A budgeting handbook for academic administrators and faculty is presented. Economic and political influences on budgeting are considered, along with sources of funds for public and private colleges, and the chronology of the budget process. Multiyear summaries of the budget process in different types of colleges are included. Some major policy issues facing public colleges and state officials are identified, and the use of analytical tools and financial reporting to alter budget outcomes is addressed. A hypothetical college is used to introduce fund accounting, and six budgeting approaches are summarized. Additional topics include: how participants can influence the budget process, the relationship of the capital budget to the annual operating budget, sources of flexibility in the budget process, budget planning for reallocation and retrenchment, policy issues for endowment management, cost analysis procedures, the instructional workload matrix, enrollment forecasting, the nature of indirect costs associated with sponsored programs, and a range of mathematical models used in budgeting. Appendices include strategies for increasing revenue and decreasing expenditures, and documents of the American Association of University Professors and the National Association of College and University Business Officers. (SW)

This book will help new administrators (department chairs, directors, deans) understand and become more proficient in their financial management role within the institution. Highly accessible, practitioners will be able to put the book's guidance to immediate use in their work. It is also grounded in the latest knowledge base and filled with examples from across all types of institutions, so that it makes an ideal text for a courses in graduate programs in higher education leadership and administration. Specifically, the book: • provides an understanding of the basics of budgeting and fiscal management in higher education • defines the elements of a budget, the budget cycle, and the steps for creating a budget • suggests ways of avoiding common pitfalls and problems of managing budgets • contains effective strategies for dealing with loss of resources • includes end-of-chapter reflection questions and an expanded glossary of terms Written in plain language this volume provides practical approaches to many complex problems in fiscal management. This new edition of the book contains new information in every chapter reflecting both the most recent developments in higher education and feedback from readers of the earlier edition. The information on the current higher education financial environment has been updated, and the case studies have been revised. Readers will be introduced to Bowen's theory of resources and expenses as an important way to understand budgetary decision making in colleges and universities. Special attention is paid to the use of restricted funds, the budget implications of faculty appointments and the challenges caused by personnel policies for staff. In addition, greater attention is given to development and implementation of repair and replacement programs in auxiliary enterprises. The challenges that arise when budget problems are postponed are also discussed. The volume contains a number of suggestions for practitioners with new budgeting and fiscal responsibilities.

This book takes an applied approach to budgeting and fiscal administration in higher education. It presents new and aspiring leaders in higher education and student affairs with the fundamental knowledge and skills to supervise, analyze, and implement budgets that make the best and most effective use of limited resources. By exploring the foundational elements of fiscal administration and outlining the process step-by-step, this text carefully takes leaders through real-world examples and includes myriad opportunities for application. Indeed, a major goal of this text is to provide readers with a set of technical skills that can be applied across a range of contexts. Our expectation is that current and future higher education and student affairs leaders will find this text invaluable in their day-to-day work and that the material presented here will help them engage in fruitful decisions around the allocation of scare resources.

An accessible handbook for anyone who needs to understand a university budget—perfect for the non-finance higher ed professional. To understand how universities function, it is critical to understand how their budgets work. In this useful volume, Dean O. Smith provides a concise explanation of university budgets—why they're important, how they are prepared, what information they provide, and how they are monitored. Translating technical jargon into layman's terms, How University Budgets Work emphasizes practical matters and best practices. Writing for a non-specialist audience, Smith covers major aspects of university budgets ranging from their preparation and alignment with strategic plans to their implementation at the departmental level. Offering time-tested advice from his many years in higher administration, he also touches on • expenditure monitoring • projections • allocations • revenue • incentives • financial reserves • end-of-year accounting The companion book to the more rigorous University Finances, also by Smith, How University Budgets Work is a unique introductory guide for the extended academic community. Ultimately, this logical, accessible book provides a working knowledge of how university budgets are produced and implemented, one that enables faculty members and administrators to become more effective in their roles within the university.

An essential and comprehensive guide to university finances. In University Finances, higher education expert Dean O. Smith • demystifies basic accounting procedures, budgets, debt financing, and financial statements • explores more unusual financial topics, such as methods for calculating fringe benefit rates, bond refunding costs, and indirect cost allocations • shows that the use of university wealth is highly restricted by donors, bondholders, government regulators, and others • answers nuanced questions, like "How are USDA formula funds calculated?" and "Why does the university pursue more and more research funding when it loses money on every grant?" • illustrates financial calculations using realistic examples Some of these explanations are unavailable in print or online to anyone but a handful of professional accountants. Rigorous, detailed, and wide-ranging, University Finances is a unique and powerful resource.

Financial incentives play an important role in the behaviour of public institutions of higher education. This title examines alternative uses of these financial incentives, and reviews the consequences of their implementation. The book explores areas including: faculty behaviour in an incentive-based environment; effects on teaching; evaluation of decentralized approaches to budgeting; efficiency implications at the state level; and the ramifications of revenue flux on institutional behaviour. Case studies from the University of Toronto, the University of Michigan and Indiana University are also presented, and the volume concludes with recommendations regarding possible implementation strategies.

Rev. ed. of: College & university budgeting, 2005.