UNO Chancellor Nancy Belck resigned Tuesday, saying controversy had diminished her ability to lead.
"Unfortunately, because of the environment created by events of the past several weeks, I can no longer provide effective leadership," Belck said in a press release.
In an internal e-mail to faculty, staff and students, Belck made specific mention of the media scrutiny:
"This morning, I submitted my resignation to NU President James Milliken, which he accepted. Over the past several weeks, the constant glare of the media spotlight on UNO has redirected our focus from the important job of educating students; in such an environment, it is impossible for me to lead effectively. In the best interests of UNO, removing myself from this controversy is the most appropriate course of action."
World-Herald reporter Henry Cordes wrote several copyrighted stories, including one in Sunday editions in which Belck is reported to have doctored an expense statement.
The World-Herald's investigation into possible mismanagement of athletic department spending began on Aug. 11 when the newspaper notified the University of Nebraska system that it was taking legal action to overturn UNO's decision to deny access to its records of Jim Buck's spending of athletic funds. Buck resigned three days later.
Less than a week after threatening legal action, the World-Herald filed a public records request to obtain Buck's spending records. On Sept. 7, the newspaper reports how Buck spent thousands of dollars on travel by his wife to places like Hawaii and Alaska, plus golf outings and expensive dinners.
The World-Herald wasn't the only news media outlet scrutinizing the University's spending in the wake of the layoff of five employees from the athletic department in June. Local sports talk shows have made the topic a hot one, even as the Nebraska football season began. Nearly every TV and radio broadcast led with the story last Friday of the Nebraska Regents meeting in which UNO leaders were criticized.
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