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Nebraska interim president Chris Kabourek takes helm at critical moment

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Nebraska interim president Chris Kabourek takes helm at critical moment


LINCOLN, Neb. — He got the football signed.

Although it was not on Chris Kabourek’s to-do list when he took over the presidency of the University of Nebraska system on Jan. 1, he checked the item off last week as Trev Alberts visited Varner Hall, office of the president, and put pen to leather on Kabourek’s souvenir.

That football, which has been in Kabourek’s possession for three decades, was thrown to him by Alberts before the Nebraska athletic director’s final game as a star linebacker at Memorial Stadium. Omaha World-Herald columnist Tom Shatel got the details last week from Kabourek — who spoke individually with multiple members of the media in his first month as interim president.

He sat down Tuesday with The Athletic in the office vacated a month ago by Ted Carter, the Nebraska president of three years who left to take over at Ohio State. Kabourek may not lead the four-campus system for an extended period, but his time in this role is set to rate as an abnormally important period in Lincoln, amid the changing landscape in higher education and high-stakes athletics.

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Here’s the first thing to know about Kabourek as it pertains to sports: He values them.

“The next president has to be attuned with the importance of athletics to this state and this institution,” said Kabourek, who has been the university system senior vice president for business and finance and CFO since 2018. “We have to be aligned in our leadership across the university.

“It can’t be academics vs. athletics. The two have to go hand in hand.”

Kabourek, 50, coaches his sons’ football, basketball and baseball teams. He officiates high school and small-college basketball. Kabourek was the first from his David City, Neb., farming family to attend college.

His office is adorned not only with the newly signed football from Alberts but also with a framed piece of the court from Volleyball Day in Nebraska, a Jordan Burroughs “man in the arena” placard, a Nebraska football pennant that belonged to Kabourek’s grandfather and memorabilia connected to teams at the Nebraska-Omaha and Nebraska-Kearney campuses.

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In the academic and research world, Kabourek faces a budget shortfall and the reality of administering cuts.

Nebraska athletics, under the direction of Alberts, generated $204.8 million in revenue in the 2023 fiscal year, a record for the state’s flagship institution, and a $13.9 million surplus. Both financial figures place Nebraska into an elite category nationally.

And still, Kabourek is concerned.


This week, the university system announced that University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha plan this year to report federally funded research expenditures as a combined figure to the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research and Development Survey.

It matters because Nebraska had been the only Big Ten institution to separate research dollars tied to its main campus and the medical school. The distinction contributed to the 2011 removal of Nebraska from the prestigious American Association of Universities, of which it had been a member since 1909.

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Every other Big Ten member, including the four schools set to join from the Pac-12 in August, belongs to the AAU.

The reclassification of research expenditures gets Nebraska “in the ballpark,” Kabourek said, with other Big Ten universities. But the process to regain AAU membership requires a “broader strategy to align” the Lincoln campus with the rest of the university system, Kabourek said.

The decision last year to shift oversight of Nebraska athletics from the UNL chancellor to the system president illustrates an additional effort to align campuses.

Kabourek participated this week in his first gathering of the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors.

“It’s a little vulnerable to walk into that meeting and know that you’re representing the only school that doesn’t look like the other 17,” he said. “Those are our peers, and we’ve got to make sure we’re competing with those peers.”

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University leaders must do more, according to Kabourek, or they could risk Nebraska’s solid footing in the Big Ten. Ultimately, they could jeopardize the school’s membership.

“Nebraska shouldn’t — and we don’t — take a backseat to anybody,” Kabourek said. “So even though I’m the interim (president), I’m going to go in there representing Nebraska’s interest and make sure our voice is heard.”


No scenario is entirely farfetched. Conference realignment, the expanding College Football Playoff, the name, image and likeness (NIL) revolution and erosion of the NCAA model have set in motion perhaps the most disruptive era in college sports.

Could the Big Ten expel Nebraska over its missing AAU label? Yes, if the other league members were looking for a reason to share multimedia rights revenue with fewer schools.

Kabourek surely won’t encounter such a plot in 2024. But Alberts could face anything imaginable before his time in Lincoln is done. Kabourek worked last fall on the contract extension and raise awarded to Alberts by Carter before the former president departed.

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Aside from collecting Alberts’ signature for display in Kabourek’s office, he said he’s thrilled to work alongside the AD.

“I’m not going to go back over our history over the past 20 years,” Kabourek said, “but we probably had some missteps in terms of football coaches or athletic directors. With Trev, we have the right leader at the right time. He understands this place. He loves Nebraska.

“He understands the importance of our culture, the people, just like I do. And he’s at the table on these important discussions.”

On NIL, Kabourek said, “it’s very challenging.”

“We’ve got to make sure we’re not taking a backseat to anybody and that we have the resources and a plan in place to go compete,” he said. “From my seat, it seems a little bit like the wild west.”

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Kabourek said he’s open to all conversations, including the talk of turning student-athletes into university employees.

“We’d better be thinking about that,” he said. “Sticking our head in the sand is not going to help us at all.”

On the plan to demolish the south end zone seating at Memorial Stadium next year and begin full-scale work on a renovation announced last fall to come with a price tag of $450 million, Kabourek said he’s aligned with Alberts.

“We are really committed to this project,” Kabourek said. It’s critical.”

Fan experiences are changing. As a school and as a state, Kabourek said, Nebraska must ensure that its younger generation of fans invests in the stadium that represents the school’s national brand.

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“I support Trev being bold on this,” he said. “We need to start being bold at Nebraska on athletics and academics and research. And this is a bold investment.”

Kabourek is a Nebraska Wesleyan graduate. He earned his MBA from UNL and began work for the Nebraska administration in 1997. He said he’ll treat this interim job like he’s got the green light to think big.

Would he like to be considered a candidate as the Board of Regents conducts a search for the next president? On that one, he didn’t offer a direct answer.

“My job,” Kabourek said, “is to give the time and space that they need.”

Settling into his chair in this second month, he’s got all the time the regents need him to give.

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(Photo: Mitch Sherman / The Athletic)





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No. 24 Nebraska wins slugfest over Indiana

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No. 24 Nebraska wins slugfest over Indiana


A windy day led to a wild slugfest at Hawks Field Saturday, but No. 24 Nebraska baseball knocked off Indiana, 12-7, clinching the conference series for the Cornhuskers while running Nebraska’s home record to 11-0.

The Huskers scored three runs in the first and two in the fourth to build a 5-0 lead. The Hoosiers answered with three in the sixth and one in the seventh to cut the NU lead to 5-4. Nebraska took control of the game with seven runs in the bottom of the seventh to grow the lead to 12-4. IU scored one in the eighth, but drew no closer.

Drew Grego was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Dylan Carey drove in five runs and hit a home run, while always drawing a pair of walks. Case Sanderson was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a pair of walks. Jeter Worthley added a 2-for-4 showing with an RBI and a walk. Carson Jasa (5-1) earned the win, throwing 5.2 innings for NU. He allowed four hits while striking out 10 and walking five. For Indiana, Owen ten Oever was 1-for-3 with three RBI. Cooper Malamazian was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

The Huskers aim for the sweep Sunday at Hawks Field against Indiana. First pitch is slated for noon with pregame coverage at 11:30 a.m. on KLIN.

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No Kings protests return to Nebraska, draw hundreds and thousands

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No Kings protests return to Nebraska, draw hundreds and thousands


LINCOLN, Neb. (Nebraska Examiner) – Hundreds of Nebraskans protested against the Trump administration Saturday along Nebraska Parkway in Lincoln, and thousands protested near Northwest Radial Highway in Omaha as part of No Kings demonstrations statewide.

Protesters along Nebraska Parkway in Lincoln on March 28, 2026. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)(Nebraska Examiner)

The third iteration of No Kings protests organized border to border gatherings to vent displeasure at President Donald Trump and his administration’s policy decisions. The Lincoln protest was held on the Helen Boosalis Trail between North 27th Street and North 56th Street.

“I don’t like what’s going on … I know it’s not the world I want to live in,” said Ford Kloepper, a 17-year-old Lincoln resident.

Kloepper said people his age are going to take the “brunt” of Trump’s “mistakes.” He pointed to the recent U.S. conflict in Iran as a motivator to protest for him, as he doesn’t want to get “drafted into a war in the Middle East for no reason at all.”

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Many of the protesters, much like previous demonstrations, held anti-Trump signs with slogans like, “Trump lies” and “Stop Trump, save democracy.” Others held American flags and wore costumes. Volunteers from different groups gathered signatures for ballot initiatives and at least one candidate. One of the petitions sought to let voters decide on a state constitutional amendment requiring larger majorities to repeal or change any law passed by voters. Volunteers for nonpartisan U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn collected signatures to get him on the November ballot. 

People gather at the Omaha No Kings protest. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)
People gather at the Omaha No Kings protest. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)(Nebraska Examiner)

Organizers planned 18 protests across Nebraska. In Omaha, the rally was held at Gallagher Park, with thousands of protesters filling the sidewalks and grassy areas near the intersection of Maple Street and the Northwest Radial. 

Organizers said the spot let protesters draw attention to historic Benson and all of the restaurants, galleries and coffee shops that have made the neighborhood a cultural destination since 1887.  Among the crowd filled with a variety of ages and races was Lorin and Elwin Moseman, waving signs that said, “End Wars Before Wars End Us” and “No Kings No ICE.”

It was the Mosemans’ third anti-Kings rally, and despite the chill of the day, they said they wouldn’t have missed it. 

“It could have been an ice storm,” said Elwin, who was motivated in particular by “the Epstein files and Trump being in them, this stupid war we’ve got involved with Iran.”

His wife, Lorin, said she came to “stand up for democracy.”

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“I want to show up, stand up and speak out about our country,” she said, decrying “leadership incompetency from the very beginning.”

She said the nation needs a presidential job description and interview, and she was not short on words to describe her disgust and disappointment about current leadership: “Shameful, disgusting, exhausting.” 

“We’re in a broken world,” she said.

Nearby, a bundled up woman in a wheelchair held onto a sign that said, “I’m mad about everything.”

Lorin and Elwin Moseman of Omaha were among the thousands of protesters who participated in...
Lorin and Elwin Moseman of Omaha were among the thousands of protesters who participated in the Omaha demonstration on Saturday. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)(Nebraska Examiner)

Sara Peterson led buses carrying about 75 protesters from First United Methodist Church of Omaha. She said people felt a sense of unity and joy seeing the chanting crowd, which she said reflected her group’s makeup — diverse in age, ethnicity and political party.

“We’re not alone,” she said “It’s an exciting day to be a part of.”

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Peterson called the rally a “tangible sign of people coming together … for democracy.” Her group included church members and their friends — some of whom never participated in such a protest or rally before but felt the urge and were nudged “out of their comfort zone to take back our country and democracy.

Since the return of Trump for a second term, the anti-Trump group has organized national protests. Nebraska, much like the rest of the nation, saw multiple demonstrations throughout 2025. 

The group also bought ads in local newspapers ahead of the Saturday protests. Nebraska Republican Party chair Mary Jane Truemper had no immediate comment on the protests.

As Election Day gets closer, political observers have wondered how organizers might harness the political energy, whether the demonstrations might signal a coming wave of change at the polls, or whether momentum will fizzle after the crowds go home. Some have argued Democrats and progressives are good at mobilizing people for large-scale protests but have lagged conservatives in building local infrastructure to affect sweeping policy changes.

Back in Lincoln, Erik Betts, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln student, said the political winds are in Democrats’ favor, and he feels the possibilities are endless, even in a reliably red state. He said he thinks Osborn could beat Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, and he hopes the “blue” wave might be large enough to beat Nebraska 1st Congressional District Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, a former speaker of the Legislature. 

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“We need to really show up this time …We’ve got to take this motivation … and make a difference,” Betts said. 

Betts said events like these help him stay hopeful because it reminds him that he is not alone.

“When you are in your own house and just scrolling on social media, it’s easy to feel just defeated,” Betts said. “So I come out as much to show support for everyone else, to feel that maybe a bunch of people agree with [me] and things can change.”

Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Aaron Sanderford for questions: info@nebraskaexaminer.com.

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Omaha woman fighting for medical debt relief in Nebraska

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Omaha woman fighting for medical debt relief in Nebraska


OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – For many families, beating a cancer diagnosis isn’t just about physical recovery. One Omaha cancer survivor is now using her voice to fight for medical debt relief across Nebraska.

Diana Gleisberg Meredith thought she had an upper respiratory infection in January 2024.

“In January of 2024, I felt like I had some kind of upper respiratory – maybe Pneumonia, RSV…” Meredith said.

She was sent from her primary care doctor to the emergency room to a hospital by ambulance in a five-hour span.

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“The ER doctor identified that it was cancer, likely lymphoma,” Meredith said.

Diagnosis came as new mother started treatment

The diagnosis came as Meredith became a new mom. She knew she had to immediately start treatment.

“It’s life changing. You go from not having a care in the world to thinking you’re going to die and how is that going to affect my baby. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through emotionally, physically and mentally,” Meredith said.

Meredith said there’s an invisible burden that comes with the diagnosis.

“Not everybody is lucky to have the financial support or the human support to help them,” Meredith said.

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Treatment costs could add up to millions

Meredith had 12 chemo treatments. Each used four medications, with one of those costing more than $130,000. For one family, this could add up to millions.

After Meredith entered remission, she began fighting for medical debt relief for other Nebraskans.

“Nebraskans all throughout the state and right here in Omaha – they’re having to make those decisions about should they save their life, or how do they care for their family,” Meredith said.

Advocacy group plans Washington trip

She works with Blood Cancer United alongside other Omaha mothers whose children are cancer survivors. They hold fundraisers like “Light the Night,” collecting thousands of dollars and supporters.

In May, they’ll travel to Washington, D.C., for training on how to push for change at the federal level.

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“Our office of public policy gets together to help train these volunteers, help them get to know each other better and develop familiarity with what it means to go to a lawmakers office in Washington DC,” said Dana Bacon, senior director of government affairs for Blood Cancer United.

Meredith is fighting for lower interest rates on medical debt, no foreclosures on homes over medical debt and paused interest rates.

“It’s probably the most stressful thing that you’re going to go through, and then having to add medical debt on top of it? To be honest it’s hell,” Meredith said.

Other states are already protecting families from medical debt. Meredith said Nebraska should be next. Iowa is one of the states that limits liens and foreclosures when a family is drowning in medical debt.

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