Reaffirming our purpose and mission.
Dear Colleagues,
After a tumultuous year like the one our university community has been through, I find it helpful to call to mind certain “ground truths” with which to anchor myself. I believe deeply in the purpose and mission of UNL because it has long embodied the qualities that make public higher education institutions worthy of trust.
We are committed to the widest possible access and equal opportunity to education without fear or favor; we believe in the power and promise of every person and proactively bring out the best in each other; we adhere to the conviction that academic freedom and the responsibility to honor the equal freedom of others are the foundational correlates of our entire enterprise; and we recognize that giving back to the people and communities of Nebraska is more than an institutional obligation — it is embedded in the identity of Huskers.
There is no denying that this year was full of extraordinary challenges. From unprecedented disruptions to federal support of research, innovation, and creative endeavors, to deeply painful academic program closures and reductions in force, to the rapid diffusion of AI capabilities across a wide range of human domains — UNL has been buffeted by the same governmental, economic, demographic, and technological forces that are roiling higher education institutions across the country and globe.
Despite the disorienting times in which we find ourselves, public research universities remain unique places of hope, possibility, imagination, and aspiration. We are a fulcrum of opportunity and human achievement; community connection and public engagement; fundamental discovery, creative expression, and economic innovation; and democratic vitality. This is evidenced by the outstanding achievements of our faculty, staff, and students, and this time of year affords us the chance to honor these accomplishments. I hope you can participate in one or more of these celebrations.
At UNL we aspire to be a leader in higher education — not just adapting to changes that are already here but advancing higher education in accordance with the Nebraska difference.
I strongly believe that the diversity of perspectives and the dispersed wisdom of faculty, staff, and students are among our greatest institutional strengths, and I hope you have taken the opportunity to share your recommendations about Our Bold Path Forward. Suggestions can be submitted through May 8.
As we close the year, my end-of-year request is simple: please remember that we will always be stronger by working and striving together. We are united in a task — the long-term sustainability of accessible and outstanding public higher education — that calls for an uncommon measure of joint effort and mutual good will. If we nurture the true sources of our strength — the bonds and connections that unite our extended Husker community — we will surmount and lead through the waves of inevitable challenges and opportunities.
Wishing you a restorative summer with hope and optimism for our future together.
Mark E. Button, Ph.D.
Executive Vice Chancellor
and Chief Academic Officer
EVC Office