UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green (left) shakes hands with new athletic director Trev Alberts as NU President Ted Carter looks on during a news conference in July 2021. A proposal would make Carter responsible for providing oversight to Husker Athletics, rather than the chancellor who replaces Green.
The responsibility for directing the future of Husker Athletics now rests in Varner Hall.
The University of Nebraska Board of Regents on Thursday revised its bylaws to move oversight and big-picture planning for the athletic department from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln chancellor’s office to NU President Ted Carter’s office.
The proposal from Lincoln Regent Tim Clare and Regent Rob Schafer of Beatrice also puts the eight members of the Board of Regents one step closer to the decision-making process in Husker Athletics. It passed unanimously.
Clare, speaking during Thursday’s meeting, said Husker Athletics’ enormous role in the minds of Nebraskans and others across the country elevates its importance to the system level.
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The athletics office’s $170 million budget is larger than that of the entire University of Nebraska at Kearney, Clare said.
And with several big projects wrapping up like the Go Big Project or set to begin in coming years like a renovation of Memorial Stadium, along with issues related to the transfer portal and name-image-likeness deals, it was important for the president to play a major role.
“None of us in our lifetimes have seen so much change in intercollegiate athletics,” he said. “Nebraska needs to stay on the cutting edge in this changing landscape. So I would say athletics is too important for the president not to be engaged.”
Schafer said athletics “is the front porch to our university” and said success for the Huskers will mean success for the university as a whole. Many see Nebraska football as “the brand” for the university, he added.
“We’ve gone through a pretty bare and quite honestly — at times — miserable state of athletics at the flagship, fans are getting to the point where they don’t have hope,” Schafer said.
If that happens, Schafer said support for the university system will dry up. Putting Carter in a position to provide direction and solve problems will ensure Husker Athletics remains successful, he added.
“I think it’s pretty important we put our best person forward at the end of the day,” Schafer said.
Regent Jim Scheer of Norfolk called the change “a plan for the future” that goes along with Carter’s other strategies for re-envisioning the university system.
“If it doesn’t work, we can always reverse back to another method,” Scheer said. “This is not a ‘forever and ever, amen’ deal.”
The decision to move responsibility for oversight from the campus level to the system level was not without skeptics and detractors, however.
Omaha Regent Barb Weitz said she agreed Carter would represent the University of Nebraska well with the Big Ten and NCAA, said that could change in the future.
“We have a great person now, but 10 years from now, will that still be true?” she said.
Weitz, who voted for the bylaw change “with reservations,” also cautioned regents to remain focused on NU’s broader mission of educating its students.
At a special meeting in late May, UNL Faculty Senate President Kelli Kopocis, an assistant professor of practice in the College of Engineering, said campus leaders were “blindsided” by the proposal.
Kopocis said faculty questioned whether or not Husker student athletes’ experiences would change on UNL’s campus, and what would happen to revenue generated by Husker Athletics.
She also said faculty members were also concerned that UNL’s chancellor — regents approved the hiring of Rodney Bennett on Thursday — would not have a voice on the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors.
Carter will assume that role on the board, which performs oversight of the conference’s policies, budget and operations, and hiring of the commissioner.
On Thursday, Barney McCoy, a professor of journalism at UNL and the chair of the Faculty Senate’s Intercollegiate Athletics Committee, told regents the committee felt Carter’s energy would be better spent focusing on managing the system.
“The system is not broken,” McCoy said. “Keep oversight in the hands of the UNL chancellor. By doing so, this also allows President Carter to have sole focus and undivided support to address the historic challenges now facing the NU system.”
Regents said they were confident in Carter’s ability to do the job, however, and said Bennett would continue to play a lead role with Husker Athletics.
The NU president, now in his fourth year, was engaged with Husker Athletics throughout the search that led to the hiring of Athletic Director Trev Alberts and new football Coach Matt Rhule, and has signed off on other hires and ongoing projects.
Carter said he also has experience with the NCAA when he served as the superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, serving on its Board of Governors, and moved the Midshipmen from being an independent school to members of the American Athletic Conference.
After the meeting, Carter said the new duties will not detract from his job of running the NU system, and said he’ll work closely with Bennett and Alberts to ensure the success of Husker Athletics moving forward.
University of Nebraska President Ted Carter speaks during a news conference about Matt Rhule’s salary on Nov. 28, 2022, at Hawks Championship Center.
Top Journal Star photos for June 2023
A’rielle Harvell (bottom), 5, slides down an inflatable water slide next to her sisters, Yahkira Harvell (top), 4, and Samirah Graham, 13, on Monday in central Lincoln. The temperature in Lincoln reached 96 on Monday and was in the 90s again on Tuesday. The National Weather Service is forecasting highs in the 90s and mostly sunny conditions for at least the next week.
David Campbell, a recent graduate from Union college’s international rescue and relief program, climbs and repels from a tree alongside Mike Mikler (not pictured) on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at Holmes Lake Park in Lincoln.
The duo, who had earlier created a giant swing, said they were climbing the trees for fun and practice. The program for International rescue and relief is a bachelor of science degree designed for students who want to serve and help others in disaster and humanitarian relief.
Southeast Community College Professor Michael Mellon teaches anatomy of the human brain to his class Tuesday in Lincoln. A change to community college funding in Nebraska will result in higher property taxes to support SCC next year, but officials say a tax credit will offset those increases.
Crane removal equipment sits on Q St. between North 9th and 10th St. temporarily closing the section of Q until June 23rd, Monday, June 19, 2023, in Lincoln.
Malone Ribbon Dancers, including Maisey Ratliff, 8, dance during Lincoln’s Juneteenth celebration Saturday at Trago Park.
Scott Copeland (Left) and Donnette Thayer (right) play Irish folk music with friends during the Hub Farmers Market at Union Plaza park on Wednesday. The markets are Wednesdays, from 5-7 p.m., through Sept. 20.
Open Harvest employees shovel gravel at the Open Harvest ground breaking in the Telegraph District, Wednesday, June 14, 2023, in Lincoln.
Dynasty Volleyball players Abigail Mullen (bottom left), Reese Messer (left), Claire Cisneros (top right), and Skyler Pierce (right) share snacks and stories with one another as they rest on the catwalk overlooking the volleyball courts ahead of their next match during the Midwest PreNationals tournament on Friday, June 9, 2023, at the Sports Pavilion Lawrence in Lawrence.
Fisherman Salem Alsareni, catches a 24 inch carp, weighing in at six and a half pounds at Holmes Lake, Monday, June 12, 2023, in Lincoln.
Angela Gebhardt walks next to Star City Chorus during the Star City Pride Parade Saturday at the Nebraska state Capitol.
Foster Care Closet employee Brooke Horton lifts boxes of diapers onto the bus before departing for Norfolk on Friday.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln chancellor candidate Rodney Bennett answers questions from students and staff who are part of the College of Law on Thursday at the Office of the President.
Terrance McIntyre gets his hair cut by Treveon Phinney at 402 Fades Barber Shop on Thursday at Gateway Mall.
Eliana Athena Vargas Smith, 2, plays in the fountain at Union Plaza park on Wednesday, when temperatures reached 88 degrees in Lincoln.
Children extend their arms outward as they reach for bubbles to pop during a family fun night ice cream party on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at the Charles H. Gere Branch Library in Lincoln.
Harper Trumble (top right) dances with her cousin Keegan VanDeWater (right) while Alexis Arai y Su Grupo perform as part of the Jazz in June concert series on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at in the Sheldon Sculpture Garden at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Lincoln. The first performers for Jazz in June drew a sizable crowd on Tuesday. The free concert series, held each Tuesday in June, will feature two sets of music from 7-7:45 p.m. and 8-8:45 p.m. Beyond the performances, the series will include education outreach coordinated by community centers and artists. A market offered food and drinks to hungry patrons. And a bike Valet will provided free, secure parking for bicycles from 5 p.m. until the end of the performance in the market.
The Rev. T. Michael Williams signs the petition to repeal LB753 during Support our Schools Nebraska petition drive kickoff at the state Capitol on Tuesday.
Mia Masch, 5, has her hair adjusted by her father Ian while his pet parrot Mango rests atop his shoulder during an animal blessing ceremony at First-Plymouth Church.
Shriner clowns cover their hearts for the invocation before the Nebraska Shrine Bowl on Saturday at Cope Stadium in Kearney.
A rainbow is seen near Ralston High School stadium during the Nebraska High School Soccer Senior Showcase on Friday.
Grace Jacobson of Lincoln holds a rainbow umbrella over a coffin prop in front of the Governor’s Mansion on Thursday, the final day of the legislative session.
Nikita (black) jumps into the dog pool as Pearl chases after her at Off Leash Dog Bar on Wednesday.
Lincoln East’s Carter Mick (10) poses for portrait , Monday, May 29, 2023, in Lincoln.
Rebecca Rager greets her grandfather Alfred Zieg (from left) during a celebration before his birthday on Wednesday, in the Gramercy dining room on Saturday, May 27, 2023, at The Residence at Gramercy in Lincoln. ‘It has been a life for sure,” Alfred Zieg said during the celebration. “And on Wednesday I get to start all over again, right?”
Muggs, a 6 year-old chocolate lab fetches his toy from the water following his dive on Saturday at Paws 4 Fun in Lincoln.
Fire fighters clear out hot debris pulled off of 411 Mulder Dr home after alert two back yard fire, Friday, May 26, 2023, in Lincoln.
Reach the writer at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com.
On Twitter @ChrisDunkerLJS
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