Student Affairs Budgeting and Financial Management in the Midst of Fiscal Crisis E-Book

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Bildung
• Serie: J-B SS Single Issue Student Services
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 182

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Beschreibung

This volume is designed to help senior student affairs officersnavigate through uncertain economic times. After a broad review ofbudget models and the leadership potential of the senior officer,we look at the role of student affairs officers in difficultbudgeting decisions from several perspectives--from small, privatecolleges to the experiences of twelve senior student affairsofficers at public universities. One chapter describes generalrevenue-generating and cost-saving strategies that student affairsdivisions may consider during cutbacks; another focuses on keyaspects of developing a comprehensive communication strategy: athird presents a case study of a single institution through theeyes of the vice president for student affairs. This volume endswith a summary survey of the authors' observations, conclusions,and advice. This is the 129th volume of the Jossey-Bass higher educationquarterly report series New Directions for StudentServices. An indispensable resource for vice presidents ofstudent affairs, deans of students, student counselors, and otherstudent services professionals, New Directions for StudentServices offers guidelines and programs for aiding studentsin their total development: emotional, social, physical, andintellectual.

Leseprobe

Contents

Editors’ Notes

Chapter 1: Becoming a Leader in University Budgeting

Conceptualizing and Implementing a Divisional Process

Understanding and Maximizing the Roles of the Campus Budget

Knowing About and Becoming Conversant in Budget Approaches

Conclusion

Chapter 2: A Small College Perspective on Institutional Budget Issues

Tuition

Discount Rate

Enrollment Versus Endowment

Recruitment and Retention

Small Changes Can Make Big Difference

Conclusion

Chapter 3: Alternate Budgetary Sources During Budget Rescissions

Budget Decisions Typically Involving Governing Bodies

Measures That Can Be Implemented with Campus-Based Decisions

Revenue Sources and Cost-Saving Measures Within Student Affairs

Recommendations and Conclusions

Chapter 4: Communicating with Stakeholders

Understanding and Using Institutional Mission and Planning

Understanding Campus Culture and Circumstance

Understanding and Using Available Resources

Understanding and Using Available Communication Tools

Addressing the Different Needs of Various Stakeholders

Anticipating Reactions and Perpetuating the Message

Conclusion

Chapter 5: The New Normal: Senior Student Affairs Officers Speak Out About Budget Cutting

Methodology of the Study

The Process of Cutting Budgets

Perceived Outcomes of Budget Cutting

Leadership in Tough Times

Lessons Learned

Concerns for the Future

Conclusion

Chapter 6: Preserving the Future from the Demands of the Present

Honing the Tools That Guided the Decision-Making Process

Revisiting Our Identity: Maintaining Academic Excellence

The New Reality

Lessons and Conclusions

Chapter 7: Developing Budget Models, Communication Strategies, and Relationships to Mitigate the Pain of Tough Economic Times

Budget Strategies and Models

Communications

Relationships in the Budgeting Process

Conclusion

Index

Student Affairs Budgeting and Financial Management in the Midst of Fiscal Crisis

Lori E. Varlotta, Barbara C. Jones (eds.)

New Directions for Student Services, no. 129

John H. Schuh, Editor-in-Chief

Elizabeth J. Whitt, Associate Editor

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New Directions for Student Services (ISSN 0164-7970, e-ISSN 1536-0695) is part of The Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series and is published quarterly by Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company, at Jossey-Bass, 989 Market Street, San Francisco, California 94103-1741. Periodicals Postage Paid at San Francisco, California, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to New Directions for Student Services, Jossey-Bass, 989 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1741.

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ISBN: 978-1-118-18370-0 (ePub)

ISBN: 978-1-118-18371-7 (eMobi)

ISBN: 978-1-118-18368-7 (ePDF)

Editor’s Notes

The national financial crisis that began in 2008 has forced many American colleges and universities to reduce or restructure budgets, and some economic analysts are projecting continuing difficulties for higher education. Accordingly, many higher education administrators have begun to prepare themselves for the ongoing budget reductions that are likely to result from falling state support, withdrawal of stimulus money, and volatile endowments. The pressures on higher education are great. There are those, like President Obama, who believe the economic well-being of the country rests at least in part on the success of higher education to produce graduates who will lead the country in innovative ways to a brighter future. However, with the uncertain financial future of higher education, achieving success seems much more challenging.

Campuses across the country have turned to many strategies to meet the financial challenges. In addressing the reductions, some have invoked a comprehensive strategic budget plan to inform the difficult choices and trade-offs they face. On other campuses, the cuts have been doled out as an across-the-board, or nearly across-the-board, percentage reduction. In many of these latter cases, noninstructional areas take the biggest (often uniform) hits, while instructional activities are held harmless or nearly harmless. To assist senior student affairs officers (SSAOs) and other student affairs colleagues in helping their campus make deliberate and strategic rather than quick or superficially formulaic cuts, this volume offers conceptual models, best practices, tried-and-true strategies, professional recommendations, and highlights of national trends on various issues related to budget planning, processes, communication, and alternative funding sources. It also explores the impact that continuing budget reductions have through the eyes of SSAOs who face these daily.

Toward that end, this New Directions for Student Services volume offers macrolevel summaries and analyses of budget cycles, models, and strategic communications. In Chapter One, Lori Varlotta sets the context by examining the real and potential link between planning and budgeting. In doing so, she describes both commonplace and less commonly used (but viable) models for collegiate budgeting. No matter which model and corollary strategies are employed on one’s campus, she urges the SSAO to take a leadership role in the institution’s overall budgeting process. Particularly in these trying times, it is crucial that the budget process and the foundational assumptions on which it is designed are shared with the campus community in a timely, accurate, and easy-to-understand way. Chapter Two looks at the similarities and differences of funding and budgeting between public institutions and small, private institutions. Eugene Zdziarski describes the challenges smaller colleges face in developing budget models and the impact of the current economic conditions on those models. In so doing, he provides an insightful view of the small, private college.

To drive home that point, Kurt Keppler explores revenue opportunities and cost-savings strategies in Chapter Three. He categorizes these strategies according to the decision-making entities that are involved in each and explains why particular approaches are well suited to individual institutions. Jonathan Eldridge and Tisa Mason in Chapter Four provide a comprehensive look at issues surrounding budget communications. Although the communication strategies they delineate are suitable to any budget situation, they are especially useful during economic downturns as entire academic communities are interested in both the big picture and the details of how it will affect them. Even in these difficult times, SSAOs and other student affairs leaders can be—indeed, should be—creative.

The next two chapters explore the realities of budget reduction. Chapter Five, by Renee Romano, Jan Hanish, Calvin Phillips, and Michael Waggoner, takes a multicampus look at these realities. This chapter shares the experiences of twelve SSAOs who have managed significant budget reductions at their respective public universities over the past several years. The authors review a qualitative study conducted in 2005 and 2009 and summarize pertinent excerpts from the SSAOs at the institutions studied, highlighting key trends that emerged during their interviews with these leaders and comparing similarities and differences in the responses to the budget reductions between the two surveys. Using a narrative approach, Frank Ardaiolo describes in Chapter Six the realities he faced on a single campus. In this case, he recounts the journey his campus traveled as it moved through the uncharted waters of staggering state budget cuts.

The final chapter, by Lori Varlotta, Barb Jones, and John Schuh, summarizes the three content areas explored throughout this volume, highlighting some of the key points related to budget models, communication strategies, and relationships.

We know that readers of this volume will have personal and professional experiences that are unique to the budget issues playing out on their home campuses. We also acknowledge that differences in leadership style, strategic planning, and funding models shape, if not dictate, the approach institutions draw on to resolve their budget challenges and shortfalls. Still, we hope that student affairs colleagues at all levels of institutions will be able to find nuggets within these pages as they engage fully in institution-wide budget processes. The SSAOs and divisions of student affairs can and should be significant contributors to setting the future direction of their colleges and universities by engaging fully in the process of addressing the budget crisis.

We end by expressing our sincere gratitude to Alan Haslam for his invaluable assistance in editing this volume.

Lori E. Varlotta

Barbara C. Jones

Editors

Lori E. Varlotta is vice president of student affairs at California State University, Sacramento.

Barbara C. Jones is vice president of student affairs at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Chapter 1

Becoming a Leader in University Budgeting

Lori E. Varlotta

This chapter presents information to help senior student affairs officers first establish themselves as experts in division-level budgeting and then go on to become leaders in university-wide budgeting.