Following open forums the week of June 5, University of Nebraska-Lincoln students, faculty, staff and stakeholders are encouraged to submit their feedback on the candidacy of Rodney D. Bennett, the priority candidate to serve as chancellor.
Feedback is being accepted through June 21.
Bennett was named on May 22 as the priority candidate for chancellor by Ted Carter, president of the University of Nebraska system. His candidacy is now undergoing a 30-day public vetting period as required by state law. The vetting period gives the university community an opportunity to learn more about Bennett and his vision and submit feedback to Carter.
If, at the end of the 30-day period, Carter deems appropriate, Carter will bring Bennett’s appointment to the Board of Regents for consideration. If approved, Bennett would begin as chancellor on July 1.
Bennett’s campus visit included almost 20 open forums, matched by additional meetings with faculty, staff and administrative leadership, donors, business and agricultural leaders, community members and others. In all, Carter said, more than 1,400 members of the community were able to engage with Bennett in-person or virtually.
“I’m pleased that so many Nebraskans got to meet Dr. Bennett and hear about his ambitious vision for bringing our flagship university to its next level of excellence,” Carter said. “The fact that our community took time to be part of this search process shows how deeply they care about our university and the people who lead it. I hope they came away from these forums as impressed as I am with Rodney’s leadership, his track record and his exciting plans for UNL.
“Feedback from the UNL community will be invaluable to me in the days ahead. We hope to hear from as many Nebraskans as possible as we chart the path forward.”
Bennett most recently served for nearly a decade as president of the University of Southern Mississippi, where he improved student outcomes, elevated the research enterprise and stabilized the budget, among other achievements. Prior to that, he held leadership roles at the University of Georgia and Middle Tennessee State University, his alma mater.
Bennett’s selection as priority candidate followed a national search, guided by a 17-member search advisory committee chaired by Tiffany Heng-Moss, dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
