Candidates begin final stage en route to NU presidency
By KRYSTAL OVERMYER / DN Senior Writer
May 03, 2004
NU BOARD OF REGENTS
And then there were four.
After months of searching, members of the search committee for the next University of Nebraska president on Friday released its final list of candidates to the NU Board of Regents and the public.
Included on the list is an Air Force commander, two senior university officials from outside Nebraska and the current NU vice president for external affairs.
The regents will begin interviewing candidates May 10 and plan to name the president June 1, said Regent and Board Chairman Don Blank of McCook. The final appointment, to be made by the regents, will end a six-month search for NU President Dennis Smith's replacement.
The candidates are: Adm. James Ellis Jr., commander of the U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue; Peter Hoff, president of the University of Maine; James Milliken, previous NU vice president for external affairs and current senior vice president for university affairs at the University of North Carolina; and Kim Robak, NU's current vice president for external affairs.
Regent Chuck Hassebrook of Lyons said he was pleased with the caliber of the candidates.
"I think it's a strong list," he said.
Hassebrook said he was surprised by the inclusion of a commander. Next for the regents, he said, will be getting an understanding of the individuals through interviews, résumés and references.
Blank earlier announced the finalists will complete a two-day interview process, to include interviews with the regents, visits to all four university campuses, meetings with faculty, staff and students, and news conferences.
John Wunder, a history professor and president of the faculty senate at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said he was concerned Hoff was the only candidate with a Ph.D. Robak and Milliken have law degrees, and Ellis has two master's degrees.
Wunder said only two of NU's five top officials hold Ph.Ds. Of NU's four chancellors, Nancy Belck of the University of Nebraska at Omaha holds a doctorate; Harvey Perlman of UNL and Doug Kristensen of the University of Nebraska at Kearney have law degrees; and Harold Maurer of the University of Nebraska Medical Center has an M.D. Smith also has a Ph.D.
Once Smith steps down, Belck will be the only one of the group with a Ph.D.
"That's significant," Wunder said. "That's something the Board of Regents needs to take into consideration when they make their decision."
Though some of the regents may focus on leadership ability, Wunder said a strong academic background also was needed.
Regent Charles Wilson of Lincoln said he expected high-quality candidates from the search committee.
"I think we can glean from the résumés that they're all people with proven leadership," he said.
Next for the regents, he said, is examining how each candidate's leadership style would fit in a university setting -- more particularly at NU.
The candidates:
Adm. James Ellis, Jr.
Ellis, 56, has been commander of Offutt Air Force Base since 2001.
The former fighter pilot also led Allied NATO forces during crises in Kosovo and other Balkan states. In that time, he was Commander of U.S. Naval Forces, Europe, and Commander in Chief of Allied Forces, Southern Europe.
Ellis received his bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering at the U.S. Naval Academy. He received a master's degree in aeronautical engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology and in aeronautical systems at the University of West Florida.
His résumé highlighted his work in managing large-scale organizations and working with Congress and the White House.
Peter Hoff
Since 1997, Hoff, 59, has served as president of the University of Maine, the state's flagship university.
He previously served as senior vice chancellor for academic affairs for the California State University system and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Georgia system. He was vice chancellor for academic affairs at Indiana University Southeast, and held a variety of positions while at the University of Wisconsin.
Hoff received his bachelor's degree in English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He earned a master's degree in English and Ph.D. in English and Humanities at Stanford University.
While at the University of Maine, state and private financial support, research funding and enrollment has increased, according to his résumé.
James Milliken
Milliken, 47, has served as the senior vice president for university affairs at the University of North Carolina since March 2003.
Prior to his work in North Carolina, Milliken was NU's vice president for external affairs from 1993 to 1998. He also worked as corporation secretary and executive assistant to the president before assuming the vice president role.
Milliken received a bachelor's degree in English at UNL. He earned his law degree at New York University.
At the University of North Carolina, Milliken leads the development and implementation of university-wide strategy and is responsible for maintaining the university's relationship with government, business and other constituencies.
Kim Robak
Since 1999, Robak, 48, has served as NU's vice president for external affairs and corporation secretary. Robak assumed that role after working at the Capitol since 1991.
Robak was legal counsel and chief of staff to then-Gov. Ben Nelson from 1991 to 1993. She then was lieutenant governor until becoming NU vice president for external affairs.
Robak received her bachelor's degree in Speech and Dramatic Arts and law degree at UNL.
As vice president of external affairs, Robak works with UNL's four campuses, and coordinates relations with the state government and public relations efforts locally and nationally.
The search committee's list of candidates caps off an academic year that began in September when Smith announced he would step down to return to teaching. Smith served the university for 10 years.
Selecting the next president, several regents have said, will be one of the more important issues facing the regents this year.
Also important this year, Wunder said, is the tuition assistance plan for low-income students, which the board approved last week.
Under the plan, full-time students who receive Pell Grants will not pay any upfront tuition money. Starting fall 2005, the university will set aside $2.5 million, plus up to $1 million each year, to help low-income students get through college.
Wunder credited Smith and Perlman for endorsing the plan and convincing the regents to approve it.
"I think that it's one of the most significant and far-reaching events in the university's history," Wunder said. 
