Dear Colleagues,

As we embark on a new academic year, I am filled with excitement and gratitude for the energy that returns to our campus. This time of year brings a renewed sense of purpose and enthusiasm, reminding us of the vital role we all play in fostering a dynamic and supportive learning environment for our students at UNO.

Despite the troubled roll-out of the new FAFSA application portal, UNO enrollments remain strong even though our students were among those most adversely affected by the new FAFSA process. While overall enrollments are largely flat relative to last year, there has also been growth in key areas including a substantial increase of 3.7% in undergraduate students from historically underserved groups including a 12.5% increase in new transfer students and a 2.4% increase in new first-time first-year students from this population. Even more impressive is a 20.9% increase in new graduate students from historically underrepresented groups contributing to an 8.9% increase overall in graduate students from this population. Also, up by 12.9% are new transfer students. Student retention efforts continue to be successful with preliminary data showing a 78% retention rate, up from 76% from last year. These surges serve to underscore alignment with our mission as an engaged metropolitan university to transform and improve the quality of life locally, nationally, and globally.

Last year the Chancellor’s Office led efforts to refine the UNO Core, a guiding framework that underscores key elements of UNO’s mission as an engaged urban public research university. Within the context of this framework, Academic Affairs is advancing several key initiatives that, as a whole, are intended to enhance academic programming quality and ensure that we are responsive to the educational and workforce development needs of our students and the community. Broadly speaking, the initiatives are as follows:

• General education reform
• Academic program indicators and performance metrics
• Expand experiential learning opportunities with and in our community
• Recruit and retain exceptional faculty
• Strategic growth and expansion of key areas
• Expand international student enrollments and global partnerships

There is already tremendous momentum around the UNO Core and the key initiatives. More detailed information and opportunities for faculty engagement will be shared over the coming year, but I wanted to take the opportunity to share the initiatives and acknowledge the work that many of you are leading that contributes to the advancement of these key initiatives. Learn more about this work and points of pride in the first-ever Academic Affairs Annual Report. The report tells the story of UNO – who we are, what we are doing, and how we are fulfilling our mission as an engaged urban public research university.

In case you missed it, I want to highlight some exciting new dining options on campus. UNO is now offering Dodge Dining Dollars, which can be used at all retail locations on the Dodge campus, including Starbucks and Chick-fil-A as well as the Maverick Den where local vendors will be featured every Monday through Thursday. Hurry – enrollment ends 9/15. As a small token of appreciation, the Maverick Store is celebrating Faculty and Staff Appreciation through 9/13 with a 20% discount on apparel and spirit items.

In closing, I want to acknowledge that a university’s strength lies in its faculty. Though I am no longer new to UNO, I continue to be inspired by the work faculty are leading both on campus and in the community. I am particularly grateful for efforts to engage students and spark their intellectual curiosity. The future is bright at UNO. Thank you for all that you do to support our students and to make UNO the best it can be.

Warmly,

Phil He, Ph.D.

Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Go Mavs!

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its education programs or activities, including admissions and employment. The University prohibits any form of retaliation taken against anyone for reporting discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for otherwise engaging in protected activity. Read the full statement.