University of Nebraska President Hank Bounds issued the following message to University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty and staff on Aug. 31.

Dear Colleagues:

I hope you had a wonderful summer and that the new academic year is off to a successful start. Since many of you may have been traveling or pursuing other activities over the past few months, I wanted to provide you with an update on our search for the next UNL chancellor. In particular, I’d like to draw your attention to opportunities to participate in this critical search for UNL and the University of Nebraska.

In July, I announced the selection of Isaacson, Miller, a leading executive search firm, to assist me in the search. Isaacson, Miller has partnered with the University of Nebraska on previous senior administrative searches and has developed a keen knowledge of and appreciation for our state and university. I’m confident the firm will be a great asset in helping to find the right person who can build on the impressive momentum that Chancellor Perlman, together with all of you, has built.

Isaacson, Miller will work with a 24-member search advisory committee whose members I announced this month to identify, recruit and screen potential candidates. The advisory committee includes representatives of the faculty, staff, administration, student body, private sector and agricultural community – all key constituencies with whom the UNL chancellor regularly interacts. I am grateful to the committee members for their willingness to serve in this important role.

Isaacson, Miller also will help develop a job description and candidate profile which will be informed by stakeholder feedback that we are soliciting now. I invite each of you to share your thoughts on the chancellor search by completing a survey here. The survey asks what you hope the next chancellor will accomplish; how you will know in the next three to five years that the right person was hired; what you feel are the key issues, challenges and opportunities facing UNL; and what experiences, skills and personal attributes you think the next chancellor should have. This is an incredibly important part of the search process and I hope you will take a few moments to complete the survey.

Additionally, I invite you to engage with the Isaacson, Miller team during an open forum at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 10 in the auditorium of the Nebraska Union to explore these and other questions in greater depth. All faculty, staff, students and interested members of the public are welcome to attend.

It is my priority to find the right person who can keep UNL on its upward trajectory. The work you are doing daily to serve students and people in Nebraska and around the world is a key reason for our momentum. You can always find the latest news about the chancellor search on the University of Nebraska website, and I will continue to update you periodically as the search progresses. In the meantime, I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Thank you for all you do for the University of Nebraska.

Sincerely,

Hank