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The Art of Expression

The Art of Expression

by | Nov 5, 2019 | About, Regent Firsts

The Art of Expression

Expression. It’s a tricky thing.

I’m not talking about the faces you make for pictures or the emojis you send in texts. I’m talking about the kind of communication that feels personal. Important. Tied to your DNA. The moments when raising your voice feels like putting yourself and everything you value on the line. When raising your voice feels like being exposed. That kind of expression. 

For most of my life I’ve been more used to being in the background, quietly focused on seeing that things get done without much of a fuss.

Well, that’s been changing lately. Since I started as Regent for the University of Nebraska I’ve noticed changes in how I express and perceive myself. Namely, I speak up. Share my thoughts and ideas. Challenge others if I think something merits more discussion. And even though I’ve always been reticent to talk in a crowd of people I don’t know, here I am.

Sometimes I have to remind myself that I have valid experiences and resources. I chose to serve in higher education because that’s where my life has been. I have something to bring to the table to help the university and the community I love. It’s been interesting trying to find the right balance between being new to the Regent experience and saying “I don’t understand,” and being too disruptive.

Lately I’ve been less worried about the disruptive factor. There’s been a lot of encouragement and I’m fortunate to work on a team with good listeners.

Part of it is getting to know people better – it’s easier to speak to all kinds of people when you feel more comfortable around them.

Part of it is age, I think. If you can’t say what you think at 71, when can you do it?

But part of it is something else, something harder to define. There are times when I realized I would feel bad if I didn’t speak up in the moment. I think about my daughter Katie and imagine her face if I would have stayed silent. I think about my grandchildren, and what kind of Nebraska they will live in – along with everyone’s grandchildren – when we’re done.

And I’m struck by who doesn’t get a voice.

In that way I’ve been emboldened to help provide a platform for people, for a diverse set of voices. After all, I wasn’t elected to sit on my hands. Not when there’s work to do.

 

 

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

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Presidential Search Update!

Presidential Search Update!

by | Oct 29, 2019 | Regent Firsts, School Uniqueness

Presidential Search Update: We Have a Primary Candidate!

Wow. I am proud to say we have a new primary presidential candidate who will take the University of Nebraska to a whole new place.

His name is Ted Carter!

The meetings of the Search Committee were intense and totally focused on finding the right person. Not just a good person or even a great person, but the right fit for the school, the community, and the state.

We asked each candidate to answer the same questions when we met with them. One pleasantly surprising aspect of this process is that it resulted in multiple pages of notes about ideas and programs these intelligent candidates were implementing in their own universities.

This has been and will be a wonderful gift to explore in the years to come.

If a university could be run by a committee, we had an amazing group to do this intensive work. Everyone knew that choosing a primary candidate for the next University of Nebraska President was of critical importance. Members made it a priority. Conversations were respectful and conducted with open minds.

It’s a joy to report that Ted Carter was moved forward with a unanimous vote of 23 out of 23.

He is great with faculty and students, and focuses on student success. Something I did not know was 58% of Naval Academy faculty are tenured faculty. He also has an incredible life partner in his wife, Linda. She is truly committed to their joint goal of bringing the best to the University of Nebraska. 

Ted brings incredible experience to this work. His service to the country has seen him commanding over eighty ships from his bridge on aircraft carriers. He emphasizes communication. He has worked with Congress, state legislatures, mayors and donors alike. He emphasizes the importance of mental health and was assigned to lead a national commissioned report on suicide.

His references say he’s the best of the best.

My favorite thing is that he believes in second chances. He inspires students to seek the best from themselves. I was a big yes on naming him as our primary candidate. I look forward to our thorough vetting period as you get to meet him before we take our final vote!

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

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University Seeking President. Regent Seeking Sleep.

University Seeking President. Regent Seeking Sleep.

by | Oct 21, 2019 | Regent Firsts, School Uniqueness

University Seeking President. Regent Seeking Sleep.

It’s not that I was expecting being a Regent to be a cakewalk. Quite the opposite. And with 300 page reports that come out a week before each committee meeting that deserve a full and detailed read, I’m no stranger to long hours or hard work.

Even so, I’ve been surprised by the amount of time required to seek a new President for the University of Nebraska. Just recently the required reading for the week was at a staggering 800 pages. Let me tell you, that leaves barely enough time to eat and breathe. Forget sleep.

But the commitment of all twenty-three people on the committee to be at every meeting has been remarkable – everyone from Fortune 500 CEO’s to our 4th year med student.

And while there are long days, it’s also a joy to work with such a diverse group of people.

The process has changed significantly since the search for President Bounds. Legislative changes to the process have greatly increased the willingness of interesting qualified candidates to come forward. The biggest difference is that we promise potential candidates confidentiality throughout the process until the board votes to identify a primary candidate.

Then we only announce the primary candidate’s name after he or she is elected by a vote.

Previously, we were legally required to announce the names of the top four candidates forwarded to the board for consideration. What that meant for the candidates is that they had a 1 in 4 chance of landing the position, which really complicated things for those who weren’t selected. That kind of public candidacy could potentially imply that they weren’t happy in their existing position (not necessarily the case) and hurt their ongoing efficacy.

Hence the reluctance of many to even engage in the process.

Now how it works is the Search Advisory Committee forwards names for consideration to the board. The Regents there review the candidates and select one as their primary candidate. This person then spends the next thirty days visiting with all the constituencies across the state to answer questions, which gives all those interested an opportunity to vet their next potential President. After thirty days the committee meets again to vote – yes or no – on the candidate.

If for some reason the candidate or the board decide against the person, the process starts again.

Despite the long nights, the heavy reading, the impossible schedule, I’m feeling hopeful about where we’re headed. I think we can get it right the first time.

 

 

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

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When it Rains, it Floods

When it Rains, it Floods

by | Oct 14, 2019 | School Uniqueness

when it rains, it floods

Even though the writing was on the wall, one of the things that I did not foresee was how much the University of Nebraska would need to deal with flooding issues in the state. To be honest, I don’t think I was the only one in the state who was caught somewhat off guard.

But when the worst did happen and the floodwaters surged across the state, I’m proud to say that everyone on all of our campuses jumped immediately into action.

Flooding hit the town of Kearney hard and fast. When longtime residents as well as travelers in hotels were driven out by dangerous rising waters, University of Nebraska Kearney opened its dorms – which were one of the areas of campus thankfully unaffected – to over 250 people in need of shelter and safety.

Food, bedding and games were provided, additional clothing was available to buy for those who had to leave their luggage and extra clothes behind. UNK staff, students and faculty welcomed everyone with open arms and saw to it that all who needed assistance were taken care of. That, to me, is the definition of what it means to be a community.

When the waters finally did recede, buses were organized to return people to their cars and personal belongings were sent to the addresses provided.

Weddings planned for ballrooms in damaged communal spaces were moved to safe areas on the UNK campus so that people could still celebrate. In fact one couple was so touched by what UNK had done to make their special day happen that they donated the money they received as gifts to UNK to express their gratitude!

It’s easy to be polite and welcoming when everything is going well. When disaster strikes, that’s when you discover the true character of a person, or a place.

Every last person who stepped up and met those challenges and the community with open hearts – acting on behalf of the University and all of us Nebraskans – showed their true colors and made us proud.

 

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

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The Writing on the Wall

The Writing on the Wall

by | Oct 7, 2019 | Education Budget

The Writing on the Wall

These days I think I spend 90% of my time reading. In addition to the reading I have to do for the committee meetings, I am also reading as much as I can about innovations in higher education. I like to tune into Nebraskans talking about what they think about our university system.

One point that’s been made loud and clear is the need to find a way to retain and accelerate students toward the 13,000 unfilled employment opportunities in our state.

Generally, Nebraska’s best and brightest tend leave after high school for educational opportunities offering better financial packages, among other things. Take the University of Nebraska Regent Scholarship for example. The scholarship is prestigious and it covers tuition (a waiver of tuition fees), which is great but these same talented students are being offered scholarships from other schools that cover all expenses, including tuition, room and board, books, etc. To give you a sense of what that means to a prospective student, those non-tuition costs account for up to 40% of the cost of going to a four-year school. That’s a significant sum.

The hard truth is that we cannot be competitive with scholarships that are tuition remission only.

We must find a way to match other scholarship offers. We need to offer more incentives like pathways to interesting internships that entice students.

Okay, Barbara, you say – that’s all well and good but many students want to have an experience outside of Nebraska. What about that?

For one thing, we can work to entice them back with graduate school scholarships, try to win them back with post-grad school connections and job opportunities.

There’s no one easy answer, but what I’m saying is let’s get creative. Let’s try to keep as many promising students as we can and make our graduate programs and opportunities so amazing that even if they do go out of state for their undergrad degree, we can attract them back for grad school. 

All three of my children left Nebraska for school, and all three came back home for the incredible jobs Nebraska had to offer.

There’s nothing wrong with change, with branching out, with exploration. But let’s not forget what we as Nebraskans have to offer, and how we can think outside of the box to make it even better.

Let’s read the writing on the wall… and then rewrite it.

 

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

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Open Door, Open Mind

Open Door, Open Mind

by | Sep 30, 2019 | Regent Firsts

Open Door, Open Mind

Weitz Up Office Hours: Round 1

Open Door, Open Mind

Weitz Up Office Hours: Round 1

Just the other day I did something for the first time – I held my office hours… virtually. Or is it digitally? In any case, as I promised in my campaign, I did my very first livestream Office Hours talk!

Communication is very important to me. As a Regent, it’s my job to represent you, to listen to you, to understand what’s important to you, and then to take that and run with it when helping to make important decisions that affect the University of Nebraska and the community at large.

That’s what these office hours are all about! This will be a monthly occurrence and I invite you to send me all of your thoughts, questions, ideas, either online beforehand or during the virtual office hours. Any questions that I don’t get to during the livestream, I’ll make sure to respond to afterward, or even at the beginning of the next office hours discussion.

On Thursday, September 19, I sat with my copywriter Kate and we talked about everything under the Nebraskan sun.

I shared an update on the Presidential search, and described the process of how we’re working hard to find the very best fit, and why confidentiality is an important part of that process. We also talked about the gift that is Susan Fritz, and how her role as interim President – as well as the first female President – is critical in shaping and smoothing this important transition.

We had some excellent questions about Nebraska’s hemp production (for which I’m seeking out detailed information to share) as well as how new students can navigate the challenges of adjusting to university life (community and time management are critical).

I gushed about my recent experience at the University of Nebraska women’s volleyball match against Stanford, and shared where to find more information about the wonderful variety of events that all Nebraskans can attend, not just university students, staff and faculty.

There are also some questions that I get quite often, such as:

“Do you get paid to do this?”

No. This is an unpaid position. I do get a couple football game tickets, though.

“How much time do you spend on Regent work?”

Well, given that Regents have roughly three hundred pages of information to read weekly to prep for a committee meeting, not to mention other research, meetings and engagements, I’m currently spending 40-60 hours a week on Regent work, typically.

“What’s in it for you?”

In a word: learning. I’m a huge believer in lifelong learning and as your Regent, I have the most incredible opportunities to meet new, diverse, and interesting people. I get to discover innovative programs. I’m fortunate enough to work toward Nebraska’s future, inviting the best, brightest, most creative ideas.

That sounds pretty good to me.

If you missed the first office hours livestream, check out the video in full here! If you caught it and had a question or were looking for resources, check back for that information, we’re working on getting it for you.

And please don’t be shy – send us your questions, your thoughts, and your ideas for who might make a great guest on the next office hours talk – we want to hear from you!

 

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

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Chaos Theory

Chaos Theory

by | Sep 23, 2019 | About, School Uniqueness

Chaos Theory

Change is a constant. Sometimes it happens slower than we’d like, sometimes it happens faster than we can grasp, but embracing change – and some of the chaos that ensues – is part of embracing life as we continue to learn how to navigate it.

I think back to being a senior at Carleton College in 1969, and how we were going through a sort of revolution.

Back then men and women lived in separate facilities and would have an “open house” on a semi-regular basis where you could invite a male friend to the dorm for a half hour, but were required to keep the door open. There was also a curfew in place and there were big penalties for women who came in late, though the men rarely faced any such punishment. Now, we’re talking about adults, here.

Earlier in my collegiate career I had gotten involved with student government when I had the opportunity to be an assistant for the director of activities.

I was fortunate to have the chance to work with faculty and other students on all sorts of levels. So as seniors when we decided it was ludicrous that only the women were being punished for not meeting curfew, we simply refused to hand out penalties. 

Change was in the wind. And in our willpower.

In the fall of ’69 it was grudgingly decided that we could have coed dorms. Each floor held a vote on it. All but one floor voted for coed dorms. Guess who was hired to be the R.A. on the one all-female floor?

It was a year of incredible change on campus.

Change and chaos. The Vietnam War was raging and the draft lotteries began. I remember we’d be watching and listening and waiting and every time they’d run through the numbers you’d hear a scream somewhere in the building. JFK had been assassinated years before. Martin Luther King Jr. had been assassinated the year before. Two weeks before graduation the Kent State students had been shot. 

Chaos had been a part of my life for a long time.

It’s hard, sometimes, to find your way through it. But you do. You keep your eyes open and you continue to learn, to draw strength and ideas and hope from all those around you, and from those who are different from you. 

Whether it’s change or chaos or both, in my experience it’s always best navigated with compassion. With community.

 

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

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Town Hall

Town Hall

by | Sep 16, 2019 | Regent Firsts

The Town Hall

I always find town halls really interesting – the blend of people, concerns, questions, ideas. I’m always interested in ideas. It’s a great way for people and their elected officials to communicate directly, so when Senator Wendy DeBoer invited me to just such a forum at the American Legion Hall in Bennington, I said yes right away.

There has been a lot of rapid growth in Bennington recently.

A lot of families are moving in and that’s a wonderful thing, it just prompts some important questions on how best to support it. These are good problems to have, really.

Wendy also invited the Bennington Public School Superintendent and the Nebraska Public Service Commission District 3. She wanted to make sure there was a blend of people who aren’t often in the spotlight but who have an impact on people’s lives. It goes without saying I was honored to be there.

And what I heard from the people who came was fascinating.

There were questions about how varying access to internet across the state would affect jobs and education on all sorts of levels. I answered a few difficult questions about tuition and the University of Nebraska at large. 

To be frank, people are going to have to pay for education somehow, so we have to get creative and find ways to get that done. 

And there are other ways we can look at helping recruit, retain, and support students as well. Our Regent scholarships, for example, don’t charge recipients tuition, but they don’t help to cover the cost of room, board, and books like some other state universities do. For that reason we may be losing out on some really bright talents and minds. It could be something worth looking at.

One town hall attendee told us her friend’s son was transferring to a different University of Nebraska campus from Kearney and that a number of his classes don’t automatically transfer, which makes that process quite difficult.

We need to help students across all our systems. Parents discussed issues with efficiencies and had a number of questions about operations. And I don’t blame them. We have to start talking to each other – it would be wonderful if public schools and universities had better communication to sort through some of these problems that make life and education that much more challenging for our students and their families.

There’s no obligation, per se, but it simply makes sense.

We need ideas. We need discussion. We need to be able to come together – whether at an intimate town hall or on the highest levels across the state – and talk it out. And then make things happen.

I came away from that Bennington town hall with the hope that we can achieve that, one step at a time.

 

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

 

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The Big Move

The Big Move

by | Sep 9, 2019 | School Uniqueness

The Big Move

I love move-in time. As the students and the faculty and University staff are all starting to get into their routines, I can’t help but think about the promise of that first move-in. There’s something about the air being fresh, the leaves starting to change color. 

All the hope, excitement, anticipation.

My son even met his future wife while moving into his dorm freshman year.

One thing that University of Nebraska faculty do (that I think is fantastic) is they help students move in the week before school starts. Not only is it a friendly gesture that adds some extra muscle, it also gives students and faculty the opportunity to mix in a more casual setting. It humanizes professors in a way that hopefully helps reduce potential anxiety or first-month jitters among new students.

There are always things we can do – some big, some little – to make life a little easier for students.

Sometimes it’s apparent what they are, sometimes it’s not as obvious, but it’s important that we always keep searching out those opportunities.

I was always excited to go back to school. The New Year for me never started on January first, but on that first day back in the class, surrounded by eager minds and all the promise in the world. I still run my life around the academic calendar, it’s very much a part of me and I’m grateful for it.

My hope is that we give our students that same promise, that same excitement. They deserve it. 

 

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

 

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It Was The Summer of ‘69

It Was The Summer of ‘69

by | Sep 4, 2019 | About, Education Budget

It Was The Summer of ‘69

Summer jobs can be a lot of different things. They can be a rite of passage. A learning experience. A wild ride. Dreadfully dull. And just about everything in-between.

When I was an undergraduate student at Carlton (check this?) summer break started a bit later for us than other schools, so a lot of the higher-paying summer jobs were already taken. I had to get creative.

So I took the Civil Service exam. And I qualified for a job as a summer substitute mail carrier.

At that time I was also the first woman to pass the driving test for that wonderfully unwieldy mail truck. It was a manual, and basically a big metal block on wheels, but my driving instructor couldn’t find one thing that I couldn’t make that beast do. Except for fly, maybe. Never tried that one.

My purpose was to fill in for regular mail carriers that were taking a summer vacation, and so I did a lot of driving and A LOT of walking in different neighborhoods all around Omaha. I noticed that the more affluent neighborhoods were mostly driving delivery routes, while the parts of town that were considered rough or lower-income areas were primarily walking routes. Walking those routes gave me a chance to see these neighborhoods from a new perspective.

When I started walking the routes, I noticed a group of local people would sort of walk along with me, making sure I was okay, offering support of any kind.

The houses I delivered to would offer me lemonade, tea, water, and shade. It was such a marked difference from everything I’d heard about these neighborhoods.

What really struck me was how much we have in common. Those residents cared about my welfare the way my parents would. They looked out for each other, and they looked out for me.

I couldn’t help thinking: if only we took the time to know each other better.

That job carrying mail in the summer of 1969 laid the groundwork for a big shift for me to experiential learning, where you can expand on what you learn in books, where you can get directly involved and learn from experience where that gap between the printed page and the real world lies. And then bridge it. I think about that a lot.

Recently, while discussing tuition hikes and summer jobs, a Student Regent said, “I think of this [tuition increase] in terms of the number of days I would have to work to make up the difference… I would feel better knowing the Regents would spend that same amount of time trying to figure out how to get our tuition down.”

Students today have the highest tuition and debt rates ever. They have to work more and more just to get by. Something’s wrong with this picture. Maybe it’s time we think more about what it means to walk their route and what we can do to support them. 

 

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

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