September - University of Nebraska

TO: The Board of Regents Addendum IX-B-9
Business Affairs
MEETING DATE: September 5, 2008
SUBJECT: Program statement and budget for the construction of a new building for the
University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing – Lincoln
Division on the East Campus of the University of Nebraska Lincoln.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve the program statement and budget for the construction of a new
building for the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) College of
Nursing – Lincoln Division on the East Campus of the University of
Nebraska Lincoln (UNL).
PREVIOUS ACTION: June 13, 2008 – Approved the University of Nebraska Construction Budget
Request for the 2009-2011 Biennium, which consisted of the UNMC College
of Nursing Building, Lincoln Division
EXPLANATION: The mission of the UNMC College of Nursing is to improve the health and
quality of the lives of individuals, families, and communities in Nebraska and
beyond through leadership in learning, research, community and clinical
services. The College of Nursing takes seriously its responsibility to prepare
nurses and nurse faculty to meet the needs of all Nebraska, and therefore
offers all of its programs in four locations – Omaha, Lincoln, Kearney and
Scottsbluff. Each division of the College of Nursing has a particular
responsibility for meeting the work force needs of its region.
The Lincoln Division is preferred by the largest percent of applicants to the
BSN program because of its collegiate environment. The Lincoln health care
job market is also attractive with large hospitals and health care organizations
employing registered nurses, and nursing education programs which require
masters and doctorally educated UNMC graduates for faculty positions.
The United States, including Nebraska, is in the midst of an increasing
demand for nurses to fill a current shortage that is only expected to intensify
as baby boomers age and the need for health care grows. The shortage is not
a result of low interest in nursing careers; in fact, applications to schools of
nursing generally far exceed capacity of educational programs.
To meet the challenge, the UNMC College of Nursing has increased
enrollment by 28% since 2002. However, even with this expansion, qualified
applicants are turned away in large numbers due to space and facility
limitations and a faculty shortage (i.e., a shortage of masters and doctorally
educated nurses, for which UNMC is the main supplier). In a typical year, the
College accepts only 50% of qualified BSN applicants across all of its
Divisions. The acceptance rate is lower at the Lincoln Division (about 40%)
because of the popularity of that Division.
To address these nursing education and workforce needs and to continue to
provide leadership in these critical areas, UNMC relocated the Lincoln