“A Collision Path with Fiscal Uncertainty”: New BOK Chapter Revisits Budgeting Realities 

From the 2008 recession to the COVID-19 pandemic, major external environmental factors have contributed to an era of reduced funding in higher education marked by staffing cuts, new working environments, and uncertainty about the future. But “the truth is that higher education had been on a collision path with fiscal uncertainty long before that,” according to the newly updated Budgeting Practices and Strategies chapter of APPA’s Body of Knowledge (BOK). As a consequence, educational institutions must “become more businesslike, more competitive, and more focused” on investing in programs that support their principal missions. 

Available to APPA members only, the BOK is a searchable, digital database that develops, updates, and disseminates the foundational content required by facilities professionals at colleges, universities, schools, museums, and other nonprofit, educational organizations. Its 62 chapters, which are reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis, cover topics from energy management to space planning and administration that are categorized in the four core areas of General Administration and Management; Operations and Maintenance; Energy, Utilities, and Environmental Stewardship; and Planning, Design, and Construction. 

Updated by Glen Haubold and published February 20, this new chapter reviews factors behind the rising cost of education and explores strategies for financial stability, among other topics. “I was honored when Steve Maruszewski and APPA asked me to assist with updates to the BOK, as I believe that a strength of professional associations is the professional development resources they provide to their members,” said Haubold. “My desire to teach as a qualified Supervisor’s Toolkit trainer and coauthor of the chapter on Budget Recharge, Cost Recovery, and Rates with David Reynolds stems from this conviction, and I’m proud to let our membership know that we have updated the first chapter. I also hope the publication of this update triggers others to get involved with this very important effort.”

To get involved, whether as a chapter author or peer reviewer, please indicate your interest by completing this form. Or send an email Glen Haubold ([email protected]) and Steve Maruszewski ([email protected]), using the subject line APPA Body of Knowledge.