Penn State President Spanier Touts Benefits of CIC Membership to UNL Faculty

Pennsylvania State University President Graham Spanier on Monday delivered remarks regarding the academic advantages of joining the Big Ten athletic conference to a University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty audience on Monday.

Dr. Spanier was brought to campus for the second of two forums sponsored by the Faculty Senate and Academic Planning Committee examining how UNL will be affected by joining the Big Ten Conference and Committee on Institutional Cooperation. His remarks were featured in the local television news on KOLN, the Lincoln Journal Star, and the Daily Nebraskan.  

Dr. Spanier was the chancellor at UNL from 1991-95, before he was hired to lead Penn State. He noted to the audience that before joining the Big Ten, Penn State was considered a "regional" university, but joining the Big Ten and the CIC helped it become recognized as a "national" university. 

"Spanier touted the academic advantages of joining the Big 10 and assured University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty the move would be beneficial," wrote the Journal Star.

Wrote the Daily Nebraskan, "Spanier said as a part of the Big Ten conference, UNL will enjoy membership in the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, a 'premier' consortium that promotes collaboration among Big Ten universities to better share their expertise and resources. 'UNL already collaborates with other universities in a number of areas, but now the doors will be open wider,' Spanier said."

For more information on UNL becoming a member of the CIC, please visit www.cic.net/nebraska.