As the University of Nebraska prepares for an estimated $43 million in cuts expected over the next three years, the university system's budget will remain relatively flat. The NU Board of Regents on Friday approved trimming 0.2% from the university's state-aided budget for 2020-21, funded through tuition payments and state appropriations, as it anticipates losses in both revenue sources.

Questions about the safety of students returning to campus amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic continue to linger, leaving some colleges and universities across the country to predict enrollment could plummet by as much as 15%.NU is estimating a 10% drop in the number of international students attending classes at its campuses in Lincoln, Omaha and Kearney this year. Because those students typically pay higher tuition costs, their absence will be felt more on the university's balance sheet.

Furthermore, when the Legislature reconvenes on July 20, lawmakers will likely revise the state budget to align with lower-than-expected tax receipts, meaning NU could lose nearly 4% of the $610 million initially appropriated to it for the coming year.

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