A second straight freeze on resident tuition and investments in priority initiatives that benefit the state highlight the University of Nebraska’s proposed 2014-15 operating budget, announced Friday by Interim President James Linder, M.D. The Board of Regents will consider the budget at its May 30 meeting.
Dr. Linder said the recommended budget reflects the university’s highest priority: affordable excellence. Proposed strategic investments in cross-campus, multidisciplinary initiatives focusing on early childhood education, nursing and allied health, engineering and information sciences, and rural development would position the university to attract talent and expand education and research efforts in areas important to Nebraska. Meanwhile, the freeze on resident tuition, combined with a modest increase for nonresidents, ensures that NU campuses will continue to be a great value compared to similar institutions.
“The University of Nebraska is in a strong position to advance our work in areas that matter to Nebraskans and people around the world. With additional targeted investments, we would do even more to leverage the resources of our four campuses for the benefit of the state,” Dr. Linder said.
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Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D. |
“Now that the university-wide budget has been released, we will carefully study the implications for UNMC,” said UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D. “We are very grateful for the opportunity to continue to provide high quality health professions education and research as we serve the health care needs of our region. We will communicate any implications of this important action by the Regents widely in the near future.”
Among the strategic investments in the proposed 2014-15 budget:
- $500,000 for personnel needs for the Health Science Education Complex, a collaboration between UNMC and the University of Nebraska at Kearney that will expand UNMC nursing and allied health programs on the Kearney campus. Groundbreaking for the facility, which will create space for hundreds more Kearney-based nursing and allied health professions students, took place last month. The additional investment would support faculty hiring to meet increased student demands.
- $2.5 million toward the university’s Programs of Excellence, high-priority academic areas across the four campuses. Programs of Excellence funds are awarded on a competitive basis to enhance the success and reputation of outstanding programs.
- A 3 percent increase in the salary pool for faculty and staff outside the collective bargaining units at UNO and UNK. Per board policy, funds are distributed on the basis of merit and performance.