‘Difficult decisions’: NU Board of Regents hear from staff on proposed department cuts
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — The University of Nebraska Board of Regents met on Friday to discuss potential cuts.
The debate got heated with faculty, staff and students on the departments up for elimination, arguing to save the programs they said are essential.
Six programs are on the proposed chopping block: Community and Regional Planning, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Educational Administration, Landscape Architecture, Statistics and Textiles, and Merchandising and Fashion Design.
SEE ALSO: UNL puts six academic programs on the chopping block amid $27 million budget shortfall
“And as you know, my program is up for elimination, again,” said Michael Burton, an associate professor of Textiles, Merchandising & Fashion Design.
Some professors said their departments are being targeted unfairly, leaving students with fewer paths to research and careers.
Some said they’re worried about which programs will survive the budgets cuts and which ones could soon disappear.
“But now my hair started falling out,” said Erin Haacker, a professor at UNL. “Is it because I’m two months postpartum or is it because of the stress? I don’t know!”
SEE ALSO: Professor of UNL’s meteorology program writes appeal to save the program
Plenty of staff members said the formula being used to make these decisions is faulty and inaccurate.
“My purpose of being here today is to make the regent board aware of some of the problems with the metrics that are being used for UNL budget reduction process.” said Kent Eskridge, a statistics professor at UNL.
The Regents argued tough decisions are necessary, pointing to budget deficits and declining enrollment in some areas.
“We face the realities that demand difficult decisions,” said NU President, Jeffery Gold.
SEE ALSO: ‘No other program like this’: UNL gets pushback for ending Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
The board has not yet made final decisions.
It will make its final recommendations on cuts on Oct. 24.
