hammekea@lopers.unk.edu

With springtime in full swing, the administrative carousel is heating up in colleges and universities across the country. The University of Nebraska system and UNK are not immune to this, as the university system has had its fair share of changes. Here are some changes so far.

Academic Affairs Vice Chancellor Finalists

This semester, the three candidates that are vying for the position of Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs visited campus and met with students, faculty and staff.

Laurie Couch, Kristen Lynn Majocha and Rai Kathuria all toured campus and met with stakeholders.

Each cited the small-town feel of the area and the Midwest region for their interest in the position, however, all three cited different reasons for looking to leave their current institutions. Majocha cited the administrative consolidation of three universities in Pennsylvania into Pennsylvania Western University. The uncertainty of the new Indiana University system president brought Katuria to look for a career change in Kearney, and Couch is searching for an institution that shares her values.

Former UNK Administrator at Northern State

After students, staff and faculty at UNK met and grilled the candidates to be the new No. 2 on campus to replace the retiring Charlie Bicak, the administrative team was headed up to Aberdeen, South Dakota. 

Neal Schnoor, a former UNK professor and administrator, had his investiture ceremony as president at Northern State University on April 8. Chancellor Doug Kristensen and others amongst the administrative team made the trip.

“Dr. Schnoor and I’s offices were adjacent,” said Jon Watts, Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance. “We spent a lot of time talking through challenges, talking through opportunities together. He was a great friend and confidant and someone I could bounce ideas off of.”

Schnoor served UNK as Senior Advisor to the Chancellor for Executive Affairs from 2012-2019. He then served as Chief of Staff at Cal State Long Beach before his appointment as President at Northern State. Schnoor also spent 13 years with UNK’s music department, serving as the Director of Bands and Coordinator of K-12 Education from 1997-2010.

UNMC Administrator to Pittsburg State

Daniel Shipp, formerly the vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and associate to the chancellor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, was named the president of Pittsburg State University on April 8. 

Shipp will replace Pitt State’s outgoing president, Steve Scott. Serving for 13 years, Scott will retire at the end of the academic year from the same school where he earned his bachelor’s from in 1973.