You said it well. I think I need to take the opportunity of coming into this with a fresh viewpoint and using new ways to translate this data. Thank you for the thoughtful reply!
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Cathy Schoenfeld
Department Manager
Boise State University
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Original Message:
Sent: 05-18-2026 04:40 PM
From: W. Todd Smoak
Subject: Financials and Budgeting in Higher Ed
Well we could spend a lot of time discussing many of the reasons why but then we might also get lost in throwing decision makers and systems and processes under the bus. Some common reoccurring themes involve this is how we've always done it or how I was trained. Minimal process change when migrating to newer systems (holding on to legacy and not learning to fully leverage the new), No knowledge of ways to do it better, no motivation to improve, thinking the core systems are the limitation but not knowing the available features or it just takes some reconfiguration but no one else wants to do it.
I think you hit on the clear aspect of there are plenty of opportunities for improvement and how can we take our knowledge and improve our processes and the systems to make our lives easier but also better serve our institutions. Our university is putting in some external budgeting tools but also starting to rework how we use the tech we have in better more modern ways. Also modern and dynamic approaches will be required to navigate enrollment changes and other impacts to our revenue streams to support our universities.
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W. Todd Smoak PMP
Executive Director Technology Solutions & HEUG Board Member
Illinois State University
wtsmoak@ilstu.edu
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