7-member faculty advisory committee appointed for Innovation Campus

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Harvey Perlman has appointed seven faculty members to the Nebraska Innovation Campus Faculty Advisory Committee. The committee will guide and make recommendations to the Nebraska Innovation Campus Development Corp. and the chancellor on planning, development and occupancy of Nebraska Innovation Campus.

Members of the new Nebraska Innovation Campus Faculty Advisory Committee are: Stephen Baenziger, professor, agronomy and horticulture; Andrew Benson, professor, food science and technology; Mary Uhl-Bien, professor, management; Shane Farritor, professor, mechanical engineering; Sally Mackenzie, professor, Center for Plant Science Innovation; Stephen Reichenbach, professor, computer science and engineering; and Will Thomas, professor, history.

The board of directors and by-laws for the Nebraska Innovation Campus Development Corp. were created at the April 16 Board of Regents meeting. Additionally, the Regents included the following language in the resolution: "The Board of Directors shall create one or more advisory committees, including, but not limited to, faculty members, for the purpose of providing guidance to the Board of Directors from university and community leaders and interested parties. This section shall not prevent the Chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from forming such advisory committees to the Office of the Chancellor as he or she may deem appropriate with respect to Innovation Campus."

Perlman said the committee will be responsible for providing valuable insight on the future development of NIC and provide feedback and recommendations regarding NIC development, partnerships, and occupancy as work progresses to the NICDC Board. The committee will be supported as needed by the offices of the chancellor and vice chancellor for research and economic development.

The committee is charged with:

* Monitoring the ongoing programming and development of the property;
* Finding and evaluating areas where the university and private sector can interrelate;
* Interfacing with colleagues in colleges and departments across the university and becoming a conduit for ideas and potential opportunities and partnerships at NIC; and
* Advising the board of directors and chancellor as necessary with the central goal of ensuring NIC becomes an attractive place for private and public-sector partnerships and a future engine of economic development for Lincoln and the state of Nebraska.

Members are appointed by the chancellor and serve a term of two years. Terms will be staggered to ensure consistency on the committee. Members may be reappointed by the chancellor. The committee will meet as desired, but at least once a semester, beginning in the spring.

Nebraska Innovation Campus will be a premier private/public-sector sustainable research campus that capitalizes on research growth and expertise of UNL faculty to strengthen the economic growth potential of the university and Nebraska. Located on 249 acres north of City Campus, it is in the planning and predevelopment stages after coming into university possession Jan. 1. For more information, visit http://innovate.unl.edu.