| Transparency Goals
2-27-02
1. Summary documents are understandable.
Definitions are provided, or referenced, and consistently used
as much as possible among all summary documents of the college.
An executive summary, or other appropriate explanatory statement, clearly
states the key questions addressed and answered by the specific document.
The sources of information used in a document and the entities responsible
are referenced in the document. (Such references could be provided through
footnote, web address, or hyperlink.)
The decision-making processes involving the document are referenced
in it. (Such references could be provided through footnote, web address,
or hyperlink.)
Training or training tools needed for understanding budget documents
are available and can be completed over a relatively short period
of time (i.e. an accounting background should not be necessary to
understand summary documents).
A variety of representations of data (e.g. graphs and charts) may be
used to accommodate the diversity of learning styles of college
staff.
2. Summary documents are sufficient.
A. Summary documents provided and produced regularly include
the following:
A current index of budget and planning documents (current and archived);
The current college budget;
Current budget assumptions;
Financial history sufficient to identify key trends of revenue, expenditures,
and fund balances, both budgeted and actual;
The relation of budgetary decisions to strategic goals and values;
Projections of revenue and expenditures that include clearly defined
assumptions;
Budget and planning web sites;
Budget and planning handbooks; and
College-generated financial and strategic planning reports (e.g. tuition
increase research report, strategic plan, Vanguard Learning Colleges Team
work plan).
B. The set of summary documents may be improved upon or added to.
C. Budget and planning documents are archived.
3. Financial and planning data are complete and accessible.
To the extent possible and legally allowed, useful access to
budget and planning data is available to staff. A user-friendly,
flexible interface allows data to be directly downloaded into and processed
by standard, commonly available desktop software by all college staff.
Summary documents are available online and can be downloaded to standard,
commonly available, desktop software.
Means are in place to ensure that all useful financial and planning
data is in an appropriately accessible digital form.
4. Record keeping structures and frameworks allow tracking of money
flow.
The sources and uses of financial resources are identifiable.
The flow of financial resources can be easily monitored directly by
staff within the college. Tools are available to visualize and track the
financial transactions and flows.
Adequate and meaningful indicators of the financial health and strategic
direction of the college are available. There is staff representation in
the process of determining and reviewing these indicators.
5. College-wide policies regarding transparency in budget processes
and documents are implemented at all levels of the college.
6. Financial and planning data are current and accurate.
Training is provided to ensure consistent information
coding and processing.
Procedures are in place to ensure information is current.
Procedures are in place to make timely corrections to information.
7. Transparency is a process as well as a goal that requires continuous
refinement and improvement.
Successful practices from educational and other institutions
are incorporated at LCC as appropriate, and the way this happens is clear
to all staff.
The effectiveness of training tools and training are continuously assessed
to improve them.
Designing of documents and data entry formats involves the people directly
working with the documents and formats.
On-going college-wide budgeting and planning structures have
representative staff participation.
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