NU regents eliminate programs and approve budget increase request, amid financial pressures
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Nebraska Board of Regents unanimously voted to eliminate a total of nine low-enrollment academic programs on Thursday.
The decision to axe the programs came right before a discussion of the 2026-27 budget.
At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the axed programs include a BA and BS in Ethnic Studies and a BS in Insect Science.
“Removing Ethnic Studies as a major because of an arbitrary baseline number of majors, strips away a meaningful opportunity that connects scholarship across disciplines,” said former UNL professor Ellen Moore during public comment.
Despite a few pleas, the decision to make program cuts was unanimous among the regents.
Citing low enrollment, accreditation concerns and even faculty retirements for their decision.
Some programs cut include UNMC’s post baccalaureate in Infectious Disease Epidemiology and UNO’s master’s in industrial and organizational psychology.
During the meeting, both sides of the spectrum expressed frustrations.
Regents described the pressures of increased inflation, as students spoke out about higher housing costs and new fees every year.
“I don’t think that the future of this university’s financial security and ensuring that Nebraska continues to produce doctors that serve rural and underserved communities can rely on a model where students need to take out additional high interest private loans, that are also ineligible for loan forgiveness programs,” said Alexander Belaschenko, a fourth-year medical student at UNMC.
“It is not sustainable to keep increasing tuition. It is not sustainable to keep making cuts,” said student regent Aditi Rai.
“It’s reached a point where we try to reduce and cut things but the last time I knew, you can’t cut a bone with a knife,” said regent Jim Scheer.
The regents approved a request for a 4.25% increase each year for the school’s next two-year budget cycle.
Nebraska law makers will have a say on that during the next session.
