Re-Imagining the CMU Budget Model
Higher education has changed significantly over the past two decades. Institutions expanded programs and facilities with significant enrollment increases from the millennial generation and need to continue to adjust accordingly for smaller generations of students, now and in the future. Technological change, modalities of teaching and learning, geographic barriers to access, and non-traditional educational providers entering the education market are just a small sample of pressures facing higher education. Societal, student, and market needs are constantly changing, which requires higher education to be nimble moving forward.
During the last year and a half, the Steering Committee reviewed historical information, financial data,
related universities policies and practices, budget models at other similar institutions, and engaged the campus community through working groups focused on the following areas: academics, research, administrative, operational and student support,
and auxiliary functions. Throughout the last fiscal year, we reviewed options for revenue, expense, and cost allocation methodologies. In the spring of 2023, CMU designed the primary components of our new budget model and used it in the creation of the FY 2023-2024 operating budget.
The new budget model will facilitate a strong financial future for CMU, both in the near-term and long-term. The new budget model will be the foundation that supports CMU’s transition to all funds-budgeting and will include a sound resource
allocation methodology that reflects CMU as we see it today, while also allowing flexibility to adapt with future changes in higher education.
Budget model resources
5 Things to Know About CMU's NEW Hybrid Budget Model
Campus update
The start of the new fiscal year marked the transition to a new budget model at CMU. The model will be implemented in phases with initial changes to funding sources and uses as well as cost allocations occurring in the current fiscal year. Specific topics that require additional detailed analysis and conversation will be discussed throughout the fall semester, and plans will be developed in the spring semester for implementation on July 1, 2024.
Please be mindful that changes such as this often require modifications to university systems and/or processes, and we are currently working through these modifications with many campus stakeholders. Many staff members are taking on additional duties to complete this work, so we ask that you please have patience as we implement the model. An example of this is that phone billings will be less in the new model due to many of those expenses now being part of the infrastructure cost allocation pool.
We will also be creating informational videos and resources over the next few months to assist with better understanding the model as well as the changes to related administrative policies and procedures.
Budget model information sessions
Budget Model Overview Session
Executive sponsors
- Mary Hill, Chief Financial Officer – Vice President for Finance and Administrative Services*
- Jennifer DeHaemers, Vice President – Student Recruitment and Retention
- Nancy Mathews, Executive Vice President/Provost – Academic Division
Steering committee
- Ray Christie, Senior Vice Provost – Academic Administration*
- Jennifer Cotter, Vice President, University Advancement
- Mary Jane Flanagan, Chief of Staff to the President – Office of the President
- David Forsythe, Assistant Dean/Finance – College of Medicine
- Joe Garrison, Executive Director – Financial Planning and Budgets*^
- Paula Lancaster, Dean – College of Education and Human Services
- Chris Moberg, Dean – College of Business Administration
- Lori Olsen, Faculty/Department Chair – Management*
- Robert Roe, Executive Director – Academic Planning and Analysis
- Calvin Seelye II, Executive Director – Auxiliary Services
- Stan Shingles, Interim Vice President – Student Affairs
- Chris Tycner, Associate Dean – College of Science and Engineering
- Jonathan Webb, Associate Vice President – Facilities Management
^ denotes CMU internal project leader
Tactical working group
- Brian Bell, Director – Student Account Services & University Billing
- Nel Boose, Executive Director – Innovation & Online Business Operations
- Joe Garrison, Executive Director – Financial Planning and Budgets
- John Gawryk, Manager/Financial Services – Facilities Management
- Linda Gould, Senior Budget Analyst – Financial Planning and Budgets
- Heather Jones, Associate Director/Administrative Services – Office of Information Technology
- Julie Lyon, Senior Budget Analyst – Financial Planning and Budgets
- Kasie Natzel, Director/Operations and Budget – University Advancement
- Hillary Pierce, Associate Controller – Accounting Services
- Julie Reynolds, Assistant Director/Budget and Business Services – Student Recruitment and Retention/Student Affairs