Minutes

Business and Financial Affairs

May 8, 2001

VP Issues:

ASSP (Financials Steering Committee) - Pam Schipporeit (consultant from PeopleSoft), Jana Kruckenberg (functional lead), Russ Elliott (project manager), Jamie Schademan (technical lead) and Bruce Porter (Director, Business Services & Contracts) met with members of the BAC to provide an update on the status of the financials project. The initial conversion was completed on 5/3. It has been tested in a training environment. They are currently working on interfaces and report requirements (FBM092 and GL reporting requirements). A concern was expressed that people need to be trained and knowledge transferred to in-house staff prior to the PeopleSoft consultants leaving.

Nasser reviewed the May 11 Board items. Joint study session with all board committees will meet from 9:00-11:00; individual committees will meet at 11:00.

AVP Issues:

Rich is on Vacation

Financial Services Issues:

Joe is working with Mickey Parker and Bill Vertrees on the funding for payment of the Storage Building.

Joe distributed a copy of a memorandum from W. Howard Fischer (Senior Assistant Attorney General) regarding I-601 and the impact on Student Application Fees. Section 8 of Initiative 601, now codified as RCW 43.135.055, provides: (1) No fee may increase in any fiscal year by a percentage in excess of the fiscal growth factor for that fiscal year without prior legislative approval. Section 8 is a check on all state agencies, not the Legislature. Legislatively set fees, or fee increases legislatively approved after the adoption of I-601, are not subject to the fiscal growth factor limitation. Thus, only agency set fees and charges are subject to I-601. There are exceptions such as fines and penalties, new fees, activities which are strictly of a commercial or business nature (i.e., a proprietary, rather than a governmental, function), etc.

Inter-institutional Committee on Budgeting, Accounting and Reporting (BAR) – Joe attended the BAR meeting held on May 3-4 here on campus. Agenda items included Financing of Auxiliary Capital Projects (general discussion of recent Financing of Auxiliary Capital Projects and Bond Issues – We will need to review our staffing level when we move forward with this process. During the planning and construction phase of the QUALF project); Capital funds (general discussion on using capital funds for direct or indirect costs of administering capital projects), Foreign Payments; Foreign Policy; Department Recharge rates (discussion of rental of campus space, administrative overhead - UW charges 14%; WWU has fixed rate; WSU charges 6% of which 23% is dedicated to Financial Affairs; EWU charges 3% and anticipates raising that rate for next year; CWU only has the ASSP overhead charge of 1%); Departmental Fees and Rates; Credit card payments on the WEB (update on where each institution is - CWU will look at the feasibility for this); Update on Legislative activity; discussion on various payroll/personnel systems; student/hourly payroll pay period (TESC moving to twice per month for compliance); faculty pay distribution over 12 months (WWU does it through credit union; UW takes net pay and holds it and distributes over summer; EWU nothing – credit union option; WSU and CC’s were grand fathered under the old option of doing either 12 or 9 month distribution of salary); qualified transportation and tax sheltering parking deductions (UW currently does this and it is on the CWU Board agenda for this month); OFM report, corporate express use, procurement cards and phone cards (not recommended). The group also discussed the upcoming PERS 3 implementation (labor intensive). This plan will give PERS 2 people the option of changing to PERS 3. Information will be provided to staff in the near future.

GASB – Joe believes our new financials system will accommodate the new GASB reporting format required by the state.

CTS Issues:

Classes are available that instruct employees how to set up a filter to eliminate kinds of email messages you do not want to receive.

The previous problem with an odor in Bouillon 202 is taken care of. Thanks to all involved in solving this one!

Norman informed the group that a meeting is being scheduled to set up having computers tagged at receiving and delivered to departments.

Ledger 3 and capital project accounts in progress will be billed by CTS for services.

INET status – Bob Titus will receive a proposal next week from CTS outlining the costs for services provided by CWU.

May 16 is Jim Guy’s last day. We wish him well with his new position.

Norman will be at training next week.

Norman discussed the email that had been sent out regarding the IIS vulnerabilities – there is no risk to the integrity of CWU data.

Facilities Management Issues:

Edmonds bid will open on May 24.

ICBO – Bill indicated that there has been no decision on who will be the chair for the upcoming year. Both WWU and EWU biennial operational budget requests have been reduced.