Plan to combine four UNK majors under one approved by Board of Regents

KEARNEY,NEB. — The University of Nebraska Kearney is re-organizing a series of majors to keep them alive.

The Nebraska Board of Regents unanimously approved the plan Friday.

“In response to the reinvention plan UNK evaluated all of their academic programs and determined to would be more sustainable and advantageous to offer the Media Studies Comprehensive, which would encompass the current individual programs in Journalism, Advertising, Sports Communication and Multimedia,” said Chris Kabourek, University of Nebraska interim president.

BOARD OF REGENTS APPROVE ALCOHOL SALES AT HAYMARKET PARK

The four areas will become emphases instead of majors.

"The audience for this program is like that of the majors being replacing," said a letter from Nanette Hogg, chair of UNK's Communication Department . "As of Fall 2023 there are 35 full-time Advertising/Public Relations majors, 13 full-time Journalism majors, 25 full-time Multimedia majors and 17 full-time Sports Communication majors.

"The demand for new student enrollments is projected to increase as the demand for employees with media skills, in all industries, intensifies."

The Journalism major had been on the chopping block as UNK tried to reduce expenses last year.

UNK ANNOUNCES BUDGET CUTS THAT WILL ELIMINATE 9 MAJORS AND 24.5 FACULTY POSITIONS

UNK STUDENTS PROTEST AS BUDGET CUTS THREATEN THE TERMINATION OF MANY MAJOR DEPARTMENTS

UNK said the reductions were to help close the gap on a $4.3 million budget deficit at the Kearney campus.