think I'll echo what you say.
[00:13:54.930]I mean, I think as the state institution,
[00:13:57.000]we're always looking to be good stewards
[00:14:00.000]of the resources bestowed upon us
[00:14:02.880]by the state and by the students.
[00:14:05.400]I can say that as we always continuously think about cost
[00:14:09.390]of attendance, the loan debt
[00:14:12.450]that the students leave the university with
[00:14:15.000]is less than the average student.
[00:14:17.190]So the affordability of an education
[00:14:20.280]and the access for that education at UNL
[00:14:22.530]is better than most places.
[00:14:25.520]That's right, that's right,
[00:14:27.200]and, you know, we are very proud of our relationship
[00:14:30.270]with agriculture and natural resources across the state,
[00:14:34.260]obviously that has been the bread
[00:14:36.450]and butter for this university since our founding,
[00:14:40.410]and that's an area for which we have no intention
[00:14:43.650]of ever abandoning.
[00:14:45.780]But I bring that up because we have 83
[00:14:49.620]or so opportunities
[00:14:51.300]and communities across the state of Nebraska
[00:14:53.670]through our extension operation
[00:14:56.460]to really get into communities
[00:14:58.770]and really work with families to work with high schools
[00:15:01.590]that are there, other educational entities that are there
[00:15:06.600]and help our students recognize that coming to Lincoln
[00:15:12.930]from other parts of the state is not this big scary concept
[00:15:16.560]for which they should not see themselves doing.
[00:15:20.610]And so I like the idea that our extension agents
[00:15:24.630]and offices are another tool in our tool belt
[00:15:28.560]to reach students
[00:15:29.760]and families who may not have access to Lincoln
[00:15:33.690]or to the university as much as I do,
[00:15:36.870]or you might have as residents,
[00:15:39.840]sort of this Lincoln, Lancaster County community.
[00:15:43.590]So if people are out in greater Nebraska
[00:15:46.620]and they see opportunities, you know, it's easy for us
[00:15:49.980]to come see you because we have a place to set up shop
[00:15:53.730]in one of our 83 extension offices across
[00:15:57.300]the state of Nebraska,
[00:15:58.320]and I just would encourage them
[00:15:59.850]to contact the agents there
[00:16:01.890]and ask for us to do whatever it is that we can do to sort
[00:16:04.560]of elevate what our institutional goals are in that regard.
[00:16:08.850]Well, gentlemen, you've both talked about
[00:16:10.440]how the university
[00:16:12.717]and this program prepares you for career readiness
[00:16:15.660]and life readiness.
[00:16:17.160]Let's step back, 'cause there's a lot
[00:16:18.390]of parents right now listening
[00:16:19.770]who either have students getting ready
[00:16:22.260]to graduate high school
[00:16:23.520]or going into high school.
[00:16:24.630]How do you prepare to go to the university for an education?
[00:16:28.440]Good question, I just went through this.
[00:16:30.720]My son was a senior, is a senior.
[00:16:31.751](Rodney and host laughing)
[00:16:32.790]He chose UNL,
[00:16:33.840]so I can speak to this from a parent's perspective.
[00:16:36.630]I think preparing your student
[00:16:37.980]for A UNL education's about engaging them
[00:16:40.020]in this process early, right?
[00:16:41.850]So as students now are entering their juniors,
[00:16:44.760]sophomore years in high schools, new seniors,
[00:16:47.340]rising seniors, they should begin
[00:16:48.960]to really think about this more and more.
[00:16:50.910]I'd encourage them to explore their interests
[00:16:52.830]and excel academically
[00:16:54.450]and get involved in extracurricular activities.
[00:16:57.270]I think additionally familiarizing themselves,
[00:17:00.117]and the families with the admissions requirements,
[00:17:03.150]all the academic programs
[00:17:04.590]and the support services on the campus
[00:17:07.230]of UNL will really help them ensure a smooth transition,
[00:17:11.070]but I think in the real short term,
[00:17:12.900]I would encourage families to really get a preview of
[00:17:16.800]what they can accomplish at UNL
[00:17:18.540]to schedule a campus visit,
[00:17:20.760]explore academic summer camps,
[00:17:22.620]and there's a lot of 'em.
[00:17:23.453]There's are some really exciting camps
[00:17:25.020]this summer on campus
[00:17:26.670]and join our mailing list,
[00:17:28.170]all that's available at admissions.unl.edu.
[00:17:32.430]Yeah.
[00:17:33.263]All right. That's awesome.
[00:17:34.096]Yeah.
[00:17:34.929]Let's round it out with some rapid fire
[00:17:36.030]because commencement is coming up as we sit here today.
[00:17:38.970]Best advice for a college graduate,
[00:17:41.040]James, what would it be?
[00:17:42.900]Best advice for a college graduate,
[00:17:44.580]I think it's to just continue learning right at the job
[00:17:48.090]you're probably gonna be doing in 20 years
[00:17:50.070]might not exist today.
[00:17:51.960]So I think (Rodney laughing) it's always important just
[00:17:54.090]to keep learning, keep networking.
[00:17:56.880]Chancellor, what about you?
[00:17:57.870]I would say follow your passion.
[00:18:00.690]Make decisions based on your passion
[00:18:03.180]and the impact that you want to have
[00:18:05.580]on the people around you
[00:18:07.290]and the communities that you are living and working in.
[00:18:10.830]And I think that when our graduates do that,
[00:18:13.020]the other considerations that are important
[00:18:15.150]to them will follow,
[00:18:17.310]but I think their lives will be much more enriched
[00:18:20.850]and fulfilled if they're working within
[00:18:23.940]their area of passion.
[00:18:26.250]All right, you heard it here first,
[00:18:27.720]then again, Chancellor Dr. Rodney Bennett
[00:18:29.760]and James Volkmer are joining us,
[00:18:31.170]he's the interim associate vice chancellor joining us
[00:18:33.660]for this segment of Chat With The Chancellor.

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KRVN Chat with the Chancellor

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