Budget Planning Timeline

General Fund Budget Planning Timeline

Fiscal Year 2026 (AY 2025-26)
Fiscal Year 2027 (AY 2026-27)

This timeline follows the academic year calendar to support budget planning within the Academic Affairs division and indicates the last date the work is to be completed. Other divisions may choose earlier deadlines to facilitate their budget planning.

October 2024

  • Departments/units submit work plan reports for FY 2024 (AY 2023‐24) to Deans/division administrators. (Due at this time or earlier.)

November 2024

  • Deans/division administrators receive planning metrics based on FY 2024 (AY 2023‐24) for each unit they supervise.
  • Strategic Enrollment Management Committee (SEMC) recommends more favorable, most likely, and less favorable enrollment projections to inform the tuition revenue projections:
    • Update FY 2026 (AY 2025‐26) enrollment projections
    • Make initial enrollment projections for FY 2027 (AY 2026‐27)
  • University Planning & Budget Committee (UPBC) recommends more favorable, most likely, and less favorable budget planning parameters to inform the revenue and expense projections:
    • Update FY 2026 (AY 2025‐26) budget planning parameters
    • Make initial projection of budget planning parameters for FY 2027 (AY 2026‐27)

December 2024

  • Deans/division administrators provide feedback to departments/units on the FY 2024 (AY 2023‐24) work plan reports. (Due at this time or earlier.)
  • The Vice President for Finance and Administration provides the President with more favorable, most likely, and less favorable revenue and expense projections for FYs 2026‐2027 (AY 2025‐26 and AY 2026‐27).

January 2025

  • The President identifies strategic priorities for FY 2026 (AY 2025‐26) and FY 2027 (AY 2026‐27).
  • The President reviews budget planning scenarios and determines whether to set budget targets for each division for FY 2026 (AY 2025‐26) and FY 2027 (AY 2026‐27).

January 2025 - February 2025

  • Deans/division administrators consult with departments/units they supervise and consider up to five years of historical budget information and metrics ending with FY 2024 (AY 2023‐24).
  • After consultation, departments/units specifically address the strategic priorities by:
    • refining developing their work plans and goals for FY 2026 (AY 2025‐26) and
    • developing their work plans and setting their associated goals for FY 2027 (AY 2026‐27).
  • Departments draft their curriculum/course offerings and preliminary staffing plans for FY 2026‐FY 2030 (AY 2025‐26 through AY 2029‐30).
  • In alignment with their work plan goals, each department/unit submits funding requests in the following categories:
    1. Staffing plan
    2. Operating budget
    3. Equipment
    4. Strategic initiatives
  • Deans/division administrators compile funding requests.
  • After further consultation with departments/units, Deans/division administrators develop funding requests for their college/administrative units using the most likely budget planning scenario and present these to their Vice President/division administrator.
  • After further consultation with Deans/division administrators, Vice Presidents/division administrators present their division funding requests within the established budget targets to Cabinet.
  • Deans/division administrators provide feedback to departments/units on the FY 2026 (AY 2025‐26) and FY 2027 (AY 2026‐27) work plans and goals.

March 2025 - May 2025

  • Cabinet prepares and presents a comprehensive FYs 2026‐2027 general fund budget plan proposal to UPBC.
  • Vice Presidents/division administrators present an overview of their individual division budget plan proposals to UPBC and answer questions.
    1. Academic Affairs
    2. Athletics
    3. Enrollment Management & Student Affairs
    4. Finance & Administration
    5. Human Resources
    6. President’s Office
    7. University Advancement
  • Joint meeting of key stakeholders from Academic Affairs Council, SEMC, and University Curriculum Committee to review and provide feedback on the Academic Affairs FY 2026 (AY 2025‐26) and FY 2027 (AY 2026‐27) budget plans.
  • UPBC develops input and feedback on the comprehensive general fund budget plan proposals and submits it to the President.

June 2025

  • President finalizes the FY 2026 (AY 2025‐26) budget plan.
  • Vice Presidents/division administrators/Deans provide notification of the FY 2026 (AY 2025‐26) budget to each department/unit they supervise.

September 2025

  • President finalizes the FY 2027 (AY 2026‐27) budget plan following final consultation with bargaining units and students.
  • Vice Presidents/division administrators/Deans provide notification of the FY 2027 (AY 2026‐27) budget to each department/unit they supervise.

November 2025

  • Faculty searches for FY 2027 (AY 2026‐27) authorized. (Due at this time or earlier.)
    • For faculty positions that will be vacant due to early notice of retirement by the contractual deadline of October 15, 2025, probationary searches may or may not be authorized immediately.
    • Positions not authorized for probationary searches immediately may be filled on a temporary basis (i.e. overload, adjunct, fixed‐term) for the upcoming academic year or be held vacant until the next budget planning cycle when a final decision will be made.