NU considering degree eliminations, including ethnic studies and medical specialties, at campuses

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents will consider a group of degree eliminations at its meeting Thursday.

The board’s agenda posted online shows the Regents will look at chopping two bachelor's degree programs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, two post-baccalaureate certificates at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, two master's degree programs at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and two master's degree programs and a graduate certificate program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

The eliminations come as the University of Nebraska system faces $29 million in sudden budget cuts. In a memo released in June, Gov. Jim Pillen said his State Budget Division would withhold at least 5% of monthly allocations to state-funded departments. NU President Jeffrey Gold said the order to state leaders that they freeze their hiring processes and reduce their spending will have “significant” impacts on the university.

The proposed eliminations to be discussed Thursday are:

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

• Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science degrees in Ethnic Studies
• Bachelor of Science in Insect Science

University of Nebraska Medical Center

• Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Medical Nutrition Education
• Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Infectious Disease Epidemiology

University of Nebraska at Kearney

• Master of Arts in Physical Education Exercise Science
• Master of Science in Long Term Care Management

University of Nebraska at Omaha

• Executive Business Analytics Graduate Certificate
• Master of Science in Industrial and Organizational Psychology
• Master of Science in Urban Studies

The considerations follow several program cuts at the UNL last December and UNK earlier this year.

In those cases, programs that were targeted had low numbers, but the cuts also saved millions of dollars. The programs targeted for elimination at Thursday's meeting also have low numbers but cutting them will save very little money.

Agenda materials show that the UNL, UNK and UNMC cuts will have no effect on the budget, while the cuts at UNO will save $42,000.

In a statement, the university said that while the eliminations don't save much money, they do provide other savings.

"While every situation is different, eliminating a low-enrollment major does not mean there are no savings related to faculty and staff time. A major requires careful student advising, recruiting, marketing, etc.," the statement said. "Savings are not usually accrued in the traditional sense, but such eliminations do allow individuals to refocus their efforts towards enhancing classroom experiences, advising a larger cohort of students (in departments with multiple majors), redirection of efforts around research/outreach, or development of new courses and programs that have significant student demand."

The regents will also review NU’s budget at their Thursday meeting. University leaders recently unveiled that they will be requesting a 4.25% budget increase from the state for each of the next two years for its core operating budget. But with the state’s increasingly expanding budget deficit, it’s unclear if state leaders will grant the appropriations. The Legislature in 2025 approved smaller-than-expected appropriations for the university, which offset millions of dollars in cuts later that year.

By wall of full disclosure, members of the Nebraska Public Media newsroom are UNL employees.