If you watch television, use social media, the internet, or just generally exist in our modern society, you cannot miss the overwhelming number of political ads pouring out of the screen.

Sometimes by the time we’ve returned to our original program, we’ve already forgotten who the ads were promoting. But one thing we can’t forget is that this our chance to exercise our right as citizens to vote for who will lead us through the next few years. It is urgent and it is critical.

There are a number of ways we can exercise this right. I’m sure some of you have done mail-in voting or absentee ballots. The students at University of Nebraska have free access to TurboVote, which is an online tool created by students to assist students with information and resources. Of course, this close to the election, in-person voting is important. And of course, the pandemic has complicated that, too.

UNO and UNMC Chancellor Dr. Jeff Gold sent an email to the UNO community recently reminding us all to wear our masks if we are going to vote in person. In my daydreams, the act of voting would protect us from COVID-19. Maybe it can, in some way, if we elect people who will face this pandemic with wisdom, science, and expertise.

The increase in positive tests and hospitalizations that are as high as the early days of the pandemic clearly signal that we must take this seriously.

And when you do vote, however you vote, keep in mind that the students, staff and faculty of our community are working hard to stay healthy and safe. As a community we must offer them the same protection. WEAR YOUR MASKS, SOCIALLY DISTANCE, AND WASH YOUR HANDS. It’s the least we can do to help our future generations continue their education.

Another aspect of this election that’s been on my mind lately is the mental and emotional toll it is taking on our community. Whatever the outcome, emotions are going to be heightened. There is a lot at stake. So much of our future (both short term and long term) will be deeply affected by the results.

These emotions are just as powerful in our university community.

As a mental health practitioner, I know people experience stress and anxiety about the unknown. That’s why UNO has set up a Post-Election Processing Fair to give students, faculty and staff the opportunity to talk about where they find themselves. We encourage students to use the UNO Counseling and Psychological Services if needed. The Faculty-Employee Assistance Program is also there for faculty and staff who might find it helpful.

At the end of the day, we are all working to make Nebraska the best state to create good, caring citizens working together for a better future. So please, go vote.

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

It has been a hectic couple of weeks. Just recently the Board of Regents met to learn about and discuss the current state of the university. With all the upheaval of the last year, I don’t mind sharing that I was a bit nervous about what we would discover.

Even so, my curiosity was stronger.

As it turns out, the dreaded drop in enrollment that universities across the United States expected did not happen overall at the University of Nebraska. In fact, some campuses have even experienced increased enrollment.

One of the most exciting aspects of this news was the jump in enrollment of first-generation college students and students of color. Even with the loss of the international students who could not take courses online or enter the country – which is a true loss for our community – we still found admissions rising on our UNO campus. This means a lot to our university in terms of becoming more accessible. It means a great deal to the state as far as providing more graduates for the workforce. And it is important overall for creating informed, engaged citizens.

We also added two new Masters Programs to our curriculum: Masters in Health Sciences and Masters in Supply Chain Management. New projects are running on time and on budget. The Davis Global Center was opened this week at UNMC and the new Discovery Center at UNK was officially opened last week. All told, there is a lot to feel good about.

So the big question is, how did this happen? How did we manage to avoid such a feared pitfall and keep the school moving in the right direction? The answer is not one thing or one person, it has been a massive team effort, but I want to acknowledge President Carter’s leadership during this time.

Creating Nebraska Promise allowed us to look to the future instead of being frozen by the current pandemic.

Giving students access to the university and all its resources that they previously could not afford opened the door to all sorts of exciting new opportunities. If you’re into numbers, I’m happy to share a few statistics (and you can find more on the University of Nebraska website under the Provost tab):

UNO

Summer semester:      Offered 100 new courses

Summer enrollment:   5.7% undergraduates increase

Fall enrollment:          3.7% increase in first generation

                                    13% increase in diverse undergraduates

Across Campuses

Fall enrollment:          1.2% increase across the university

Another enlightening statistic was that in the previous academic year we retained 64.7% of first year students. This year we retained 80% of first year students.  Our goal is to keep pushing that percentage higher, and to help more of our students graduate in four years.

I do wonder how much our ability to safely offer in-person classes has contributed to our enrollment and retention rate.

In our conference of 14 schools, 12 schools are doing 75% of classes online and 25% in-class. At University of Nebraska we have 25% of classes online and 75% in-class.  Students have told us they prefer in-person academic offerings and are acting responsibly with COVID guidelines to make it happen. As always, caution is king and health is priority number one, but so far it’s encouraging to see.

Currently, more that 600 colleges and universities are using the COVID Safety Guidelines that we developed. 

Meanwhile President Ted Carter and Mrs. Carter have been on the road traveling to each campus, attending important events, and speaking with faculty and staff. This attention to all our campuses underscores President Carter’s belief that even with multiple locations, we are one university.

By the time we reached the end of our meeting, I felt like all these factors have come together to make us a more cohesive and collaborative group of people. Yes, we have things we disagree on but it doesn’t stop us from finding common ground. We approach every issue by first asking “what do we agree on?” Then keep working at the rest.

This makes me feel hopeful that we’re moving forward in a good way.

It gives me hope that the future looks bright for the university that we love, and we will continue to find new and innovative ways to meet obstacles we cannot control.

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

It doesn’t take much to recognize that we are in deep in the midst of the election period. Signs standing guard in the yards and peeking out from residential windows. Ads on TV and social media. Debates, news headlines, discussions between friends and family – it’s inescapable. And I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

I am watching this unfold now from a whole different perspective, having done a campaign in 2018. Because the regent position is a nonpartisan race, we are able to focus on the issues facing the university, which I think definitely helps the dialogue.

One thing I remember from the 2018 election cycle was that one state senate seat was decided by very few votes.

That’s a slim margin. I said then – and I will reiterate now – that more Nebraskans need to understand the difference their vote can make in our state and local races. We are talking about the people who will be making big decisions in your community that directly affect your community.

This year Wally and I did the mail-in route, for several reasons. Not only was it easy, we also had access to plenty of information on the internet to look up issues or candidates. When we were ready, we drove to the election office and put out ballot in their box (saving on postage).

These decisions matter, as does your vote. I hope you will take a moment to learn where your candidates stand on all the issues, but especially on education. We all know that the COVID-19 pandemic has forced all sorts of changes to our education institutions. As with any crisis, we adapt to survive.

But our university is not a simple machine. We need people in office that understand the connections between workforce employment, the state funding issues, and who we elect to make decisions. It’s critical to understand just how vital education is to our communities, our citizenry, and our state as a whole.

So, please know that your vote impacts the university in a significant way. State senators and the governor control budget decisions. What they value is where they’ll decide to invest. It’s time to ask yourself what you value, and make your decisions accordingly. Vote this November. If you live in a district electing a regent this year do your homework and vote all the way down the ballot. Connect the dots.

To request a ballot by mail, the request has to be received by Friday, October 23rd. There’s still time, but not much.

However you do it, please vote and urge those around you to vote as well.

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

I love questions. I’m always interested to know what others are curious about. Of course, I also love being able to answer people’s questions. But if I don’t already have an answer, it gives me the opportunity to go looking for one.

Recently, I received a question about architecture. Someone in my district asked if the University of Nebraska uses professors or students in designing new buildings going up on our campuses. My first thought was that something like that might be difficult with academic schedules and full course loads, but since I didn’t really know the full answer, I went in search of someone who did.

That’s how I got connected with our Facilities Director, Ryan Swanson. As it turns out, this wasn’t a simple “yes” or “no” question.

As it turns out, our university professors on campus do not formally design university projects. However, at times they are involved with campus level project design reviews, and may even structure their student studio class projects around potential or active architectural endeavors to closely mirror real campus capital project delivery activities.

UNL Architecture professor Jeff Day recently did this for a tractor facility museum on east campus with his most recent summer studio. I also learned that at Kearney, the Interiors faculty will sometimes “make over” an office (think paint, carpet, and furniture) as part of a class project. This is done in conjunction with the facilities staff and the Chancellor’s office.

In some cases, outside architects will hold visiting adjunct studio positions or simply volunteer to take part in studio critiques throughout the educational process.

In that sense, it’s possible for a professor to be included on a professional project team. Additionally, the position of University Architect on campus has been asked in the past to take part in studio critiques or projects. This is because the person in that position already has a wealth of knowledge about sites and program data that is critical to developing a realistic plan.

We also have a number of student staff – in Architecture, Interiors, Engineering and Construction Science – on our team that we integrate fully into the design and delivery processes during their time on campus.

Overall, we are always trying to think about how best to provide the best education for our students, and achieve a high level of input and interaction.

I am truly grateful for this question about students, faculty and architecture. It gave me the chance to gain a greater understanding of the university that I love, and a greater appreciation for the exciting work being done on so many levels.

So here’s my question for you: what would you like to know?

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

There’s something I’ve been noticing lately. While COVID-19 has all kinds of horrible implications for people’s health and well-being, it is also having an impact on a lot of people’s mindsets.

Maybe it’s a natural human response to persistent uncertainty, perhaps it’s a sign of resilience, but during this pandemic there has been a flux of new ideas, an openness to different ways of thinking, and (I hope) an impetus to change.

One example? Universities are notoriously slow to change… anything. There are all sorts of jokes about how glacially universities proceed on any given topic or project. But there’s something about this attitude of, “hey, while we’re in a weird state of everything we know having gone out the window, why not try something new?”

Here are some ways I’ve seen this in action:

1. Moving a ton of classes online.

Previously, not every major had many (or any) online courses. Since the pandemic hit and safety became the priority, a large number of classes are now available virtually. What this means is that students who normally wouldn’t take certain courses because they’re too far away can now take more classes they’re interested in. As we expand our online presence for different subjects, it opens doors for students to consider a broader variety of classes, and makes them more easily accessible.

One student I spoke with recently told me that she lives in Lincoln but has been accepted to the grad program in social work, which means a number of classes based at UNO. Because most of the classes are now online, she only has to drive to UNO for one class, and it has made the whole program more accessible for her.

2. Re-thinking syllabi.

It’s standard practice to evaluate and update class syllabi and course material. How often that happens is not as standardized. Because we’re converting so many classes to a different format, it has pushed us to review course outlines, explore new thinking and new ways to teach. That’s a positive for everyone.

3. Architecture.

We’ve been looking at our buildings and considering how they can be modified to meet the needs of our new online era. This is an opportunity to think about whether we can use buildings differently, more efficiently, or more creatively, with a global education in mind. We can re-think what it means to be “on campus.”

The service model is a great example. I love the idea of utilizing buildings within the community that are related to specific programs and education. It’s a rewarding experience to work and learn in the community itself.

In this way, what we think of as “campuses” can be much larger, more porous, more connected.

4. Looking at our schedule.

Going forward, we’re looking at ways to pilot shorter terms/semesters in between fall term and spring term, perhaps something long enough for an internship or shorter credit course. We’ve also been thinking about summers and how we can build in a number of certificate courses for people who want to upgrade their knowledge and skills within existing career fields.

Overall, in the midst of all the bad, there are pieces of good. We are trying new things. Some of those ideas won’t work out, but others will, and will continue to develop. Even though it’s a bad reason to have to do it – the pandemic is serious and devastating – everybody is talking about what kind of higher education will emerge from the period we’re going through right now.

I think the more we can focus on partnerships, progress, and piloting new ideas, the better it will look for everyone.

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

I must have asked myself the question a thousand times. What has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began? Since there are hundreds of ways to answer that question, I’d like to focus on one aspect – the one that is also the primary focus of this blog.

So I’ll rephrase: what has changed for me as a regent since the COVID-19 pandemic started?

Well, it’s changed how we conduct our regent meetings. In August we had our first regents meeting that was completely in-person. It’s a requirement that these meetings are public, but there were two of us who couldn’t be in close proximity in live meetings due to health concerns. As a result, we ended up having our meeting in Baxter Arena!

The two of us with health concerns were set up in different suites. Since the suites are open to the arena, I could hear everything in the public space below and the whole thing was projected on the great big scoreboard screens. I have to admit, that was pretty cool.

One of the agenda items during regent meetings is what we call “kudos” where each campus nominates someone for outstanding achievements. Each of the nominees is recognized with a speech about how impressive they are.

When each of these kudos was announced, instead of the typically appreciative but reserved response, people cheered like crazy! I have to imagine the arena setting had something to do with it, which I really enjoyed. I hope the people being recognized felt that much more appreciated.

Another hope I have is that because Baxter Arena is a recognizable public space, perhaps more of the public will be inspired to attend. Our next meeting is in October… just putting that out there.

That said, I’m over the Zoom meetings. I appreciate what the technology has been able to do for us, to keep us safe. At the same time, it’s difficult to brainstorm in a virtual committee meeting. People are easily distracted, or sometimes not great with technology, or even just tired of seeing everyone as a floating head in a tiny box.

What I do miss during COVID-19 is the opportunity to see and talk to people. We’ve had the opportunity in the past to have dinners together prior to our meetings at interesting locations like the Lied Center, or the Quilt Museum. During the dinner or on coffee breaks we would all chat and get to know each other as people.

That includes our student regents. We only have a year to get to know them and I love learning about them – what they’re like, what they’re interested in, their dreams and aspirations. I used to wander around campus at the beginning of each semester and just chat with students.

It’s something I know we’re all missing, right now. Those in-person interactions help us become aware of each other as people, as fellow human beings.

And although there’s a lot we are longing for, morale at the University of Nebraska seems to be different since we opened. It was predicted that admissions across the country could be down by as much as 20%.

Because of some the efforts we undertook this summer – including Nebraska Promise and increasing the number of online summer programs – overall university enrollment was actually up 1%. That’s not the case in every school across the country, and there are a few programs that are down by a half a percent, but overall we’re feeling good about our student engagement.

Part of me wonders how much of that is due to the fact that UNMC has been involved in everything we’ve done to create a safe and healthy campus.

I actually hope that’s part of it. I hope that students, faculty, staff, and our community feels they can trust the university to have their safety and their best interests at heart.

So, what has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began? If it’s that we put more value on every moment we have with each other, that’s something to hold on to.

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

*Photo credit: HDR Inc.