Budget Process & Calendar

Budget Development and Administration

The University uses prior-year funding and allocations as the initial basis for constructing the annual budget. New initiatives, linked to the University’s Mission and Strategic Goals, are identified annually by departments and included in the University’s Strategic Plan.

At the beginning of the budget planning cycle the Division of Business & Finance (B&F) provides Vice Presidents and Administrative Department Heads information to help formulate the next fiscal years’ budget. Such information includes an All-Funds analysis of the past year’s divisional expenditures by payroll, temporary services and material & supplies, and a copy of the Division’s current Strategic Plan funded initiatives. The University’s funding sources include: State–purpose funds, tuition and fees; room rents from the Dormitory Funds Reimbursable (DIFR); fees from our Income Funds Reimbursable (IFR) accounts; University-wide temporary allocations; and SUTRA (State University Tuition Reimbursable Account) funds from summer school and over-enrollment. Using the information provided by B&F as a guide, the Vice Presidents and Department heads should meet with respective staff to develop their proposed budget and updated Strategic Plan based on expected needs and priorities for the upcoming year.

Budget meetings are scheduled with the Vice Presidents and Administrative Department Heads to discuss the overall SUNY budget and expectations for the next fiscal year, proposed divisional budgets, and updated Strategic Plan Initiatives Plan. Modifications are made based upon funded resources, University priorities and presidential directives. Cash balances in IFR and SUTRA accounts, when available and needed, are used to supplement funding from SUNY in developing the University’s annual Financial Plan.

Each Division and Administrative Department budget and Strategic Plan is reviewed by the University’s Strategic Planning, Assessment, Analysis, and Review Committee (SPAAR) for linkage to the University’s Goals. Refinements may be recommended to the President by the SPAAR or the Cabinet.

Academic plans, priorities and goals, along with their budget implications, are addressed on several levels throughout the year by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Such items are periodically discussed and modified in meetings with the President, the Cabinet, the SPAAR, the faculty and B&F. The major cost to implement academic plans is included in the Division of Academic Affairs’ budget and Strategic Plan and is reviewed and adjusted as necessary.

On a macro level, enrollment planning is the major driver of budget funds in SUNY’s budget allocation process, so successful efforts in this area is a key to the financial well-being of the University. Old Westbury has to continue developing enrollment plans and strategy that meets our academic program needs and consider the higher funding from having students enrolled in upper-division undergraduate courses, graduate courses and out-of-state students. On a micro level, because of the interdependence of enrollment with academic programs, the budget and the University’s overall success, the University has placed greater emphasis on enrollment planning. The Vice Presidents of Academic Affairs, Enrollment Services and Business & Finance meet periodically to formulate the enrollment projections and estimate revenue prior to presenting them to the President and the Cabinet for further review and approval. Initial enrollment revenue projections are made in the Spring and re-projections are done in the Fall. The major cost to implement the enrollment plans and goals is included in the Division of Enrollment Services’ budget and Strategic Plan.

Divisional Vice Presidents and Administrative Department Heads can revise amounts to their departmental accounts after the campus allocation is returned by SUNY System Administration. The Vice Presidents and Administrative Department Heads submit such revisions to B&F who in turn reallocates the funds to the desired budget accounts. For major reallocation adjustments outside each division, consensus is achieved through meetings with the President, Cabinet or the SPAAR if necessary.

Budget Monitoring

SUNY requires the University to make revenue projections three times and disbursement projections twice during the fiscal year for State purpose funds. Variances are monitored by SUNY and the University must provide explanations for major discrepancies. It is extremely important that revenues from tuition and fees and other sources are collected since University revenues not collected result in a dollar for dollar reduction from State allocations.

The University uses SUNY automated systems and B&F management reports to ensure that divisional and departmental accounts or programs remain within their budgets. SUNY’s system continuously monitors the allocated revenues and expenditures for the accounts or programs. If an account has insufficient funds for a proposed expenditure, it can only be funded via reallocation from alternate accounts within the respective division. The divisional Vice President or Administrative Department Head must notify B&F if they wish to reallocate any amounts. If a division or department has exhausted all of its funds, a request for provisional funds must be presented to B&F for review and discussion with the President. Through continuous monitoring of current spending and analysis of projected revenues, overspending is mitigated. Similar control procedures are in effect for IFR and DIFR accounts.

In addition, B&F has established a set of periodic internal reports that assist in monitoring the University’s overall budget and major categories such as payroll, overtime, utilities and miscellaneous revenues. These reports are reviewed and major variances are discussed with Divisions and Administrative Departments.

SUNY has identified several comprehensive campuses in the system similar to the University. On occasion we will contact peer institutions to discuss approaches and strategies for specific areas. The University compares the effectiveness and efficiency of its resource planning information with those of other SUNY institutions and modifies them where feasible. Such information is analyzed by B&F and periodically by SPAAR. The University also compares its resource effectiveness and efficiency through a review of best practices and informal discussions with SUNY counterparts, in seminars and conferences.