Rodney Bennett (Photo from UNL release)
Bennett led Southern Miss for 9 years prior to his resignation in 2022. During his tenure, USM regained stability in its budget and improved student outcomes.
Last week, the University of Nebraska Board of Regents unanimously approved the appointment of Rodney Bennett as the 21st chancellor of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He succeeds current Chancellor Ronnie Green, who is retiring June 30. Bennet will begin July 1st.
“The chance to serve the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as chancellor is the opportunity I have been preparing for for over 30 years,” Bennett said in a statement.
Bennett previously served as the President of the University of Southern Mississippi, the state’s third largest university. He stepped down from the post at USM in 2022 after 9 years on the job.
During this tenure at Southern Miss, Bennett is credited with overseeing improved student outcomes, investment in faculty and high-growth academic programs, and stability to the university’s budget through fiscally conservative management.
Prior to his years at Southern Miss, Bennett held various leadership roles at the University of Georgia, Winthrop University and his alma mater, Middle Tennessee State University.
As the new Chancellor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Bennett steps in to lead a school that is consistently ranked in the top tier of national research universities. It is part of the University of Nebraska system, chartered in 1869 as a land-grant university. UNL is considered the flagship campus of the University of Nebraska system with nearly 24,000 students.
“I continue to be excited about the university’s ability to set a new standard of excellence among flagship and land-grant institutions across our country and beyond,” Bennett said. “UNL is truly unique in building vibrant, economically competitive communities across Nebraska while preparing students to be successful in an evolving world in which they will live and work.”
Frank Corder
