Lopers, 

In an effort to improve the communication of my administration’s work to the student body, we have teamed up with the great team of reporters from The Antelope. This marks the first edition of a Student Body President’s Newsletter featured on the official student newspaper in recent memory. Through the Antelope, I hope to provide frequent updates on matters relating to the UNK Student Government Association, the campus and the University of Nebraska System. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to reflect on notable events from this summer and look ahead to the future. 

First of all, welcome to UNK! Whether you are a new Loper or you are entering that final semester, your arrival brings great life and excitement to our beautiful campus. 

At the beginning of the summer, I had the opportunity to travel to our nation’s capital with NU System President Jeff Gold and several members of the Board of Regents to lobby on behalf of the University. We met with all members of Nebraska’s federal delegation to discuss the impacts of cuts to federal research funding. We also had the opportunity to meet with Pentagon leaders to discuss Nebraska’s healthcare initiatives and partnerships with the DOD. In this meeting, I was able to highlight UNK’s Rural Health Education Complex as the only academic facility of its kind working to advance healthcare education for rural areas. 

This June, the Board of Regents convened to consider a budget proposing a 5% tuition increase – a measure that passed 6 to 2. This tuition increase reflects a modest appropriation from the Nebraska legislature in addition to an increase in unfunded mandates, or legislative bills requiring the university to provide remissions for workers in certain careers, as well as their dependents, at the cost of the University. In the discussion of the tuition increase, I made a point that the University needs to explore challenging the legislature’s authority to mandate tuition remissions. While I believe that many types of students are deserving of tuition remissions, it comes at the cost of raising the tuition of other students. On top of this tuition increase, cuts to programs and services may be seen at the campus level. In an Aug. 11 message, Chancellor Schnoor noted that UNK will face a $4.5 million deficit over the next two years. While there may be uncertainty for what changes we may have to go through as a campus, I will put transparency and stakeholder input at the forefront of these changes. 

I look forward to another semester of service to the student body, continuing record reinvestment into our student organizations, advocating for student life on campus and listening to my fellow students. 

Have a great year, Lopers!