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Today, Governor Johanns proposed additional cuts to the University of Nebraska’s budget of $20 million. This comes on top of the $15.8 million in cuts that have already been taken for the current fiscal year. These cuts have significant and long-lasting implications for the University of Nebraska. In difficult financial times like these, we cannot simply conduct business as usual. Our chancellors are working with academic and business leaders on their campuses to identify specific budget cuts, and those will be announced soon. It is likely that we will have to cut faculty positions, including tenured faculty. We will have to reduce the number of majors offered, the number of academic support programs available, and the scope of our educational outreach and statewide services. However, the University of Nebraska will continue to offer outstanding academic programs that will attract top students and faculty. We will continue to be an economic driver for the state of Nebraska — a role that is more important today than ever. We will continue to serve the people of Nebraska through distance learning opportunities and educational outreach. And, we will continue to conduct pioneering research. I am encouraged by some key trends on our campuses: enrollment is strong, we have won some significant research grants in recent months, and we have outstanding academic and business leadership in place. University programs designed to help Nebraska businesses grow and prosper are thriving. This academic year is nearly underway. Students are enrolled, classes are scheduled, contracts are in place and faculty are ready to begin teaching. Research projects are ongoing and additional grant requests are in the works. Making cuts at this time is going to be extremely difficult. These additional reductions in our budget will make us a different university. We will surely be less affordable and less accessible to Nebraskans. The chancellors and I will work diligently to assure that in reducing the scope of our programs we do not diminish the quality of this institution or its ability to help solve the current economic crisis. |
On Tuesday, Nebraska lawmakers will convene for a special session at the state’s Capitol.
The Legislature’s sole purpose: to cut the state’s budget. Lawmakers will address a $255 million revenue shortfall that exists over the current two-year biennium, which ends June 30, 2003. In addition, another $500 million shortfall is projected over the fiscal years 2003-2004 and 2004-2005.
“Lawmakers will face some very difficult decisions over the coming weeks,” said Bob Bartee, UNMC executive assistant to the chancellor. “The university is willing to take its fair share of the reductions, but it’s important to note how important we are to the state.”
The university’s appropriation accounts for $407 million of the state’s $2.7 billion budget. Among other items that will be considered for reduction are state aid to schools ($648 million) and Medicaid ($425 million).
On Thursday, Gov. Mike Johanns proposed that during the special session, lawmakers cut $20 million from the 2002-2003 university budget. Combined with previous spending reductions, that would take the university back to its 2001-2002 budget levels.
NU President L. Dennis Smith, Ph.D., in a news conference following Johanns’ announcement, said a closer analysis of all of the reductions would have to be made before the university can accurately say whether the $20 million will be a fair cut. Legislators and the rest of the state’s citizens, Dr. Smith said, must reassess the priorities of the state.
Without a strong university, Nebraska’s brightest students will flock to other states and Nebraska’s economy will sputter without one of its major economic drivers.
Dr. Smith said the university certainly would be different as result of the cuts. Bartee echoed those sentiments, regarding UNMC.
“We must protect the core functions of UNMC and sustain momentum in key areas,” Bartee said. “However, we most certainly will be a different campus and university in the wake of the third round of these major cuts within the next year.”
Monday: What is the budget-cutting process?