LINCOLN — The University of Nebraska officially launched the search last week for the next chancellor of the University of Nebraska Medical Center, with an initial eye toward internal candidates across NU.

NU President Dr. Jeffrey Gold, the last permanent UNMC chancellor before becoming NU president in July 2024, announced that it will form a search committee. It will consist of representatives from UNMC, Nebraska Medicine, other NU campuses and the community.

Dr. Dele Davies has served as interim chancellor since Gold became president. 

“It is absolutely critical to find the right person to lead UNMC during this pivotal time for the campus, for health care and for higher education,” Gold said in a statement. 

He continued: “UNMC is a cornerstone of health care for our state, and its next leader must be deeply committed to advancing excellence in research, education and patient care for the benefit of Nebraska and beyond.”

Davies and Gold have particularly sought to rebuild trust and move on with the UNMC and Nebraska Medicine communities as NU proceeds with an $800 million deal with Clarkson Regional Health Services. The transaction, expected to “close” by June 30, will leave NU the sole owner of Nebraska Medicine, the nonprofit hospital, clinical and medical services partner to UNMC. 

Davies, in calling for support for the transaction last month at the NU Board of Regents meeting, said, “We are already virtually the same organization and cannot afford to be divided.”

David Jackson, interim executive vice president and provost for NU, will lead the committee. Other members have not yet been identified.

Executive search firm CarterBaldwin will assist. If the committee chooses, the search could expand nationally. 

The firm helped in choosing Nebraska native Neal Schnoor as the next University of Nebraska at Kearney chancellor last year. Schnoor had been a long-time UNK faculty member and administrator.

CarterBaldwin will help create a “comprehensive position profile” for candidates. Jackson said it will reflect the “critical role” the next UNMC chancellor will play in the future of NU and the state.

Once the position profile is complete, the committee will invite nominations and applications. Under state law, NU only has to name a single “priority candidate” who participates in a 30-day public vetting period that includes campus and community visits, as well as a UNMC tour.

Jackson said the committee aims to have a permanent chancellor in place later this year.

“We are taking this search process very seriously, with a strong commitment to identifying a visionary and collaborative leader who can build on UNMC’s momentum,” Jackson said in a statement.

More information on the search is available at nebraska.edu/unmc-chancellor-search. Questions can be directed to UNMCChancellor@carterbaldwin.com.

This story was published by Nebraska Examiner, an editorially independent newsroom providing a hard-hitting, daily flow of news. Read the original article: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nu-moves-ahead-with-search-for-next-chancellor-of-university-of-nebraska-medical-center/