The Department was fully set up in 1979 by the first Bursar Mr. P.O. Omoregie whose tenure was from 1979 to 1987. In response to emerging technologies and the share inability to cope otherwise, the salary and budget processes have been partially computerised. The computerisation of the Cash Book, the Staff Loans, Advances and the General Ledger has taken off boldly in line with the Uniform Accounting System for Nigerian Universities. The NUC supported the efforts of the university with hardware and software for the implementation of the system. The department has therefore met the need of the university in several areas including the production of final accounts beginning 1997.

II. THE MISSION STATEMENT OF THE BURSARY DEPARTMENT

The mission of the bursary department is to serve as a tool of:

* the University Governing Council, in the conduct of its tasks as encoded in section 5 (1) of the University of Jos Act which states "Subject to the provision of this Act relating to the visitor, the council shall be the governing body of the university and shall be charged with the general control and superintendence of the policy, finances and property of the university including its public relations".

* the University Administration in its day-to-day management of the affairs of the university as encoded in section 5 (3) schedule 1, of the University of Jos Act which states "There shall be a Bursar, who shall be the Chief Financial Officer of the university and shall be responsible to the Vice Chancellor for the day-to-day administration and control of the financial affairs of the university".

III. THE BURSARY DEPARTMENT TODAY

The Bursary is the most sensitive service department in the university particularly so in the present era of inadequate funding and low staff morale. It is entrusted with the responsibilities of sourcing , care and control of funds and the rendering of accounts to the funding agencies. The department is divided into three Divisions:

* The Bursar’s Office is the heart of the bursary and is responsible for the effective coordination of all financial functions in the university. It is comprised of the Bursar’s Office, the Bursary Registry, the Bursary Secretarial Services, the Insurance Unit and the Fixed Assets Unit.

* Treasury Services and Accounts Division is headed by a Deputy Bursar and is in charge of Cash Office, Students Accounts, Salaries, Loans, Advances and Final Accounts.

* Finance Division also headed by a Deputy Bursar handles matters related to Revenue Mobilisation, Estimates and Budgets, Expenditure Control and the Central Stores.

The Bursary has seven highly qualified professional accountants, with postgraduate degrees such as the M.B.A., LL.M. and Ph.D. in relevant areas. It is one of the best staffed university bursaries in the country with a vibrant staff training programme. No case of fraud or misappropriation has been recorded in the past ten years, as a result of its adherence to strong internal controls.

The main weakness of the bursary is the poor attitude to work of some of its staff. This is due to the civil service mentality, the poor salary and general condition of service, resulting in low morale. In addition, some staff of the bursary and indeed the rest of the university see the bursary’s role primarily as that of record keeping and this perspective of the bursary has to change during this strategic planning period.

The vision of the bursary department is to provide effective and efficient service to the rest of the university, in support of the search for excellence, by providing services in the following areas:

* Finance - in liaison with the Vice-Chancellor’s Office providing information on how to source for funds and how to deploy same, in the most efficient way, in line with the overall objective of the university; this will be effected through sound budgetary and internal control processes.

* Keeping adequate records of all financial transactions using Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and preserving evidence of such transactions to authenticate and prove the records, creating simultaneously, a financial data base from where various management information on finance and accounts can be extracted.

BS = Bursary Strategy

BS 3.1 Mount periodic workshops to enlighten the university community about the role, processes and problems of the bursary.

BS 4.1 In liaison with MIS intensify the training of staff in the use of computers.

BS 4.2 Foster the training and retraining of staff through sponsorship for degree, diploma and certificate courses as well as attendance of seminars and professional conferences.

BS 4.3 Support the attendance of professional staff at one local conference annually.

BS 4.4 Provide professional society and journal allowances for relevant bursary staff.

BS 4.5 Encourage the provision of merit awards for recognition of excellence in the performance of duty and support the administration of sanctions for unsatisfactory performance.

BS 4.6 Expose staff to new techniques and practices through sabbatical opportunities.

BS 4.7 Improve remuneration in order to retain and attract high calibre professionals.

BS 4.8 Introduce a risk and hazard allowance for all finance staff, as provided in banks and other financial establishments.

BS 4.9 Introduce overtime allowances for all deserving senior staff.

BS 5.1 Restructure and reorganise the Central Stores to provide cheap and effective service to the university by making bulk annual orders directly from manufacturers thus eliminating the middle men.

BS 5.2 Reduce the expenditure on examination materials through the use of the services of the University Press at officially discounted rates.

BS 5.3 Downsize the bursary while pursuing increased computerisation, through the redeployment of staff to the Internal Audit Department.

BS 5.4 Foster the development and use of a funding model for the internal allocation of resources to departments and faculties, based on NUC norms.

Goal 6: Increased provision and use of information technology

BS 6.1 Fully computerise all bursary operations for effective and efficient delivery of services.

 

Goal 7: Decentralisation and Transparency in Administration

BS 7.1 Foster the installation of a collegiate system and support the colleges through the establishment and staffing of college finance offices.

BS 8.1 Liaise with the office of revenue generation in the Vice Chancellor’s Office, to increase the revenue generating performance of the university.

BS 8.2 Support the creation of a Commercial University Fuel Station and a Community Bank at the Naraguta Campus as well as the building of shopping complexes and lock-up stores on the the various campuses, for commercial purposes.

BS 8.3 Assist the university secure more financial and management independence from government.

BS 8.4 Foster the standardisation of departmental fees and their collection, centrally, at the bursary.

1998 to 1999:

Commence installation of the collegiate system and the deployment of college finance officers.

Foster the standardisation of departmental fees and their central payment in the bursary.

In liaison with MIS intensify the training of bursary staff in the use of computers.

Complete computerisation of final accounts and salaries.

Commence computerisation of budget estimates, expenditure control, student account and cash office.

Support the building of a commercial fuel station at the Naraguta Campus.

Complete computerisation of budget estimates, expenditure control, student account and cash office.

Commence computerisation of Loans, Advances and Insurance.

Commence computerisation of Fixed Assets and Stores.

Conclude computerisation of the bursary registry and all other units.

Back to Contents Page - Click Here