01/14/2004

Governor Johanns has taken a well-reasoned approach to dealing with the state’s current budget situation, laying out a three-year plan to address the issue. The one percent reduction in the University of Nebraska’s appropriation proposed by the Governor is less than we might have anticipated, and we take this as a signal that he considers the university to be a high priority for state funding.

It is nevertheless true that any cuts to the university budget, because they come on the heels of $50 million in cuts over the past two fiscal years, could have a deleterious effect on the ability of Nebraska students to access a quality university education.

Governor Johanns’ message is only the first step in a process that will lead to the approval of the budget in April. We will be working with the Appropriations Committee and the members of the full Legislature during the intervening weeks to seek appropriate funding for the university.