I get the sense some people were kind of surprised by the Regents’ nomination of Ted Carter as the priority candidate for the University of Nebraska’s next president. After the announcement, here’s what happened:

We watched closely. Not just the Regents, but the staff, the faculty, and all kinds of stakeholders and community members across the state of Nebraska. This was the next official step – observing the priority candidate as he had meetings with all sorts of people.

One thing I noticed about him time and time again is that he’s incredibly candid – he answered all questions posed to him, didn’t back away from the difficult ones, and sometimes even simply agreed to disagree.

It’s a bit of a shock to the system.

Admittedly, my first reaction when he came up as a candidate was somewhat doubtful. There’s a certain air of strict hierarchy associated with military leadership structure that I wasn’t sure would blend well with academia. I’m more than happy to say that a series of extensive, deep, thoughtful discussions moved me from a place of doubt to a place of support.

We were considering many exceptional candidates, but his thoughts and actions truly set him apart.

I know people will need more time to digest this – many probably had some of the same initial doubts as I did – but I would encourage you to keep an open mind. Focus on the person, not the preconceived notions we have about leaders from the military ranks.

One thing I admire about him is his attention to detail and ability to see (and factor in) complexity or nuance of any given situation. He really seems to have a genuine focus on and care for people. Especially in a system as large as ours, I think that’s pretty critical. Okay, three things, you got me.

We have a lot of hard questions that need answers. In order to even begin to have those conversations in a productive manner we need to develop a sense of trust in our governance. Constituents from across the University of Nebraska’s system and Nebraska at large have experienced disappointments. I understand that completely.

However we cannot keep looking in the rearview mirror.

My ongoing commitment is to be as transparent as we can be and to work off of the belief that we have people who only want the best for the University of Nebraska, for the community, for the state.

*Barbara’s thoughts as written by Kate based on weekly (fascinating) conversations.

One of the great things about being a Regent is the opportunity to meet so many different Nebraskans.

It’s a new and somewhat strange experience to be recognized publicly, to have people I’ve never personally met approach me at the supermarket or in the parking lot to talk ideas and opinions. I love that people are comfortable sharing their thoughts with me, it means people trust me to listen, to be open, and that’s exactly what I’m about.

As a member of the Search Advisory Committee I have had the chance to meet a variety of people including farmers and ranchers.

One of the committee members who ranches in Cherry County and serves as a Cherry County Commissioner has great stories to tell. Those stories help illustrate the nuances of rural life I’m not very familiar with. The speaker of the Unicameral sat next to me at one of our meetings and offered all kinds of insight into the potential impact different candidates might have on that particular work. Between the different committee members, there is a wealth of knowledge on a whole range of topics that are critical to understanding the full picture of what it means to be a President of the University of Nebraska.

It was a pleasure to see that the diversity of Nebraska was sat around our very large table.

Sometimes amidst such an interesting group it’s easy to lose sight of the variety of constituencies brought to the table within each one of us. But it’s worth keeping in mind. I have the privilege and the responsibility of speaking from my experience, from the point of view of a faculty member, an alumna, as a fundraiser and as a donor. And last but not least, as a student.

At that table as we talked through the many ins and outs of considerations when it comes to recommending a candidate, people were candid, thoughtful, and respectful of different viewpoints.

This is a challenging experience.

And like anything worth doing, it’s one I am grateful for, one that I use to be a better Regent and a better person.

*Barbara’s thoughts as written by Kate based on weekly (fascinating) conversations.