The Academic Planning Committee completed the second round of budget hearings on June 25. The hearing focused primarily on proposed administrative reductions, which are listed on the chancellor's budget reduction website, http://go.unl.edu/9oh.
The final hearing is tentatively scheduled for 1:30 to 5 p.m., Sept. 3 in the Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center and will focus on reductions mainly affecting academics. The hearing will provide an opportunity for concerns to be voiced publicly. No one is required to attend this hearing and participation and attendance is optional.
The task of the APC is to review Chancellor Harvey Perlman's proposed cuts in light of their probable impact on the university's academic mission. The APC approves the proposed cuts or suggests other ways of meeting the budget reduction goal. To accomplish this task, the APC welcomes information from all who may be affected by the proposed reductions. Affected persons may submit information in person during the Sept. 3 hearing or in writing to the APC.
The APC requests that, in order to coordinate the hearings schedule, all individuals wishing to respond to the proposals submit a written notice of intent to appear (see instructions below). This notice of intent is nonbinding and an individual or unit that expresses the intent to appear may later decline. Individuals who do not submit a notice of intent may still be heard at the hearing, but will probably have less time to offer testimony. Once the quantity of presenters is known, a schedule of times for presentation will be published.
Budget reduction items on the Sept. 3 agenda include:
Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Architecture - Eliminate vacant 1.0 FTE faculty line shared position in Architecture and Landscape Architecture and Planning, $85,816.
Arts and Sciences - Reduce approximately 10 graduate teaching assistant lines that support departments, $185,234; Eliminate vacant 0.23 FTE partial staff position in the Department of History, $5,271.
Business Administration - Reduce budget for Information Technology Services by shifting funding for one managerial/professional position, $50,193.
Education and Human Sciences - Eliminate undergraduate teacher certification program in Industrial Education Program in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education, includes a vacant professor of practice position, $75,215]; Eliminate state support for lecturer position in distance education program in Family Consumer Science Education, $29,647.
Engineering - Identify efficiencies through reorganization and strategic reductions to programs - the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and the Dean of the College to conduct a study to determine whether the programs in Industrial and Management Systems Engineering should be eliminated, $200,000.
Extended Education and Outreach - Eliminate .40 FTE vacant open faculty position in dean's office, $29,715; Significantly reduce travel funds in dean's office, $43,361.
Fine and Performing Arts - Eliminate state funding to the Lied Center for Performing Arts for master classes in Music and Theatre, $67,703; Eliminate 1.0 vacant faculty line in Theatre and Film, $50,462.
Information Services - Discontinue printing campus phone directory, $50,000 (item tabled at June 25 hearing.)
International Affairs - Eliminate director position (current director will return to full time teaching and research activities, International Affairs will be included in an administrative reorganization, $108,193.
Libraries - Eliminate 3.0 FTE vacant office service positions in the Libraries Technical Services Department, $94,464.
Undergraduate Studies - Eliminate vacant director of general studies position, leadership will be subsumed by the Dean of Undergraduate Studies, $92,315.
Individuals who wish to present testimony in person or through writing to the Sept. 3 should follow the steps below:
Written Notice of Intent to Appear
The written notice of intent to appear must identify the meeting at which the party prefers to appear and must contain the specific budget reduction(s) that the presenter intends to discuss, the name of the presenter, and contact information for the presenter. The written notice may also include the written statement discussed below; this may materially affect the impact of the presentation.
The notice of intent should be sent to the Academic Planning Committee, c/o William Nunez, APC Secretary, 332 Canfield Administration Building, 0435 or wnunez2@unl.edu, by 3 p.m., Aug. 27.
Written Response to Budget Reduction Proposals
Written responses to budget reduction proposals are also welcome and can be quite insightful and helpful to APC members during the review. For written responses please:
- Include the reduction item that is being addressed.
- Include the name and phone number of the individual(s), and department, or unit head submitting the response.
- Limit written responses to two pages or less.
- Refer to the 'Criteria Section' of the Procedures to be Invoked for Significant Budget Reallocations and Reductions for guidance. This document is located at: http://www.unl.edu/apc/docs/Budget_Reduction_Procedures.pdf. Refer to particular sections if you are making an argument that reduction or elimination or reorganization is inadvisable.
Please direct written responses to the Academic Planning Committee, c/o William Nunez, APC Secretary, 332 Canfield Administration Building, 0435, or wnunez2@unl.edu, by 3 p.m., Aug. 27.
Upon evaluation of the initial written responses, APC may request further information in the form of expanded reports. Additionally, based on reduction proposals, written responses and expanded reports received, APC may invite representatives from affected departments or units to appear at a hearing of the APC to clarify issues raised by the written responses or expanded reports.
Please be aware that budget hearings are open to anyone: faculty, staff, students and the general public. Open times will be designated at the end of the sessions for those wanting to make a statement who have not previously provided a notice of intent to appear. However, we encourage individuals to submit a notice of intent to ensure time is available.
It is the desire of the APC to have a process that is open and inclusive and that also provides ample opportunity for members of the campus community to express their concerns regarding these budget proposals. Therefore, every possible effort will be made to communicate the ongoing actions of the APC to the UNL community as well as to be open and available to those seeking assistance.
- Jennifer Brand, APC Chair
More details at: http://go.unl.edu/ath