UNL professors march through campus in New Orleans-style ‘funeral’ to protest proposed budget cuts

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A brass band led the way as dozens marched from Memorial Stadium to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Student Union on Wednesday.

Students, alumni, faculty and community members came together to protest the $27.5 million in budget cuts.

The Board of Regents will vote on the cuts on Friday.

“The band helps us make noise,” said UNL Professor Regina Werum. “It helps us amplify the voices of the people who are protesting these proposed budget cuts.”

SEE ALSO: UNL professors launch Week of Action ahead of vote on $27.5 million budget cuts

If approved, the cuts mean losing 120 faculty members and four teaching-intensive departments.

As part of the UNL’s American Association of University Professors chapters’ “Week of Action,” Wednesday’s march symbolizes the “mourning” of what they call the “death” of those programs.

“We’re hoping to dispel some of the negativity that comes from the leadership of this university, and counter it with grassroots energy,” Werum said.

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

Inspired by New Orleans-style funerals, the group wanted to put a more positive spin on the potential losses.

“We’ve been doing a lot of very serious work, and we’ve been doing a lot of work that feels very heavy,” said Greg Simon, an Associate Professor at UNL’s Glenn Korff School of Music. “We want today to be a show of solidarity that’s born maybe more from a place of love and from a place of joy. And it shows that we’re out here because we love the university.”

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

Although the music college will no longer be affected by the cuts, it was a no-brainer to show up anyway.

“Until I got here this morning, I really had no idea how many people were going to be here,” Simon said. “To see the amount of support that these people are giving willingly, not because I’m asking them to, not because I’m holding extra credit over them or anything like that, but because they want to be a part of this, it’s heartwarming.”

SEE ALSO: ‘Stop the cuts’: Professors hold rally against proposed $27.5 million slash in UNL budget