Finance User Group Meeting - Minutes
Meeting:
Date:
Finance User Group Meeting
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Start Time:
Location:
Participants:
9:30 a.m.
St Cloud State University, Atwood Memorial Center, Granite Room
Susan Anderson, Dawn Belko, Dee Bernard, Ronald Blakesley, Beth Buse , Diana
Fliss, Kathy Froysland, Margaret Jenniges , Mike Kroening Lisa Liljedahl, Dave
Lund, Jan Marble, Wendy Meyer, Bill O'Brien, Betty Opdahl, Marie Peterson, Ron
Scherman, Tim Stoddard, Kent Smith, Dave Thorn, Chris Vopatek, Jeff Wagner,
Teri Welter, Jerry Winans
9:30
9:35
TOPIC
Introduce new member
Review Action Items from
previous meetings
5/22/200710:59 AM
Chair: Marie Peterson
Recorder: Kathy Froysland, Lisa Liljedahl, Dave Lund, Teri Welter,
Bill O’Brien, Mike Nordby, & Diane Takavitz
DISCUSSION LEADER
Marie Peterson
Marie Peterson
PARKING – Pick up your parking permit at the Public Safety Bldg
Not in attendance: Dee Bernard, Beth Buse, Margaret Jenniges,
Mike Kroening, Tim Stoddard, Kent Smith
DESIRED OUTCOME/DISCUSSION
Susan Anderson, OOC Budget Unit replacing Karen Kedrowski
Group Discussion:
ƒ Unclaimed Property – FISAP should be adjusted. Discussed at the 12/5/06 meeting and
final instructions distributed to the accounting listserv. FISAP instructions are on the U.S.
Department of Education Campus Based Program Funding FISAP website. If the year to
adjust the FISAP is not listed on the website, contact the Department of Education as listed
in the Unclaimed Property guideline.
ACTION ITEM: Put “How to Adjust FISAP” video on campus assistance website with the
Unclaimed Property guidelines so screens can be viewed. (Or link to it)
ASSIGNED TO: Marie
ƒ
Discussion on over award receivable in LSO vs. GEN. Financial Reporting needs to pick up
the receivable.
ACTION ITEM: Assigned to Marie and Teri. Find out if there are any barriers to GEN and
determine how to move from LSO to GEN.
ASSIGNED TO: Marie and Teri
ƒ
Best Practice Website for Finance. The consensus was that there is sufficient information
available on the campus assistance website in procedure form and in the RNT Knowledge
base so that a best practice website should not be necessary.
ƒ
Members will receive a draft of the meeting minutes for review before minutes are
published on the web.
ƒ
Please include comments on unsatisfactory evaluations to help ensure the ratings were not
marked in error.
Page 1 of 8
10:00
TOPIC
HR Budget Edit
DISCUSSION LEADER
Al Finlayson
DESIRED OUTCOME/DISCUSSION
Group Discussion:
ƒ Consensus was that because of the impact on the Budget Office, budget controls should not
be changed. HR will not be allowed to save an assignment to encumber money regardless
of available budget balance
ƒ Discussion on the budget roll.
o Sabbatical assignments roll with incorrect budgets.
o Manual corrections are needed when the prior year cost center is updated to a new
number.
o Newly added cost centers are not included in the roll.
o Step increases are not included in the roll.
ƒ Communication is important so the routing process (similar to PCS) can allow for budget
approval and re-routing back to HR in a timely manner.
ƒ Some campuses have no budget set at the start of summer.
ƒ Suggestion made to automate the turning on/off budget control flag on cost centers by
appropriation. This would allow HR to save assignments regardless of available budget
balance.
ƒ
1.
2.
Long term solution:
A work flow process involving HR and Business Office to address the “not enough budget”
problem.
Allow HR to save an assignment in pending status when there is not sufficient budget to
allow the budget office the chance to address the problem.
ACTION ITEM: Al Finlayson to talk to Tim Stoddard about the next steps.
Added
Item
Tuition Waiver Module Update
Some potential Issues:
ƒ Banded tuition: Some institutions waive by dollar amount instead of credit.
ƒ Differential Tuition: In the case where a student’s registered credits are charged at different
rates, which credits are waived if not waiving them all?
ƒ The modeling should be done on all affected modules (HR, AR, FA) prior to the
development process.
o Al Finlayson is in contact with the consultants, will bring progress back to the
FUG.
ACTION ITEM: Jeff Wagner volunteers for the Tuition Waiver Module group.
5/22/200710:59 AM
Page 2 of 8
TOPIC
11:00
Back Dated Drops
DISCUSSION LEADER
Melissa Primus
Craig Fautsch
DESIRED OUTCOME/DISCUSSION
Group Discussion:
ƒ
Introduction of Melissa and Craig.
ƒ
Internal Audit looking into the impact of back-dated drops.
o Is it used as a work around?
o Are waivers being processed as back-dated drops?
o Are there any policy adjustments or ISRS enhancements to consider?
ƒ
Last batch of drop data was understated because multiple drops were not picked up. Also, banded
tuition was not considered.
ƒ
Course exchanges have dollars attached.
ƒ
Question asked why are course exchange and RCFN included in the data? Course exchange only
inflates the data.
ƒ
Waivers should be “revenue given up as an exception to policy”.
ACTION ITEM: Melissa will bring questions/comments back to John Asmussen, Internal Audit.
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
Discussion on current campus process for back dated drops. Different processes are used depending
on the system automation process. Back dated drop automatically removes the receivable from the
student account and the courses from student transcript. Drop process after the no obligation period
removes the courses from student transcript but does not remove the receivable on the student account.
If the student doesn’t attempt the course, why not remove the charge?
Discussion on which drop process should be used when considering the following:
o drop student and still send a bill
o remove drop from the transcript
o remove drop from financial aid
o correct a college error
o grade method change
Charge reversal vs. waiver was discussed. Most everyone agreed there is a need to review drop reason
codes because waiver is currently intended for use outside of college policy.
Feedback on changes needed – authority. Suggestion made to limit the number of users with access to
back dated drops.
No-shows are under review by Office of General Counsel. Should also be looked at by the board.
Perhaps make a policy change for No Shows. If you can’t drop no-shows, how would you correct a
college error such as registering a student for a wrong course. Additional reason codes would explain
why the back dated drop occurred.
Risks of back dated drops were reviewed. Risk is from additional cash access. Would a separate
waiver security group solve it?
ACTION ITEM: Send back dated drop security groups to FUG members.
ASSIGNED TO: Melissa Primus
SUMMARY of ACTION ITEMS BASED on DISCUSSION:
1. Look at back dated drop reason codes. Perhaps add two reason codes: College Error and Non
Attendance.
2. Limit Security Group, create new security grouping for back dated drops.
3. Review AR0022GR back dated drop report. Make more user-friendly. Add field for all courses
dropped or partial drop.
4. Review waiver process
5/22/200710:59 AM
Page 3 of 8
TOPIC
DISCUSSION LEADER
12:00
Lunch
12:30
Campus Issues:
ƒ NSF Checks
ƒ Bank Account Effective
Date
Marie Peterson
12:45
Payment Plans
Jan Marble
DESIRED OUTCOME/DISCUSSION
Newspaper article read regarding taking a 30 minute nap during the day to increase productivity.
ACTION ITEM: Incorporate nap into future agenda
Group Discussion:
ƒ Student with multiple NSF checks. Discussion on current campus process for NSF checks.
Some campuses have spreadsheet listing students who have NSF checks. Will not accept
payment by check for students who have had two or more NSF checks. Currently, the Bad
Check hold, 0021, is automatically placed on a customer account when the NSF is stored on
the customer or general receipt NSF screens. Warning message displays on the customer
receivable screen when student with a 0021 hold is retrieved. The Bad Check hold must be
manually removed and will stop online payments. NSF checks are not a high risk and are a
factor of doing business. Consensus was to have campuses continue with current individual
practice.
ƒ Bank Account Maintenance screen. It was agreed there is no need for an effective date on
the Bank Account Maintenance screen, AC0010UG. It would only be used for reporting.
Do not add to priority list.
Group Discussion :
ƒ Student initiated contract changes with FACTS currently require approval from the school.
Is this necessary?
ACTION ITEM: Find out from FACTS if school approval is necessary when student changes Facts
plan.
ASSIGNED TO: Marie
1:00
Positive Pay File
List of check number and
amount sent daily to bank to
help prevent fraud.
Marie Peterson
Jeff Wagner
Group Discussion
ƒ Some campuses use positive pay. SCSU has a script included in the nightly batch process.
Other campuses run access query which can be cumbersome. Issue may be how many bank
formats exist however it may be possible for other campuses that bank with Bremer to use
the current script used by SCSU. Direct Deposit has a standard format, perhaps Positive Pay
File also has standard format.
ACTION ITEM:
1. Find out what bank formats are needed for electronic reporting.
2. How are files transmitted to bank. Security measures needed.
3. Contact IT, Rod Gerads, for current script and process used by SCSU.
ASSIGNED TO: IT, Lisa and Dave
5/22/200710:59 AM
Page 4 of 8
1:15
TOPIC
Finance Related Business
Practice Alignment Opportunities
List
DISCUSSION LEADER
Bill O’Brien
DESIRED OUTCOME/DISCUSSION
Group Discussion:
ƒ Reviewed recommendations that were made April 2006 to the finance related business
practice variance list. These recommendations have not been forwarded to various finance
or business office groups for implementation.
ƒ Discussed how finance user group can support the recommendations. Should Vice
Chancellor King or the BPAC Committee send a memo supporting the recommendations to
our campuses? Suggestion made to treat these recommendations the same as user requests
are treated.
ƒ It was agreed that the finance user group supports direct deposit for student payroll.
ACTION ITEM:
ASSIGNED TO:
ACTION ITEM:
ASSIGNED TO:
2:00
2:15
Break
RCFN $25 Cushion
A student who has not met the
payment in full criteria is Not
considered a candidate for
RCFN when 15% of the total
amount due is less than $25.
Kathy Froysland
Forward information regarding direct deposit support to Vice Chancellor King.
Bill
Add PSEO billing process to next meeting.
Marie
Group Discussion:
ƒ Possible Options:
ƒ Reduce the $25 cushion
ƒ Eliminate the $25 cushion
ƒ Continue with $25 cushion but if NO payment criteria met, student becomes a candidate for
RCFN
Group Consensus is to drop the $25 cushion. It will be brought to the BPAC committee as a
recommendation.
5/22/200710:59 AM
Page 5 of 8
2:30
TOPIC
Enhancement Requests
DISCUSSION LEADER
DESIRED OUTCOME/DISCUSSION
Kathy Froysland
Group Discussion
ƒ
AR2210UG – Can the Customer Refunds screen be changed to sort by date? The candidate for refund
list is large at the beginning of the term. Would like to add the date field to screen AR2210UG so that
campuses could process refunds for candidates by the date they show on list. There is no date until the
refund transactions occur. During the five days of term, most campuses just process all refunds unless
3rd party or waiver; don’t review individually. Recommended campuses use AR_CUST_REFUND
table to print a copy of the list of students on a daily basis. This can be used to be sure previous
entries are processed first.
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
Pending Enhancement #2710 – Prevent a Web payment from a debtor with collection agency hold.
Hold code 0060. Colleges and universities are responsible for MnDOR collection costs when
accepting payments from the debtor.
Campuses discussed how the collection fee is handled:
¾ Will not accept payment from students who have been submitted to MnDOR. Hold is
released when MnDOR is paid in full.
¾ Won’t release hold until the collection fee is paid.
¾ Contact MnDOR for the collection fee amount which is added to the student bill when
paying directly to the campus.
¾ Place the collection fee on the student accounts. If the student pays the campus directly, the
fee is collected. Disadvantage to this process is students that pay MnDOR directly require
the collection fee removed from their account in ISRS; creates more work.
Suggestion made to:
¾ Campuses may choose to add the collection charge to the ISRS student account or place the
0060 hold on the student account.
¾ Student with collection code 10 are not allowed to pay online thru MnSCU. They would be
directed to the MnDOR pay online website
¾ Campus may choose to remove hold code 0060 to allow web payment after speaking with
student.
¾ Collection activity on the AR2204UG should automatically place the hold code 0060 on
student account.
ACTION ITEM: Do not allow students whose current collection activity status = 10 Submitted to
MnDOR pay online through MnSCU. If online payment attempt is made, create message directing
student to pay online thru MnDOR.
ASSIGNED TO: Teri
ƒ
Pending Enhancement #2740 – Tabled, no discussion.
ƒ
Pending Enhancement #2760 – Enable the setup of different bank accounts for direct deposit payments
from each module.
Denied. Group Consensus to have one bank account
5/22/200710:59 AM
Page 6 of 8
TOPIC
3:00
IT Priorities
3:30
Regional CFO Group Updates
4:00
Next Meetings
4:15
Meeting Adjourn
Campus Members:
Dee Bernard
Ronald Blakesley
Dawn Belko
Diana Fliss
Mike Kroening
Jan Marble
Wendy Meyer
Betty Opdahl
Dave Thorn
Chris Vopatek
5/22/200710:59 AM
DISCUSSION LEADER
Bill O’Brien
Ron Blakesley, Mike
Kroening, Wendy Meyer,
Central/Northern region
Marie Peterson
DESIRED OUTCOME/DISCUSSION
Group Discussion:
ƒ Finance vision is on hold for the moment. Seamless report has not been made public;
remains at the Sr. Leadership Divisions. Completed report may help prioritize finance
projects.
ƒ Reviewed finance priority list including required maintenance items. PCS review and
invoice match remains at the top of list.
ƒ Include new initiative items on list to prioritize however, campuses concerned we don’t
complete initiative projects; we just stop half way through due to new initiatives.
ƒ Identify RCFN needs to bring to completion.
ƒ If new developer teams were added we should be able to come up with a priority list quickly
for work to begin.
ƒ Finance user group members should decide if BPAC and FUG priorities are to be
considered in one “pot”.
ƒ Separate RCFN items from other projects on current list.
ƒ Priorities will be set at May meeting.
ACTION ITEM: Bill will send BPAC information to Dave Lund.
ACTION ITEM: Information needed for setting priorities:
1. Current Priority List
2. Project Status of Items on List
3. New Project List
Information or concerns to share- None at this time
Dates and locations for 2007:
ƒ February 13, St. Cloud
ƒ May 1-2, Brainerd
ƒ July 31-August 1, St. Paul – Evening Event on July 31 - Twins baseball game
ƒ December 4-5, St. Cloud
Agenda items for next meeting:
1. Are PSEO student accounts not paid in full by CFL expensed or waived?
2. Priority Setting.
Campus:
Minneapolis Community & Technical College
Hibbing Community & Technical College
North Hennepin
Minnesota West Community & Technical College
Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Anoka Technical College
Rainy River Community College
Winona State University
Central Lakes College
Page 7 of 8
Ron Scherman
Jeff Wagner
Jerry Winans
Pine Technical College
St. Cloud State University
Bemidji State University
Office of the Chancellor Representative:
Tim Stoddard
Margaret Jenniges
Susan Anderson
Kathy Froysland
Lisa Liljedahl
Dave Lund
Marie Peterson
Bill O'Brien
Kent Smith
Teri Welter
Beth Buse
5/22/200710:59 AM
Title:
Assoc. Vice-Chancellor-Financial
Reporting
Director, Financial Reporting
Program Dir. – Budget
Finance Business Support Analyst
Finance Business Analyst – Development
Finance Business Analyst
Campus Assistance Representative - Chair
Finance Division
Finance Business Support Analyst
Finance Business Analyst - Development
Internal Audit
Page 8 of 8