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POLICY #13.23 
SUBJECT: Policy Statement for the Utah Shakespeare Festival Regarding Organization, Reporting, and Budget

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this Policy is to create policy for the Utah Shakespeare Festival (hereinafter called the Festival) regarding its organizational structure, the governance boards attendant to the Festival, and the operational and financial procedures for the Festival.

II. REFERENCES

  1. Southern Utah University Policy 13.22 Bylaws of the Utah Shakespeare Festival Board of Governors

III. DEFINITIONS

N/A

IV. POLICY

  1. Organizational Structure
    1. The Festival is a component/unit of the University whose Executive Director reports directly to the President and/or Vice Presidential designee, who reports to the President of the University. The President and/or Vice Presidential designee shall also form ad-hoc working committees to address administrative needs, such as facilities management, maintenance, and the like, which are required for efficient Festival operations. Any other personnel involved with the Festival are in staff or ancillary positions, and, while they are not part of the direct line reporting authority, they are considered to be University employees and as such are expected to adhere to University policies, procedures, and administrative directives.
    2. As with other component/units of the University two (2) governance boards are assigned the authority for final approval of Festival actions, namely the Southern Utah University Board of Trustees (hereinafter called the Trustees) and the Utah State Board of Higher Education (hereinafter called the Board). The Board, as the governing board of Utah’s System of Higher Education, has the ultimate responsibility for determining the practices, procedures, and policies of the University, including the Festival. They have delegated the responsibility for oversight of the Festival to the President of the University and to the Trustees, with the requirement of an annual report to the Board on the status of the Festival. The President may invite the Festival’s leadership to Trustees meetings in which Festival matters are discussed. Any other organizational entities associated with the Festival for the purposes of planning, coordination, advisement, fundraising, or other related ancillary functions are recommending, non-grievance bodies.
    3. As a component/unit of the University, the Festival is subject to all of the policies and regulations which govern the University, and since the University is a creation of the state, the Festival is also subject to all of the laws and regulations the state imposes on its component/units. The Festival must abide by the mandates of the legislature and of the Board and Trustees just as do all other component/units of the University.
  2. Board of Governors
    1. The Utah Shakespeare Festival Board of Governors (hereafter referred to as Governors) is the planning, advancement, and advocacy group of the Festival. It is comprised of the University President and/or Vice Presidential designee, the Executive Director and Artistic Director(s) of the Festival, the Dean of the College of Performing and Visual Arts, and prominent leaders of business, industry, and the arts throughout Utah and the nation. The Governors is an advisory body committed to supporting the ideals, mission, vision, and values of the Festival. The Governors are individuals dedicated to the artistic excellence and long-term fiscal sustainability of the Festival. The Governors enhance Festival programming and activities through oversight, advocacy, and fundraising. The Governors also promote the importance, relevancy, and value of live professional theatre. Policies shall be established for the Governors operation, which shall be approved, by the President and the Trustees. No action of the Governors, however, is binding upon the authority of the President, the Trustees, or the Board.
    2. See Southern Utah University Policy 13.22 (see Section IV.A., Section IV.B., and Section IV.C.).
  3. Development and Fundraising
    1. The Festival recognizes that it is essential to coordinate the development and fundraising of the Festival with the University at large. The Festival's development activities will be in coordination with the Vice President for Advancement and Enrollment Management.
  4. Budget Preparation and Approval
    1. The Festival administration shall be responsible for preparation of the annual Festival budgets. See Southern Utah University Policy 13.22 for budget approval procedures. (See Section IV.E.1.d.)
    2. The initial preparation of the Festival budget is the responsibility of the Executive Director and the Finance Director in consultation with their staff, and with any assistance required from the Governors. The budget is then reviewed and approved by the Governors prior to presentation to the Trustees for their approval.
    3. The budget is referred for recommendations within the direct line reporting authority to the University President and/or Vice Presidential designee.
    4. All reviews, recommendations, and analyses shall be forwarded by the University President and/or Vice Presidential to the President for their consideration. Following approval by the President, the Festival’s Executive Director and Finance Director may be invited to present the proposed budget to the Trustees for their approval. No approval of the budget is required by the Regents; only an annual report is required since the Board has delegated budget authority to the Trustees.
  5. Season Schedule and Ticket Prices
    1. The Festival’s Executive Director and Finance Director shall present the season's schedule, including proposed plays, play dates, and ticket prices, to the Governors for consideration and recommend said schedule to the Trustees, who shall discuss and act upon the proposed season schedule. The Festival administration is responsible for determining season schedules and ticket prices.
  6. Festival Operations
    1. As a matter of practice, the Trustees have, in the past, and intends, in the future, to defer to the Executive Director, decisions relating to operation of the Festival.
  7. Budget Guidelines
    1. The Festival is expected to maintain a balanced budget each year.
    2. The Festival is expected to maintain a reserve fund margin of 18% to 22% of the current yearly operating budget.
    3. Once an 18-22% budget reserve has been achieved, surplus monies beyond the approved budget reserve may be added to a quasi-endowment fund, an endowment fund, or a capital improvement fund with the recommendation of the Governors, the University President and/or Vice-President designee, and Trustee approval. Any budget deficit, created by a condition in which the actual expenditures exceed the actual revenues during any given year, shall automatically accrue to and reduce the operating budget reserve.
    4. The University shall provide no cash support of the Festival other than the line-item budget from the legislature. The University shall provide maintenance and operational costs for the Festival as follows:
      1. rent-free use of the Adams, Auditorium, and Randall Jones Theatres in accordance with the University scheduling policy;
      2. business office operations such as accounting, purchasing, and human resources;
      3. utilities such as heat, air, electricity, and water;
      4. janitorial and groundskeeping services; and
      5. information technology support services.
    5. Any added costs occurring as a result of increased growth or other factors shall be the responsibility of the Festival, unless specifically approved by the Trustees and the Board. The University shall charge the Festival for the following items on a direct cost basis:
      1. extraordinary business office operations for accounting, purchasing, or human resources;
      2. utilities for buildings which are not funded specifically by the legislature;
      3. extraordinary janitorial and groundskeeping services; and
      4. other extraordinary resources not specifically enumerated above.
    6. The University is responsible for deferred maintenance on buildings since they belong to the state of Utah.
    7. All funds of the Festival shall be controlled and managed by the University. In the event the Festival Guild or other fundraising organizations are formed to support the activities of the Festival, the Festival may only receive funds or financial support from such organizations consistent with all state legal requirements and University policies.

V. RELEVANT FORMS/LINKS

VI. QUESTIONS/RESPONSIBLE OFFICE

The responsible office for this Policy is the Office of the President. For questions about this Policy, contact the Executive Director of the Utah Shakespeare Festival.

VII. POLICY ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT DATES

Date Approved: August 18, 1995

Amended: June 3, 1999; March 12, 2009; March 16, 2011