Rich Klein to Step Down as Vice Chancellor of IESS

University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) Vice Chancellor of Institutional Effectiveness and Student Success (IESS) Rich Klein, Ph.D., is stepping down from his role at UNO at the end of the calendar year to take on a new role as the dean of Stuart School of Business at Illinois Institute of Technology, UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, announced today.

Pending University of Nebraska System Board of Regents approval, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Success Sammi Kaiser, Ph.D., and Executive Director of Systems Intelligence & Data Analytics Andy Jacobsen will serve as interim co-vice chancellors of IESS.

“Rich’s leadership has been instrumental in advancing the Division of Institutional Effectiveness and Student Success and in ensuring that UNO continues to make meaningful impacts in the lives of our students,” Li said. “His unwavering commitment to student recruitment, retention, and career readiness has established a strong foundation for the division's future. We are grateful for his years of service and are confident that his expertise will bring continued success in his new role. We wish him all the best as he takes on this exciting opportunity. I am excited for Rich as he returns to his passion of creating an innovative business education experience for learners.”

Klein joined UNO in 2022 after serving as the Florida International University (FIU) College of Business as Associate Dean of the R. Kirk Landon Undergraduate School of Business and program director of the Master of Science in Data Science Business Analytics track. In his time at UNO, Klein led the reorganization of multiple student-serving units under a newly established IESS. Under his leadership, IESS launched multiple initiatives that enhanced recruitment, retention, career readiness, and financial aid operations, while also developing new partnerships with Metropolitan Community College (MCC) and Omaha area employers.

“It has been an incredible privilege to work alongside such dedicated students, faculty, and staff here at UNO,” Klein said. “Together, we have advanced UNO’s role as a powerful engine for workforce development, creating opportunities that not only support our students’ futures but also make a lasting, positive impact on the Omaha community and the state of Nebraska. I am deeply thankful for the unwavering commitment and collaborative spirit that define this university, and I look forward to seeing UNO’s continued success and growth in the years to come.”

A search committee for the next vice chancellor for IESS will be chaired by UNO Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Phil He, Ph.D. Committee members will include:

• Keristiena Dodge, Chief of Staff
• Sammi Kaiser, Ph.D., Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Success
• Andy Jacobsen, Executive Director of Systems Intelligence & Data Analytics
• Rashonda Austin, Director of Undergraduate Admissions
• Jaci Lindburg, Ph.D., Associate Vice Chancellor for Innovative and Learning-Centric Initiatives
• Neal Grandgenett, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences

About Sammi Kaiser, Ph.D.

Kaiser serves as the assistant vice chancellor for student success where she leads initiatives supporting transfer student mobility, student success through MavCONNECT, and oversees several campus service areas, including Career Services and the Maverick Advising Center. With over 15 years of experience in higher education, Kaiser has held leadership roles at UNO and Iowa Western Community College, focusing on academic advising, career development, and student retention. A three-time graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, she also works as a certified Gallup CliftonStrengths coach, helping teams build on their strengths for collective success.

About Andy Jacobsen

Jacobsen serves as executive director of systems intelligence and data analytics at UNO, where he leads data governance, reporting, and enterprise solution initiatives to support campus-wide, data-driven decision-making. Since joining UNO in 2009, Jacobsen has held roles as interim director of both systems intelligence and data analytics and the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, where he drove improvements in institutional reporting and process alignment with UNO’s mission. Previously, as a business analyst in the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Student Records, he focused on developing data solutions and analytics dashboards to enhance student success and streamline operations across UNO’s systems.