As the student traffic starts to pick up on campus, we are reminded that the beginning of the fall semester is just around the corner. We are looking forward to another great year at UNL. Early indications are that we will have over 200 more freshmen than we did a year ago and last year, and last year we had over 400 more freshmen than the previous year. While a good problem to have, this surge in freshmen enrollment has not allowed us to close two of our older residence halls (Cather and Pound Halls). Both of these halls are over 50 years old. Fortunately, we are opening a brand new residence hall this fall. Eastside Suites will open this August and will accommodate about 450 students. Last year we opened University Suites Residence Hall, and before that we opened Knoll Hall. All three halls will be connected with a walkway and soon we will need to construct a new dining facility to accommodate the students living in that quadrant.
There has been much activity on campus over the spring and summer. The Nebraska City Union has been undergoing remodeling, much to the delight of the students. The Outdoor Adventures facility in Campus Recreation is now complete, and the cardio-vascular equipment area in Campus Recreation is being expanded. The new Campus Recreation facility on the East Campus should be completed this coming year.
We are transitioning the management of the student health center to the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). The UNMC should provide additional expertise, additional services and perhaps additional opportunities for insurance networks.
There will also be a change in the bank that is associated with the University. After a long relationship with Wells Fargo, the University had to send out a request for bids, and Union Bank won the contract. They will be transitioning into the City Union in March, 2015. We will try to make the transition “seamless” to the students.
Something that you will probably be hearing about (if you have not already) is the SaVE Act which stands for the Sexual Violence Elimination Act. This is coming from Washington, and both the Office of Civil Rights and the Department of Education are involved. The purpose of the Act is to make campuses safer relative to sexual misconduct matters. While UNL is a relatively safe university, many campuses have seen an increase in sexual misconduct (including sexual assault, stalking, date rape). The Act will require universities to conduct climate surveys among the students to try to establish the extent of the problem, to develop educational programs for students and staff, and to provide a transparent and effective process to address sexual misconduct when it does occur. At UNL, we will probably be conducting the survey this fall semester.
Lastly, the Innovation Campus is beginning to “open for business”. The new “anchor” building which will host conferences and provide for research innovation projects opened late spring. Soon an academic department will be located there, and ConAgra is developing a research facility there as well.
I am delighted to have your sons and daughters at UNL, and look forward to another wonderful year!