{"id":122267,"date":"2025-05-21T01:58:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-21T06:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/?p=122267"},"modified":"2025-05-20T15:02:10","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T20:02:10","slug":"dr-davies-addresses-budget-constraints-annual-raises","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2025\/05\/21\/dr-davies-addresses-budget-constraints-annual-raises\/","title":{"rendered":"Dr. Davies addresses budget constraints, annual raises"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Despite fiscal headwinds and other uncertainties, Interim Chancellor Dele Davies, MD, reminded UNMC faculty and staff on Monday that their work is important \u2013 and that the university will continue to improve people\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know these are challenging times, but our mission is really strong, and I thank you for all you are doing,\u201d Dr. Davies said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among other news shared at Monday\u2019s all-campus forum, Dr. Davies said that because of fiscal challenges, there will be no specific allocation for general salary increases for UNMC faculty and staff this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe realize this is not a message most are looking forward to hearing,\u201d said Anne Barnes, who joined Dr. Davies at the forum. Barnes serves as vice chancellor for business, finance and business development for UNMC and interim vice president for business and finance for the NU System.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barnes said guidance recently issued by the NU System outlines that NU\u2019s 2025-26 operating budget will not include an allocation for general salary increases and no across-the-board raises from any funding source will be granted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Campus units, however, will retain the ability to identify special circumstance salary increases such as promotions, she said, with approval of the chancellor and reporting to the NU president.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barnes, in response to an audience member\u2019s question, said salary increases for faculty in the collective bargaining units at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the University of Nebraska at Kearney must be funded by existing appropriations to each campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UNMC faculty, students and staff can watch the forum on the campus intranet.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The salary guidance was issued on the heels of state lawmakers approving Nebraska\u2019s mainline appropriation bill, which provides the university a 1.25% increase over the biennium or a .625% each year \u2013 below NU\u2019s request for a 3.5% annual increase, but a slight increase over the governor\u2019s recommended cut. In addition, the Legislature restored the tobacco settlement funds that support biomedical research across the NU System, as well as Creighton University and Boys Town National Research Hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Davies thanked NU leaders and UNMC\u2019s legislative affairs team for the work they\u2019ve done at both the state and federal level. \u201cIt\u2019s been a challenging time, and their work has made a difference,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fiscal uncertainty remains, Barnes said, related to federal funding, health insurance costs and supply costs. Still, the salary guidance will help units as they continue planning for their fiscal year budgets. The NU Board of Regents will vote in June on NU\u2019s operating budget and tuition rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also in June, Dr. Davies said the Higher Learning Commission will conduct a site visit June 2 and 3, as a result of NU\u2019s application to pursue a single institutional accreditation for UNL and UNMC. Following the visit, the group will make a recommendation to the HLC board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Davies said unified accreditation will reduce barriers, increase collaboration and allow for streamlined reporting that will raise the university\u2019s academic profile among its Big 10 peers. Barnes agreed, saying \u201cchanges will be nominal in the way we report, but will not be structural changes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Davies and Vice Chancellor Barnes also provided the following updates:<\/p>\n\n\n\n