University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Chancellor Ronnie Green began working with the Academic Planning Committee, earlier this week, to identify the budget cuts that are being put in place by the end of June 2023.
UNL is facing a $23.2 million shortfall due to declining revenue and enrollment over the past two years, said Public Affairs Director Leslie Reed. Green also identified a figure of $10.77 million that will require permanent reductions.
The university is working to make up for revenue shortfalls – caused mostly by decreasing enrollment, difficulties with international enrollment after the pandemic, and increases in discounted tuition by controlling expenses and how to manage the budget for upcoming years, according to Nebraska Today.
“The chancellor will propose the specific reductions to the Academic Planning Committee, and they'll be made public by April 14,” Reed said. “And then there'll be a period where the plan will be reviewed, and there'll be hearings from April 14 to May 26. And then the academic planning committee's recommendations will go back to the chancellor on May 26."
Though the plans will not be solidified until June 30, the Academic Planning Committee is planning to make a public announcement of what the cuts will be by early June.
“We have declining revenues and it's something that has to be addressed and it’s painful,” Reed said. “And nobody wants this to happen, but…we have to review this and come up with a solution."