The University of Nebraska has begun a national search for the next chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Kearney—a successor to Chancellor Doug Kristensen, who retired at the end of the 2023-24 academic year after 22 years in the role. Kristensen is the longest-serving chancellor in University of Nebraska history and the longest-serving leader of any higher education institution in Nebraska.
Dr. Charlie Bicak, a University of Nebraska at Kearney alum and longtime educator and administrator whose connections to UNK date back more than 60 years, has served as interim chancellor since June 1, 2024.
A 17-member search committee is helping to guide the chancellor search, with assistance from executive search firm CarterBaldwin. The committee is chaired by David Jackson, interim executive vice president and provost of the University of Nebraska System, and includes the chancellors of the other University of Nebraska campuses: Rodney Bennett of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Joanne Li of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and Dele Davies, M.D., of the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
The search firm and search committee will host public listening sessions this fall to gather input from the UNK and Kearney communities on what the university should look for in the next chancellor. Details on the listening sessions will be announced when they are scheduled.
Following the listening sessions, the search firm and search committee will work together with the President’s Office to develop a job description and begin inviting nominations and applications.