Budget Talks: CU Boulder's Budget, Budget Model and True-Up Process

Questions and Answers

The new model includes a specified fund called the Strategic Fund to help tackle whole-campus issues and initiatives. The model itself, however, doesn’t create new revenue to direct funding toward or decide how we address strategic priorities. Informed decision-making at all levels is still key in aligning resources to our highest priorities.

Simply put, campus enrollment determines how much tuition funding flows through the budget model. For example, a decline in enrollment and tuition revenue means less funding flowing through the model. Because of campus enrollment capacity constraints, colleges, schools and support units benefit from reviewing their activities and expenses to ensure available resources support the highest priorities.

Less than 10% of non-resident tuition in 2023-24 came from international students.

Yes. The interactive budget allocation model lets you click on any of the budget model components, including the various enrollment “drivers” to learn more.

Academic Affairs has worked with schools and colleges to develop Supplemental Funds Processes and Principles, found . This document provides detailed information about how future Supplemental Funds decisions will be made and what key priorities are for this funding.

Transfer students also fall into a 6-year lookback at the time of graduation. Since transfer students enter CU with various credits and different class levels, we consider their entry to CU Boulder as year 1 for the purposes of calculating 6-year graduation under the budget model.

In some cases, using cash reserves to address slight drops in revenue could be an option. Exploration of expense reduction options may be beneficial in other cases. The office of Budget andFiscal Planning is available to help troubleshoot possible budgetary options.

We’ll delve into these questions and more at our upcoming session on Nov. 29! CU Boulder faculty, staff and students can sign up using their Identikey email address here.