Sonoma State University

October 4, 2018 Minutes

Minutes

PRESIDENT’S BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE
October 4th, 2018

MEMBERS PRESENT:

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

Gordon McDougall                     Interim Vice President of University Advancement

Hollis Robbins                           Dean, School of Arts and Humanities

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

Carley Chatterley                       President, Associated Students

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

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

Gregory Sawyer                        Vice President for Student Affairs

Laura Watt                                Chair of the Faculty; GEP Department

Carmen Works                           Past Chair of the Faculty; Chemistry Department

 

 

 

 

AGENDA

           

  1. CALL TO ORDER AND WELCOME
  2. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AND MINUTES: September 6th, 2018
  3. CAMPUS BUDGET UPDATE
  4. BUDGET OVERSIGHT POLICY
  5. STRATEGIC BUDGETING

 

 

 

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 September 6th.  Minutes were approved unanimously.

 

III. CAMPUS BUDGET UPDATE

Vollendorf updated the committee on the Cabinet budget retreat and the discussion around operationalizing the strategic plan by linking it with the budget. The purpose of this conversation intended to start the discussions and actions across campus towards strategic budgeting. Administration & Finance shared how they took steps towards strategic budgeting in the past year, which included making appropriate reductions and reallocating vacant positions to support strategic initiatives such as the Title IX coordinator, and Student Conduct Officer. Academic Affairs has started to categorize their roll-forward balance to meet strategic priorities in the Division.

 

IV. BUDGET OVERSIGHT POLICY

(Please see the October 4th agenda packet for related documents)

 

Laura Lupei introduced the creation of a Budget Oversight Policy that will need to be implemented this year. In 2016 an audit finding outlined there needed to be a written policy for budget oversight for the University. In response to this finding, an Integrated CSU Administrative Manuel (ICSUAM) Policy was created by the Chancellor’s Office to help campuses form a budget oversight policy of their own. The ICSUAM policy is brief and does not specify what funds the policy applies to. It requires a budget to actuals review two times per year. The system policy also does not determine a level of review but states that documentation of reviews and any resolved issues should be kept. Lupei discussed the campus’s current budget oversight practices which include once a month and quarterly budget to actuals reviews. When a problem arises in these reviews an explanation is requested, and the next level administrator is included when necessary. With the incorporation of the ICSUAM policy and current campus practices, Lupei is proposing Sonoma’s oversight policy include all budgeted funds within the University, including self-support funds. Reviews will continue to happen quarterly, and these will be done with each Major Budget Unit (MBU) Lead Administrator. If a financial concern has been identified the Senior Director of University Budget & Planning will be notified as well as the CFO and VP of divisions, at the Senior Directors discretion. A Certificate of Corrective Action Form will be kept when necessary, outlining any financial concerns and the course of actions that will be taken to correct them. Documentation will be held per the four year Campus Retention Policy.      

 

The committee was pleased with the suggestions for the policy and wanted to ensure the different MBU Lead Administrators are consulted during the creation of the policy. A first draft of the Budget Oversight Policy will be presented at the November 1st PBAC meeting.

 

 

V.STRATEGIC BUDGETING

(Please see the October 4th agenda packet for related documents)

 

As a part of strategic budgeting practices, Laura Lupei presented the status of the University reserve. Contingency, Reserve, and Roll-Forward are terms that were defined to guide the conversation on reserves. Lupei briefly discussed the University Operating Fund Reserve Policy and the four categories identified in the policy; Operating Reserve, Maintenance Reserve, Capital Reserve, and Capitalized Equipment Reserve. As of 6/30/2018, the end of the 17/18 fiscal year, the Reserve balance stood at $5,461,162. The committee was encouraged by the policy and the amount that has been contributed so far and are looking forward to continuingly adding to each of the reserve categories.

 

 

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