The decision to cut certain university programs has left students and faculty uncertain about the future of their academic paths. Chris Olson, a student in the statistics department focusing on grassland systems and data science, expressed concerns over the lack of clarity from the administration regarding the completion of their programs.
“There’s no guarantee that the very important courses that we need to take within statistics and data science are going to be there for us to take,” Olson remarked. “They say they’ll find other courses or help us do it through other universities, but that doesn’t give us the education that we came here to get.”
The Board of Regents recently voted against recommendations from the Academic Planning Committee, which consists of faculty and students who assessed the programs affected by the proposed cuts. Despite the committee’s advice to preserve the statistics department and the earth and atmospheric sciences program, these were ultimately eliminated by the board.
More than 100 spoke against cuts
During a five-hour public comment session, over 100 individuals voiced their opposition to the proposed cuts. Nearly every speaker addressed the cuts, unanimously opposing them except for one individual.
Concerns regarding the eliminations included potential negative impacts on the state and other university departments, as well as issues with the budget reduction process. Some speakers argued that inaccurate data informed the decision-making process, while others highlighted the potential repercussions on workforce readiness and the future prospects of current students.
In a heartfelt appeal, Alex VanderPlas, the nine-year-old son of associate statistics professor Susan VanderPlas, expressed his aspirations to become a paleoartist or paleontologist, emphasizing the necessity of meteorology and geology classes to achieve his dreams.
“If you cut those departments, how will people at UNL become scientists?” Alex questioned the board. He further mentioned that if his mother’s job were to be cut, it might necessitate relocating, impacting both his family and community. “My friends, some of them have parents in other departments that will be cut,” he stated. “That means our community will be torn apart.”
