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.
He seems like an incredible choice. One question comes to mind…he’s never worked with students who are burdened with loans to get their education. I believe both Naval Academy and NROTC students receive their education without cost to them personally. Do you believe he will be able to relate to and empathize with average students, burdened with loans and work just as hard to keep tuition and fees down as he does to build new buildings, start new programs, etc.?
Thank you for this information. Although I am from a military family and hold three degrees from UNL, I had some misgivings when the announcement was made. I feel better now.
He has outstanding credentials and experience. My question is “What can be done to make college more affordable for students?”