Who else is involved in establishing the colleges annual budget?

Our current process involves the following groups and will be adjusted as we move to a three college district.

• Everyone who has responsibility for a budget (Dean, Directors, Department Chairs, AVPs)
• Finance Department
• Budget Bunch Executive Committee

Is there a defined chain of command?

• The chain of command varies but typically includes the Dean to whom the Department Chair reports and the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

What is the flow of information :

• The Tentative Budget is a temporary operating budget until the Final Budget is adopted. The Tentative Budget is based on the 4/30/20XX Revised Budget Balances, except for known salary and budget adjustments.
• For a final budget the flow of information is as follows: Budget worksheets are distributed to everyone with signature responsibility for a budget, when complete the budget worksheets should be submitted to the area Vice Chancellor or Provost for review, once approved they are submitted to Finance for input.

What should be expected of people at the next level?

• The budget requests go from the Vice Chancellors to Finance.
• Finance inputs the requests into the budget software.
• If budget increases are sought, the increase requests are accumulated for discussion and prioritization at Budget Bunch based on need and available funding.

Is there a set expectation from top managers about how they lobby for their budget needs?

• If lobbying is needed it should occur during the budget development cycle unless an unforeseen need crops up during the year.
• The initial lobbying should be to the Vice Chancellor or the Provost. It can then move to Budget Bunch if needed.

What about transfers from one budget line to another after the budget is finalized? What are the rules?

• All discretionary budget line items can be transferred. Non-discretionary budget items are things like FT Salaries, Benefits, Advertising, Utilities, etc.
• If a transfer is needed between object codes (4000 to 5000) it must go to the Board. Transfers within object codes are not required but can be made at the request of the Department (4590 to 4555).