University Community Voices Concerns Over Department Closures
The recent decision to shut down four departments at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) has sparked significant concern among faculty, staff, and students. An open forum was held on Thursday to address these concerns with interim Chancellor Kathy Ankerson and NU President Jeffrey Gold.
Following the resignation of former Chancellor Rodney Bennett, Ankerson stepped into her role amid controversy. This transition coincided with the Board of Regents’ resolution to discontinue the departments of statistics, earth and atmospheric sciences, educational administration, and textiles, merchandising, and fashion design on the Lincoln campus.
Shireen Adenwalla, a professor from the physics and astronomy department, expressed her discontent with the leadership’s decision-making process, stating, “There were two parts to this. One was a debate on whether or not the budget cutting was necessary, and then the other was the process of the budget cutting. On both those I think you have lost the trust of the faculty.”
During the session, President Gold acknowledged the breakdown in trust that occurred throughout the budget reduction discussions. He admitted to errors in how the process was managed, saying, “I’m accepting the responsibility, right here and now that my trust in the process that was presented to me was not accurate.”
Interim Chancellor Ankerson recognized the importance of rebuilding trust within the university community. She noted, “We are at a critical time, and to understand the depth of trust that has been lost, the work that it’s going to take to build that back up in both realms, both ways, all ways.” She appreciated the candid feedback from the community, which she believes will guide her efforts in her new position.
