UNL, UNMC get OK for joint accreditation; Regents to vote Friday

The University of Nebraska announced Friday that it has taken a big step forward in its effort to receive joint accreditation for the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

NU said in a news release that the Higher Learning Commission approved its application for joint accreditation earlier this month.

“This is an important step in our university’s Odyssey to the Extraordinary,” NU President Dr, Jeffrey Gold said in a news release. “Joint accreditation paints an accurate picture of the strength and prestige of the University of Nebraska, and represents us in a way very similar to our highly regarded peers. I look forward to sharing more information as it becomes available.”

Gold and other NU system officials believe joint accreditation is a necessary step in UNL’s quest to rejoin the Association of American Universities, a group of 71 top-tier research universities.

UNL was removed from the group in 2011, in large part because its amount of federally funded research was well below that of other members of the group. The AAU over the years has deprioritized agricultural research, which is a major focus at UNL. And without joint accreditation, UNL can’t count the research money procured by UNMC.

The university is the only member of the Big Ten that is not in the AAU.

The NU Board of Regents, which has pledged to do all it can to help UNL in its quest to rejoin the AAU, has scheduled a special meeting for Friday at noon to consider the joint accreditation issue.

The news comes as UNL seeks to cut $27.5 million from its budget as it faces structural funding deficiencies. On Monday, Chancellor Rodney Bennett revealed his final proposed budget plan, which would eliminate four academic programs and make numerous other cuts and consolidations. The Regents are expected to take up that plan at their regular December meeting.