Transparency and collaboration have been hallmarks of the Strategic Budget Response at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO). In that spirit, and as previously discussed during the strategic response town hall and the strategy forum, over the past year the university has addressed a $2.7 million permanent budget deficit at UNO. The information below provides a detailed summary of the reductions to date.
As we have discussed in these forums, this $2.7 million permanent budget deficit has been carried over from Fall 2022. Other campuses systemwide have made similar announcements regarding cuts to address their own permanent budget deficits.
Reductions on the non-academic side have already taken place and are reflected in the data below:
- Facilities Management & Planning - $189,897 total
- $174,897 in positions
- $15,000 in operating
- Business & Finance - $231,124 total
- $98,155 in positions
- $132,969 in operating
- Office of the Chancellor - $317,112 total
- $60,500 in positions
- $256,612 in operating
- Division of Student Life & Wellbeing - $141,919 total
- $47,389 in positions
- $94,530 in operating
- Division of Institutional Effectiveness & Student Success - $121,500 total
- $0 in positions
- $121,500 in operating
Academic Affairs is responsible for $1.7 million in reductions. Over $1.4 million in reductions have been identified with an additional $311,672 in academic reductions to be determined. The reductions listed below are being made strategically to minimize the impact on academic programs.
To date, the following academic reductions have been identified:
- Vacant Faculty Budget - $409,225
- Move Faculty to Other Funding Source - $6,196
- Vacant Staff Budget - $400,639
- Move Staff to Other Funding Source - $118,734
- Part-Time Faculty Budget - $197,931
- Operating - $289,695
- Grand Total - $1,422,420
To reiterate, the reductions listed above, both academic and non-academic, are being made to address a permanent deficit of $2.7 million that existed prior to 2022-2023. These reductions are in addition to UNO having proactively addressed a $7.1 million net tuition shortfall from fiscal year 2022-23.
Over the past two years, UNO has consistently exerted financial discipline on its operating budget. UNO’s share of the systemwide deficit is not yet known; however, as shared in the recent strategy forum, UNO is positioned strongly through this financial discipline, scrutiny of existing processes and policies, and examining organizational structures.
Despite budgetary challenges, UNO remains committed to serving Omaha, and the state of Nebraska, in alignment with the four pillars of its proposed UNO Core: Educating people of the world, research and discovery, serving our communities through inclusion, and assuming responsibility for workforce and economic development.
The Strategic Budget Response page on the Office of the Chancellor’s website will continue to be updated with the latest information and answers to frequently asked questions. All faculty and staff are encouraged to contact budget-challenges@unomaha.edu with any questions.
Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA
UNO Chancellor
