Senior Vice Chancellor Reed to Retire at End of 18-19 Academic Year

After 36 years serving the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) in both faculty and administrative roles, Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs B.J. Reed, Ph.D., has announced that he will retire following the upcoming academic year, on May 31, 2019.

Reed, 69, has served as senior vice chancellor since 2011. He joined UNO in 1982 as a faculty member, going on to serve in several key administrative roles including being chair of the then-Department of Public Administration from 1985 to 2000, Dean of the College of Public Affairs and Community Service from 2000 to 2011, and Executive Associate to the Chancellor from 2006 to 2012.

“I have had the extreme pleasure of working with B.J. for the last four years as both a colleague and as a partner in my roles at UNMC and UNO," UNO Chancellor Jeffery P. Gold, M.D., said. "In that time, I have come to see first-hand how much he cares about UNO and its mission of serving students. His contributions and efforts have truly made a tremendous impact at UNO and in the world of higher education overall. We all wish B.J. and his family the very best in their future endeavors”

The search process for UNO’s next Senior Vice Chancellor, led by Chancellor Gold, is expected to begin later this spring. Details about the process will be shared with campus as they are available.

During Reed’s tenure as senior vice chancellor overseeing UNO’s academic initiatives, UNO has opened two first-of-its-kind facilities in the Biomechanics Research Building and Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center; earned the largest research grant in university history; added two new student housing facilities in Scott Court and Scott Crossing; and adding two new doctoral degree programs.

“In looking back at the last three and a half decades I’ve spent at UNO, I am consistently reminded of just how far the university has come since I first stepped foot on campus as a new faculty member and to be a part of that evolution has been truly rewarding,” Reed said. “I think the thing that I have enjoyed the most over the years is all of the amazing people I had the opportunity to meet, including former students who went on to become colleagues, colleagues who became mentors and members of the community, many of whom are alumni, that continue to give back to UNO and support the next generation of students.”

Two major points of pride for Reed prior to his role as senior vice chancellor are helping elevate UNO’s public administration program, which was recently ranked in the top 10 percent of its graduate program peer group by U.S. News and World Report, and working to provide state and donor funding for a new home for the College of Public Affairs and Community Service.

“Even though it has already been a decade since CPACS moved into its new home, it feels like yesterday that I was standing next to my mentor and former CPACS Dean, Dave Hinton, and his predecessors, John Kerrigan and Hubert Locke, celebrating its opening. I have been surrounded by some great leaders throughout my time at UNO and anything that I’ve accomplished has been thanks to their guidance and support throughout the years.”

A native of Hays, Kansas, Reed received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science in political science from Fort Hays State. He earned his Ph.D. in public administration from the University of Missouri. Prior to coming to UNO, Reed worked as Senior Staff Associate and Director of Information Services for the National League of Cities and also as Director of Community Development of Mexico, Missouri. He also served on the faculty of Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

Reed has published in numerous journals. He is also the author of several books on diverse topics including economic development, strategic planning, budgeting, financial administration and intergovernmental management

He served as President of the Association of Chief Academic Officers (ACAO) during the 2017-2018 academic year and currently serves as Past President. Reed also previously served as President of the National Council of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) in 2003-2004 and was chair of the Council on Peer Review and Accreditation for the NASPAA and Co-Chair of its Data Task Force Committee. Reed was also elected as a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration in 2005 and recently completed a six-year term as member of the Board where he served as its Secretary and a member of its Executive Committee.

His community service includes the board of directors of the Love Jazz Arts Center, Live Well Omaha (where he served as chair for four years) and the Omaha Community Partnership where he served as chair for three years. He has been a member of the training coordination board for Omaha Neighborhood Builders. He is also Past President of the Dundee Memorial Park Neighborhood Association and served on the 30th Anniversary Committee of Leadership Omaha and on the Board of the Midlands Latino Community Development Corporation.