X
Finance (F) Glossary
Academic support
A functional expense category that includes
expenses of activities and services that support the institution's primary missions of instruction, research, and public service. It includes the retention, preservation, and display of educational materials (for example, libraries, museums, and galleries); organized activities that provide support services to the academic functions of the institution (such as a demonstration school associated with a college of education or veterinary and dental clinics if their primary purpose is to support the instructional program); media such as audiovisual services; academic administration (including academic deans but not department chairpersons); and formally organized and separately budgeted academic personnel development and course and curriculum development expenses. Also included are information technology expenses related to academic support activities; if an institution does not separately budget and expense information technology resources, the costs associated with the three primary programs will be applied to this function and the remainder to institutional support. Institutions include actual or allocated costs for operation and maintenance of plant, interest, and depreciation.
Accumulated depreciation
Additions to permanent endowments
Gifts or grants received by a
GASB institution that are restricted to a
permanent endowment (institutions often have
endowment funds that are classified as permanent endowments). Funds must be held in perpetuity with only the income generally available for use.
Adjustments to beginning net assets
Unusual and infrequent adjustments to assets that are not recorded as current year
revenues,
expenses,
gains, or
losses. This includes adjustments for retroactive applications of changes in accounting principles and prior period adjustments.
Adjustments to beginning net position
Unusual and infrequent adjustments to assets that are not recorded as current year
revenues,
expenses,
gains, or
losses. This includes adjustments for retroactive applications of changes in accounting principles and prior period adjustments.
Administrative unit
The
system or central office in a multi-campus environment.
Allowances
That part of a scholarship or fellowship that is used to pay institutional charges such as
tuition and fees or room and
board charges.
Assets
Physical items (tangible) or rights (intangible) that have value and that are owned by the institution. Assets are useful to the institution because they are a source of future services or because they can be used to secure future benefits.
Audit opinion
An audit, performed by external (or outside) auditors, that usually consists of a one-page "opinion" letter on the
general-purpose financial statements. The "opinion" paragraph of the letter usually states that "In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position as of (date) and the results of operations for the year then ended, in conformity with accounting standards generally accepted in the United States." If the auditor cannot state completely the substance of the previous "opinion" sentence, then the auditor will add a phrase such as "...except for..." and state the basis for the exception. When the auditor includes exceptions to the opinion, the opinion is considered to be a "qualified opinion;" when no such exceptions are included, the opinion is considered to be an "unqualified opinion."
Auxiliary enterprises expenses
Expenses for essentially self-supporting operations of the institution that exist to furnish a service to students, faculty, or staff, and that charge a fee that is directly related to, although not necessarily equal to, the cost of the service. Examples are residence halls, food services, student health services, intercollegiate athletics (only if essentially self-supporting), college unions, college stores, faculty and staff parking, and faculty housing. Institutions include actual or allocated costs for operation and maintenance of plant, interest and depreciation.
Auxiliary enterprises revenues
Revenues generated by or collected from the auxiliary enterprise operations of the institution that exist to furnish a service to students, faculty, or staff, and that charge a fee that is directly related to, although not necessarily equal to, the cost of the service. Auxiliary enterprises are managed as essentially self-supporting activities. Examples are residence halls, food services, student health services, intercollegiate athletics, college unions, college stores, and movie theaters.
Book value
The dollar value of the physical asset at the time of construction or purchase of that asset, or, if the asset is a gift, the
market value of the asset at the time of the gift. It may also be the difference between the balance of a
physical plant asset account and its related
accumulated depreciation account.
Buildings
Capital assets built or acquired for occupancy and use by the entity. These are structures such as classrooms, research facilities, administrative offices, and storage. Includes built-in fixtures and equipment that are essentially part of the permanent structure. Buildings held for the production of revenue are classified as investments.
Business-type activities
Activities for which fees are charged to external parties for goods or services.
GASB Statement 34 specifies the reporting format to be used by this type of governmental entity.
Capital appropriations
Capital assets
Tangible or intangible
assets that are
capitalized under an institution's capitalization policy; some of these assets are subject to
depreciation and some are not. These assets consist of
land and land improvements,
buildings, building improvements, machinery,
equipment,
infrastructure, and all other assets that are used in operations and that have initial useful lives extending beyond one year. Capital assets also include collections of works of art and historical treasure and
library collections; however under certain conditions such collections may not be capitalized. They also include property acquired under
capital leases and intangible assets such as patents, copyrights, trademarks, goodwill, and software. Excluded are assets that are part of
endowment funds or other capital fund investments in real estate.
Capital grants and gifts
Revenues of a
GASB institution, other than
capital appropriations, where a funding source external to the institution specifies that they be used primarily to acquire, construct, or improve
capital assets. Includes
gifts designated for a capital project.
Capital outlay
The cost of acquiring plant assets, adding to plant assets, and adding utility to plant
assets for more than one accounting period.
Change in net assets
A term used to describe the net amount of
revenues,
expenses,
gains, and
losses for the reporting period. This appears on the Statement of Revenues, Expenses, and Changes in
Net Assets for
GASB organizations and on the Statement of Activities for
FASB organizations.
Component unit
This term applies to
GASB institutions only. A component unit is a legally separate organizations for which the governing board and/or management of the primary institution is financially accountable. It can be another organization for which the nature and significance of its relationship with a primary institution is such that exclusion would cause the primary institution's financial statements to be misleading or incomplete.
Construction in progress
Capital assets under construction or development that have not yet been placed into service, such as a building or parking lot.
Capital assets are not subject to
depreciation while in a construction in progress status.
Contributions from affiliated entities
Revenues from non-consolidated affiliated entities, such as fund raising foundations, booster clubs, other institutionally-related foundations, and similar organizations created to support the institution or organizational units of the institution. General purpose financial statements for
FASB institutions include a separate line for these revenues;
GASB institutions classify such
revenues as
gifts.
Current assets
Assets that are reasonably expected to be realized in cash or sold or consumed during the next normal operating cycle (normally one year) of the institution. Liquidity or nearness to cash is not the basis for classifying
assets as current or non-current; thus cash or investments intended for liquidation of
liabilities due beyond the one-year period would not be current assets.
Beginning with 2013-14, GASB Statements 63 and 65 required institutions to display deferred inflows and outflows on their Statement of Net Position. Thus in the 2013-14(FY13) through the 2015-16(FY15) collections, current assets included deferred outflows of resources. Beginning with 2016-17 (FY16), deferred outflows was collected separately from current assets.
Current liabilities
Liabilities whose liquidation is reasonably expected to require the use of resources classified as
current assets or the creation of other current liabilities within the next year. May include accounts payable, accrued
salaries and wages, deferred
revenues, and
long term debt current portion, among others.
Beginning with 2013-14, GASB Statements 63 and 65 required institutions to display deferred inflows and outflows of resources on their Statement of Net Position. Thus from 2013-14 (FY13) to 2015-16 (FY15), total current liabilities included deferred inflows. Beginning with FY16, deferred inflows was collected separately from total current liabilities.
Deferred inflows of resources
Acquisition of net assets acquired by a government that is applicable to future reporting periods. Examples of deferred inflows are the difference in a debt refunding between reacquisition and net carrying amount of the old debt, upfront payments in service concession arrangements, and change in fair values in hedging instruments.
Deferred outflows of resources
A consumption of net assets by a government that is applicable to future periods. Examples of deferred outflows of resources include changes in fair values in hedging instruments and changes in the net pension liability that are not considered pension expense (as described in GASB Statement 68, Accounting and Financial Reporting for Pensions: an amendment of GASB Statement No. 27).
Depreciation
The allocation or distribution of the cost of
capital assets, less any salvage value, to
expenses over the estimated useful life of the asset in a systematic and rational manner. Depreciation for the year is the amount of the allocation or distribution for the year involved.
Discounts and allowances
That part of a scholarship or fellowship that is used to pay institutional charges such as
tuition and fees or room and
board charges.
Dividend earnings
Distribution of earnings to shareholders that may be in the form of cash, stock, or property.
Endowment funds
Endowment net assets
Equipment
Moveable tangible property such as research equipment, vehicles, machinery, and office equipment that meets the institution's capitalization policy for
capital assets.
Equity
The excess of a private, for-profit institution's
assets over its
liabilities. It is the claim or stake of the owners.
Expenses
The outflow or other using up of
assets or incurrence of
liabilities (or a combination of both) from delivering or producing goods, rendering services, or carrying out other activities that constitute the institution's ongoing major or central operations or in generating
revenues. Alternatively, expenses may be thought of as the costs of goods and services used to produce the educational services provided by the institution. Expenses result in a reduction of
net assets.
Federal grants
Transfers of money or property from the Federal government to the education institution without a requirement to receive anything in return. These grants may take the form of grants to the institutions to undertake research or they may be in the form of student
financial aid. (Used for reporting on the Finance component)
Federal Work Study (FWS)
A part-time work program awarding on- or off-campus jobs to students who demonstrate financial need. FWS positions are primarily funded by the government, but are also partially funded by the institution. FWS is awarded to eligible students by the college as part of the student's financial aid package. The maximum FWS award is based on the student's financial need, the number of hours the student is able to work, and the amount of FWS funding available at the institution. This is a type of Title IV Aid, but is not considered grant aid to students.
Fellowships
These are grants-in-aid and trainee stipends to
graduate students. Fellowships do not include funds for which services to the institution must be rendered, such as payments for teaching, or loans.
Fringe benefits
Cash contributions in the form of supplementary or deferred compensation other than salary. Excludes the employee's contribution. Employee fringe benefits include retirement plans, social security taxes, medical/dental plans, guaranteed disability income protection plans, tuition plans, housing plans, unemployment compensation plans, group life insurance plans, worker's compensation plans, pension, and other benefits in-kind with cash options.
Functional Expense
A functional expense classification is a method of grouping expenses according to the purpose for which the costs are incurred. The classifications tell why an expense was incurred rather than what was purchased. (NACUBO FARM section 700)
Gifts
Revenues received from gift or contribution nonexchange transactions. Includes bequests, promises to give (pledges), gifts from an affiliated organization or a
component unit not blended or consolidated, and income from funds held in irrevocable trusts or distributable at the direction of the trustees of the trusts. Includes any contributed services recognized (recorded) by the institution.
FASB and
GASB standards differ somewhat on when to recognize contributions or nonexchange revenues, with
FASB standards generally causing
revenues to be recognized earlier in certain circumstances.
Government appropriations (revenues)
Revenues received by an institution through acts of a legislative body, except
grants and contracts. These funds are for meeting current operating
expenses and not for specific projects or programs. The most common example is a state's general appropriation. Appropriations primarily to fund
capital assets are classified as
capital appropriations.
Governmental activities
Activities financed by taxes and intergovernmental
revenues and other nonexchange revenues.
Governmental activities with business-type
This financial reporting mode, provided by
GASB Statement No. 34, refers to an institution that accounts for its activities as governmental (that is, financed by taxes, intergovernmental
revenues, and other nonexchange activities) with characteristics of business-type activities (those supported by fees charged for goods or services). The financial statements for this type of entity include a column for reporting
governmental activities and another for business-type activities.
GASB Statement 34 specifies the financial reporting format for this type of governmental entity.
Grants and contracts (revenues)
Revenues from governmental agencies and nongovernmental parties that are for specific research projects, other types of programs , or for general institutional operations (if not government appropriations). Examples are research projects, training programs, student financial assistance, and similar activities for which amounts are received or expenses are reimbursable under the terms of a grant or contract, including amounts to cover both direct and indirect expenses. Includes Pell Grants and reimbursement for costs of administering federal financial aid programs. Grants and contracts should be classified to identify the governmental level - federal, state, or local - funding the grant or contract to the institution; grants and contracts from other sources are classified as nongovernmental grants and contracts. GASB institutions are required to classify in financial reports such grants and contracts as either operating or nonoperating.
Grants by local government (student aid)
Local government grants include scholarships or gift-aid awarded directly to the student. (Used for reporting Finance data)
Grants by state government (student aid)
Grant monies provided by the state such as Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnerships (LEAP) (formerly SSIG's); merit scholarships provided by the state; and tuition and fee waivers for which the institution was reimbursed by a state agency. (Used for reporting Finance data)
Hospital services
Expenses associated with a hospital operated by the postsecondary institution (but not as a
component unit) and reported as a part of the institution. This classification includes nursing expenses, other professional services, general services, administrative services, and fiscal services. Also included are information technology expenses, actual or allocated costs for operation and maintenance of plant, interest and
depreciation related to hospital
capital assets.
Hospitals (revenues)
Revenues generated by a hospital operated by the postsecondary institution. Includes
gifts, grants, appropriations, research revenues,
endowment income, and
revenues of health clinics that are part of the hospital unless such clinics are part of the student health services program.
Sales and service revenues are included net of
patient contractual allowances. Revenues associated with the medical school are included elsewhere. Also includes all amounts appropriated by governments (federal, state, local) for the operation of hospitals.
Income tax
Domestic and foreign federal (national), state, and local (including franchise) taxes based on income.
Indebtedness on capital assets
Liabilities associated with the debt incurred in financing the institution's
capital assets, including bonds, mortgages, notes,
capital leases, and any other outstanding debt that was incurred to acquire, construct, or improve capital assets. Indebtedness issued and backed by the state government and that will be repaid by the state from sources other than institutional funds are excluded.
Independent operations
Expenses associated with operations that are independent of or unrelated to the primary missions of the institution (i.e.,
instruction, research, public service) although they may contribute indirectly to the enhancement of these programs. This category is generally limited to
expenses of a major federally funded research and development center. Also includes information technology expenses, actual or allocated costs for operation and maintenance of plant, interest and
depreciation related to the independent operations. Expenses of operations owned and managed as investments of the institution's
endowment funds are excluded.
Independent operations (revenues)
Revenues associated with operations independent of or unrelated to the primary missions of the institution (i.e.,
instruction, research, public service) although they may contribute indirectly to the enhancement of these programs. Generally includes only those
revenues associated with major federally funded research and development centers. Net profit (or loss) from operations owned and managed as investments of the institution's
endowment funds is excluded.
Infrastructure
Capital assets consisting of roads, bridges, drainage systems, water and sewer systems, and other similar assets. Infrastructure assets usually have longer useful lives than other capital assets such as
buildings.
Institutional grants
Scholarships and
fellowships granted and funded by the institution and/or individual departments within the institution, (i.e., instruction, research, public service) that may contribute indirectly to the enhancement of these programs . Includes scholarships targeted to certain individuals (e.g., based on state of
residence, major field of study, athletic team participation) for which the institution designates the recipient.
Institutional grants (restricted) (allowances)
Scholarships and
fellowships awarded to students from institutional resources that are restricted to student aid.
Private institutions generally report these grants as
allowances. If control over these resources passes to the student, the amount is reported as an expense. (Used for reporting under
FASB Standards.)
Institutional grants (unrestricted) (allowances)
Scholarships and
fellowships awarded to students from unrestricted institutional resources.
Private institutions generally report these grants as
allowances. If control over these resources passes to the student, the amount is reported as an expense. (Used for reporting under
FASB Standards.)
Institutional grants from restricted resources
Institutional grants from unrestricted resources
Institutional grants to students that are funded from resources that are not restricted to any particular purpose. (Used for reporting under
GASB Standards.)
Institutional support
A functional expense category that includes
expenses for the day-to-day operational support of the institution. Includes expenses for general administrative services, central executive-level activities concerned with management and long range planning, legal and fiscal operations, space management, employee personnel and records, logistical services such as purchasing and printing, and public relations and development. Also includes information technology expenses related to institutional support activities. If an institution does not separately budget and expense information technology resources, the IT costs associated with student services and operation and maintenance of plant will also be applied to this function.
Instruction
A functional expense category that includes
expenses of the colleges, schools, departments, and other instructional divisions of the institution and expenses for departmental research and public service that are not separately budgeted. Includes general academic instruction, occupational and vocational instruction, community education, preparatory and adult basic education, and regular, special, and extension sessions. Also includes expenses for both credit and non-credit activities. Excludes expenses for academic administration where the primary function is administration (e.g., academic deans). Information technology expenses related to instructional activities if the institution separately budgets and expenses information technology resources are included (otherwise these expenses are included in academic support). Institutions include actual or allocated costs for operation and maintenance of plant, interest, and depreciation.
Intangible assets
Assets consisting of nonmaterial rights and benefits of an institution, such as patents, copyrights, trademarks and goodwill.
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
Interest
The price paid (or received) for the use of money over a period of time. Interest income is one component of
investment income. Interest paid by the institution is interest expense.
Invested in capital assets, net of related debt
Investment gains
The gain derived from the investment of capital. Such
gains may take the form of a market appreciation of the value of the investment. The gain may be realized if the asset or capital is sold or unrealized if the asset or capital is not sold.
Investment income
Revenues derived from the institution's investments, including investments of
endowment funds. Such income may take the form of
interest income, dividend income, rental income or royalty income and includes both realized and unrealized
gains and
losses.
Investment return
Land and land improvements
Capital assets consisting of land and improvements such as athletic fields, golf courses, or lakes. Land is nondepreciable; some land improvements are depreciable and some are nondepreciable.
Liabilities
Debts and obligations of the institution owed to outsiders or claims or rights, expressed in monetary terms, of an institution's creditors.
GASB institutions are required to report liabilities under two categories -
current liabilities and
noncurrent liabilities.
Library
An organized collection of printed, microform, and audiovisual materials which (a) is administered as one or more units, (b) is located in one or more designated places, and (c) makes printed, microform, and audiovisual materials as well as necessary equipment and services of a staff accessible to students and to faculty. Includes units meeting the above definition which are part of a learning resource center.
Loans to students
Any monies that must be repaid to the lending institution for which the student is the designated borrower. Includes all Title IV subsidized and unsubsidized loans and all institutionally and privately sponsored loans. Does not include PLUS and other loans made directly to parents.
Local appropriations, education district taxes, and similar support
Local appropriations are
government appropriations made by a governmental entity below the state level. Education district taxes include all tax
revenues assessed directly by an institution or on behalf of an institution when the institution will receive the exact amount collected. These revenues also include similar revenues that result from actions of local governments or citizens (such as through a referendum) that result in receipt by the institution of revenues based on collections of other taxes or resources (sales taxes, gambling taxes, etc.).
Local government grants and contracts (revenues)
Revenues from local government agencies that are for training programs and similar activities for which amounts are received or expenditures are reimbursable under the terms of a local government grant or contract. These amounts can be treated as an allowance, an agency transaction, or as a student aid expense in the institution's
General Purpose Financial Statements (GPFS) and are reported differently depending on their treatment. Generally, however,
private institutions report these grants as
allowances when applied to the student's account and as local grant
revenues when received.
Long-term debt
Debt of the institution in the form of bonds, notes,
capital leases, and other forms of debt that are repayable over a period greater than one year.
Long-term debt, current portion
Long-term investments
Money or capital invested for purposes of receiving a profitable return over a period of time of more than one year. Long-term investments should be distinguished from temporary investments based on the intention of the organization regarding the terms of the investment rather than the nature of the investment itself. Includes: 1) cash held until appropriate investments are identified; 2) repurchase agreements and other money market media; 3) equity securities and mutual fund investments; 4) debt securities; 5) real estate held for income production; 6) beneficial interest in trusts; and 7) other.
GASB institutions report these investments under "
noncurrent assets."
Market value
The value of a good as determined in the market at a specific point in time or what individuals in the market for the good are willing to pay to obtain the good at a given point in time.
Natural Expense
A natural expense classification is a method of grouping expenses according to the type of costs that are incurred. The classifications tell what was purchased rather than why an expense was incurred. (NACUBO FARM section 700)
Net Assets
Net grant aid to students (expenses)
Net income
The final figure in the income statement when
revenues exceed
expenses.
For for-profit institutions, this figure is net of gains and losses.
Net position
The excess of
assets over
liabilities or the residual interest in the institution's assets remaining after liabilities are deducted. The change in net position results from
revenues,
gains,
expenses, and
losses.
GASB institutions classify net position into three categories: invested in capital, net of related debt; restricted (with separate displays of
restricted-expendable and
restricted-nonexpendable net assets); and unrestricted. Net position beginning with the 2013-14 collection includes deferred inflows and outflows of resources, per change from GASB Statement 63 and 65. This term is similar to the "Net assets" term used by FASB institutions.
Noncurrent assets
Assets that are not reasonably expected to be realized in cash or sold or consumed during the next normal operating cycle (normally one year) of the institution. Liquidity or nearness to cash is not the basis for determining classification as current or noncurrent. Thus cash investments intended for liquidation of
liabilities due beyond the one-year period are noncurrent assets, as would
assets segregated for the liquidation of
long-term debts (including amounts due within the next operating cycle). Assets designated to be used to acquire, construct, or improve
capital assets would be noncurrent.
Noncurrent liabilities
Liabilities whose liquidation is not reasonably expected to require the use of resources classified as
current assets or the creation of other
current liabilities within the next year. This includes the noncurrent portion of
long-term debt and long-term accrued
liabilities (such as for compensated absences, claims and judgments, and post-employment/post-retirement
benefits); liability for refundable advances to the federal government for the
Perkins Loan Program and similar loan programs; and debt due within the next operating cycle, if payment will be made from segregated assets classified as
noncurrent assets.
Nonoperating
GASB requires that
revenues and
expenses be separated between
operating and nonoperating. Operating revenues and expenses result from providing goods and services. Nonoperating activities are those outside the activities that are part of the operating activities of the institution. Most
government appropriations are nonoperating because they are not generated by the operations of the institution.
Investment income is nonoperating in most instances because institutions are not engaged in investing as an operating activity.
Gifts are defined as nonoperating. Nonexchange transactions generate nonoperating revenues.
Operating
GASB requires that
revenues and
expenses be separated between operating and
nonoperating. Operating revenues and expenses result from providing goods and services. Operating transactions are incurred in the course of the operating activities of the institution.
Operation and maintenance of plant (O&M)
An expense category that includes
expenses for operations established to provide service and maintenance related to campus grounds and facilities used for educational and general purposes. Specific expenses include: janitorial and utility services; repairs and ordinary or normal alterations of buildings, furniture, and equipment; care of grounds; maintenance and operation of buildings and other plant facilities; security; earthquake and disaster preparedness; safety; hazardous waste disposal; property, liability, and all other insurance relating to property; space and capital leasing; facility planning and management; and central receiving.
Other federal grants
Federal monies awarded to the institution under federal government student aid programs, such as the
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), DHHS training grants (aid portion only), the Leveraging Education Assistance Partnership (LEAP) program, and other federal student aid programs. Pell Grants are not included in this classification. Note: if the federal government selects the student recipients and simply transmits the funds to the institution for disbursement to the student, the amounts are not considered as
revenues and subsequently there are no discounts and
allowances or
scholarships and
fellowships expenses. If the funds are made available to the institution for selection of student recipients, then the amounts received are considered as
nonoperating revenues and subsequently as discounts and allowances or scholarships and fellowships expenses.
Other Natural Expenses and Deductions
The sum of operating and nonoperating expenses not classified as salaries and wages, benefits, operation and maintenance of plant, interest, or depreciation. Prior to fiscal year 2016, this value included operation and maintenance of plant expenses. This category can include bad debts, income taxes, changes in value in split interest agreements, or changes in environmental liability obligations.
Other specific changes in net assets
Changes that occur infrequently rather than on a regular basis, but still affect the
net assets of the institution. Included in this category are: actuarial gain or (loss) on split interest agreements; gain or (loss) on sale of plant assets; other gain or (loss); discontinued operations; extraordinary gain or (loss); and cumulative effect of change(s) in accounting principle.
Out-of-state student
A student who is not a legal resident of the state in which he/she attends school.
Patient contractual allowances
Contractual allowances provided to insurers or other group health providers which are deducted from fees for services provided by
hospitals (thus not included in hospital revenues).
Pell Grant program
(Higher Education Act of 1965, Title IV, Part A, Subpart I, as amended.) Provides grant assistance to eligible
undergraduate postsecondary students with demonstrated financial need to help meet education expenses.
Permanent endowment
Funds held by an institution that must be held in perpetuity with only the income available for use. Endowments are usually the result of a gift or grant received that is required to be held in perpetuity by the donor or granting agency.
Permanently restricted
Net assets of
FASB institutions that must be maintained in perpetuity. Permanently restricted net assets increase when institutions receive contributions for which donor-imposed restrictions limiting the institution's use of an asset or its economic benefits neither expire with the passage of time nor can be removed by the organization's meeting certain requirements. Donor-imposed restrictions on the use of the
investment income on the assets may also change the amount of such net assets. Permanent
endowment funds are the most common example.
Physical plant assets
These assets consist of land,
buildings, improvements,
equipment, and
library books. Excluded are assets that are part of endowment or other capital fund investments in real estate.
Construction in progress is excluded from this total until completed.
Physical plant indebtedness
Debt incurred in financing the institution's
capital assets, including bonds, mortgages, notes,
capital leases, and any other outstanding debt that was incurred to acquire, construct, or improve capital assets such as land,
buildings, and improvements other than buildings,
equipment, and
library books. Excludes indebtedness that is part of endowment or other capital fund investments in real estate. Also excludes
construction in progress.
Private gifts (Revenues)
Revenues from private (non-governmental) entities including revenues received from gift or contribution nonexchange transactions (including contributed services) except those from affiliated entities. Includes bequests, promises to give (pledges), gifts from an affiliated organization or a component unit not blended or consolidated, and income from funds held in irrevocable trusts or distributable at the direction of the trustees of the trusts. Includes any contributed services recognized (recorded) by the institution.
Private gifts, grants and contracts (revenues)
Revenues from private donors for which no legal consideration is involved and from private contracts for specific goods and services provided to the funder as stipulation for receipt of the funds. Includes only those
gifts, grants, and contracts that are directly related to instruction, research, public service, or other institutional purposes. Includes monies received as a result of gifts, grants, or contracts from a foreign government. Also includes the estimated dollar amount of contributed services.
Private grants and contracts (Revenues)
Revenues from private (non-governmental) entities that are for specific research projects, other types of programs, or for general institutional operations (if not government appropriations). Examples are research projects, training programs, and similar activities for which amounts are received or expenses are reimbursable under the terms of a grant or contract, including amounts to cover both direct and indirect expenses.
Public service
A functional expense category that includes
expenses for activities established primarily to provide noninstructional services beneficial to individuals and groups external to the institution. Examples are conferences, institutes, general advisory service, reference bureaus, and similar services provided to particular sectors of the community. This function includes expenses for community services, cooperative extension services, and public broadcasting services. Also includes information technology expenses related to the public service activities if the institution separately budgets and expenses information technology resources (otherwise these expenses are included in academic support). Institutions include actual or allocated costs for operation and maintenance of plant, interest, and depreciation.
Quasi-endowment funds
Funds established by the governing board to function like an endowment fund but which may be totally expended at any time at the discretion of the governing board. These funds represent
nonmandatory transfers from the current fund rather than a direct addition to the
endowment fund, as occurs for the true endowment categories.
Realized capital gains
A capital gain on securities held in a portfolio that has become actual by the sale or other type of surrender of one or many securities.
Research
A functional expense category that includes
expenses for activities specifically organized to produce research outcomes and commissioned by an agency either external to the institution or separately budgeted by an organizational unit within the institution. The category includes institutes and research centers, and individual and project research. This function does not include nonresearch sponsored programs (e.g., training programs). Also included are information technology expenses related to research activities if the institution separately budgets and expenses information technology resources (otherwise these expenses are included in academic support.) Institutions include actual or allocated costs for operation and maintenance of plant, interest, and depreciation.
Restricted net assets (FASB institutions only)
Assets held by the institution upon which restrictions have been placed by donors. These restrictions may be temporary or permanent. They restrict the institution in its use of the
assets and/or the period of time for which the restriction applies.
Restricted-expendable (net assets)
Net assets of
GASB institutions that are expendable but subject to imposed restrictions. Restrictions exist when constraints placed on use are either (a) externally imposed by creditors, grantors, contributors, or laws and regulations of other governments, or (b) imposed by law through constitutional provisions or enabling legislation.
Restricted-nonexpendable (net assets)
Net assets of
GASB institutions subject to restrictions that prohibit the expenditure of the net assets in perpetuity. Restrictions exist when constraints placed on use are either (a) externally imposed by creditors, grantors, contributors, or laws and regulations of other governments, or (b) imposed by law through constitutional provisions or enabling legislation.
Permanent endowments are the most common example.
Revenues
The inflow of resources or other enhancement of
net assets (or fund balance) of an institution or settlements of its
liabilities (or a combination of both) from delivering or producing goods, rendering services, or other activities that constitute the institution's ongoing major or central operations. Includes revenues from fees and charges, appropriations, auxiliary enterprises, and contributions and other nonexchange transactions. Revenues are reported net of discounts and allowances (that is, the revenue reported is reduced by the amount of
discounts and allowances) for
FASB institutions and for
GASB institutions that have implemented GASB Statement No. 34.
Salaries and wages
Amounts paid as compensation for services to all employees - faculty, staff, part-time, full-time, regular employees, and student employees. This includes regular or periodic payment to a person for the regular or periodic performance of work or a service and payment to a person for more sporadic performance of work or a service (overtime, extra compensation, summer compensation, bonuses, sick or annual leave, etc.).
Sales and services of educational activities (revenues)
Revenues from the sales of goods or services that are incidental to the conduct of instruction, research or public service. Examples include film rentals, sales of scientific and literary publications, testing services, university presses, dairy products, machine shop products, data processing services, cosmetology services, and sales of handcrafts prepared in classes.
Sales and services of hospitals (revenues)
Revenues (net of discounts,
allowances, and provisions for uncollectible accounts receivable) generated by hospitals from daily patient, special and other services.
Revenues of health clinics that are part of a hospital should be included in this category, unless such clinics are part of the student health services program.
Scholarships
Scholarships and fellowships
Outright grants-in-aid, trainee stipends, tuition and fee waivers, and prizes awarded to students by the institution, including Pell grants. Awards to undergraduate students are most commonly referred to as "scholarships" and those to
graduate students as "fellowships." These awards do not require the performance of services while a student (such as teaching) or subsequently as a result of the scholarship or fellowship. The term does not include
loans to students (subject to repayment),
College Work-Study Program (CWS), or awards granted to a parent of a student because of the parent's
faculty or staff status. Also not included are awards to students where the selection of the student recipient is not made by the institution.
Scholarships and fellowships (expenses)
That portion of
scholarships and
fellowships granted that exceeds the amount applied to institutional charges such as
tuition and
fees or
room and
board. The amount reported as expense excludes
allowances and discounts. The
FASB survey uses the term "net grants in aid to students" rather than "scholarships and fellowships."
State and local government grants
State and local monies awarded to the institution under state and local student aid programs, including the state portion of State Student Incentives Grants (SSIG). (Used for reporting Student
Financial Aid data)
State grants (revenues)
A sum of money or property bestowed on a postsecondary institution by a state government.
Student services
A functional expense category that includes
expenses for admissions, registrar activities, and activities whose primary purpose is to contribute to students emotional and physical well-being and to their intellectual, cultural, and social development outside the context of the formal instructional program. Examples include student activities, cultural events, student newspapers, intramural athletics, student organizations, supplemental instruction outside the normal administration, and student records. Intercollegiate athletics and student health services may also be included except when operated as self-supporting auxiliary enterprises. Also may include information technology expenses related to student service activities if the institution separately budgets and expenses information technology resources (otherwise these expenses are included in institutional support.) Institutions include actual or allocated costs for operation and maintenance of plant, interest, and depreciation.
Title IV institution
An institution that has a written agreement with the Secretary of Education that allows the institution to participate in any of the Title IV federal student financial assistance programs (other than the State Student Incentive Grant (SSIG) and the National Early Intervention Scholarship and Partnership (NEISP) programs).
Tuition and fees (published charges)
The amount of
tuition and
required fees covering a full academic year most frequently charged to students. These values represent what a typical student would be charged and may not be the same for all students at an institution. If tuition is charged on a per-credit-hour basis, the average full-time
credit hour load for an entire academic year is used to estimate average tuition. Required fees include all fixed sum charges that are required of such a large proportion of all students that the student who does not pay the charges is an exception.
Unrestricted net assets
The
net assets of both
FASB and
GASB institutions that do not fit the definition of other categories of net assets. These are net assets held by the institution upon which no restrictions have been placed by the donor or other party external to the institution.
Videos
Survey Forms
Other Resources
FAQ
