Operating Budget

The university’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30 of the following year.

Each September the university submits an annual budget request to the legislature. When the legislature convenes in January, the Governor makes his/her budgetary recommendations for the fiscal year beginning in July. Throughout the spring, the legislature debates various plans and funding needs. The legislative portion is typically completed in May. Of key interest to the university are the amounts included in the appropriations bill for the University of Kansas and the Kansas Board of Regents.

During late spring the university prepares its recommended tuition rates for the upcoming academic year. These recommendations are taken to the Board of Regents for “first reading” in May and for final approval at the June board meeting.

With the expectation that tuition rates will be approved as proposed, the Budget Office works with the appropriate offices within the university community to create a budget for the upcoming year. Certain incremental pieces are associated with the tuition increases and the budget recommendations are collected in such a way that these components can be removed in the event the approved tuition rates differ from that which was proposed.

Information is taken from the budget file(s) and integrated into the Human Resources / Payroll system – the critical pieces of information are 1) funding distribution of payroll costs for positions and pools and 2) pay-rates for faculty, unclassified staff, university support staff.

Funding distribution is loaded into the payroll system mid-June. Information on pay rates is not loaded until the Board of Regents has approved the tuition increases and officially set the block-grant transfer.

The budget file is also the source of information for the opening budgets into the OAC Oracle Analytics Cloud financial dashboards – the information for initial expense allocations.  Revenue estimates are loaded into Financials (FITC) which are captured in the OAC reports as well.

Specific dates are not set in stone, however the budget cycle tends to be predictable. 

The key events typically occur in the time-frame shown below.

July

  • Beginning of Fiscal Year
  • Preparation of Annual Budget Request begins
    • Create interface file for state system (IBARS)
  • Information concerning GTA Fee Waivers entered into student system for Fall appointments
  • Begin processing budget transfers

August

  • Administrative Overhead Assessment (AOH) invoices are sent to School and Departments
  • The state’s system to collection information for the Annual Budget Request opens for data entry
  • Update fee estimate (for tuition revenue) based on actual collections in the preceding fiscal year – current fiscal year and upcoming fiscal year
  • Information concerning GTA tuition waivers are entered into the student system for Fall Appointments. 
  • Begin reconciliation of the base upon which the next year’s operating budget will be built
    • Initiate preparation of the upcoming fiscal year budget
      • “Roll” the current budget year to the next future year
      • Ensure the proper control totals have been established
      • Demographic update

September

  • Submit Annual Budget Request on September 15
  • Update fee estimate (for tuition revenue) after the 20th day of classes – current fiscal year
  • Administrative Overhead assessment journal entry is loaded.  The assessment is based on revenue receipted in the previous fiscal year

November

  • State Budget Directors’ recommendations are provided on November 10, or the closest workday to November 10.
  • Strategic Budget Planning meetings are held (“4 + 8 meetings”).

January

Legislature convenes

  • Governor makes his/her state-of-the-state speech including budget recommendations for the upcoming fiscal year.
  • Budget Office monitors legislation pertinent to the KU appropriations bill throughout the legislative session.
  • Information concerning GTA tuition waivers are entered into the student system for Spring Appointments. 

February

  • Budget Collection Process Phase I (BCP-1) officially begins
    • Budget Office works with fiscal officers / budget officers within the various schools and vice provost’s offices.
    • Units review the current pay rates for all budgeted positions to ensure that the budget amount is consistent with the rate of pay for the incumbent
    • Funding source(s) verified during review.
  • Update fee estimate (for tuition revenue) after the 20th day of classes – current fiscal year

March

  • BCP-1 concludes – Budget Office reviews changes and reconciles the base upon which the next year’s operating budget will be constructed.

April

  • Provost finalizes the general fund allocation to the units
  • Allocations are based on the General Fund Allocation model
  • General Fund Allocation Model illustration
  • Budget Collection Process Phase 2 – BCP-2 begins
  • Strategic Budget Planning meetings are held (“8 + 4 meetings”).

May

  • Legislative session concludes
  • Information concerning GTA Fee Waivers are entered into the student system for Summer appointments

June

  • Board of Regents takes final action on Tuition rates for upcoming academic year.
    • Update fee estimate (for tuition revenue) for the upcoming fiscal year
  • Conclude BCP-2
    • Balance each ARSP to the control total targets
    • Print working budget
  • Transmit new fiscal year pay rates to HR/Pay (HR/Payroll system)
  • Transmit new fiscal year funding distributions to HR/Pay (HR/Payroll system)
  • Release expense budgets to OAC reports
    • Initial revenue estimates are loaded into Financials (FITC) which feed OAC reports. 
  • Work with Comptroller’s Office to address Cash Management issues associated with the close of the fiscal year.

Operating Budget Files