UCISA-CISG Business Plan 2009-2012
1. Introduction
This document summarises the main activities planned by the Corporate Information Systems Group (UCISA-CISG) of the Universities and Colleges Information Systems Association (UCISA). The main purpose of this document is to detail the activities that potentially have a significant financial contribution to UCISA funds and/or incur expenses. Details of the other activities and of the structure and functioning of the group are covered in a separate document.
This document summarises the main activities planned by the Corporate Information Systems Group (UCISA-CISG) of the Universities and Colleges Information Systems Association (UCISA). The main purpose of this document is to detail the activities that potentially have a significant financial contribution to UCISA funds and/or incur expenses. Details of the other activities and of the structure and functioning of the group are covered in a separate document.
2. Plans 2009-2012
2.1 UCISA-CISG Conference
The Group will continue to host an annual UCISA-CISG Conference with the broad theme of corporate systems and their associated challenges and opportunities. These are usually scheduled for November and it is the aim of the Group to move the event around the country to try to balance the travelling distances required for regular participants. The venue for 2010 is the Hilton Metropole Brighton,the venue for 2011 will be the Midland hotel in Manchester
The CISG Conferences are aimed at corporate information system specialists, although delegates are sought from a range of technical and administrative backgrounds.
2.2 Workshops and Seminars
The Group will continue the successful series of one-day sessions on topical
issues, aiming to run two or three each year. These will be aimed at CIS specialist, technical staff, and business users, dependent on the content. Currently proposed seminars are as follows:
· Business Intelligence Feb 10 in Bristol
· HESA/SLC/UCAS Bi annual meeting May 10 Location to be confirmed
· Research Information Systems June 10 in Liverpool
2.3 Other activities
The group will take part in and perform a number of other activities as detailed
in the ‘structure and functioning’ document. These may have minor costs
associated with them but would be expected to be covered under the normal CISG operation.
3. Finances
3.1 General policy
It is UCISA financial policy that its sub-Groups will be overall self-financing for all their activities in the planning period. UCISA-CISG will adhere to this policy and will be targeting to also achieve a modest profit in subsequent years, whilst recognising that losses and gains may arise on individual events
Compliance is ensured by the procedure of projected income and expenditure accounts for each event being submitted via the secretary to the chair and the UCISA Treasurer for approval. Budgets and draft accounts for each event are discussed at formal meetings of the UCISA-CISG committee. Final accounts after each event are reported to the committee for monitoring. Events involving major expenditure, such as the CISG Conference, are discussed in advance with the UCISA Treasurer.
All events are organised in accordance with UCISA Financial Regulations and Workshop/Event Guidelines agreed by the UCISA Executive. The UCISA Executive Committee exercises financial oversight principally by approving the annual Business Plan or UCISA-CISG.
3.2 Income and Expenditure
Conferences : Annual conferences are expected to have an expenditure budget of approximately £125,000 balanced by a similar amount of income from delegate fees and Exhibition Space Rental with some contribution from sponsorship. The annual conference generally makes a surplus Workshops and seminars : Workshops are expected to have an expenditure budget of less than £10,000 per workshop balanced by a similar amount of income, primarily from delegate fees.
CISG looks to promote best practise by including case studies within its area of the website. A small fund of £2000 is proposed to be used where funding may assist the timely production of such studies.
Committee: Significant costs do not normally arise in respect of UCISA-CISG committee meetings, as hosting venues normally charge no or nominal fees, members provide their time voluntarily and normally travel and accommodation costs are absorbed by the members' employing institutions. In exceptional cases costs will be paid where the lack of such payment would seriously inhibit participation or where such payment is covered by general UCISA policy. An exception is the annual strategy meeting where committee members would be expected to stay overnight in a specified venue and costs of accommodation and dinner would be covered by UCISA.
Working Parties: Some costs arise in respect of UCISA-CISG working party meetings or other actions on behalf of the Group. These are normally limited to travel expenses as hosting venues normally charge no or nominal fees and members provide their time voluntarily.
Administration: General administrative support is provided by UCISA and is not costed explicitly in this plan. Administrative support for specific purposes such as conferences and workshops is included in the costing for each event through a per user levy.
3.3 Risk
The maximum financial risk incurred is limited to the up-front financing of an event that might not realise the projected income or cancellation charges for an event that does not run. The largest such event is the annual UCISA-CISG conference that has a budget of approximately £125,000. Of this, approximately £15,000 is fixed cost committed independently of the corresponding income.
Individual workshops and other events normally have budgets of less than £10,000 total, with fixed cost committed of less than £3,000 and are not coincident with the annual conference. The maximum uncontrolled exposure at any time is therefore approximately £25,000. During the next financial year, the Group anticipates a balanced budget with potential for a modest surplus after re-investment in group activities.
UCISA CISG
November 2009
