The Bugeater

The below press release was shared with media on Monday, August 24, at the start of the 2026-2027 academic year.

Lincoln, Nebraska—The University of Nebraska-Lincoln begins the 2026 Fall Semester having lost more faculty over the past year than any year of the past decade according to publicly available data.

The total number of faculty–including tenured, tenure-track and contract professors of practice–had declined by nearly 5 percent in 2026 compared to 2025. The number of faculty departures was nearly double the number of hires–116 compared with 61–and represented the university’s largest faculty loss rate since 2015.

“When a university loses experienced faculty, it loses research and innovation, institutional knowledge, and the continuity that students should depend on,” said Andrea Basche, UNL AAUP President and Associate Professor of Agronomy & Horticulture. “These faculty departures are a warning sign about the future direction of UNL.”

Faculty departures at UNL since Fall 2025 reflect a tumultuous year at the university amidst administrative decisions to address a budget deficit. These decisions include a voluntary separation incentive plan (VSIP) for retirement-eligible tenured faculty and the termination of faculty from four eliminated programs: Statistics, Education Administration, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design.

Of the 87 departures independently verified by UNL AAUP, 86% were tenured faculty (Full or Associate Professors). The Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) experienced the greatest faculty loss. Over half of all faculty departures were due to retirement, while 36% were faculty who left UNL for positions at other institutions or in industry. Eighteen faculty members left the university after their programs were eliminated by the Board of Regents on December 5, 2025 even though their contracts were extended through at least the spring of 2027. At least 30 additional faculty from these programs have received notice that their employment will be terminated.

“Leadership has a responsibility to build the university, not tear it down,” said Alexander Vazansky, UNL AAUP Secretary and Associate Professor of History. “Losing UNL faculty at such a high rate undermines the university’s mission and lessens the quality of student education.”

University of Nebraska-Lincoln AAUP, a chapter of the American Association of University Professors, is dedicated to improving classroom conditions for faculty and their students. The American Association of University Professors (AAUP), with over 44,000 members and 500 local chapters, champions academic freedom; advances shared governance; and organizes to promote economic security for all academic professionals. Since 1915, the AAUP has shaped American higher education by developing standards and procedures that uphold quality education.