Financially troubled districts could benefit by investing in a school business manager's salary. This article discusses how business managers can save districts money or increase revenue by streamlining cash management, fiscal accounting and reporting, financial planning and budgeting, grantsmanship, construction management, insurance and risk…

Explores how a close integration of university-level planning and budgeting is required to drive change. Discusses major professional challenges of achieving this integration, the infrastructure of an office of budget and planning, and professional pathways for planning and budgeting officers. Also describes the author's personal career path in…

The Association of School Business Officials International compiled the 12 best articles on site-based management from its journal "School Business Affairs." The first section covers budgeting: "School-Site Budgeting," David S. Honeyman and Richard Jensen; "Involving the Principal in the Budget Making Process," Leonard L. Gregory and Roger R.…

An effective college or university budget process is dependent on the culture of the institution. Different processes and budget types are appropriate to different institutions. Understanding the interrelationships of budgeting, planning, and financial modeling can help make the budget more predictable and relevant to the college's values and…

Rapid advances in information technology have rendered conventional approaches to planning and budgeting useless, and no single method is universally appropriate. The most successful planning efforts are consistent with the institution's overall plan, and may combine conventional, opportunistic, and entrepreneurial approaches. Chief financial…

One of the most critical components of the college or university chief financial officer's job is budget planning, especially using formulas. A discussion of funding formulas looks at advantages, disadvantages, and types of formulas used by states in budgeting for higher education, and examines how chief financial officers can position the campus…

Introduces the concept of college and university campus master planning, describes factors and actors in the process, discusses the relationship to capital budgeting, and offers a typical master planning and capital-budgeting process as illustration. Developing a comprehensive institutional master plan can profoundly affect the institution's…

The skill levels of school business administrators can be divided into technical, human relations, and conceptual. Field-based research revealed that the more the districts rely on shared decision making, the higher the esteem and trust the other administrators had for the business administrator. (MLF)

To explore the role, responsibilities, and organizational relationships of a business administrator within the school district, six districts in the state of Washington were selected for examination. Semi-structured interviews were conducted along with observation of relevant documents to (1) describe the role and responsibilities of the business…

A strategic planning model for enrollment-dependent private colleges is offered. Essential components include an active, creative admissions office, a market-sensitive academic program, a financial buffer, a disciplined budget system, and coordinated leadership from the president, academic programs, admissions, and the finance office. (MSE)

The school business administration function in the operation of American schools has undergone dramatic changes during the past several years. Changing demographics, high technology, the movement to professionalize school administration, and changes by the legislative and judicial systems have all had significant impact on the character of school…

A process for college and university decision making and budgeting for capital outlays that focuses on evaluating the qualitative and quantitative benefits of each proposed project is described and illustrated. The process provides a means to solicit suggestions from those involved and provide detailed information for cost-benefit analysis. (MSE)

This textbook reviews the principal concerns within each of 13 major responsibility areas in school business administration. The first chapter assesses the political, social, and economic context in which schools function and school administrators work. The role and function of the school business administrator within this context is addressed in…

This textbook of 24 chapters provides administrators and students with information on the role, activities, and responsibilities of the school business administrator. The independently authored chapters are titled as follows: (1) "Introduction to School Business Management" (F. Mike Miles); (2) "Legal Context of the Public School District" (Paul…