FAQ

The Budget Office has many responsibilities including:

• Prepare the university's annual operating budget.
• Monitor over-expenditures of salary and operating budget lines.
• Process budget changes including transfers, supplements, and carry forwards.
• Provide training, advice, and assistance for account managers and their assistants.
• Prepare special studies and financial models that support financial decision-making and planning activities.
• Coordinate budget systems and procedures with Payroll, Human Resources, Accounting, Faculty Records, and other related departments.
• Prepare Legislative Appropriations Requests to submit to the state.

An account is usually made up of three identifiable numbers:

• Fund - identifies the source or nature of funding for the account.
• Funds Center - identifies the area of the university in which expenditures occur.
• Funded Program - identifies a particular program or project within an area of the university for which expenditures occur (some accounts are not funded programs, so the third number may be NR, for not relevant).

It is the combination of Fund/Funds Center/Funded Program that makes up a unique account.  You may have multiple accounts for different functions and expenses.

Method of Finance is the name of a certain group of funds that are funded primarily by appropriations and tuition (both statutory and designated).  Accordingly, Method of Finance excludes accounts funded by other fees, income generated from sales and services, or restricted gifts and grants.

• Method of Finance accounts are called Method, for short.
• Accounts not funded by Method of Finance are called Non-Method.
  

Method of Finance includes most (but not all) State or E&G accounts (fund numbers beginning with 1XXXXXXXXX).  It does not include organized activities (which are income-generating accounts), nor does it include Coordinating Board grants.

Method of Finance also includes the Designated Method fund (20000110XX).  The operating lines (student wages, travel, maintenance & operations, and capital) for most Method fund centers have been budgeted in Designated Method.  Transfers between an E&G Method account and a Designated Method account must be initiated (pre-posted) by the Budget Office.

That depends upon how “budget” is defined.

Plant funds are not part of the operating budget either, since they are not spent on current operations.  Even so, the annual funding for capital improvements is an important use of current funds so transfers for capital improvements are included in the operating budget.  Include this amount if your definition of "budget" includes capital expenditures.

To see actual operating budgets for current and previous fiscal years, look under the Budget Numbers tab for the Operating Budget webpage.

Copies of the detailed Salary Report are available in the Alkek Library and the Faculty Senate office.

The University charges administrative overhead to all Current Unrestricted accounts except Method of Finance accounts (those accounts funded by appropriations and tuition).  This charge ensures that the cost of operating the university is borne by Method and non-Method sources.  It is a charge for administrative services such as Information Technology, Accounting, Purchasing, Human Resources/Payroll, Budgeting, Student Business Services, and general administration which are paid by Method.

The University’s administrative overhead rate has changed. It was previously 3.5% of non-personnel expenses for non-Method funds (with fund numbers starting with 2 or 3). Starting in fiscal year 2018, the administrative overhead will be calculated on revenues collected. In fiscal year 2018, the rate will be 1.40% of revenue. In fiscal year 2019, the rate will be 1.94% of revenue.

Change in Administrative Overhead Rates Memo