The UNL chapter of the American Association of University Professors is strongly condemning the resignation agreement approved for Chancellor Rodney Bennett, which provides more than $1.1 million in severance and benefits, at the same time the university claims a financial crisis so severe that it must eliminate academic programs and terminate faculty and staff.
The UNL Faculty Senate passed a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Bennett last semester, citing deep concerns about leadership, transparency, and shared governance. Despite that vote and more than five hours of faculty, staff, student, and community testimony in opposition, the Board of Regents voted on December 5 to eliminate four academic units, following the chancellor’s recommendation.
“The university cannot credibly claim that it lacks the resources to sustain academic programs and faculty positions while simultaneously paying over a million dollars to a failed chancellor,” said Sarah Zuckerman, President of the UNL AAUP. “This payout exposes the administration’s financial crisis narrative as a matter of priorities, not necessity.”
According to the separation agreement approved by the Board of Regents, Chancellor Bennett will receive a lump-sum payment exceeding $1.1 million, in addition to continued salary and benefits through his January 12th resignation date.
“For months, UNL faculty and staff have been told that cuts to academic programs and personnel are unavoidable, according to a statement from the UNL AAUP. Yet this severance package demonstrates that substantial funds remain available for executive compensation even as entire academic units are dismantled and careers are disrupted, if not destroyed.
“This is not just a failure of one chancellor,” says Alexander Vazansky, UNL AAUP Executive Committee member. “It is a systemic failure of leadership at the highest levels , including President Jeffrey Gold and the Board of Regents, who endorsed these decisions, ignored faculty governance, and approved this payout.”
The UNL AAUP is calling for an immediate halt to faculty and staff terminations, reconsideration of the elimination of academic programs and full transparency regarding university finances, executive compensation, and budget decision-making.
“The public deserves to know why educators are being fired while executive failures are rewarded,” says AAUP Executive Committee member Crystal Garcia. “Nebraska’s legislators and taxpayers should be asking hard questions about governance, oversight, and whose interests are truly being served.”