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Mission

The mission of the University Budget Office (UBO) is to effectively lead the development and management of the Consolidated Budget and General Funds Budget of the university. The Vice Provost for Budget & Auxiliary Management is a member of the senior leadership of the university, including the CFO, the Provost, and the President. The University Budget Office supports the university’s highest priorities by:

  • identifying, projecting, allocating, and managing the resources available for university operating expenditures;
  • assisting university staff in the establishment, maintenance, and prudent oversight of budgets;
  • developing and maintaining systems that support budget development and reporting;
  • providing training, financial, and statistical information and analyses;
  • providing support and analysis to university leadership in fiscal and budgetary policy development to promote attainment of the university's mission and strategic plans;
  • producing the annual Stanford University Budget Plan document, and
  • implementing sound budget and management practices in a collegial fashion with the university community.

We are committed to anticipating needs, providing appropriate guidance, and providing efficient, timely, and accurate budgetary and expenditure information to both internal and external constituents, while maintaining a courteous and professional attitude.
The UBO is responsible for the maintenance of schedules, process tools (including computerized budget and other systems), documents, and training that supports the annual development of departmental and unit budgets, in addition to the university-wide consolidated budget for operations.
Working closely with all levels at the university, the UBO also assists in the management of university financial resources. With other offices of the university, we ensure that accounting and control processes provide the information required to support financial management and planning activities.
In general, the UBO provides the following services:

  • Revenue and expense forecasts and analytical context for planning assumptions and budget policies;
  • Support for the university’s budget planning and development processes through budget forecasting/modeling of the university’s resources (e.g. enrollment, endowment, research, financial aid);
  • The presentation and review of policy, procedure, and allocation issues impacting operations with senior management and the Board of Trustees;
  • Allocation of resources, monitoring their use, and reporting on results against plan;
  • Modeling the impact of program, policy, and process changes;
  • Maintenance and development of financial information systems supporting the university’s budget functions;
  • Education and guidance to internal constituents, including each budget unit, regarding all aspects of the budgetary process;
  • Leadership in analysis and reporting to internal and external constituents;
  • Establishment of monitoring controls to ensure compliance with internal policies and external mandates;
  • Training, planning, and problem resolution;
  • Budget maintenance and control activities which include monitoring of the budget on an on-going basis, formal quarterly budget confirmations, centralized review of salary related actions, and an analysis of year-end results versus budgets; and
  • Performing recurring (annual) studies and special (one-time) analyses.