SUNY Oneonta Budget Office 2014-15 Comprehensive Assessment Plan

SUNY Oneonta Budget Office
2014-15 Comprehensive Assessment Plan
SETTING OBJECTIVES
Mission Statement
The mission of the Budget Office at SUNY Oneonta is to support the College’s priorities by
effectively guiding the development and management of the budgets for various College
funds. These funds include Oneonta's State Core Operating budget, Stabilization Fund, the
Dormitory Income Fund (DIFR), General Income Fund Reimbursable (IFR), Summer Session,
Tuition Overflow, and other miscellaneous State appropriated funds.
Our major functions include:
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Identifying, projecting, allocating and monitoring the resources necessary and
available for operations
Providing support and analysis to College Administration in fiscal and budgetary
matters to foster attainment of the College’s mission and strategic and operational
plans
Performing ongoing analysis of the College’s financial condition in order to inform
decision-making and strategic planning processes
Assisting College Academic and Administrative units in the prudent management of
College resources
Delivering efficient, timely, and accurate financial information and analysis to both
internal and external clientele
Coordinating College budget activities with SUNY System Administration
We are committed to sustainable stewardship of the College’s fiscal resources. Additionally,
we strive to provide appropriate budgetary guidance, anticipate needs and opportunities,
and recognize impacts and consequences of planned or potential actions, while maintaining
a professional and courteous attitude.
Goals and Objectives
In developing the second Comprehensive Assessment Plan for the Budget Office, a review
of the Office’s existing mission, goals and objectives and their relationship to the College’s
mission, values and strategic plan was undertaken. Updates and revisions were considered
and made to better align with changing financial and operational environments. Webbased research of other higher education institutions’ Budget Office missions, goals, and
functions was also conducted to ensure meeting common standards. A draft of the plan
was reviewed by staff and input was incorporated as appropriate.
SUNY Oneonta Budget Office 2014-15 Comprehensive Assessment Plan
Several generalized recurring goals were identified for the Office. For each identified goal,
several current objectives were also identified. These goals and objectives include the
following:
Goal 1. Identify, project, allocate and monitor the resources necessary and available for
College operations.
Objective A. Develop informed, strategic, and timely budgets at all levels of the
College’s Financial Plan. This includes account level, fund level, and
campus-wide budgets.
Objective B. Periodic strategic review of selected program/area budgets to
determine adequacy of allocated resources.
Objective C. Timely and informed development of the College’s Personnel Services
budgets (regular and temporary) for the next fiscal year (all accounts,
all funds).
Goal 2. Provide support and analysis to College Administration in fiscal and budgetary
matters to foster attainment of the College’s mission and strategic plans.
Objective A. Provide accurate and timely reporting of pertinent and useful budget
information as required and requested by account/program managers,
the Budget Advisory Committee, the President’s Cabinet, and the
President.
Objective B. Develop new or improved reporting methods in order to accurately,
efficiently, and effectively convey financial data and financial status at
all levels of Campus financial management.
Objective C. Review, update, and document the College’s IFR account processes
and procedures.
Objective D. Review of College fee policy, including processes and procedures to be
used as guidelines in establishing or changing student fees.
Goal 3. Perform ongoing analysis of the College’s financial condition in order to inform
decision making and planning processes.
Objective A. Develop of a comprehensive report of IFR budget activity, including
revenue, allocation, expenditure, and cash balance.
Objective B. Review and monitor major categories of expenditure activity relative
to resource allocation in order to identify potential surplus or deficit
situations.
Objective C. Project, monitor and report on Campus Reserves, both recurring and
one-time.
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SUNY Oneonta Budget Office 2014-15 Comprehensive Assessment Plan
Goal 4. Assist Academic and Administrative units in the prudent management of College
resources.
Objective A. Provide continued support, assistance, and training to temporary
services managers in executing their temporary services budgets,
utilizing the TS encumbrance system in Banner and SMRT.
Objective B. Provide information on budget-related processes and guidelines to
College departments on an ongoing and as needed/requested basis.
Goal 5. Deliver efficient, timely, and accurate financial information and analysis to both
internal and external clientele.
Objective A. Provide accurate and meaningful salary information as required to
assist in the development and implementation of the second
installation of the faculty salary increase plan.
Objective B. Continue efforts to improve and expand the use of technology to make
Budget operations and services more effective and efficient.
Objective C. Work with other Finance and Administration staff and/or System
Administration staff to resolve any technical or process issues that may
arise in carrying out the College’s Financial Plan.
Goal 6. Coordinate College budget activities with SUNY System Administration.
Objective A. Provide accurate and timely reporting of budget information as
requested and required by SUNY System Administration.
Objective B. Participate in SUNY-wide budget functions, such as AccountingBudget-Bursar-Technology committee(s), to ensure and enhance
knowledge of SUNY-wide budget activities and their implications.
MEASURING OUTCOMES
During the 2014-15 year, the Budget Office will assess the six objectives listed in the 2014-15
Action Plan Table. [See Action Plan Chart] Assessment measures/expected outcomes criteria
are indicated in the table for each chosen objective.
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SUNY Oneonta Budget Office 2014-15 Comprehensive Assessment Plan
USING RESULTS TO PLAN
Going forward, the Budget Office will monitor progress on the objectives chosen for assessment
in the 2014-15 year as shown in the Action Plan Table. At the close of the year, actual
outcomes will be compared with expected results in order to determine whether changes are
needed in processes, activities, objectives, or goals. Additionally, overarching conditions, such
as the NYS and SUNY-wide budget environment, will be reviewed to determine whether any
revision to goals is warranted. Results will then be considered in drafting the Assessment
Action Plan for the year 2015-16.
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Goal 1 - Identify, project, allocate and monitor the resources necessary and available for College operations
Target
Completion Resources
Person(s)
Objective
Actions/Strategies
Date
Required
Responsible
C. Timely and informed
Develop PSR (Personnel
Oct 2014 n/a
BD, Sr Staff Asst
development of the College's
Services-Regular) projection
(factors & 1Personnel Services budgets
rosters for the next fiscal year
time
(regular and temporary) for the earlier in the Budget
payments)
next fiscal year (all accounts, all Development cycle
funds)
Nov 2014
(DIFR, IFR)
Measure/Expected Outcome
FY15/16 fiscal factors based on known bargaining unit
increases [% completion]
Schedule of other 1-time payments by bargaining unit
[% completion]
Actual
Outcome
Preliminary FY15/16 DIFR and IFR PSR rosters using
known cost increase factors and position updates will
provide efficiencies, consistency, and clarity in the DIFR and
IFR budget development process [% completion, extent of
use in DIFR/IFR budget dev]
Preliminary FY15/16 PSR rosters with summary
information for the remaining appropriated funds
developed by early spring will better inform general budget
and campus reserve projections prior to the finalization of
the NYS and SUNY budgets in late spring, early summer [%
completion, extent of use in budget/CR projections early
spring]
Goal 2 - Provide support and analysis to College Administration in fiscal and budgetary matters to foster attainment of the College's mission and strategic and operational plans
Target
Completion Resources
Person(s)
Actual
Objective
Actions/Strategies
Date
Required
Responsible
Measure/Expected Outcome
Outcome
B. Develop new or improved
Implement standardized
Oct 2014 n/a
BD, Staff Assoc Identify for every major IFR the amount of cash reserve
reporting methods in order to utilization of a dedicated series
required to meet the 10% of disbursement minimum
accurately, efficiently, and
of Income Fund Reimbursable
standard
effectively convey financial data (IFR) sub-accounts to isolate the
Transfer the required amount of cash from the
and financial status at all levels minimum required IFR cash
operations/revenue receiving sub-account to the -## (tbd)
of Campus financial
balance reserves for all major
sub-account within each major IFR
management
IFR accounts
Dec 2014
Develop a standard report in the SUNY BI Finance
system to capture all "-##" reserve balances, such that the
report can be run at any given time to show the status of
IFR cash balance reserves (program reserves)
Feb 2015
(State, Other)
Goal 3 - Perform ongoing analysis of the College's financial condition in order to inform decision making and planning processes
Target
Completion Resources
Person(s)
Objective
Actions/Strategies
Date
Required
Responsible
Measure/Expected Outcome
B. Review and monitor major
Review current scholarship
April 2015 n/a
BD, Staff Assoc Review of current spending model [% complete]
categories of expenditure
allocations in appropriated
Review of current recurring and one-time resources
activity relative to resource
funds relative to current year
allocated to scholarships [% complete]
allocation in order to identify spending plan and anticipated
Projection of FY15/16 costs, to include final year of
potential surplus or deficit
growth for out-year
local recruitment scholarship increase plan and final year of
situations
SUNY TAP credit costs [% complete]
Adjust scholarship program allocations to cover
planned/projected needs for FY15/16 [% complete; final $
adjustment savings/(cost)]
C. Project, monitor and report Develop a more standardized
Oct 2014 n/a
BD
Review of current reporting model for areas to improve
on Campus Reserves, both
reporting method and a regular
and revise [% complete]
recurring and one-time
schedule of updates to convey
Production of a comprehensive, succinct report of
campus reserve status and
current campus reserves status that also identifies critical
projections to the VPFA to
assumptions [% complete; VPFA approved]
allow for informed decision
Production of a comprehensive, succinct report of
making with up-to-date reserve
projected out-year reserve status that also identifies critical
information
assumptions [% complete; VPFA approved]
Regularly scheduled updates provided to the VPFA
[reviewed as scheduled]
Actual
Outcome
Goal 5- Deliver efficient, timely, and accurate financial information and analysis to both internal and external clientele
Target
Completion Resources
Person(s)
Objective
Actions/Strategies
Date
Required
Responsible
Measure/Expected Outcome
A. Provide accurate and
As requested, provide faculty
June 2015 n/a
BD, Sr Staff Asst, Provide budget data and analysis regarding faculty
meaningful salary information salary funding data and related
APA
salaries as requested [ad hoc requirements met]
as required to assist in the
analysis
Participate in implementation discussions providing
development and
information on College budget impact as requested [ad hoc
implementation of the second
requirements met]
installation of the faculty salary
Collaborate with other involved offices to implement
increase plan
2nd phase of plan, allocating resources as necessary to
meet plan requirements [% complete; $ allocated]
B. Continue efforts to improve
and expand the use of
technology to make Budget
operations and services more
effective and efficient
Support the campus roll-out of
SUNY's Finance Business
Intelligence (BI) system
June 2015* n/a
(*the timing
of actual
campus-wide
roll-out of BI
system is
dependent on
when the tool
is sufficiently
developed as
a
replacement
for the
current SMRT
reporting
tool)
BD, All Budget Participate in training opportunities and utilize BI
Staff
Dashboards in the course of normal operations in order to
learn dashboard functionality [# trainings attended v.
offered; % use of BI v. SMRT/Legacy per staff]
Participate in training opportunities and utilize the BI
analysis tool for queries and reporting where possible to
improve knowledge of the system's customizable reporting
capabilities [# trainings attended v. offered; % use of BI v.
SMRT/Legacy per staff]
In conjunction with the Accounting Office and other
Finance area staff as required, support the development of
a roll-out plan for the BI system [% completion of plan
development]
Actual
Outcome