Moberly named interim executive vice chancellor

Craig Chandler | University Communication

Richard Moberly shares a light-hearted moment with students in the University of Nebraska College of Law. Moberly, who has served as dean of the college since April 2017, has been named interim executive vice chancellor for the university.

Richard Moberly, dean of the University of Nebraska College of Law, has been named interim executive vice chancellor at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Chancellor Ronnie Green announced the appointment May 2. Moberly is replacing Donde Plowman who was named chancellor of the University of Tennessee on April 26. Moberly will assume the role of the executive vice chancellor on June 1.

“Richard is widely respected on campus and across higher education,” Green said. “He understands our university and is an experienced and decisive leader. I’m excited that Richard has agreed to step into this role because I know he’s going to do a great job.”

Moberly, who is the Richard C. and Catherine S. Schmoker Professor of Law, has taught at Nebraska since 2004 and was named dean in April 2017. He has also served the college as interim dean and associate dean.

“I am looking forward to working with Chancellor Green, my fellow deans and the terrific staff in academic affairs to continue the momentum of the university during the search for a new EVC,” Moberly said. “Of course, I will miss being at the College of Law every day, but I know it is in great hands. I look forward to returning to my role when a permanent EVC is on board.”

Anna W. Shavers (second from left) will serve as acting dean of Nebraska Law while Richard Moberly works as the university's interim executive vice chancellor.

Anna W. Shavers will serve as acting dean of law while Moberly is the university’s chief academic officer. Shavers is the Cline Williams Professor of Citizenship Law and associate dean for diversity and inclusion for the college. She joined Nebraska Law faculty in 1989.

As part of the interim transition, oversight of the Office of Research and Economic Development, Student Affairs, and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion will shift to the chancellor.

Nebraska’s executive vice chancellor reports directly to the chancellor and is the responsible authority in the absence of the chancellor. The post directs the university’s academic enterprise and oversees the university’s nine colleges, graduate studies and the University Libraries.

Richard Moberly, show here with Herbie Husker, has served on the Nebraska Law faculty since 2004.

In addition to teaching evidence and employment law courses, Moberly is an active scholar who researches issues related to whistleblowing and the law of secrecy. He has published numerous articles and book chapters on whistleblowing, including research on national security whistleblowers and codes of ethics, as well as an empirical study of Sarbanes-Oxley retaliation claims.

He has testified before the U.S. House of Representatives, spoken internationally on whistleblower protection, and also co-edited The International Handbook on Whistleblower Research (2014). The U.S. Secretary of Labor has twice appointed Moberly to the Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Upperclass law students have voted Moberly “Professor of the Year” twice and he has also won the College Award for Distinguished Teaching. In 2014, the College of Law Alumni Council presented him with the Distinguished Faculty Award. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review.