Series 3: Budget Reports, Planning, and Information, 1947-2008

Series

Identifier: U113.03

Staff Only

Abstract

This series contains budget information produced and held by the Office of Business and Financial Affairs and some materials from the Controller's Office. Papers include budget reports, budget information, administration budget, budget development summary, predictions for budget, proposed operating budget and implementation plans, minutes of budget heads and budget directors, materials from the Budget Process Committee, materials from the Budget Task Force, an Annual Report from the Office of Business Management and from the Manager of Business Affairs, Annual Budget Reports, policy memoranda and administrative regulars for the Heads of Budgetary Units, and more.

Dates

1947-2008

Biographical / Historical

The position of DU Treasurer originated as an officer of the Board of Trustees and had to be filled by a member of the Board of Trustees (according to the Board of Trustees By-Laws in 1916 and 1936). By the 1948 By-Laws, the Treasurer no longer had to be a member of the Board of Trustees. Although it did still occur this way sometimes. Since the 1980s, it has become increasingly common for the DU Treasurer to be the same person as the Vice Chancellor of Business and Financial Affairs, although this is not required (the VC is appointed by the Chancellor and the Treasurer is elected by the Board of Trustees). As of 2025, the 5 most recent Vice Chancellors of Business and Financial Affairs (Mark DeLorenzo, Leslie Brunelli, Craig Woody, Jim Griesemer, and Liz Willaims) were alternatingly called the CFO of the university, the VC of Financial Affairs, and the Treasurer of the university.

The role of the DU Treasurer has evolved over the years. Previously, the Treasurer was specifically in charge of duties such as making an annual full report to the Board of Trustees about finances and recommendations, recieving and making receipts for all money due to the University, pay out money owed by the university, keep complete accounts and records of all financial transactions, and supervise all property of the University. Since the 1975 By-Laws, the Treasurer's duties have been more loosely defined as being "responsible to the Chancellor and to the Board of Trustees for all financial matters."

The Vice Chancellor of Business and Financial Affairs was first stated and given responsibilities in the Board of Trustees 1975 By-Laws, and this VC first appeared in DU Organization Charts in 1962. This Vice Chancellor is appointed by the Chancellor and has “such duties and responsibilities as may be assigned to him by the Chancellor.” As of the 2020 By-Laws, the VC of Financial Affairs has the following responsibilities: “financial planning; policy and control; debt and asset management; aiding and advising the Chancellor and the Provost on budget development and evaluation; and monitoring and control of the budget after adoption by the Board of Trustees and advising the Finance and Budget and other appropriate Trustee Committees, the Executive Committee and the Board of Trustees on financial results as compared with the budget, with prior years and with other appropriate standards.” Additionally, the 2020 By-Laws state that the VC of Financial Affairs is also the CFO for the University.

In all versions of the DU Board of Trustees By-Laws starting from 1948, the Chancellor is reponsible for the preparation of the Budget for presentation to the Board of Trustees. However, the Chancellor is instructed to work in close cooperation with the Treasurer and the Vice Chancellor of Business and Financial Affairs (who is sometimes the same person as the Treasurer). As of the 2020 Board of Trustees By-Laws, it is made clear that “the monitoring and control of the budget, after its adoption by the Board of Trustees, shall be and remain the ultimate responsibility of the Chancellor and the Vice Chancellor for Financial Affairs and they shall report to the Finance and Budget Committee, and to the Executive Committee and/or to the Board of Trustees." Additionally, as of the 1985 DU Organization Chart, there has been a Budget Office under the division of Business and Financial Affairs.

The Board of Trustees has played an important role in the oversight and approval of budgetary and financial affairs since the start of the University. Even if the Treasurer isn’t directly a member of the Board of Trustees anymore, they still work closely with the Chancellor, the Board, and Board committees that deal with Finance, Budgets, and Audits. However, more recently, the day-to-day monitoring and control of budget and financial affairs is the responsibility of the VC of Financial Affairs (and/or Treasurer if they are the same person).

Extent

4 Linear Feet (4 standard record boxes)

Additional Description

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

This collection contains materials related to the responsibilities of and created by the University of Denver's Office of Business and Financial Affairs. Their primary role is to oversee the financial management, business operators, and built environment of the University. Thus, materials in this collection mostly cover the following topics: annual reports, real estate, budget, bonds and loans, agreements and contracts, and internal materials. This collection can be added to in the future.

Arrangement

Materials in the boxes in this series are organized in rough chronological order. They are divided into boxes based on whether they are materials of budget reports, materials used for planning the budget, or financial statements (which are believed to have been used to help prepare the budget.

As the Chancellor, in close colaboration with the Treasurer and the Vice Chancellor of Business and Financial Affairs (who is sometimes the same person as the Treasurer), is the one to compile the budget and present it to the Board of Trustees, this collection (U113) contains proposed budgets and all of the information used to prepare the budget. In the Board of Trustees Collection (U114) you can find meeting minutes from the Budget and Finance Committee and some approved, final budgets.