Nebraska Wesleyan University eliminates positions amid rising costs, declining enrollment

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Nebraska Wesleyan University on Friday detailed a series of layoffs at the midpoint of the fall semester.

In a letter sent to students, faculty and staff, President Darrin Good cited rising costs, complex policy, funding challenges and declining enrollment.

In the years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, Good said Nebraska Wesleyan experienced strong enrollment growth.

To meet the needs of a larger student body, NWU expanded staffing, faculty and programming accordingly, Good said.

However, the university’s traditional undergraduate enrollment has ranged between 1,400 and 1,,500 students.

“As we continue to recover from the pandemic and face the same headwinds affecting institutions nationwide, we must realign our work to match our current enrollment, which has returned to that historical level,” Good said.

To account for this drop in enrollment, NWU eliminated 14 positions — both full-time and part-time — and switched three positions from full-time to part-time.

Good said no faculty were affected.

“These decisions were driven solely by financial realities and in no way reflect the dedication, performance, or contributions of the individuals affected,” Good said. “Each employee, whose position was eliminated, was offered severance and continued health insurance for a period of time.”

Good also added that the university is trimming other expenses to ensure there will be no additional staff layoffs this academic year.

He mentioned that the university is not in a hiring freeze, and will continue to look at any vacancies that occur through attrition.

Good said the university has formed a faculty advisory work group to review academic programs and positions.

“This is a proactive, faculty-led effort designed to ensure that our academic offerings align with our fiscal reality while remaining strong, relevant, and responsive to student needs and future career opportunities,” Good said.

Aside from rumors circulating throughout campus, Good said there have been no decisions made about faculty or academic programs.

Good reiterated, “This is a proactive, faculty-led effort designed to ensure that our academic offerings align with our fiscal reality while remaining strong, relevant, and responsive to student needs and future career opportunities.”

According to Good, the university remains committed to important investments that will help grow its enrollment and increase revenue.

“By addressing our financial challenges today, we’re ensuring that Nebraska Wesleyan remains a strong and vibrant University tomorrow,” Good said. “We are not going anywhere. For 138 years, this University has transformed lives — and it will continue to do so for generations to come.”

You can read the full letter below:

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

As we approach the midpoint of the semester and the upcoming fall break, I want to share some important campus updates.

As you know from national and local headlines, colleges and universities across the country are navigating significant headwinds including declining enrollment due to fewer high school graduates, growing questions about the value of a college education, rising costs, and complex policy and funding challenges. Nebraska Wesleyan is not immune to these pressures.

In the years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nebraska Wesleyan experienced strong enrollment growth. To meet the needs of a larger student body, we expanded staffing, faculty, and programming accordingly. Historically, however, NWU’s traditional undergraduate enrollment has ranged between 1,400 and 1,500 students. As we continue to recover from the pandemic and face the same headwinds affecting institutions nationwide, we must realign our work to match our current enrollment, which has returned to that historical level.

Recently, we made staff adjustments impacting 17 full- and part-time staff (no faculty). These decisions were driven solely by financial realities and in no way reflect the dedication, performance, or contributions of the individuals affected. Each employee, whose position was eliminated, was offered severance and continued health insurance for a period of time.

We are doing everything necessary by trimming other expenses to ensure there will be no additional staff layoffs this academic year as part of the reduction in force. While we are not in a hiring freeze, we will continue to carefully review any vacancies that occur through attrition as part of our sound fiscal management just as we have always done.

Together with Provost Graciela Caneiro-Livingston and Faculty President Kevin Bower, we have formed a faculty advisory work group to review academic programs and positions. This is a proactive, faculty-led effort designed to ensure that our academic offerings align with our fiscal reality while remaining strong, relevant, and responsive to student needs and future career opportunities.

Unfortunately, some misleading rumors have circulated before this important work has had the opportunity to run its course. There have been no decisions made about faculty or academic programs. I want to emphasize that this is a deliberate and collaborative process—one focused on ensuring Nebraska Wesleyan continues to provide a strong, relevant education for generations to come.

We remain committed to important investments that will help grow our enrollment and increase our revenue. Over the past year, for example, we have made several important investments in our academic programs and spaces, new partnerships, and athletic facilities to name a few.

By addressing our financial challenges today, we’re ensuring that Nebraska Wesleyan remains a strong and vibrant University tomorrow. We are not going anywhere. For 138 years, this University has transformed lives — and it will continue to do so for generations to come. 

Thank you for your continued commitment to this outstanding University. I hope to see many of you throughout Wesleyan Weekend.

With gratitude,

President Darrin Good