Sign-On Letter: Protect Nebraska’s Landscape Architecture Program
To the Academic Planning Committee, University of Nebraska–Lincoln:
We, the undersigned, strongly oppose the elimination of the Landscape Architecture Program at UNL.
This is Nebraska’s only LAAB-accredited program and the primary pathway to licensure in the state. Landscape architecture is a STEM profession, licensed in all 50 states to protect public health, safety, and welfare.
Without UNL’s program, Nebraska would lose its ability to educate and license these professionals—leaving the state without the expertise needed to build resilient communities in Nebraska, keep the public safe from hazards (like flooding), prevent damage to public or private property from changes in the built environment, protect and maximize Nebraska’s natural resources, and grow our economy.
The program is essential because it:
- Provides the only accredited pipeline of licensed professionals in Nebraska.
- Meets urgent workforce needs, with job growth 206% faster than the national average.
- Keeps talent in the state, with 100% job placement and 71% of graduates staying in Nebraska.
- Delivers direct value to communities, contributing over $1.15 million in-kind design services across Nebraska in the past four years.
The Landscape Architecture program is essential for UNL’s mission as a comprehensive land-grant university and for Nebraska’s economy, workforce, and communities. Eliminating it would diminish both the university and the state.
We urge the University to maintain and strengthen this essential program.
Sincerely,