More information regarding these terms may be found in Florida Statutes 1009.24 and the Board of Governors Tuition and Fee Regulations (Chapter 7)
Activity and Service
The Activity and Service budget consists of funds from the student Activity and Service (A&S) fee to support student government operations, student activities such as clubs and organizations, student centers, and recreational sports for all campuses.
Auxiliary Enterprises
The Auxiliary Enterprises budget consists of university business operations that are self-supporting through user fees, payments and charges; no General Revenue Support. These budgets include: Academic Auxiliary programs, Housing, Parking and Transportation, Student Health Services, and other auxiliaries such as commissions on food services and bookstore sales, rentals, and interdepartmental services. Each institution may determine whether its auxiliary services will be self-supporting on an individual or collective basis, except for athletics, which shall be a self-supporting entity.
Board Approved Fees
Board Approved Fees are fees specific to the university and have been approved by the Board of Governors (Regulation 7.003(23). Every five years, the Board of Trustees is required to review the fee to determine if the fee has met its intended outcomes. Current Board of Governors approved fees include:
Green Fee – USF, NCF and UWF
Test Preparation Fee (Law Schools) – FIU and FAMU
Student Life & Services Fee – UNF
Bonded Projects (Capital Funding)
Generally includes housing and parking garage debt. Can be bonded through the State Division of Bond Finance or via a university DSO
Capital Improvement Trust Fund Fee (CITF) (Capital Funding)
Funded by student fees to support student related projects. Funds are collected by the university and transmitted to the State to pay for debt service. Remaining funds are returned to university after receiving legislative authorization. A portion of the fee may be used for university child care centers.
Carryforward
The accumulated ending Education and General (E&G) fund balance. Carryforward can be used for operating activities such as, but not limited to, a contingency for unfunded enrollment growth, potential budget reductions, anticipated increases in university operations, and prior year encumbrances. Interest or investment earnings on carryforward are used for operating activities. At any time the unencumbered available balance in the E&G fund of the university board of trustees approved operating budget falls below seven (7) percent of the approved total, the president shall provide a written notification and explanation to the Board of Governors (Regulation 9.007). Carryforward funds cannot be used for new construction. Any unexpended E&G appropriation carried forward to the fund balance in a new fiscal year shall be utilized in accordance to Board of Governors Regulation 9.007 and Section 1011.45(3), F.S..
Concessions
The Concessions fund contains all the commission-based revenues from beverage and pouring, snack vending, as well as student housing laundry machines. The commission revenues are used to support the purchase of food and refreshment items at university-wide events, faculty and staff recruitment, commencements, training, lecture series, board of trustees, student housing socials and convocation events. Funds shall not be expended for the construction or reconstruction of buildings except as provided under s. 1013.74 F.S.
Contracts and Grants
The Contracts and Grants (C&G) budget consists of funding from federal agencies, state agencies, foundations, and private sources that enables the university to conduct specific research projects or to provide specific non-research services. The C&G budget also includes direct support organization reimbursements for use of university resources.
Expenditures to support research grants include: a) direct costs such as salaries, wages, and benefits of research personnel, materials, supplies, travel, equipment, and rental of space that are directly attributed to the research project, and b) Indirect Costs such as building and equipment use and depreciation, physical plant and maintenance, hazardous waste disposal, libraries, general administration costs (legal, purchasing, accounting), janitorial services, and utilities.
Developmental Research Schools
These are a category of public schools affiliated with a state university college of education as provided by F.S. 1002.32. Currently, FSU, FAMU, UF and FAU operate DRS schools.
Direct Support Organizations; DSO’s
Per Florida Statute 1004.28 (1)(a), “University direct-support organization” means an organization which is:
- A Florida corporation not for profit incorporated under the provisions of chapter 617 and approved by the Department of State.
- Organized and operated exclusively to receive, hold, invest, and administer property and to make expenditures to or for the benefit of a state university in Florida or for the benefit of a research and development park or research and development authority affiliated with a state university and organized under part V of chapter 159.”
Similar to Auxiliary Enterprises, DSO’s must be self-supporting; the key distinction is that DSO’s are formally incorporated.
Education and General (E&G)
The Education and General (E&G) budget consists of State appropriated General Revenue, Educational Enhancement (Lottery) funding, and Student Tuition and Matriculation payments. Incremental funding is provided by the following primary mechanisms: Performance-based funding, tuition increases, and special legislative appropriations. State appropriated funding is no longer based on enrollments. E&G funds are used for general instruction, research, public service, plant operations and maintenance, student services, libraries, administrative support, and other enrollment-related and stand-alone operations of the university.
Faculty Practice
Faculty Practice Plans collect and distribute income from faculty billings for patient services to the UF, FSU, USF, FAU, UCF, and FIU Medical Clinics to cover the cost of medical services.
Gifts (Academic or Capital Funding)
Another source of academic or capital funding is philanthropy. Philanthropic gifts usually come with donor restrictions on the use of the funds.
Intercollegiate Athletics
The Athletics Operating budget supports the university’s student athletics program. Funding is generated from student athletics fees as well as ticket sales to athletics events, game guarantees, NCAA distributions, sponsorships and private support. Intercollegiate Athletics is also supported by Title IX funding, waivers and scholarships, and a statutory tax on ticket sales to support women’s sports.
Local Funds
Local funds is a term used to describe a grouping of university operating units that, prior to the devolution of the state universities from the State’s central accounting system (FLAIR), were allowed to deposit operating revenues into local bank accounts as opposed to the State Treasury. These units include Student Activities, Financial Aid, Concessions, Intercollegiate Athletics, Technology Fee, Board-Approved Fees, and university Self-Insurance Plans.
Performance-Based Funding
Performance-based funding is a mechanism by which the Florida Board of Governors (BOG) allocates state appropriations to the state universities. The BOG Performance Funding Model (PFM) includes 10 metrics that evaluate institutions on a range of issues. Eight of the 10 metrics are common for all universities; one is selected by the BOG for the university and one is selected by the Board of Trustees. The Performance-based Funding Model has been in effect since fiscal year 2014-15.
Public Education Capital Outlay (PECO) (Capital Funding)
Funded by the Gross Receipts Tax, which is a 2.5 percent levy on the gross receipts of electric, gas and telecommunications as well as a portion of the Communications Services tax. This tax is devoted entirely to the Public Education Capital Outlay and Debt Service Trust fund. PECO is established in the Florida Constitution and must be used for K-20 Capital projects, including the state universities. The Legislature appropriates PECO annually. PECO distributions are administered by the Florida DOE.
Self Insurance Programs
These are revenues received by the university from entities and individuals protected by the self-insurance program for medical schools, including the Faculty Practice Plans. These programs at UF, FSU, USF, UCF, FIU, and FAU are directed by the respective self-insurance councils and the captive insurance companies (these companies underwrite the risks of its owner and the owner’s affiliates). These activities are supported by premiums charged to the insured individuals and entities (primarily medical faculty and institutions). There shall are no funds appropriated to a self-insurance program (Chapter 1004.24(3) Florida Statutes).
Special Legislative Appropriations
These are legislative appropriations tied to specific university requested or member projects. Funding is based upon the university’s Legislative Budget Request and may be recurring or non-recurring.
Student Financial Aid
The Student Financial Aid budget consists of funding from student financial aid fees, support from federal and state financial aid awards, institutional programs, and private scholarships. The financial aid fee may not exceed 5 percent of the combined total of the tuition and out-of-state- fee. A minimum of 75 percent of the fee shall be used to provide student financial aid based on absolute need. Examples of other sources of student financial aid are: Federal Pell Grants, Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program, university scholarships, Florida Student Assistance Grant, Federal Work Study, and First Generation Scholarships.
Student Loans
The Student Loans Budget is comprised of loans from federal and private sources. Federal sources include Stafford and Plus, and private sources include Sallie Mae, Discover, and the PNC Financial Services Group Inc. The university acts as an agent with respect to these funds.
Technology Fee
The Technology Fee budget consists of funding from the technology fee which is assessed at 5 percent of resident base tuition. The fee revenues are used to enhance instructional technology resources for students and faculty.
Tuition Increase Funding
The Florida Legislature establishes undergraduate tuition and authorizes the Board of Governors to establish graduate and professional tuition, as well as non-Florida resident tuition. Tuition differential beyond the base tuition for undergraduate Florida residents, up to 15 percent, is currently being implemented by each university with the exception of Florida Polytechnic University. A minimum of 30 percent of the tuition differential fee must be used to provide need-based financial aid to undergraduate students. The ability to request an increase in the Tuition differential fee beyond existing levels was eliminated effective fiscal year 2014-15 (per Chapter 1009.24(16) F.S.) with the exception of those universities designated as Preeminent by the Board of Governors (may request an increase not to exceed 6 percent per year for tuition and tuition differential fee combined). The Board of Governors approves tuition for market rate programs subject to parameters established by the Florida Legislature and Board Regulation 8.002.
University Treasury Operations
Treasury operations revenue consists of earnings from the university’s investment portfolio. Earnings include interest income, realized gains and unrealized gains or losses.