UNL’s Bold Move: Proposed Cuts to Educational Administration Department – What It Means for Students

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) is facing significant budget challenges. Rising costs and fewer international students, combined with stagnant state funding, have led officials to propose several cuts and mergers of academic programs. The most controversial is the potential elimination of the educational administration department.

Students and faculty are worried. If the department closes, there will be fewer leaders for schools, especially in rural areas. UNL is unique in Nebraska for offering a Ph.D. in educational leadership, focusing on preparing future educational leaders. “It’s hard to imagine our flagship university not training future principals and superintendents,” said Crystal Garcia, an associate professor in the department. The program currently supports 316 graduate students.

Besides the educational administration program, other departments proposed for cuts include community and regional planning, earth sciences, and textiles. The university aims to save $27.5 million, which also involves reducing faculty roles—58 jobs are on the line, including tenured positions from the educational administration department.

Mark Button, UNL’s executive vice chancellor, stated that these decisions stemmed from a comprehensive review of academic programs. They looked at metrics like student retention and program demand. However, many faculty members feel the process lacked transparency. They were only informed late in the process that their department was at risk. Elizabeth Niehaus, a faculty member, expressed that the scoring system used to evaluate departments oversimplified their contributions.

Concerns extend beyond faculty. Graduate students like Korrine Fagenstrom and Kathryn Duvall, who have invested years in their programs, are anxious about their futures. Duvall remarked that cutting such a program would harm educational equity, emphasizing its importance for creating future leaders.

This situation reflects a broader trend in higher education. Mónica Byrne-Jiménez, head of the University Council for Educational Administration, pointed out that flagship universities typically maintain robust educational leadership offerings. Her worry is that UNL’s proposal might set a precedent. The cuts have caught national attention, with many fearing that they could signal a shift in how educational programs are valued.

Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy from the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education noted a trend of educational programs merging or disappearing. This has become more frequent amid funding cuts and public scrutiny of higher education. Smaller programs, like educational administration, can be especially vulnerable due to their enrollment size, even though their long-term impact on communities is profound.

In the end, these cuts aren’t just numbers on a budget report; they affect real lives and futures. The students trained in programs like educational administration will go on to shape the educational landscape in Nebraska. Eliminating this department isn’t simply about saving funds; it’s about diminishing the state’s ability to cultivate effective educational leaders.

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