November 1, 2018 Minutes

PRESIDENT’S BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE
November 1^st, 2018

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Lisa Vollendorf Provost, Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs; Chair

Joyce Lopes Vice President of Administration and Finance; Vice-Chair

Gordon McDougall Interim Vice President of University Advancement

Hollis Robbins Dean, School of Arts and Humanities

Laura Watt Chair of the Faculty; GEP Department

Melinda Milligan Vice-Chair of the Faculty; Sociology Department

Erma Jean Sims CFA Representative; Literacy Studies & Elementary Ed.

Mark Perri Chair of APARC; Chemistry Department

Laura Lupei Senior Director for University Budget and Planning, A&F

Elisabeth Kettmann Staff Representative, Biology Department

Christina Gamboa Vice President of Finance, Associated Students

STAFF PRESENT:

Elias Lopez AVP for Academic Resources, Academic Affairs

Hayley Avery Budget Manager, Administration and Finance

GUESTS PRESENT:

Katie Robinson Budget Director, Administration and Finance

Anna Reynolds-Smith Director, Administrative and Financial Planning, Student Affairs

MEMBERS ABSENT:

Judy K. Sakaki President, Sonoma State University

Gregory Sawyer Vice President for Student Affairs

Carmen Works Past Chair of the Faculty; Chemistry Department

Carley Chatterley President, Associated Students

AGENDA

CALL TO ORDER AND WELCOME
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AND MINUTES: October 4^th, 2018
DRAFT BUDGET OVERSIGHT POLICY
STRATEGIC BUDGETING: Budget Timeline & Planning Template
DRAFT CAMPUS BUDGET FORUM AGENDA

I. CALL TO ORDER AND WELCOME

Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs, Lisa Vollendorf, welcomed the committee and began the meeting at 8:30 am.

II. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AND MINUTES

Vollendorf introduced the agenda and asked if there were any additions. Hearing none, Vollendorf requested a motion to approve the minutes of the October 4^th meeting. Minutes were approved unanimously.

III. DRAFT BUDGET OVERSIGHT POLICY

(Please see the November 1^st agenda packet for related documents)

The first draft of the Budget Oversight Policy was reviewed with the committee. The Budget Oversight Policy applies to all budgeted University funds. The policy defines that Major Budget Unit (MBU) Lead Administrators, campus budget partners, and budget managers are responsible for the following: 1) monitoring budgeted funds, 2) ensuring that expenditures are occurring consistently, 3) identifying and correcting shortfalls or overages, and 4) recognizing and addressing any deficits. Budget to actuals reviews will happen quarterly, and any significant variances will be identified, and a corrective action plan will be submitted in order to resolve major variances. The policy outlines that all the reports and any corrective action plans will be documented and kept per the campus retention policy.

The committee had some clarifying questions related to the definition of a “significant variance”. The clarifications will be made in the second draft and brought back to the committee in the Spring.

IV. STRATEGIC BUDGETING

(Please see the November 1^st agenda packet for related documents)

As the campus continues to make improvements in the budgeting process, a new budget timeline and budget planning template are being implemented. With the new timeline assumptions will be set in December of each year, and the units will plan their goals and tactics for the planning year while they adjust their budgets with the budget planning template. Once budgets have been put together for the planning year, they will be reported out to Cabinet and PBAC. In May, Cabinet will review and approve the budget plans and determine how to handle any potential new funding or reductions for the upcoming year. The planning year budgets will be finalized by June of each year.

The planning template that will be distributed after the assumptions are set in December will be the primary procedure for units to evaluate and make changes to their budget in order to link their resources with the strategic plan. This planning process will also require the units to set SMART tactics each year and identify metrics by which to measure the tactics. For the upcoming 2019-20 fiscal year units will not be required to provide metrics; they will only be required to fill out any budget changes to be made as a first step in this new process. As the University makes progress in linking its resources to the strategic plan, this timeline and template process will include planning for multiple fiscal years and incorporate multiple funds. The committee was pleased with the improvements being made to the budgeting process, particularly that it will integrate budget planning from the departments up to the units.

V.DRAFT CAMPUS BUDGET FORUM AGENDA

(Please see the November 1^st agenda packet for related documents)

The committee discussed the upcoming Fall Budget Forum and reviewed a draft agenda. The forum will start with presentations from Laura Lupei, Joyce Lopes, and Lisa Vollendorf which include a budget briefing and an overview of how the University is making steps towards linking the budget with the strategic plan. After the presentations, there will be roundtable discussions where the PBAC members will facilitate and take notes on feedback from campus members who attend. The committee suggested it might be useful to create an FAQ on the website once the input from the roundtable discussions is collected.

Vollendorf adjourned the meeting at 9:53 am.
Minutes prepared by Hayley Avery.