State of Our U vision fuels positive response

· 5 min read

State of Our U vision fuels positive response

Chancellor Ronnie Green delivered the annual State of Our University address on Feb. 14 at Nebraska Innovation Campus. More than 400 attended the event.
Greg Nathan | University Communication
Chancellor Ronnie Green delivered the annual State of Our University address on Feb. 14 at Nebraska Innovation Campus. More than 400 attended the event.

Chancellor Ronnie Green’s Feb. 14 State of Our University address — which featured an overview of a bold five-year strategic plan coupled with a dive into recent institution successes — earned positive responses from media and the campus community.

Faculty leaders who guided the inclusive process to create the N2025 strategic plan were featured by both the Omaha World-Herald and Lincoln Journal Star. The five-year plan outlines the first steps the university must take to reach the N150 Commission’s long-term vision for what the university should be like by its 175th year in 2044.

The N2025 strategic team included 31 members of the campus community and was led by faculty members Rick Bevins, chair and professor of psychology; Shane Farritor, professor of mechanical and materials engineering; Angela Pannier, professor of biological systems engineering; and Sue Sheridan, director of the Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools.

fact 1

The Omaha World-Herald story (above) examined Green’s call for all students to earn an experiential learning opportunity before graduation. The focus starts with the class of 2025, which begins study in the fall.

“It will change the university,” Sheridan said in the story.

fact 2

The Lincoln Journal Star story focused on the N2025 strategic plan’s central theme of “every person and every interaction matters.”

That theme was a repeated concept throughout the N150 Commission’s visioning report and elevated to support the aims, strategies, expectations and targets outlined in the N2025 plan.
Around that keystone theme are six aims that deal broadly with student success and learning, research excellence, creative activity, engagement, diversity and inclusion, and investing in students, faculty and staff.

Every aim includes a series of targets that — if achieved — will allow the university to build toward the 25 year vision of the N150 Commission.

“Staying true to this idea that every person and every interaction matters empowers us to do the big things called for in this strategic plan,” Green said in the Journal Star story.

The State of Our University address was also highlighted on TV stations KETV, KLKN, KPTM and KFXL.

The bold vision of the strategic plan resonated with faculty, staff and administrators.

Ted Carter, president of the University of Nebraska system, introduced Green to the more than 400 who attended the State of Our University address at the Nebraska Innovation Campus conference center. After the event, Carter said he was honored to be a part of the event.



Nick Pace, professor of educational administration, tweeted his excitement regarding Green’s outline of plans for $500 million in building construction and renovations. Those projects include the expansion for Nebraska Engineering, the Francis Allen Gymnastics Facility, renovation of the Nebraska East Union and C.Y. Thompson Library, addition of the Memorial Mall Veterans Tribute and replacement of Mabel Lee Hall.



The impact of Nebraska Extension — which connects with 50% of age-eligible youth in 77% of Nebraska’s 93 counties — was a key point for Dawn Lindsley, an assistant extension educator with 4-H Youth Development.



The depth and forward-thinking of the strategic plan was summed up in a post by Jessie Brophy, director of external engagement for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.



During the look back at successes in the past year, faculty and staff showed appreciation in being included in the chancellor’s address.




Leading-edge national research projects — including the Clifton Strengths Institute in the College of Business — and the university’s transition to a new, incentive-based budget model also were featured in the address.




And, a new twist that allowed deans and representatives of the university's colleges to discuss successes and future projects also was well received.



Learn more about Green’s State of Our University address and the N2025 strategic plan.

Video: 2020 State of Our University address

Recent News