University of Nebraska at Kearney has issued a statement in response to recent media reports, they say, have included inaccurate and misleading claims about the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK). The statement further states that UNK operates in a manner consistent with strong Nebraska values and ideals.
The controversy unfolded earlier this month(April) after a voluntary faculty professional‑development email was shared on social media. The email referenced an external training video titled: “How Can I Move From Supporting to Empowering Trans‑Spectrum Students?”
Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen publicly condemned UNK, calling the training “irrelevant and destructive” and demanding that similar programming be rooted out across the university system.
The governor also warned of potential funding cuts or investigations if this kind of programming continued.
UNK’s statement maintains it’s employment practices, academic policies and student support efforts are governed by established state and university policies and standards.
It continues that recent media reports do not accurately reflect how the University conducts its hiring processes and does not accurately characterize the role of the Faculty Senate.
It conclues that Chancellor Neal Schnoor “has initiated a systematic review, coordinated by UNK’s chief compliance officer, to assess the issues raised and ensure that any legitimate concerns are appropriately addressed in a timely manner.”
UNK removed the referenced training module within a day of the backlash, emphasizing that the training was voluntary, the material was external and not developed internally.
