The University of Nebraska on Monday provided an update on the work of the Budget Response Teams (BRTs), the university-wide teams charged with finding $30 million in cost savings over the next few years to help address a budget shortfall resulting from cuts in state funding and rising costs.
The BRTs – representing facilities, human resources, IT, purchasing and other operational areas – have captured $6.6 million in savings thus far, NU reported in its update to all employees. The bulk of the savings come from position eliminations, largely through attrition and eliminating vacant position.
A more detailed breakdown of savings is available online here.
“These are real dollars — equivalent to a 2 percent tuition increase — a credit to BRT members and other campus personnel who are working hard to implement cost-reduction plans with the simultaneous goal of moving the university forward in these challenging times,” Marjorie Kostelnik, senior associate to the president, wrote to employees. Kostelnik was appointed earlier this year to lead implementation of the Budget Response Teams’ plans.
Kostelnik also acknowledged the challenges still ahead, particularly in view of the seriousness of the state’s fiscal situation. She noted that successfully navigating the challenges will require “sacrifice and a real commitment to change” by all employees.
The Budget Response Teams, comprising almost 100 subject-matter experts from across and outside the university, were appointed in January by President Hank Bounds and the chancellors to re-think NU operations. Strategies identified by the teams include consolidation of NU’s facilities, energy, procurement and human resources functions into more streamlined university-wide teams, as well as continued integration of NU’s information technology services.
In all, more than 70 cost-reduction strategies were recommended by the BRTs, then approved by a university-wide steering committee, the chancellors and the president. Complete information is available at www.nebraska.edu/brt.
Kostelnik will send regular communications to employees on the Budget Response Teams’ work, including fiscal progress, updates from individual teams and common questions and answers.