Ronnie Green Named UNL Chancellor

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04/06/2016 Added

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At a news conference at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on April 6, 2016, NU President Hank Bounds announces Ronnie Green as the 20th Chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

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[00:00:03.052]Welcome everyone.
[00:00:05.561]Glad to see so many members
[00:00:08.193]of the University community here.
[00:00:10.518]It's certainly a great day for UNL.
[00:00:14.380]This process began almost a year
[00:00:16.533]I guess a little more than a year ago
[00:00:17.878]when Chancellor Pearlman announced
[00:00:20.139]that he would be retiring at the end of this academic year.
[00:00:25.100]It's an exciting time
[00:00:26.261]because UNL is on the right trajectory.
[00:00:32.000]We're really moving in a very positive way
[00:00:36.833]and I'm excited about where we are.
[00:00:38.380]So lots of people have said
[00:00:40.513]"Well this sure has taken a long time."
[00:00:44.300]But we had to make certain we selected the right person
[00:00:49.120]that could come in
[00:00:51.137]at a really special point
[00:00:52.917]in the history of this institution
[00:00:54.476]and move it forward.
[00:00:56.001]And so we spent a good bit of time.
[00:00:58.838]We had lots of people helping.
[00:01:01.676]I'd like to personally thank the members
[00:01:04.257]of the Chancellor Search Advisory committee.
[00:01:08.417]If those people are in here
[00:01:09.516]could you just wave your hand
[00:01:11.318]and let us see who you are.
[00:01:13.035]Chris, I see you in the back, wave your hand.
[00:01:14.825]Thanks to all of you.
[00:01:16.693]A special thank you to Sue Sheridan
[00:01:19.232]who chaired the committee.
[00:01:22.539]Thanks to the many Nebraskans
[00:01:26.220]the many faculty, staff, and students
[00:01:27.915]who have participated
[00:01:29.622]along the way in this process.
[00:01:32.577]Leadership matters.
[00:01:33.996]I think we've taken the time necessary.
[00:01:37.696]We selected the right person.
[00:01:40.437]I'm excited to announce who the next Chancellor is.
[00:01:43.254]But before I do that I'd like to ask Sue to come forward
[00:01:45.419]and just say, make some quick remarks.
[00:01:48.620]Sue?
[00:01:52.118]Thank you President Bounds.
[00:01:55.073]This is a very exciting day indeed.
[00:01:57.280]I was very honored
[00:01:59.222]when invited to serve as the chair
[00:02:02.113]of the advisory committee
[00:02:04.716]because I knew what a big undertaking
[00:02:06.657]and important task this would be
[00:02:08.300]for our University.
[00:02:09.921]I was very honored to help represent the faculty
[00:02:12.300]and lead a very talented group of stake holders
[00:02:14.657]in this process.
[00:02:16.693]In talking with all of the candidates that came to campus
[00:02:19.318]it was clear that they recognized
[00:02:21.078]the exceptional opportunity
[00:02:22.934]that this position affords.
[00:02:25.174]People both within and outside of UNL
[00:02:28.022]across the state
[00:02:29.036]and across the country
[00:02:30.293]can see our momentum
[00:02:31.584]and are excited to be a part of it.
[00:02:34.432]I'll add my thanks to Chancellor Pearlman
[00:02:36.417]who's leadership has been an important part
[00:02:38.219]of that momentum.
[00:02:40.438]The search committee brought together
[00:02:41.622]many unique perspectives.
[00:02:43.361]Many interesting ideas.
[00:02:45.355]And I want to echo President Bounds' appreciation
[00:02:47.553]for their service.
[00:02:49.217]Serving on the search committee
[00:02:50.453]was a very significant time commitment
[00:02:52.662]and these individuals approached this very important task
[00:02:55.275]with responsibility
[00:02:57.036]thoughtfulness
[00:02:58.017]dedication
[00:02:59.041]and a keen focus on what is best for UNL
[00:03:01.877]and our collective future.
[00:03:04.299]It's very clear to me
[00:03:05.761]and the entire committee
[00:03:07.253]that the individual who emerged from this process
[00:03:10.198]has an impressive resume
[00:03:11.573]and an inspirational vision
[00:03:13.356]for our future.
[00:03:15.073]We're very excited to have this person on board
[00:03:17.622]and we look forward to their leadership.
[00:03:20.940]We're especially excited about the ability to work
[00:03:23.115]with this next leader
[00:03:24.576]shoulder to shoulder
[00:03:25.836]to move the University forward.
[00:03:28.193]I trust that my colleagues across UNL
[00:03:30.241]are as excited about this selection as we are.
[00:03:33.152]So thank you again
[00:03:34.337]to everyone for participating
[00:03:35.733]and engaging in this very important process.
[00:03:38.561]It's been an honor
[00:03:39.712]serving in this capacity.
[00:03:41.718]And I'll turn it back over to President Bounds.
[00:03:44.801]Thank you Sue.
[00:03:49.313]So without further ado
[00:03:51.340]I'd like to introduce the next Chancellor
[00:03:54.497]of The University of Nebraska Lincoln.
[00:03:56.556]Dr. Ronnie Green.
[00:03:57.952](applause)
[00:04:06.219]Ronnie.
[00:04:24.437]Ronnie has served UNL since 2010
[00:04:26.614]in the role of Vice President
[00:04:27.777]for Agriculture and Natural Resources
[00:04:30.017]and Vice Chancellor
[00:04:31.318]of The Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
[00:04:34.220]Since last year, he has also held the title
[00:04:37.441]of Interim Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.
[00:04:41.100]In his time here he's done great things for UNL.
[00:04:44.214]Impressive momentum at INR.
[00:04:46.837]Strong connections with students
[00:04:48.917]faculty, staff, donors, policy makers
[00:04:52.577]farmers and ranchers and many others.
[00:04:55.840]That he is held in high regard
[00:04:57.515]was confirmed to me by the stake holders feedback
[00:05:00.672]I received in the weeks following his campus
[00:05:03.180]and by the generous applause
[00:05:04.502]that you just provided him.
[00:05:06.742]Ronnie is certainly well positioned to lead UNL.
[00:05:11.596]I am delighted
[00:05:13.121]that Ronnie's wife, Jane
[00:05:15.041]and their four children could be here today
[00:05:16.780]for this special announcement.
[00:05:18.902]So at this time
[00:05:20.780]let me once again introduce you
[00:05:22.774]to your next Chancellor, Ronnie Green.
[00:05:25.633]Congratulations Ronnie.
[00:05:26.636](applause)
[00:05:44.758]Well, you know it's ...
[00:05:46.998]When you have moments in your life like this
[00:05:49.996]you try to anticipate what the words are going to be
[00:05:53.120]in your mind and in your heart
[00:05:55.659]when they happen.
[00:05:57.878]And I've tried to think over the last several days
[00:06:00.342]as we've led up to today
[00:06:02.518]what those words would be.
[00:06:04.598]It's kind of like most things in life.
[00:06:07.456]You don't really know until you get there.
[00:06:10.678]So in the last hour
[00:06:11.798]spending time with our family in the back
[00:06:15.073]the words that come to mind for me are
[00:06:17.420]eager, excited, energized, enthused.
[00:06:21.441]Gratitude, blessed
[00:06:23.862]thankful.
[00:06:25.697]And that there is huge momentum
[00:06:28.054]at this University that lies ahead.
[00:06:31.413]I want to first thank Hank
[00:06:33.676]President Bounds
[00:06:34.902]for his confidence in appointing me to this position.
[00:06:38.540]And for the Board of Regents and their confidence
[00:06:40.939]as we move forward
[00:06:42.497]here at The University of Nebraska Lincoln.
[00:06:44.598]I'm looking forward to working with Hank
[00:06:47.094]and my fellow Chancellors
[00:06:49.078]on the other campuses
[00:06:50.817]to furthur our mission
[00:06:52.300]and build this University in the future.
[00:06:55.361]I want to just start by thanking Harvey Pearlman
[00:06:59.574]our outgoing Chancellor
[00:07:01.355]who, as you know has served this University
[00:07:03.734]over 16 years in that role.
[00:07:06.636]And what you may not know
[00:07:08.940]is that he has been in Lincoln, Nebraska
[00:07:11.756]at The University of Nebraska Lincoln
[00:07:14.517]since 1959
[00:07:17.259]when he came here as a student.
[00:07:19.574]And all but a few years of that time
[00:07:22.017]he was here in Lincoln.
[00:07:23.094]He went off to my home state of Virginia for a few years
[00:07:25.461]to The University of Virginia.
[00:07:28.022]Harvey has had a huge impact on this campus.
[00:07:31.253]We can't even measure
[00:07:32.620]what his leadership has meant.
[00:07:34.401]And I ask you to give him a round of applause
[00:07:37.057]for a wonderful leadership.
[00:07:38.133](applause)
[00:07:48.033]The University of Nebraska Lincoln
[00:07:49.654]is a fundamentally good Land Grant University.
[00:07:54.700]We're known around the world
[00:07:56.396]in a number of areas of strength.
[00:07:58.774]This is a omprehensive research University
[00:08:01.302]that is a top 50
[00:08:02.774]public research University.
[00:08:05.473]But
[00:08:07.019]by belief is
[00:08:08.694]and as I peer out into the next decade ahead
[00:08:12.577]and we think about reaching the quarter century mark
[00:08:15.340]now in this 21st century
[00:08:17.676]that our best days are ahead of this University.
[00:08:21.782]I tried to think of an analogy to use
[00:08:24.353]and some of you that know me well
[00:08:25.782]know that I love music.
[00:08:27.681]And I like to sing.
[00:08:29.580]I don't know if I'll become the singing Chancellor or not
[00:08:32.000]but just to forewarn you.
[00:08:33.557](laughing)
[00:08:35.233]But I thought of this song in Les Miserables
[00:08:40.556]that my daughter Kelly and I got to perform it
[00:08:42.657]a number of years ago
[00:08:44.257]called I Dreamed a Dream.
[00:08:46.220]Remember that song
[00:08:46.977]that Susan Boyle made so famous a few years ago?
[00:08:50.859]From out of nowhere, this Scottish singer.
[00:08:54.582]And when we dream a dream
[00:08:56.673]about this University
[00:08:58.156]and we dream where we can head
[00:09:00.481]and what the possibilities are ahead for us
[00:09:03.392]more students
[00:09:04.438]I talked about that in the campus visit at some length.
[00:09:07.521]We're going to be a bigger University in the next ten years.
[00:09:10.102]We're going to serve more students
[00:09:12.236]and more needed students.
[00:09:13.900]We're going to do that more effectively.
[00:09:16.299]We're going to graduate them faster
[00:09:18.262]and get them out into the work force faster.
[00:09:21.301]And we're going to become not only a member of the Big Ten
[00:09:24.801]which was a huge accomplishment
[00:09:27.073]of the last five or six years of this University
[00:09:30.220]but we're going to become a distinctive member
[00:09:33.302]of the Big Ten conference.
[00:09:34.817]Distinctive in ways that matter to Nebraskans.
[00:09:37.942]Distinctive in ways that lead the world
[00:09:40.641]in areas that matter to Nebraskans.
[00:09:42.934]In research and creative actvity.
[00:09:45.121]In education and translating that out to the public.
[00:09:47.873]That's what a Land Grant University does.
[00:09:50.774]Like we are.
[00:09:52.235]So our best days are ahead of us
[00:09:54.742]and what I would ask you to do
[00:09:56.961]is I would ask our UNL global family
[00:09:59.797]to roll up our sleeves
[00:10:01.836]to work hard like Nebraskans do
[00:10:04.779]so that we can grow this place
[00:10:06.699]we can make it flourish
[00:10:08.054]we can make it thrive
[00:10:09.676]and instead of when people fly over Nebraska
[00:10:13.078]they think of us as a fly-over place
[00:10:15.840]the light that is here
[00:10:17.601]that the world knows what we're doing
[00:10:19.776]will draw people here.
[00:10:21.793]And it will be a distinctive University
[00:10:23.841]that we will serve the state through.
[00:10:26.753]Again Hank, thank you so much for the opportunity.
[00:10:30.379]I'm so glad my family is able to be here today.
[00:10:33.601]We scrambled to get our oldest son Justin here
[00:10:35.980]from D.C early this morning.
[00:10:38.656]So you will get a chance to meet them.
[00:10:41.121]We are very proud of the fact
[00:10:43.020]that we're now working on our 14th UNL degree
[00:10:46.614]in our family.
[00:10:47.520](laughing)
[00:10:48.300]So hopefully that tells you
[00:10:50.475]how much we value this place
[00:10:53.014]how proud we are to be in Nebraska.
[00:10:55.574]There is indeed no place like Nebraska.
[00:10:58.934]Go Big Red!
[00:11:00.161](applause)
[00:11:10.796]Now, we would welcome a few questions
[00:11:12.832]from the audience or from the media here
[00:11:16.875]for the next few minutes.
[00:11:17.974]So is there a question that we might address from the crowd?
[00:11:21.814]Yes?
[00:11:22.860]Congratulations first of all.
[00:11:24.662]My name's Owen Jensen
[00:11:26.262]with 10/11 News here in Lincoln.
[00:11:27.916]What's the biggest challenge
[00:11:28.716]you see facing the University right now
[00:11:30.337]and how do you plan to tackle that?
[00:11:32.598]Well I think the biggest
[00:11:34.454]we have several big challenges
[00:11:36.673]in the goals ahead for the University.
[00:11:39.414]The enrollment growth goal is a big challenge
[00:11:41.622]that we're tackling as we speak.
[00:11:45.121]Raising the research stature
[00:11:46.593]of The University of Nebraska Lincoln
[00:11:48.961]into that next tier of great Universities.
[00:11:51.979]I mentioned that we're a top 50
[00:11:53.632]public research comprehensive University today.
[00:11:57.761]I would like to see us in the decade ahead
[00:12:00.598]move into that top 35.
[00:12:02.753]Potentially top 25.
[00:12:04.534]Together with UNMC
[00:12:06.294]type of comprehensive research University.
[00:12:09.313]So there's a great challenge for us
[00:12:12.673]as we identify those areas
[00:12:14.337]that we're going to build upon.
[00:12:16.192]And new areas that we have yet to build
[00:12:18.421]that are of importance to us.
[00:12:20.257]So those would be the two key things I would point out.
[00:12:23.180]And then of course
[00:12:24.833]no great place is going to be lead without a great team.
[00:12:28.598]It's going to take a team of people
[00:12:30.741]to lead this University forward.
[00:12:32.716]We're very fortunate to have a lot of very good people
[00:12:35.596]at this University already.
[00:12:37.493]But we've got to build a senior leadership team.
[00:12:40.982]President mentioned that I've been serving
[00:12:42.678]in two of the Senior Academic roles for the University
[00:12:46.134]this last year.
[00:12:47.894]Now we will begin working immediately
[00:12:50.294]as we speak
[00:12:51.681]to fill both of those Vice Chancellor roles
[00:12:54.337]for Academic Affairs
[00:12:55.595]and the Institute of Ag and Natural Resources.
[00:12:58.102]That will be a big task ahead of us
[00:13:00.353]because we want the dream team here
[00:13:03.061]to come lead the University forward.
[00:13:08.321]If I could follow up.
[00:13:09.302]You mentioned you want to graduate students faster.
[00:13:11.958]Student debt is a big problem as everyone knows.
[00:13:14.540]What's a way that can be done?
[00:13:16.342]You gonna get them out in three and a half years?
[00:13:17.836]Well during the campus visits about a month ago
[00:13:20.673]we talked a lot about this.
[00:13:22.700]The current six year graduation rate for UNL
[00:13:26.540]is into the high 60 percents
[00:13:28.502]of first time freshmen that enroll
[00:13:30.272]that graduate from UNL within six years.
[00:13:33.196]Much higher percentage of those students
[00:13:34.881]graduate from a University than that.
[00:13:37.676]But from UNL, 67 percent.
[00:13:40.577]I would like to see that number be 80 percent in four years.
[00:13:44.993]And that we can do that I believe.
[00:13:47.253]We can do that
[00:13:48.236]through the way that we deliver the curriculum
[00:13:50.860]and the way we advise students
[00:13:52.694]that requires you to take 15 credits per semester.
[00:13:57.153]2x15x4=120
[00:14:01.121]The Commit to Complete program
[00:14:02.593]the University system has just launched
[00:14:04.534]as you heard our President
[00:14:05.537]talk about in the last few weeks.
[00:14:09.036]The first approach is to really get students done on time.
[00:14:14.017]Every additional semester that a student spends in school
[00:14:17.515]adds to that debt.
[00:14:19.041]Or adds to that total cost.
[00:14:20.876]So we'll be working very hard
[00:14:22.934]on that metric alone
[00:14:25.313]in the coming years ahead.
[00:14:31.254]Additional questions, yes sir?
[00:14:32.780]What priority will you put on
[00:14:35.414]I guess hiring females and minorities?
[00:14:39.232]So the question was
[00:14:40.661]what priority will be placed on hiring female faculty
[00:14:44.502]female staff
[00:14:46.293]diverse faculty and staff, I might add to that.
[00:14:49.302]In addition.
[00:14:49.900]In addition?
[00:14:51.712]So we certainly are attentive
[00:14:55.980]to the need to diversify our faculty and staff
[00:14:58.742]as well as our students.
[00:15:00.620]If you look at our current ratio on gender and faculty
[00:15:04.620]or you look at our current ratios on minority
[00:15:07.841]or under-represented minorities in our faculty
[00:15:10.038]we're not where we want to be.
[00:15:12.214]We want to increase those numbers substantially
[00:15:14.752]to better reflect the population that is out there
[00:15:17.814]and we'll be placing emphasis
[00:15:19.339]increased emphasis on that in our hiring processes
[00:15:22.614]and our search processes
[00:15:24.257]to attract that higher level of talent
[00:15:26.934]for both women
[00:15:28.417]gender and minorities.
[00:15:31.158]May I ask
[00:15:32.013]how did you find out you got the job?
[00:15:34.380]What was your gut reaction when you heard it?
[00:15:37.835]Was it a phone call?
[00:15:38.273]Did someone show up at your house?
[00:15:39.820](laughing)
[00:15:43.276]Push notification?
[00:15:44.513]The President and I have been in discussion
[00:15:45.878]for some time
[00:15:47.915]about the position.
[00:15:50.262]And I'll just leave it at that.
[00:15:52.897]We've been talking for the last couple of weeks.
[00:15:56.320]And it's been a very good conversation.
[00:16:00.001]The hand-shake I guess you would call it
[00:16:04.193]was in a meeting with Hank and I recently.
[00:16:08.672]Not by email.
[00:16:10.497]Not by text.
[00:16:11.862]Not by phone.
[00:16:12.672](laughing)
[00:16:14.017]Got it?
[00:16:15.094]Thank you.
[00:16:16.396]It was in a very good meeting with the President.
[00:16:21.761]Additional questions?
[00:16:22.752]I know that we're anxious to talk to all of you
[00:16:26.219]so we wanted to be able to talk to all of you
[00:16:28.801]or as many of you as we can before you leave today.
[00:16:32.640]I'll just again say what a privilege
[00:16:35.233]and an honor
[00:16:36.502]that it is to serve this institution.
[00:16:39.275]We look forward to the great days ahead
[00:16:42.560]and I'm gonna need every one of you
[00:16:45.355]pulling on the team with us
[00:16:46.796]and I know that will happen.
[00:16:48.502]Thank you for the opportunity.
[00:16:49.760](applause)
[00:16:59.872]So thanks again for being here.
[00:17:02.198]Ronnie and his family will
[00:17:04.213]be at the front of the room.
[00:17:05.056]I know many of you will want to stop by and say hello.
[00:17:08.897]There are members of the media
[00:17:10.454]that would like to
[00:17:12.460]conduct individual interviews.
[00:17:15.158]Ronnie, I assume you'll make yourself available.
[00:17:17.557]Thank you all for coming.
[00:17:20.993]Exactly.
[00:17:21.654]Oh, there you are.
[00:17:23.297]Congratulations.
[00:17:26.721](crowd chatting)

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Ronnie Green Named UNL Chancellor

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