May 19, 2025
Dear UNL and UNMC Faculty and Staff,
I am pleased to share an important next step forward in our journey to enhance academic excellence and national competitiveness. As I’ve communicated earlier, the University of Nebraska has submitted an application to pursue a single institutional accreditation for UNL and UNMC through our accrediting body, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
A unified accreditation allows us to streamline reporting and administrative processes while maintaining the distinct strengths and identities of each campus. Our more unified campus communities will raise our academic profile and mirror the characteristics of other highly prestigious universities, including our Big Ten Academic Alliance peers. This change, while not structural, will further strengthen faculty collaborations, increase state, national and international research opportunities and provide more educational pathways for undergraduate, graduate and professional students.
The next step in this process is a site visit from HLC on June 2 and 3, during which they will engage directly with university leadership and UNL and UNMC faculty, staff and students. After the visit, HLC will bring a recommendation to their board. If approved, it is anticipated that joint accreditation will be achieved prior to January 2026.
I encourage our university community to stay engaged and informed as we move forward. You may find out more at Nebraska.edu/accreditation or on our FAQ.
Thank you for your dedication to the University of Nebraska and our shared mission of excellence in education, research and engagement. We will continue to provide updates as this accreditation process evolves. Please feel free to reach out with questions at any time.
Sincerely,
