‘Unhappy campers’: UNL faculty planning no-confidence vote against Chancellor Bennett

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Faculty members at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are planning a no-confidence vote against Chancellor Rodney Bennett.

This comes after years of questioning his leadership, and recent budget cuts have shaken the trust.

SEE ALSO: ‘Our voices weren’t heard’: Faculty outcry grows as UNL faces $27.5 million in budget cuts

“It’s a very difficult time to work in higher education right now,” said John Shrader, the president of the faculty senate.

For years, faculty members at UNL have weathered budget challenges — but now, many say enough is enough.

“I think I can say, not just as the president of the faculty senate, but as a faculty member on this campus, there are a lot of people who are not happy with what’s happening. Not just budget cuts, but where it’s going, how we’re treated by the system, the kinds of things that are said and thought about us outside of this campus,” Shrader said.

The faculty senate announced it will hold a no-conference vote on Chancellor Bennett; a formal step they said reflects growing concern over his handling of recent budget cuts and the treatment of staff on campus.

“I would say there are a lot of unhappy campers on this campus,” Shrader said.

SEE ALSO: UNL professors hold town hall to discuss potential impacts of imminent $27.5 million budget cuts

Chancellor Bennett said in a statement: “The University of Nebraska faces ongoing serious budget challenges, currently and over the past decade, that leave no choice but to make difficult decisions. These are not decisions that any campus leadership team wants to make.”

Faculty said those proposed cuts have led to program eliminations, layoffs, and what some call an erosion of campus morale.

“The morale is not good. I think the feeling among the faculty and staff is not good, and we’re very concerned about the damage that will be done to this campus by these massive budget cuts,” Shrader said.

If the no-confidence vote passes, it won’t force Bennett out — but it will send a strong message that many faculty members no longer believe he can effectively lead.

SEE ALSO: ‘Difficult decisions’: NU Board of Regents hear from staff on proposed department cuts

“It’s not just the budget cuts. It’s beyond that, it’s bigger than that,” Shrader said. “The University of Nebraska has some major concerns about where it’s going and how it’s going to get there.”

Channel 8 spoke with the professor who planned the no-confidence vote.

Wanting to remain anonymous, she said this is not a motion or a vote they wanted to make or file.

She said, unfortunately, this is where they are at. She also hopes the board of regents is listening.

The faculty senate will vote on Nov. 18.