Work Continues to Meet New Goals
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Pages 2-3 Pages 4-5 Pages 6-7 The inYear review www.unl.edu/scarlet 2011-2012 The monthly newspaper for faculty and staff of the University of Nebraska –Lincoln Special Edition Sept. 10, 2012 Work continues on the expansion on the east side of Memorial Stadium. When finished, the project will include research space for a new center for brain, biology and behavior. The new research space inside Memorial Stadium will be incorporated into an updated UNL campus master plan (see story below). Since approval of the master plan in 2006, UNL has started or completed 33 construction projects. Foundations in place to support momentum Building for the future This special Scarlet Year in Review edition has become an annual tradition, a celebra- tion of our successes over the past year as a university. While it’s not an unabridged Work continues to meet new goals version of all of the accomplishments made Chancellor Harvey Perlman opened the Research Retention Reputation Recruitment Perlman said he looked at recent growth by faculty, staff and students, it helps us 2011-2012 academic year with a call for fac- in those four areas and extrapolated the look at the big picture and is an impres- ulty and staff to start thinking bigger. UNL’s new goals have been divided into figures to set the 2017 benchmarks. All of sive record of achieve- In his annual State of the University these four priorities. Watch for this graphic UNL’s academic units and programs have ment and service to address Sept. 1, 2011 at the Lied Center for identifying Year in Review stories related until spring semester to establish a target to Nebraska. Performing Arts, Perlman described UNL’s to these new goals. meet each of the proposals. This past year espe- move into the Big Ten Conference as, “an “I am confident that we can achieve cially has been one of opportunity to reset the table.” To the more positions, with an average growth rate of these targets if every academic unit on cam- positioning for further than 1,000 in attendance, Perlman outlined 2.25 percent each year between now and pus is involved,” Perlman said. “We have the growth. Across cam- four, six-year goals that will help define 2017. opportunity to reset the table — to now pus we are seeing the what it means for UNL to be a member of • A six-year graduate rate of 70 percent start anew to reformulate our ambitions manifestations of physi- the new conference. Those proposals — for undergraduates. The current rate is 64 and our aspirations, to set new goals and cal growth — the new each to be reached by 2017 — are: percent. objectives, to rise to the elevated expecta- Harvey Perlman Voelte-Keegan nanosci- • Increase enrollment by 20 percent, to • Total research expenditures of $300 tions in which we have been draped, to take ence building adjacent 30,000 students. Enrollment in recent years million. advantage of the opportunities to lie ahead, to Jorgensen Hall; new student housing has grown to nearly 25,000. • Double the number of faculty receiv- to learn from but also to lead our new peers, under construction; and the new East • Increase to 1,300 tenure track faculty ing national recognition and awards for to demonstrate that while we are in a new Stadium expansion that will house a nation- positions. That translates to an added 160 research and creative activity. place, there is still no place like Nebraska.” ally prominent research initiative known as the Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior. Through this center, UNL is leading an important national initiative to study head Success leads to new master plan Campus construction injuries in sports. Since 2006, the UNL master plan has helped guide the completion or start In addition, we are beginning con- UNL is updating its master plan start of 33 construction projects. of 33 campus construction projects. Those projects include: struction this fall on the core facilities at and creating a landscape master The new master plan will Nebraska Innovation Campus, the new • Jorgensen Hall • Henricks Training Complex plan due to construction successes, include identifying building sites, “launching pad” for marketable innova- • Nanoscience Metrology Facility • Abel-Sandoz welcome center property shifts, and the new set of mapping vehicle circulation (with tions. As you may recall, a $25 million • Whittier renovation • Lied Center addition goals to grow enrollment, faculty new data from the nearly complete investment by Nebraska’s Legislature and • Schorr Center for Computer • Outdoor Adventures Center hires and research funding. Antelope Valley Project) and an in- the governor has fueled $80 million from Science Engineering • East Campus Rec Center The current UNL Master Plan depth space study to see how UNL private and public investments in the Phase • Gaughan Multicultural Center • Morrison Virology Center was approved in 2006 and has will accommodate more students, I development. • Knoll Residence Hall • International Quilt Study Center played a role in the completion or faculty and staff. If you look across the Lincoln landscape, • Temple Building addition and Museum the ‘crane farm’ of construction surround- ing campus is a strong indicator of Lincoln’s momentum, and that can only enhance UNL’s opportunities for growth. UNL awarded a record 2,787 degrees in May http://go.unl.edu/spring2012 The new Pinnacle Bank Arena in the Haymarket, and the nearly completed Antelope Valley project, with new land Equal coverage domestic partners New method gauges reclaimed from the flood plain plus more hiker-biker trails and recreational oppor- Regents approve research productivity tunities near campus, add up to a more vibrant city and campus. UNL officials have started to look at “Go Big Red” is much more than an ath- ‘Plus-One’ benefit research funding totals from a new a perspec- letic rally cry. It summarizes our academic In November, University of Nebraska tive — one used by fellow Big Ten universi- momentum, our growing role in the Big Ten employees will be able to sign up domestic ties. and its academic arm, the Committee on partners for health insurance and other In his Sept. 1, Institutional Cooperation, and our commit- benefits. 2011 State of the ment to reaching our goals as a Big Ten On June 8, the NU Board of Regents — University Address, university. on a 5-3 vote — approved the “employee Chancellor Harvey Over the past year, not only have we built plus one” proposal that extends benefits Perlman set a goal some remarkable physical structures, we eligibility to an “adult designee”+1 who shares to increase UNL’s For more on research have also laid the foundation for UNL to be an employee’s household. The employee annual research at UNL, turn to Page 6. a better, stronger university. and adult designee must be financially inter- expenditures to I anticipate the achievement of many dependent. Family coverage would include $300 million. In notable milestones in the year ahead as the adult designee and their dependent previous years, UNL has used total grant dol- we take advantage of our year of building children. lars earned annually to gauge the strength of foundations. All NU benefits are included in the campus research. Thanks for your commitment to continu- coverage. The expenditures approach showcases the ing to make this university one of the best “We believe this is appropriate for posi- productivity of research at UNL rather than public universities in the nation. tioning the university competitively,” said just award totals. This new standard is also James B. Milliken, NU president. “I also used by Big Ten partners and the National think it is absolutely the right thing to do for Science Foundation. our employees.” Because of the complex nature of the fig- Harvey Perlman UNL was the only Big Ten university that ures, the totals reported usually lag one year Chancellor did not offer benefits to domestic partners. behind. UNL’s most recent annual research http://go.unl.edu/2mq expenditure figure is $191.3 million in 2010. 2| Monday, Sept. 10, 2012 Scarlet | The Year in review Monday, Sept. 10, 2012 | 3 Water for Food Institute, UN group sign partnership Research Retention Reputation Recruitment The University of Nebraska’s Robert B. to tap into these resources will be highly ing programs, development of risk-based Daugherty Water for Food Institute has gained beneficial for the university and Nebraska.” drought preparedness strategies and pol- Students work to preserve history of North Omaha a partner to assist with research and education Areas of focus in the partner- icies, and stronger drought warning hey arrived with Tuskegee Airmen memorabilia, the state’s railroad history. efforts in water and food security. ship include: systems to better cope with water homesteading papers, a cup used by a slave, and The idea for the event grew out of a desire to In early July, NU President James B. Milliken • Sustainably increasing crop scarcity in a changing climate. several photographs depicting the jazz scene. They give students more hands-on experience, said Patrick signed a memorandum of understanding with yields and water productivity • Improving sustainable pro- Fourth Water for Food brought their treasures and their stories related to Jones, associate professor of history and ethnic studies. the Food and Agriculture Organization of the using mapping, modeling and duction under drought, stress and conference ends with African-American history to learn more about them Students get the chance to handle artifacts, conduct United Nations. The signing ceremony was in information systems such as the water-limited conditions through call to “think big.’ from UNL historians and contribute to an innovative interviews and photograph or scan items for a web- Rome, Italy, where FAO is headquartered.