Fiscal Accountability Framework
Steering Committee Meeting
January 24, 2002
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
LaSells Stewart Center
OSU
Minutes
PARTICIPANTS *
| Steering Committee: | Mike Green, CO (chair) |
| Tom Anderes, CO | |
| Ron Bolstad, SOU | |
| Shirley Clark, CO | |
| Jay Kenton, PSU | |
| Mark McCambridge, OSU | |
| Sherri McDowell, UO | |
| John Moseley, UO | |
| Rick Poese, EOU (for Darlene Morgan) | |
| Ben Rawlins, CO | |
| Darin Silbernagel, WOU | |
| Patricia Snopkowski, CO | |
| Doug Yates, OIT | |
| Project Management: | Zach Belton, Andersen |
| Rita Brown, CO | |
| Mike Green, CO (project manager) | |
| Mike McCall, CO | |
| Jim Roth, Andersen | |
| Jackie Thorsness, CO | |
| Tim Walsh, Andersen |
* View Project Organization for a complete listing of Steering Committee and Project Management membership
MINUTES
Introduction - Mike Green
The final report (abridged version) was distributed to Steering Committee members. This report is anticipated to go to Budget & Finance Committee of the Board on February 15, 2002, as well as to the following groups after February 15, 2002:
- Presidents
- Chancellor
- Vice Chancellor's
- Administrative Council (those not on FAF Steering Committee)
- Work Group Leaders
The full report is 534 pages and will have a limited distribution:
- Vice Chancellor for Finance & Administration
- Controller
- Board's Office
- Andersen
The full report also appears on the project web site: http://www.ous.edu/cont-div/faf/background.
Project Overview - Mike Green
Mike Green briefly reviewed the rationale for the project, the timeline, and structure and organization of the project - included in Executive Summary Section of the final report.
Project Recommendations - Tim Walsh
Tim Walsh reviewed project recommendations in the following areas:
- Work Group Recommendations
- Managerial Reporting
- Documentation of Governance and Administration
- Process for System Fiscal Policy Changes
These recommendations are detailed within the Executive Summary of the final report.
The importance of integrating the three systems (FIS, HRIS, and SIS) within managerial reporting was stressed. The need for including other systems not mentioned in the report (e.g. alumni systems) was also noted.
The importance of assigning and dedicating resources in the central office to maintaining and updating regulations related to governance of the System and the functional areas was also stressed.
It was again noted that these recommendations will go to the Budget & Finance Committee of the Board from the Steering Committee.
Andersen Observations - Tim Walsh
Tim Walsh reviewed general observations made by Andersen in these areas:
- Decentralization of OUS Fiscal Function Processes
- Communications within OUS Fiscal Functions
- Inadequate Resources
- Conclusion
Patricia Snopkowski acknowledged the importance of communication as related to the internal controls model.
Mike Green described how FASOM would eventually no longer exist; the relevant policies will be incorporated into a new on-line document which will include the roles and responsibilities, regulations, and other System fiscal policies. Again, the importance of having staffing to keep information up-to-date was stressed. It was also suggested that linking this policy document to relevant Board minutes would be helpful in researching topics. Mike Green noted that the University of Oregon has a very good web site and that Sherri McDowell had offered assistance in developing a System web site.
Tim Walsh also shared the following personal observations from his work with OUS:
- In general, territoriality was not a major problem within the functional area work groups
- There was a real interest and optimism for change among project participants
- There was a high level of dedication to this project by the Project Management Team, Steering Committee, Work Group Leaders, Work Group Members, and others involved in the project (i.e., Managerial Reporting Content Liaisons).
Tom Anderes also expressed his appreciation of Mike Green's and Andersen's contributions to the success of this project.
Next Steps - Mike Green
Mike Green reviewed the next steps associated with the various project deliverables, as detailed below. In general, this report will go to the Budget & Finance Committee of the Board as a report item on February 15, 2002 from the project and the Steering Committee. After that, any recommendations that require Board approval will go to the appropriate committee of the Board (Budget & Finance or Investment) as an action item once they are ready for approval.
Roles and Responsibilities - Subsequent to Board review, the Chair of the Steering Committee will ask the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration to formally approve the roles and responsibilities. These will then be placed on the web and communicated as Policy to OUS staff via standing committees.
Primary Project Recommendations -
- F&A Rate Negotiation - Vice Chancellor for Finance & Administration will work with the Controller to develop a formal delegation document which will be routed through Administrative Council. Implementation expected by July 1, 2002.
- Treasury Management - Controller's Division has already begun internal discussions and project planning. Preliminary discussions have been held with PSU for a July 1, 2002 implementation for a pilot program.
- Positive Balances - Controller's Division will develop formal delegation/policy which will be routed through Administrative Council.
- Quasi-endowment IMD - Controller's Division will draft an IMD update which will be routed through Administrative Council and the Board Budget & Finance Committee by July 1, 2002.
- Delegation of Student Financial Aid Responsibilities - Controller's Division will begin discussions with legal counsel. Changes will route through Administrative Council and Board Budget & Finance Committee.
- Designated Operating Fund Carry-forwards - Controller's Division will draft a new policy which will be routed through Administrative Council by July 1, 2002.
- Tax Identification Numbers - Controller's Division will be responsible for working with legal counsel to pursue the possibility of establishing multiple taxpayer identification numbers. This will include benchmarking with other systems that do have this authority. John Moseley expressed the importance of moving forward with this initiative.
Other Project Recommendations - The Controller will work with the Vice Chancellor for Finance & Administration to assign these recommendations to appropriate System F&A Cabinet members. These recommendations will be routed through the Administrative Council; the timing will be dependent on priority.
Other Work Group Issues - There are no formal recommendations from this project for many of the issues raised within the Work Groups. The Project Management Team has determined the appropriate standing committee to handle each of these issues. The issue will be forwarded to the standing committee, who will prioritize and work through the process for change (See Section 8 of the final report for details on the process and the standing committees assigned to each of the issues).
Managerial Reporting Implementation - Within the next few weeks the Controller's Division will begin developing an implementation plan for managerial reporting, which is anticipated to go to Administrative Council in February, 2002. It is anticipated that this plan will include a significant role for those individuals designated by campus Presidents as managerial reporting liaisons (the only group formed as a part of this project that will continue to function). The plan will include:
- Project Structure
- Organization
- Resources
- Timeline
Documentation of Governance - Work will begin immediately to include on the web the regulations documented by this Work Group (as well as those from the Business Process Work Groups and the Roles and Responsibilities of the functional areas). We anticipate having a web site that is functionally based and searchable.
Process for Change - The Project Management Team believes that the Vice Chancellor for Finance & Administration has the delegated authority to approve and implement this policy. Once the "Policy on the Formulation, Issuance, and Revision of System Fiscal Policies" goes to the Budget & Finance Committee of the Board on February 15, 2002 with the final report as a report item, the Controller's Division will distribute the policy to appropriate standing committees and make it available on the web site.
Conclusion - Mike Green
Mike Green concluded the meeting by thanking the Steering Committee for their participation in the project.
