As public universities around the nation navigate an uncertain financial future, the University of Nebraska at Omaha is adopting policies and strategies meant to support students and the workforce.
A forum on UNO’s campus Monday brought university leaders, faculty and students together for an update on budget issues and strategy.
Last year, a less-than-expected state appropriation led the NU Board of Regents to adopt $20 million in cuts across the system and implement a 5% tuition increase. For UNO, that translated to a $1.9 million structural deficit.
Chancellor Joanne Li warned that more financial stress may be coming.
“It is still a survival game in 2026,” Li said. “You saw the state just currently projected to have a $874 million deficit. It could go up. Sure, it could go down, but usually it’s going up, right? So for us as a metropolitan university, we have to recognize there will be immense price pressure coming into our operation.”
Li said the university’s focus remains on meeting the needs of students and the needs of Nebraska’s workforce. She pointed to an Artificial Intelligence program introduced last fall as an example.
Through the NebraskaCYBER MATRIX initiative, UNO developed an AI-enabled Security Operations Center and a cybersecurity bootcamp. The program is meant to meet rising cybersecurity workforce demands.
The forum also highlighted the university’s competency-based education program. Soon to be launched, the initiative is designed for working professionals, career changers and nontraditional students to progress based on their ability to demonstrate skills, not the time spent in a classroom.
“I want to say that we must always honor our core,” Li said. “What is our North Star? We are the economic equalizer. We are the workforce development engine.”