UNL proposes $4.65M in budget cuts, mostly in salaries - Chris Dunker, Lee Enterprises

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has identified $4.65 million in potential cuts intended to alleviate the budget shortfall announced by university administrators earlier this year. Released by Chancellor Harvey Perlman and UNL’s vice chancellors Monday, the list of proposed cuts represents approximately 1 percent of UNL's budget. The proposals will go before the Academic Planning Committee for review by faculty members, staff, students and other university stakeholders. The majority of the shortfall — $3.2 million — would be covered by withholding 1 percent of what was anticipated to be a 3 percent increase in UNL's salary pool. Perlman said the proposed cuts are designed to protect the university’s “academic enterprise,” but less money for faculty places an added strain on UNL, which already pays its faculty members 6 percent less than peer institutions, on average, and ranks low among Big Ten Conference universities in faculty pay. http://columbustelegram.com/news/state-and-regional/unl-proposes-m-in-budget-cuts-mostly-in-salaries/article_9e6de2e5-cb50-5798-98ec-24f2b1f3f2ae.html