OATdb Archive

2010 - 2011

Budget And Operations

Goal
Enhance Link Between Planning And Budgeting As Well As Determining Resources Needs And Uses Both Short And Long Term.
Enhance Link Between Planning And Budgeting As Well As  Determining Resources Needs And Uses Both Short And Long Term.

Objective
Enhance Data Analysis By Defining Models To Improve Decision Making
Define Models for enhanced data analysis to improve decision making

Indicator
Assess Budget Projections Created With New Models
Budget projections for FY11 that were generated with new models will be assessed for reasonableness while in formulation and will be tested against actuality in FY2011.  Interim judgments re. the reasonableness of budget projections created with new models will be made by the Director of Budget, the Associate VP for Budget and Operations and the Vice President of Finance and Operations, with input from financial operations representatives and executive managers across the university. 

Criterion
Y11 Budget Projections Judged Reasonable And Fy11 Test Vs. Actuality Due In FY11
In final phases of testing new models the FY11 budget projections will be judged  reasonable by the Director of Budget, the Associate VP for Budget and Operations and the Vice President of Finance and Operations, reflecting input from financial operations representatives and executive managers across the university. 
When tested against the FY 11 actuality, the Fy11  budget projected from new models will prove to be reasonably accurate.

Finding
Accuracy Of Budget Projections From New Models
After reviewing the actual FY 11 budget and comparing to projected budget, the budget Office and this Office have concluded that the projection was reasonably accurate. Variance between projected and actual budget items was within acceptable ranges and evidence of both projected calculations and actual budget figures are available from the Budget Office director


Action
FY 12 Budget Projection Based On Lessons Learned From FY 11 Projections
The Office of Budget and Operations and the Budget Office are completing FY 12 projections at this time based upon a model similar to the FY11 model. The Budget Office will tweak the model based upon variances observed between the FY 11 projected and actual budgets.

Goal
Develop Strategies To Improve Revenues And Net Revenues For Units With That Functionality
Develop Strategies To Improve Revenues And Net Revenues For Units With That Functionality

Objective
Support And Monitor Strategies To Improve Revenue Gained Be Auxiliary Services
Support And Monitor Strategies to Improve Revenue Gained be Auxiliary Services


Indicator
Review 2011 Income And Expenses To Assess Average Net Income
Review 2011 income and expenses To assess average net income attained by  Auxiliary Services units

Criterion
Achieve Average Net Income Target Of 5%
Achieve Average Net Income target of 5% - a very respectable net income by business standards appropriate for auxiliary units operating within a university.

Finding
Revenue Projection
Although final reckoning will not take place till the end of the fiscal year, as of July 2011 it is most likely that only one of the two auxiliary units will meet this year's goal of achieving a 5% net income target.


Indicator
Review And Assess Auxiliary Services 2011 Revenues
Auxiliary Services units' 2011 revenues will be reviewed and assessed at the close of the fiscal 2011 year in relation to last year's  revenues

Criterion
Combined Revenue Increase Of At Least 2%
The combined Revenues of all Auxiliary Services Units will increase by at least 2% over last year's revenue

Finding
Revenues For Auxiliaries
Throughout the year, Auxiliary Dept heads have been relating interim evidence of reduced revenue and have been discussing known and suspected circumstances for reductions. Although final reckoning will not take place till the end of the fiscal year, as of July 2011 it is most likely that both auxiliary units will fail to meet this year's goal of increasing revenue by 2% over FY10. 

Action
Stemming Revenue Losses To Be Worked Out With New B&O And F&O Leadership
In the upcoming weeks, both auxiliary units will attempt to formulate ideas for stopping or reducing this year's revenue loss trend and will carefully assess cost saving options. Ideas and plans will be discussed with the new VP for F&O and any successor to the Assoc VP for Budget and Operations. New policies may be implemented internally or by the new members of the Finance and Operations leadership.

Goal
Continually Improve The Support Services To Internal Constituents
Continually Improve The Support Services To Internal Constituents

Objective
Assure That University Is Well Served By Research & Reporting Of Institutional Research & Assessment Office
The Assoc VP for Budget and Operations will assure that the university is well served by the research conducted and & reports submitted by the Office of Institutional Research & Assessment in satisfaction of 1. known federal and state requirements; 2, unanticipated federal and state  ad hoc requests; 3. non-governmental surveys and reports for external organizations positioned to negatively or positively impact the university; and 4.  policy or initiative impact research by university leaders

Indicator
Meta-Monitoring Of IRA Office Job Tracking & Client Satisfaction Assessment
The Budget and Operations AVP will Meta-Monitor IRA Office tracking of mandatory and non mandatory work orders and jobs. He will also monitor IRA assessments of client satisfaction and service effectiveness. 
Meta-monitoring will include engaging in critical review and feedback loops with the IRA Office regarding the tools and instruments used to track and assess its operational effectiveness, the results obtained from the application of those tools.

The Critical review and feedback process will also extend to IRA Office self improvement  plans, plans for self determination and mission definition.

Criterion
100% Satisfaction Of Government Mandatory Research/reporting; 90% Satisfaction Of Non Governmental Clients
The Office of Budget and Operations will promote IRA Office satisfaction of government mandatory research/reporting with 100% accuracy and timeliness and satisfaction of non-governmental client research/reporting with 90% positive client assessment of effectiveness


Finding
Positive Findings On Satisfaction, Timeliness And Accuracy
As of July 15 2011, 100% of mandatory and government reports were submitted on time and accurately. The client satisfaction survey revealed over a 90% satisfaction level across all categories of service. The majority of IRA Office clients are not in the position to respond to a satisfaction survey ( i.e. THECB, LBB, US DoE, Dept of Commerce, US NEWS and World, etc) However, among the 67 internal university clients with multiple IRA work orders, 19 responded. 

Action
Actions To Improve Through WO Info Systematization & Better Survey Distribution
The IRA office continually seeks to improve its effort and its outcomes. The Office of Budget and Operations works closely with the IRA Office to recommend strategies for leveraging resources required to meet the steeply rising demand for more analyses and reports of greater complexity. This office concurs and supports efforts that the IRA office plans to undertake to impose more standardization and systemization to its capture of work order information with regard to study or report type, client, purpose, content, methodology, assignment, due date and time required for completion.  In addition, this office will  support the IRA Office effort to obtain specific and timely client feedback on each IRA work order by encouraging department heads in this division and division leaders throughout the university to accept and respond to the job feedback survey which IRA plans to deliver with each completed work order.



Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement

Plan for continuous improvement FY 12 Budget Projection Based On Lessons Learned From FY 11 Projections
The Office of Budget and Operations and the Budget Office are completing FY 12 projections at this time based upon a model similar to the FY11 model. The Budget Office will tweak the model based upon variances observed between the FY 11 projected and actual budgets.

Stemming Revenue Losses To Be Worked Out With New B&O And F&O Leadership
Auxiliary units will attempt to formulate ideas for stopping or reducing this year's revenue loss trend and will  assess cost saving options. Ideas and plans will be discussed with the new VP for F&O and any successor to the Assoc VP for Budget and Operations. If appropriate, new policies will be implemented. 

Actions To Improve Through WO Info Systematization & Better Survey Distribution
The Office of Budget and Operations works closely with the IRA Office to recommend strategies for leveraging resources required to meet the steeply rising demand for more analyses and reports of greater complexity. This office concurs and supports efforts that the IRA office plans to undertake to impose more standardization and systemization to capture work order information.  In addition, this office will support the IRA Office effort to obtain specific and timely client feedback on each IRA work order by encouraging department/division leaders throughout the university to respond to the job feedback survey which IRA plans to deliver with each completed work order.