UNMC 1968

First chancellor of UNMC Dr. Cecil Wittson, circa 1972.

The College of Medicine Dean, Cecil Wittson, was instrumental in the creation of the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Wittson was brought into the UNL and OU merger discussions. Wittson advocated for the College of Medicine to become its own administrative campus; equal with UNL and the newly formed UNO. As a result of his efforts, the University of Nebraska Medical Center became a semi-autonomous unit of the University of Nebraska system and Wittson became its chancellor.

First chancellor of UNMC Dr. Cecil Wittson with College of Medicine students, circa 1960s.

The merger of the University of Omaha and the University of Nebraska produced two Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs. The University of Nebraska insisted that the system have only one program and so a task force was created with representatives from UNO and UNMC. Plans were formulated to phase-out the program at UNO. Students enrolled in the UNO program were able to finish within a specified time or enroll in the program at UNMC.

The formation of the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 1968 was the catalyst for the concentration of health science education under the administrative control of one campus.