Chancellor Burnett was a man of agriculture. The former dean of the College of Agriculture, Burnett clearly was biased to the agricultural feats. “-“The students who go from this college have been successful in the practical operation of land, in community service as county agents, in teaching agriculture or home economics in the local schools, in the supervision and promotion of boys’ and girls’ club work and in many other community enterprises where a knowledge of up-to-date methods is essential to individual success” (Burnett). He emphasized that the College of Agriculture really helped the state, providing a lot of work and research in wheat and animals.

He also viewed the University as being the best way to provide service to the people of Nebraska. The University educated men and women to “take their places effectively in the industrial or civic life of the state” (Burnett). “I consider now the University as a service institution. Citizens of the state have come to depend upon the University in many ways. They are constantly placing responsibilities of a service nature upon it. The demand for such service constantly increases” (Burnett). Burnett later mentions in this speech the importance of the agricultural side of the assistance, but never mentions the impact of the other subject areas.