Setting Sail in Budget Waters

Financial skills are important, especially in times of resource constraint. (And aren't resources always constrained?) Understanding the financial big picture for your institution and how the budget process works are key to successfully creating a dynamic IT program. Thinking like a business partner will help shape relationships, proposals, and priorities. Understanding and actively participating in the budget process also helps when communicating budget outcomes to people in your organization. Every campus is different, but the general outline of how resources are allocated is nearly universal. Understanding this universality can help you can achieve success.

Objectives:

• Learn about skills needed to partner with your CFO and other senior colleagues to understand the big picture and gain your fair share of campus resources for IT service and initiatives
• Understand the financial challenges facing your institution and your CFO
• Become familiar with how budgets and budget development processes are shaped and managed at colleges and universities