Background
A key strategic issue for the University is gaining a better understanding of the size and composition of the faculty and staff needed to support learning and scholarship and to provide the necessary administrative support for our core educational programs and for advancing our strategic priorities. Strategic financial planning necessitates that the University will need to be very selective and highly strategic in the allocation of human resources to strengthen the academic community, advance our strategic priorities, and enhance our performance.
The success of the University is dependent not just on strategic financial planning but also on strategic financial management—the systematic ability to align and focus University programs and resources on advancing the University’s strategic direction. Such alignment requires the planning and management of human resources guided by administrative policies, practices, and procedures that recognize the interdependence of human resources and financial resources.
Position Authorization and Management at SCU
Position authorization and management involves the structure and process for maintaining and tracking faculty and staff positions and associated budgets consistent with the operating budget adopted by the Board of Trustees of the University.
The University Budget Office is responsible for implementation of position authorization and management which enables the institution to accurately allocate, monitor, and report on all authorized continuing and fixed-term faculty and staff positions at SCU.
Faculty positions and the associated salary budget are [a] authorized in the annual macrobudget by the Board of Trustees, [b] confirmed by the University Budget Office, [c] allocated by the Provost in the annual microbudget process, and [d] managed by the Provost and deans. The University Budget Office has general oversight responsibility for maintaining position management information for each authorized faculty position, for tracking changes in faculty positions, and reporting on the utilization of faculty positions.
Staff positions and the associated salary budget are [a] authorized in the annual macrobudget by the Board of Trustees, [b] confirmed by the University Budget Office, [c] allocated by the President, Provost, and Vice Presidents in the annual microbudget process, and [d] managed by the President, Provost, Vice Presidents, deans, vice provosts, assistant/associate vice presidents, and executive directors. The University Budget Office has general oversight responsibility for maintaining position management information for each authorized staff position, for tracking changes in staff positions, and reporting on the utilization of staff positions.
Goals of Position Management
A well-articulated and implemented position authorization and management structure and process serves the University in several ways.
- It ensures that the annual salary budget is developed using authorized continuing and fixed term faculty and staff positions, salary pools for casual positions, and salary pools for supplemental pay as appropriate in a school, center, or administrative division consistent with the budget adopted by the Board of Trustees
- It enables executive leadership to have visibility into staffing levels and budget impact by tracking position activity
- It supports long-term technology and financial planning as the University develops and implements a revised PC replacement program
- It supports long-term facility planning as the University determines needs for new and renovated facilities
- It supports strengthened financial management as the University analyzes benefit costs and moves toward charging an appropriate benefits rate to schools, centers, and administrative divisions in the future