Budget Development

The University of Georgia budget expresses in terms of dollars the funded programs and plans of the University for the budget year and the estimated income by sources necessary to finance these programs and plans. The budget is the primary instrument of fiscal control and must contain all income and expenditures of the University. Each year (usually in March) the State of Georgia Legislature appropriates funds to the Board of Regents for support of all institutions in the University System of Georgia for the next fiscal year (beginning July 1). State funds are in turn allocated by the Board to each institution in the University system. The University budget is developed after the Board of Regents Office makes its allocation and provides the University with salary increase guidelines. University unit heads establish employee salaries for the next fiscal year and budget regular employees in line-item positions. Lump-sum positions are budgeted for temporary employees. Non-personal services are budgeted in the categories of travel, supplies and expense, and equipment. The Budget Office has the responsibility of updating each unit's budget to the University's mainframe computer, ensuring that salaries fall within Regents' guidelines, and balancing the total budget to the Regents' allocation. The budget is then submitted to the Board of Regents for approval at the June board meeting. After the budget has been approved by the Board of Regents, a printed copy of the original budget is available in the Main Library and University units may access their budget on the University's mainframe computer.