Inside Iowa State

July 19, 2007

Implementation work on new budget model is under way

The first steps for implementing the Resource Management Model at Iowa State include:

• Naming the members of the six advisory committees
• An outside review of campus readiness for the model by a consultant
• Opportunity for public comments on recommendations from work groups

Here is a brief update on the implementation process. Expect frequent updates in the future.

Advisory committees named

The new budget model includes six advisory committees, all of which are described online (www.iastate.edu/~budget/adv0430.shtml).

Five of these committees will provide advice for specific areas of the university (administrative support programs, library, student affairs, IT services, business and finance). The advice goes to the administrator for each area.

The sixth, the University Budget Advisory Committee, advises executive vice president Elizabeth Hoffman on the overall university budget and her recommendations to the president.

Consultant review

David Maddox, representing the firm BearingPoint, was on campus for about 10 days in June and July to gather information, including conducting 22 focus groups. He will present his recommendations in early August to the budget model's Leadership and Transition Team.

Recommendations from work groups

The process for implementing the budget model is open, and everyone has the opportunity to comment on recommendations that work groups develop. (Work groups are made up of ISU staff members with responsibility in a particular activity that is related to budget development and financial management.)

The first 17 recommendations have been posted online (www.iastate.edu/~budget/rec0707.shtml) and more will be added on an ongoing basis. The public may provide comments on any recommendation for two weeks following its posting.

All comments on the recommendations can be directed to budgetmodel@iastate.edu.

Budget staff are conducting an offline simulation using the new model for the fiscal year that began July 1. The plan is to use the new model in the budget year that begins July 1, 2008.

Seventeen recommendations from work groups of the new budget model's implementation team have been posted. The public is invited to comment on any recommendation for two weeks following its posting. See www.iastate.edu/~budget/