A Minnesota school district uses microcomputers for many functions including a copier control system and an energy management system. (MLF)

Presents a roundtable discussion by five veterans of higher education--some of whom have served as trustees as well as corporate directors--with backgrounds in law, business, and nonprofit and corporate governance, to pinpoint lessons from Enron that might apply to the volunteer trustees who serve on college and university governing boards. (EV)

Reports on several changes in the 2002 edition (forthcoming) of the federal government accounting handbook "Federal Financial Accounting for State and Local School Systems." Includes brief summary of "Emerging Issues" section of the handbook that addresses issues such as alternative revenues, charter schools, school safety and security,…

Discusses insights from the Institutional Operating Measures Forum, sponsored by the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) and the National Postsecondary Education Cooperative. Discussions continued the debate about the value--and the feasibility--of a standard operating measure for colleges and universities.…

A sample of school business leaders was surveyed to document their experiences with and opinions about the Certificate for Excellence in Financial Reporting. Analyzes responses from 90 participating districts and 80 nonparticipating districts from a total of 36 states. (MLF))

Provides tips to help school business officials prepare for an annual school audit. Discusses the bid or quote process and organizational techniques. Lists information to prepare in advance. (LMI)

A Nevada school board has instituted an internal audit committee to review how well the school system is operating, financially and otherwise. Describes committee organization and suggests a code of conduct for school systems that addresses the following situations: gifts, influence, conflict of interest, privy information, and confidentiality.…

Explains the impact on school district financial reporting of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board Statement 14, "The Financial Reporting Entity." One of Statement 14's objectives is for financial report users to be able to distinguish between the primary government and its component units. (MLF)

The increased attention to costs in recent years at colleges and universities draws attention to the matter of whether all costs are reflected and accounted for in the institution's internal and external financial reports. One category--capital costs--is thought by some to be overlooked at times. The possible neglect of capital costs in…

In response to the nationwide trend toward increased financial pressures and growing demands by state legislatures for accountability, several large universities (including Indiana University) have adopted various forms of "responsibility center budgeting" (RCB), which has fiscal implications for programs in speech communication and…

Most school boards still use the accounting methods of the forties and fifties. Outlined here is a method for the seventies - called Responsible Accounting. (Editor)

Presents a system based on fund accounting highlighting the accountability for resources that have been allocated and expended for the purpose specified but providing relevant cost data for effective educational management. (Author/PG)

Designed to help college administrators read and understand accounting statements, this paper provides tips about danger signals that may be evident in financial statements and that may call for speedy action. The first statement examined is a balance sheet; i.e., a summation of all of the possessions and debts of a business or entity, which shows…

Part of a 13-volume series designed to help Lutheran communities assess the feasibility of starting a Lutheran elementary school and to assist ongoing schools in current operation, this handbook focuses on financial planning and accounting systems for Lutheran schools and congregations. A chart of accounts is presented as the foundation for…

Understanding the financial reports of colleges and universities has long been a problem because of the lack of comparability of the data presented. Recently, there has been a move to agree on uniform standards for financial accounting and reporting for the field of higher education. In addition to comparable data, the efforts to make financial…