Husker for Higher Education Advocate--This legislative season is once again starting fast and furious. I am forwarding information to you relative to the University’s legislative package introduced yesterday. While we will be advocating on behalf of the entire package, as you can see the introduction of LB 1066 is very important for the Lincoln campus. Thank you again for your support and involvement with this important advocacy program! Your assistance is invaluable.
Dear University Supporter,
The new year means a new legislative session for the Governor, our senators and those of us who rely on the support of the Legislature for our activities. The Nebraska Legislature convened for its 2012 session at 10 a.m. on Jan. 4. As we have in the past, we will call on our friends periodically to help the University of Nebraska by contacting members of the Legislature to voice their support.
I am writing today to update you on the University of Nebraska's legislative agenda this year. President J.B. Milliken joined senators at the Capitol this week to announce an exciting initiative which we believe has great potential to advance the state's priorities of education and job creation. The initiative is called "Building a Healthier Nebraska," and it seeks state support for four capital projects in Lincoln, Omaha and Kearney that would significantly expand our capacity in nursing, cancer research and care, allied health and veterinary diagnostics. We think Building a Healthier Nebraska represents a tremendous opportunity to expand Nebraska's health care workforce to better serve our state -- particularly in rural areas -- and help address critical shortages of nurses and allied health professionals.
Legislation for each of the four projects has been introduced and I encourage you to contact the sponsoring senators (listed below) now to thank them for their leadership. I also encourage you to contact other members of the Legislature to voice your support for this important initiative.
Building a Healthier Nebraska components and corresponding legislation are:
- A new University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing facility in Lincoln (LB 1065, sponsored by Sen. Tony Fulton). A new nursing division in Lincoln has been our priority capital request in the Legislature for several years. A new facility would allow us to expand enrollment and improve education to better meet Nebraska's health care needs. The state's nursing shortage is expected to reach 3,800 by 2020, with rural areas especially hard-hit; a new facility would allow us to grow enrollment significantly.
- A new cancer research tower at UNMC (LB 1089, sponsored by Sen. John Nelson). The research tower would strengthen cancer research and treatment in the state and enhance UNMC's regional and national reputation in cancer care. Hundreds of high-tech, high-paying jobs would be created, making UNMC more competitive in attracting and retaining top talent. The research tower -- along with other projects planned at UNMC -- would position UNMC to earn a Comprehensive Cancer Center designation by the National Cancer Institute, which has long been a goal for us.
- An addition to the Bruner Hall of Science at the University of Nebraska at Kearney to allow for expansion of UNMC's Kearney nursing division and establishment of a new UNK-based UNMC allied health professions program (LB 1055, sponsored by Sen. Galen Hadley). Like Lincoln, the nursing division in Kearney turns away many qualified applicants each year, and the School of Allied Health Professions on the UNMC campus is only able to accept 25 percent of applicants. There is a significant demand for more allied health workers in Nebraska, especially in rural areas, and this will only grow as Nebraska's population ages. Expanding educational opportunities at Kearney is key to meeting workforce demands in central and western Nebraska.
- Planning money for a new Veterinary Diagnostic Center at the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LB 1066, sponsored by Sen. Tom Hansen). The current center is at risk of losing its accreditation, and we need to demonstrate progress in improving our facilities if we want to continue to effectively serve the Nebraska veterinarians and livestock producers who rely on the center for accurate, timely information. A new Veterinary Diagnostic Center is supported by industry leaders in Nebraska and fits well with our priority of investment in research, education and outreach in agriculture and life sciences.
All told, we estimate that Building a Healthier Nebraska would require an investment of $91 million from the state's cash reserve fund. We know this is a significant request, but as President Milliken said today, Nebraska has a unique opportunity now to make a strategic, targeted investment that will leverage the university’s strengths and private and other funding to benefit Nebraska well into the future.
I will continue to update you as the session goes along on the status of our proposal. We hope senators will agree with our assessment that Building a Healthier Nebraska has the potential to improve health care, drive workforce development, and create new opportunities for students across Nebraska.
If you have any questions or comments, please let me know. As always, thank you for your support of the University of Nebraska.
Ron Withem
Director of Governmental Relations, University of Nebraska
3835 Holdrege Street
Lincoln, NE 68583-0745
rwithem@nebraska.edu Senator Gregory Adams
District 24 471-2756
Senator Brad Ashford
District 20 471-2622
Senator Bill Avery
District 28 471-2633
Senator Dave Bloomfield
District 17 471-2716
Senator Lydia Brasch
District 16 471-2728
Senator Kathy Campbell
District 25 471-2731
Senator Tom Carlson
District 38 471-2732
Senator Mark Christensen
District 44 471-2805
Senator Colby Coash
District 27 471-2632
Senator Danielle Conrad
District 46 471-2720
Senator Tanya Cook
District 13 471-2727
Senator Abbie Cornett
District 45 471-2615
Senator Brenda Council
District 11 471-2612
Senator Annette Dubas
District 34 471-2630
Senator Debra Fischer
District 43 471-2628
Speaker Mike Flood
District 19 471-2929
Senator Tony Fulton
District 29 471-2734
Senator Mike Gloor
District 35 471-2617
Senator Ken Haar
District 21 471-2673
Senator Galen Hadley
District 37 471-2726
Senator Thomas Hansen
District 42 471-2729
Senator John Harms
District 48 471-2802
Senator Burke Harr
District 8 471-2722
Senator Lavon Heidemann
District 1 471-2733
Senator Gwen Howard
District 9 471-2723
Senator Charlie Janssen
District 15 471-2625
Senator Russ Karpisek
District 32 471-2711
Senator Robert Krist
District 10 471-2718
Senator Paul Lambert
District 2 471-2613
Senator Chris Langemeier
District 23 471-2719
Senator Tyson Larson
District 40 471-2801
Senator Steve Lathrop
District 12 471-2623
Senator Scott Lautenbaugh
District 18 471-2618
Senator LeRoy Louden
District 49 471-2725
Senator Beau McCoy
District 39 471-2885
Senator Amanda McGill
District 26 471-2610
Senator Heath Mello
District 5 471-2710
Senator John Nelson
District 6 471-2714
Senator Jeremy Nordquist
District 7 471-2721
Senator Rich Pahls
District 31 471-2327
Senator Pete Pirsch
District 4 471-2621
Senator Scott Price
District 3 471-2627
Senator Kenneth Schilz
District 47 471-2616
Senator Paul Schumacher
District 22 471-2715
Senator Les Seiler
District 33 471-2712
Senator Jim Smith
District 14 471-2730
Senator Kathleen Sullivan
District 41 471-2631
Senator Norman Wallman
District 30 471-2620
Senator John Wightman
District 36 471-2642