Read the full article on KETV 7
Nebraska Athletics discusses ‘Big Red Rebuild’ following approval from Board of Regents
Morning, uh, members of the Board of Regents, colleagues and guests. As always, it is my privilege to address this board and all who have joined today, uh, remotely. I’d like to begin my remarks by recognizing and expressing my sincere appreciation for individuals whose service and leadership continue to move the university forward. Each year we have incredible student regions who offer their time, their attention, and their expertise to this governing board and to their campuses. This year’s group is truly exceptional. And I’d like to begin my remarks today by formally thanking Regent Schroeder, Regent Wilkins, Regent Calamari, and Regent Lacey for their work this year and their support of our university. Good luck to each of you as you enter the next chapter uh of your careers and your lives. I’d also like to take *** few minutes to recognize two exceptional leaders whose permanent positions will be formally taken up by the board today. Doctor Tiffany Hang Moss and Doctor David Jackson have served our university as faculty, as campus leaders, and now as key system leaders. Doctor Jackson began his work at the university 36 years ago. Sorry, David, for counting the numbers. That would be 1989. His journey began with UNL’s Department of Food Science and Technology where he started his career as *** serial chemist. In the years since, he has held research, teaching, and extension appointments and has held *** number of leadership roles including interim head of the Department of Food Science and Technology, associate Dean in the agricultural Research Division, interim provost, and today pending board approval, our assistant provost and executive vice president. Dr. Hang Moss began her time with our university 25 years ago in 2001. As an entomologist by training, she too has held research and teaching appointments and has served as associate interim and most recently permanent dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. And since June 1st, she has served as the interim vice chancellor and vice president for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Both of these individuals have cultivated deep relationships across the agriculture and natural resources sectors, including key partnerships with the ag builders of Nebraska, Ag 40, Nebraska Cattlemen, and many other important groups supporting the agricultural economy and the future of the ag economy of our state. Last month in Kearney. We celebrated another university leader uh with the investiture of Doctor Neil Schnor as chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Carney. Since his selection as the chancellor, Doctor Schnor has demonstrated incredible commitment to the Carney campus, the surrounding community, and the entire region that UNK serves. His investiture represents *** truly new era of vibrancy for UNK. One with fresh vision, new opportunities, and broad impact. Chancellor Schnoor, let me once again say congratulations and thank you for your energy, your commitment, and your vision that you bring to this role. I’d also like to extend my thanks to General Rick Evans, who leads the National Strategic Research Institute, which we heard from earlier today, an increasingly important partner in promoting national security. As General Evans shared in his remarks, NSRI is *** trusted partner of our military and was recently identified as *** preferred contractor, which we can now receive up to $500 million. If you do the math, that’s half *** billion dollars in new federal contracts over the next decade. This speaks to the quality of NSRI’s previous work to which the faculty from across this university has significantly contributed. Thank you, General Evans, and congratulations on this honor. I would also like to take *** few minutes to uh thank the governor’s office and their team, the state legislatures and their staff. We have worked hard with them through *** series of very difficult decisions during this recently ended legislative session. Although we did lose critically important millions of dollars of biomedical research funding. That primes the engine for tens of millions of dollars more of sustained federal extramural grants and contracts we were able to preserve our mainline state biennial budget which will hopefully be able to restore those funds and other critical aspects of state funding to the university in the upcoming, uh, biennial legislative session. Later today, this board will consider major renovations to UNL’s Memorial Stadium. Memorial Stadium is of course iconic in Nebraska and in all of college athletics, and this project, which we are calling Big Red Rebuild, is ambitious and strategic. The Big Red Rebuild project is *** fan-driven once in *** multi-generational investment that modernizes Memorial Stadium while preserving its legacy. Ensuring that it remains *** premier destination for college athletics and other year-round events such as tomorrow night’s concert. This project also has intended goals to strengthen Nebraska’s ability to attract top flight student athletes, compete at the highest level, and generate even more significant economic impact across the city, the region, and the state. I want to emphasize that the big red rebuild, as it is on the agenda later today, will deliver these long term benefits without relying on taxpayer or tuition generated funds and will serve to better support key aspects of our UNL athletic programs at an increasingly competitive time. The board will also consider other important projects too, including renovations to the Student Activity and Success Center, uh, at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, the Elephant Hall, uh, at Morrell Hall at UNL, the Bach, uh, Museum and Learning Center at UNO. These are important spaces on our campuses, places where students will or do gather, where learning extends beyond the classroom and where community is built. Ensuring these spaces remain vibrant and functional is critical to maintaining our shared experiences that define our university. The board will also consider *** new project, the Infectious Diseases Air Transport Training Facility, better known as the IDA at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. This is the first of its kind in the nation. This completely federally funded facility on the UNMC campus will support specialized training for safety, transporting and caring for patients with high consequent infectious disease. It builds upon UNMC and Nebraska Medicine’s national leadership in this area of national safety and its longstanding partnership with the United States Department of War and other federal agencies. I know that, uh, Colonel Elizabeth Schnabelt is with us today. Uh, colonel, if you don’t mind standing, I would like to thank you. Uh, Colonel Schnabelt leads the Air Force CSTARs Omaha program at UNMC and thank you for your vision in helping to establish the proposed, uh, IDA program as well as for your service to our nation. These facilities are part of who we are but what and as well as what we can be as *** university, but even the best facilities do not define *** university or drive impact. It is the people and the programs behind them that do that. So as I end my remarks, I’d like to provide *** few updates on these important campus programs. Earlier this month, Secretary Linda McMahon of the United States Department of Education was here in Lincoln. During her time to our campus visit with Governor Pille, the governor signed *** proclamation celebrating the long awaited and historic combined accreditation of UNL and UNMC, *** major step forward for our university system. All of Nebraska, and even more so for our current and future faculty, staff, and students. This is truly historic and *** transformational time. I’d like to take this opportunity to once more thank our Regents, our faculty, staff, and students who participated in this process. I’d like to thank the Higher Learning Commission and the United States Department of Education team for their hard work to make this happen, and particularly kudos to Doctor David Jackson for helping to accomplish this transition. At UNMC there’s also *** new partnership with the United States Department of Health and Human Services and the United States Department of Education that is expanding nutrition education nationally within our medical curriculum, an important step in preparing future physicians to better address disease prevention and long-term health through evidence-based care. I recently had the honor to travel to our nation’s capital to provide the keynote remarks with the two secretaries to announce the implementation of this nationwide project. At that time, the new curriculum was adopted by more than 50 US medical schools and is rapidly expanding across our nation every day. Another important note is that Nebraska Extension and UNMC’s Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center are now working together to expand access to cancer screening across the state through the Break for breakfast initiative, which is taking place this very morning. Communities from Omaha to Carney to Scottsbluff and North Platte are hosting *** convenient drive-through events. When Nebraskans can receive free resources, education, and encouragement. To stay up to date on life saving cancer screenings, this is, as we all know, particularly relevant in rural and underserved communities. You may also not know that the University of Nebraska extension, the Nebraska Forest Service, and UNMC’s College of Public Health have been instrumental in responding to the recent wildfires that have tragically impacted communities, farms, and ranches throughout Nebraska. Their teams provided and continue to provide critical coordination, trusted information, and on the ground support during *** very difficult time, working alongside our volunteer fire departments and National Guard, and many other state and federal partners. We are so proud that this proceeds from the that the proceeds from the Husker spring football scrimmage were also directed towards these fire reliefs, reinforcing our commitment to supporting Nebraskans as they recover and rebuild. And then how about our student athletes in the winter and spring sports? It was another remarkable season of both athletic competition and academic success. I have the honor and privilege to cheer on our Husker athletes in Durham, Oklahoma City, and Houston. As well as at Haymarket Park and Baxter Arena, all exciting, memorable games and all examples of incredible teamwork and leadership. And at the same time, I have also had the privilege of actively serving with *** small number of national leaders on the so-called president’s Roundtable to save college sports, unquote, *** national working group to accelerate the development of policy guardrails in this new area of name, image and likeness that support college athletics. In *** sense, the main purpose is to keep the student portion of being *** student athlete balanced and sustainable.
Advertisement
Nebraska Athletics discusses ‘Big Red Rebuild’ following approval from Board of Regents
The NU Board of Regents approved the ‘Big Red Rebuild’ plan for Memorial Stadium.The Regents voted on the matter on Friday afternoon.Nebraska Athletics held a news conference following the Regents’ meeting to discuss the project.READ MORE: NU Board of Regents approves ‘Big Red Rebuild’ plan for Memorial StadiumNU System President Dr. Jeffrey Gold referred to the project as “fan-driven, once in a multi-generation investment that modernizes Memorial Stadium while preserving its legacy, ensuring that it remains a premier destination for college athletics and other year-round events.”Nebraska Athletic Director Troy Dannen called the project “unprecedented.”He said it will “protect the stability” of the athletic program while impacting future generations of students and Husker fans. “It’ll be something for our children and their children to look back on,” Dannen said.He addressed the economic value of the project, including over 7,000 jobs that will be mostly held by Nebraska residents. “Nebraskans building this for Nebraskans,” Dannen said. See the whole news conference in the video above.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
The NU Board of Regents approved the ‘Big Red Rebuild’ plan for Memorial Stadium.
The Regents voted on the matter on Friday afternoon.
Advertisement
Nebraska Athletics held a news conference following the Regents’ meeting to discuss the project.
READ MORE: NU Board of Regents approves ‘Big Red Rebuild’ plan for Memorial Stadium
NU System President Dr. Jeffrey Gold referred to the project as “fan-driven, once in a multi-generation investment that modernizes Memorial Stadium while preserving its legacy, ensuring that it remains a premier destination for college athletics and other year-round events.”
Nebraska Athletic Director Troy Dannen called the project “unprecedented.”
He said it will “protect the stability” of the athletic program while impacting future generations of students and Husker fans.
“It’ll be something for our children and their children to look back on,” Dannen said.
He addressed the economic value of the project, including over 7,000 jobs that will be mostly held by Nebraska residents.
“Nebraskans building this for Nebraskans,” Dannen said.
See the whole news conference in the video above.
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
