Hearings for UNL’s proposed budget reductions to begin Wednesday
University aims to cut $27.5 million from budget by end of 2025
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - The Academic Planning Committee (APC) has scheduled a series of hearings to gather feedback on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s $27.5 million in proposed budget reductions.
UNL Chancellor Rodney Bennett outlined the plan to reduce the university budget on Sept. 12. The proposal includes $21 million to close a structural gap and an additional $6.5 million in reductions.
A series of public hearings will be held between Oct. 1-10. The university said to minimize potential disruption and allow for respectful and thoughtful dialogue, the hearings will be livestreamed rather than open to the public. Affected units will determine who speaks at each hearing.
Hearing dates, proposed reductions to be discussed are:
- Oct. 1, 3 to 4 p.m. — Community and Regional Planning;
- Oct. 1, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. — Landscape Architecture;
- Oct. 2, 3 to 4 p.m. — Entomology;
- Oct. 2, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. — Plant Pathology;
- Oct. 3, 3 to 4 p.m. — Agricultural Economics;
- Oct. 3, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. — Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication;
- Oct. 8, 3 to 4 p.m. — Music;
- Oct. 8, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. — Theatre and Film;
- Oct. 9, 3 to 4 p.m. — Educational Administration;
- Oct. 9, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. — Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design;
- Oct. 10, 3 to 4 p.m. — Statistics; and
- Oct. 10, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. | Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.
Guidance on how to testify that a reduction, elimination or reorganization is inadvisable is available in Section V, Criteria of the Procedures to be Invoked for Significant Budget Reallocations and Reductions. The guidance is useful for testimony provided live during a hearing or via written response.
Once the hearings are complete, the APC will use the feedback to provide recommendations to Bennett.
From there, Bennett will create a final plan and present it to the Board of Regents for consideration at their December meeting.
Complete details on the hearings, including Zoom access and an online form to all to provide feedback, are available on the Academic Planning Committee website.
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