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Planning & Budgeting Guidelines

All planning and budgeting must include:

Mission StatementThis statement should be simple, direct, attainable and include measurable goals. It must be specific enough to be integrated into the overall planning and budgeting process.
ProcessA thorough process for identifying, implementing and evaluating activities required to achieve the unit's goals should be based on prudent and supportable projections that account for key factors, including:
  • Student enrollment.
  • Supporting and auxiliary services required.
  • Space, equipment and supplies requirements.
  • Salaries and benefits.
  • Anticipated revenue.
  • Capital expenditures that are not included in the campus master plan.
  • Interdependency among units.
MethodsProven methods for gathering and analyzing data should be used consistently and documented.
Operations DetailA detailed and descriptive narration is required to clearly show how all of the unit's operations are being financed, including:
  • All funding sources.
  • Revenue estimates.
  • Major expenditures by category.
  • Major assumptions and forecasting methods used.
  • Significant changes in current activities.
  • Contingency plans.

All budget data should be cross-referenced to the unit's stated goals and objectives:

  • A cash management plan to maximize the cash resources available to the University.

  • A thorough re-evaluation of all assumptions, analyses, plans and budgets used in the previous year's planning and budgeting process.

    Since goals and objectives may change from year to year, all data feeding into current plans and budgets must be reevaluated each year to ensure that they reflect today's environment.

For further information contact the Office of Academic Planning and Budget (see Related Information).

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