University of Nebraska Board of Regents to consider eliminating four departments

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents is set to vote Dec. 5 on a proposal that would shut down four academic departments at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), part of a sweeping plan to slash $27.5 million from the university’s budget.

The targeted cuts, totaling $6.74 million, are the centerpiece of a broader cost-saving effort unveiled by Chancellor Rodney Bennett in November. His plan also includes consolidating departments, freezing hiring, and offering voluntary faculty departures.

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While the specific departments have not been disclosed publicly, UNL says the decisions are based on internal evaluations of teaching output and research productivity. 

Four more departments could be merged into two interdisciplinary schools if approved by the Board.

University President Jeffrey Gold acknowledged the deep impact of the proposed reductions but called them necessary to stabilize the university’s financial footing.

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The upcoming vote highlights growing financial pressure on public universities, especially land-grant institutions like UNL, which are being forced to reassess long-standing academic structures amid shrinking budgets and shifting enrollment patterns.

Also on the Dec. 5 agenda: a proposal to build new athletic facilities at the University of Nebraska at Omaha—funded entirely through private donors.