Roles and responsibilities 

Department heads

University operations are organized into units that develop and execute strategic and tactical plans to carry out the University's mission and achieve its objectives. These units obtain and utilize resources, the financial impact of which is accumulated and summarized in the University's financial records. Financial records are an important management tool, used to both measure and monitor the acquisition and use of resources.

Department heads serve as the chief financial officers of their individual units. Their primary responsibility is ensuring that expenditures are made for the benefit of the University. This responsibility is best met by:

• Performing adequate planning for the use of the funds allocated
• Frequently reviewing the expenditure of funds to ensure that they are being made most efficiently and that they are properly documented
• Retaining flexibility in financial management to meet unexpected or unplanned needs
• Exercising the closest personal supervision practical over the entire function, and
• Adhering to the University's fiscal policies and procedures

Depending on the size of the organizational unit (division, school, department, or sub-department), the duties of the department head will vary. Some smaller organizations require department heads to have a more "hands-on" role in day-to-day financial transactions. Fiscal responsibilities among department heads, fiscal administrators and fiscal staff should be clearly defined and documented within your organization. All departments should understand the topics listed below under the Financial Matrix heads, whether they are delegated to others or not. Department Heads also ensure that fiscal administrators and staff have the education and training required to perform their assigned functions. 

Fiscal administrators 

The duties and responsibilities of the Fiscal Administrator include providing daily oversight of how funds are spent and managed. Fiscal Administrators ensure that funds are spent and managed in accordance with the goals, objectives, and mission of their organization. This oversight includes ensuring funds are budgeted, that they are spent according to fiscal policy, that funds are spent in alignment with the organization purpose, that processes and controls are in place, that assets are safeguarded, that transactions are recorded and reported properly, that each Banner organization is reconciled monthly, and that expenditures are in conformity with the budget, or appropriate budget transactions have been made to reflect necessary budget changes..

Depending on the size of the organizational unit (division, school, department, or sub-department), the duties of the fiscal administrator will vary. Some smaller organizations require administrators to have a more "hands-on" role in day-to-day financial transactions. Fiscal responsibilities among department heads, fiscal administrators and fiscal staff should be clearly defined and documented within your organization. The topics listed below in the Financial Matrix should be understood by all fiscal administrators, whether or not they are delegated to others. Fiscal Administrators also ensure that fiscal staff have the education and training required to perform their assigned functions.

Grant administrators

The duties and responsibilities of grant administrators are similar to those of fiscal administrators, except that the funds they manage are program-sponsored. Grant administrators provide daily oversight on how funds are spent and managed on grants and other sponsored awards. This role requires additional knowledge of pre- and post-award grant administration, effort reporting, federal grant regulations, and cost accounting standards. Grant administrators ensure that funds are spent and managed in accordance with the grantor's specifications and regulations. This oversight includes that processes and controls are in place, that assets are safeguarded, that transactions are recorded and reported properly and that each Banner organization is reconciled monthly.

Depending on the size of the organizational unit (division, school, department or sub-department), grant administrator duties will vary. Some smaller organizations require administrators to have a more "hands-on" role in day-to-day financial transactions. Fiscal responsibilities among department heads, grant administrators and fiscal staff should be clearly defined and documented within your organization. The topics listed in the Financial Matrix below should be understood by all grant administrators, whether or not they are delegated to others. Grant Administrators also ensure that fiscal staff have the education and training required to perform their assigned functions.

Fiscal staff 

Fiscal staff process day-to-day transactions in support of departmental fiscal administrators. Fiscal transactions include initiating purchases, receiving cash or other negotiable items, entering or reviewing transactions in the University's Banner system, serving as the organization's fixed-asset custodian, monitoring contractors, and verifying compliance. 

Responsibility matrix 

Financial Responsibility	Department Heads	Fiscal Administrators	Grant Administrators	Fiscal Staff
ARMICS	X	X	X	X
Budget Administration	X	X	X
Code of Conduct	X	X	X	X
Contract Administration	X	X	X
Corporate Purchasing Card Policy	X	X	X	X
Corporate Travel Policy	X	X	X	X
Deposits and Cash Receipts Policy	X	X		X
Effort Reporting	X	X	X
Fixed Asset Policies	X	X	X	X
Overview of University Financial Structure	X	X	X	X
Petty Cash or Change Funds	X	X	X	X
Position Budgeting	X	X	X
Purchasing Policies and Procedures	X	X	X	X
Reconciliation of Banner Organizations	X	X	X
Sponsored Programs Proposals and Awards	X	X	X
Sponsored Programs Post Award Administration	X	X	X
Sponsored Programs: Roles and Responsibilities	X	X	X
Tax Compliance (University)	X	X	X	X
Travel and Reimbursements	X	X	X	X
University Ethics and Compliance	X	X	X	X
University Financial Policies	X	X	X	X