Nebraska Board of Regents pitches Nebraska Medicine partnership, raises tuition for fourth straight year

The University of Nebraska is looking to add the Omaha Community Foundation as an “equal partner” in Nebraska Medicine, months after Clarkson Regional Health Services bowed out.

The board on Thursday passed a resolution directing NU President Jeffrey Gold to work to have Omaha Community Foundation as an “equal partner” in Nebraska Medicine.

Regent Jim Scheer said this will help as the university improves medical education and facilities in the state.

“We have the opportunity to have something in the state of Nebraska that no one else would be able to duplicate,” Scheer said. “We have those people in Nebraska that have the wherewithal to help us get to that from a financial basis, and it will prove to be something that looks back generations from now.”

Regent Tim Clare said he’s looking forward to partnering with the Omaha Community Foundation.

“This decision before us today is the biggest decision that I've had in my entire 18-year career on this board,” Clare said. “It is the biggest decision, and is the biggest project, and the biggest ripple effect.”

The resolution also outlined that there should be two spots on the Nebraska Medicine board reserved for the Omaha Community Foundation members from July to October while the organizations work out the foundation’s permanent involvement. Those two seats would replace the two spots reserved for Clarkson Regional Health Services, which sold its half of Nebraska Medicine to the university.

It also included partnering with the foundation to amend articles and bylaws for Nebraska Medicine.

Tuition increases for fourth straight year

The regents approved a 4.25% tuition increase for the upcoming academic year in a 6-2 vote.

The budget also included an additional $8 million in reductions across the university system. NU President Jeffrey Gold said much of the work for those reductions has already been done.

“We remain committed to fiscal responsibility, affordability and ensuring that every dollar entrusted to us, whether it is through the taxpayers of the state of Nebraska, through families, through grants and contracts, or philanthropy, is used in ways that support our students, our mission and the future of the state of Nebraska,” Gold said.

This is the fourth year the university has raised tuition rates across the four campuses, including a 5% increase last school year and 3.5% the year before. The Nebraska Legislature approved a smaller-than-hoped-for increase for the university of 0.625% for the upcoming budget year.

The tuition increase also followed several cuts across the university, including four department eliminations at the Lincoln campus and four degree eliminations at the Kearney campus.

Regent Barbara Weitz, who ultimately supported the tuition increase, said the university should ask the Legislature to not pass unfunded mandates, even if they are for good reasons like the presidential scholarship program, which pays for the full cost of attendance plus a $5,000 stipend to students with perfect ACT scores.

“The problem is that's not in our budget,” Weitz said. “We have to figure out how to cover that tuition loss, all the dollars that are lost related to that.”

Weitz added that the university can’t always turn to the philanthropic community to fill those gaps, especially when there are unfunded mandates.

Regent Kathy Wilmot voted no on the increase, saying people in her area are struggling.

“I'm coming from an area that there is no corn, got hailed out,” Wilmot said. “We lost the beans. We lost the corn. We know that we've had the fires all over Nebraska. Those people are just looking for feed for some cows. Some of them are having to sell them.”

She recommended the university look at other areas to cut, like travel, rather than putting the rising costs on students.

“I'm afraid we are pricing students out of their opportunity to get an education,” Wilmot said. “That's not what I came here to do.”

Gold followed some of the regent comments with a reminder that all of the need-based scholarships and other tuition programs will be funded with the budget the board approved Thursday. This includes the Nebraska Promise program that provides no-cost tuition to Nebraska families with an adjusted gross income of $65,000 or less.

“As a first-generation student who literally went to college without two nickels to rub together, I understand as well as anybody how important it is to maintain the affordability of higher education,” Gold said. “But I will tell you this, it has never been more important to maintain quality access for Nebraskans to support the future economy and the quality of life that all of us here in Nebraska enjoy.”

Wilmot and Regent Robert Schafer voted against the increases.

Performance-based bonus for Gold, updated housing center

The regents also approved the full performance-based pay for Gold. The bonus is up to 15% of Gold’s salary, which amounts to more than $159,000. Last year, Gold rejected the extra pay as the university underwent budget cuts and employees did not receive raises. The university approved a 3% pool for staff merit raises in the 2027 fiscal year, which starts July 1.

One of the housing centers on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will be upgraded, as the regents approved the redevelopment of the Selleck Quadrangle. The building sits next to the Nebraska Union. UNL Interim Chancellor Katherine Ankerson said these updates will help save on deferred maintenance and support recruiting students to UNL.

“Over 70 years of service with these particular buildings, the facility condition really starts to impact — well, not starts — it does impact the student experience,” Ankerson said.

The $368 million project will be funded by internal bonds and reserves.

The regents also approved Dr. H. Dele Davies as the ninth chancellor of the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He served in the role on an interim basis for the past two years. Davies has worked at UNMC since 2012 in various positions, including senior vice chancellor and dean of graduate studies.

Regents also passed the creation of the Artificial Intelligence Institute, which will focus on AI research, teaching and public engagement across the NU system.

The next Board of Regents meeting is scheduled for Aug. 13 at Varner Hall.

By way of full disclosure, members of the Nebraska Public Media newsroom are university employees.