UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey Gold named priority candidate for NU’s ninth president

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The University of Nebraska Board of Regents on Wednesday selected its priority candidate for the school’s ninth president.

The board voted unanimously for Dr. Jeffrey Gold, the chancellor of the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Regent Jim Scheer said Gold is a “dynamite fit” for Nebraska’s next president.

Gov. Jim Pillen, a former regent, said last week that it was “unacceptable” that the board took so long to choose a president. 

But the board said it takes time to find the right fit. 

“I don’t think we necessarily took any shorter or any longer period of time than any others,” Scheer said. 

Gold became UNMC’s eighth chancellor in early 2014.

He is responsible for campus leadership, program quality and operations at the university, which has seven colleges, over 6,000 staff and 4,700 students.

He was given additional responsibilities in 2021, when he was named provost and executive vice president of NU.

Gold is also the liaison to the Board of Regents for “all aspects of academic affairs,” according to the university.

Gold will now undergo a 30-day vetting period.  The board is meeting again on April 19, when they will make the final decision on Gold.

Gov. Jim Pillen said in a statement that he appreciates the regents moving forward with the hire.

“Congratulations to Chancellor Gold on emerging as the priority candidate,” the governor said. “He has been a visionary, patient-focused leader for UNMC.”

Pillen also praised the “strong leadership” of interim President Chris Kabourek.

“He has shown strength and courage in holding the line on university spending, and he has taken swift and decisive action just this week in announcing the extension of Coach Hoiberg’s contract and the hiring of a transformative new Huskers athletic director,” Pillen said.