On September 12th, the UNL Chancellor identified six departments for elimination. Administrators have claimed these cuts are due to a financial crisis and/or are merited due to a series of metrics used, depending on who has been asked when. Although the two smallest units were able to be saved by their college, the Chancellor’s final budget reduction proposal still includes four departments for elimination. This is despite overwhelming evidence that the metrics used to evaluate departments were critically flawed, leading to highly successful units being targeted for elimination.
The bottom line is that these cuts hurt students. They especially hurt graduate students who seek out a rigorous educational experience at the flagship, land-grant institution to further their careers in textiles, merchandising, and fashion design; landscape architecture and community planning; statistics; meteorology and geology; or the leadership of schools, colleges, and universities. Grad students won’t simply pick a new major at UNL; they will pick a new university, probably out of state, and probably won’t come back.
Students, faculty, and taxpayers alike should be concerned that UNL, home of Husker Volleyball and Football, home of Morrill Hall, home of all kinds of academic programs that serve every variety of workforce need in the state, is being chipped away at. We’ve been collecting resources and explainers across the AAUP blog and beyond. Some highlights are below with actions you can take to push back on these cuts that hurt Nebraska’s students and taxpayers. Check back often for updates!
Take Action!
On December 5, the Board of Regents will vote on whether or not to approve these proposed cuts. The most important action you can take is to pack the room on December 5th, 9 am at Varner Hall. Please sign up so we can get a headcount!
GOOD: Show up in solidarity with the faculty, staff, and students who are losing their jobs and educational opportunities in these cuts.
BETTER: Bring a friend (or two or three or four)!
BEST: Speak up against the cuts during the public comment period of the meeting. Anyone is able to speak for 3 minutes at the meeting on any item on the agenda.
Learn More!
Read more about the Faculty Senate’s vote of “no confidence” in the Chancellor
Watch the Statistics Department unpack the faulty metrics and read their epic take-down of both the data and analyses used in the “metrics” used to justify these cuts. You can read more about the problems with the metrics here, here, here, here, here, here… yep, there are a lot of problems.
Review the External Financial Report and Check out the UNL AAUP Commentary
Read the Grad Council Letter and Unanimous Vote to Retain all programs
Take the APC Report Quiz
Read about how these budget cuts kill tenure at UNL
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Take MORE Action!
Sign the Petition— Write a letter straight to the NU Board of Regents. Share widely, every taxpayer in the state should be concerned about the lack of fiscal stewardship and the damage being done to the flagship, land-grant university, and the students of Nebraska.
Tuesday, December 2 – Chalk the campus and make signs for the Board of Regents meeting! Come find us outside both the City and East Campus Unions, 1-3pm.
Wednesday, December 3 – Show up for a New Orleans-Style funeral procession to mourn the loss of 4 academic departments, 50+ faculty members, tenure, and shared governance at UNL. Time and location TBA.
Thursday, December 4 – Rally to Stop the Cuts! 11am-1pm outside the City and East Campus Unions. Show up to show your support!
December 5th Board of Regents Meeting! Follow the QR code below or click here to RSVP! Sign up to speak or just to be there to pack the room and rally outside! Be sure the collective voice of students, faculty, and taxpayers is heard!
