Joanne Li Confirmed as UNO Chancellor; Will Assume Role July 1
In a historic appointment, the University of Nebraska Board of Regents unanimously confirmed Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, as the 16th chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) during a Board of Regents meeting on May 1, 2021.
Li, currently the dean of the College of Business at Florida International University, will begin transition work as UNO chancellor-elect on June 1, 2021, and will assume the role of chancellor on July 1. She will become the first woman of color to serve as UNO chancellor and the first Asian-American in the history of the University of Nebraska system to hold an executive leadership role.
The Board’s action follows a national search that resulted in NU System President Ted Carter’s selection of Li as the priority candidate for UNO chancellor. Her candidacy then underwent a 30-day public vetting period during which Li engaged with 600-plus UNO students, faculty, staff, alumni and stakeholders to answer their questions and share her vision for Nebraska’s metropolitan university.
“The heart of any university are its people. As I’ve gotten to know the people who make UNO such a wonderfully vibrant and diverse place, I’ve only become more excited about our potential to become the nation’s leading metropolitan university,” Li said. “I’m humbled that so many individuals took time to share their thoughts with me on what it means to be a Maverick."
“My first task is to continue listening and learning. Then, together, we’ll work to turn our ideas into actions that create even more opportunities for students and families, deepen our connections to our community, and grow the economic and social well-being for Omaha and Nebraska for generations to come. Let’s hit the ground running together.”