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Understanding Costs

NOTE: The information on this page is for FY20 and FY21.  For the most current SBU financial data, visit the Budget, Financial Planning and Analysis website.

Venn diagram showing the distribution of expenses  at SBU.  Included in Financial Statement & Total Operating Expenses: Hospital, Veterans' Home, Academic & Support, Research, SBF SUpport, SBF Agency, Faculty Student Association  Under Total Operating Expenses only:  Clinical Practices  Under Financial Statement only: State Funded Fringe Benefits and State Funded Debt Service  Key reads: Health Care Operating Budget: FY20: $2,473M  FY21: $2,551M. Academic & Research Operating Budget: FY20: $984M including $1.9M Saved to Reserves, FY21: $977M. Faculty Student Association (FSA), Stony Brook Foundation (SBF), and SBF Agency Reported as three separate entities. State Funded Expenses  Reported but not included in operating budget  Footnote reads: Note: Stony Brook Medicine (Hospitals, Clinic, Health Sciences Schools) is considered a Marketing Entity, not a legal Financial Entity. No financial reporting is conducted.

Stony Brook University is a large and complex organization composed of multiple parts. The graph above is our best attempt to simplify and clarify accounting and financial requirements that can be somewhat difficult to understand. This geographic chart shows the financial statements vs. operating budget in terms of Stony Brook’s costs. This graph shows SBU’s costs  in FY20 and FY21 (bolded).

Left chart: Pie chart showing Stony Brook's 2019/20 $3.5 Billion Operating Actual Expense by Division & Expense Type   Hospital: $1,813.9M Clinical Practice: $594.7M Veterans' Home: $64.2M Academic & Support: $704.0M Research: $188.1M SBF Agency Funds: $18.9M Stony Brook Foundation: $41.1M Faculty Student Association (FSA): $29.8M Saved to Reserves: $1.9M, Right chart: Pie chart showing Stony Brook's 2020/21 $3.5 Billion Operating Budget by Division & Expense Type   Hospital: $1,844.4M Clinical Practice: $643.0M Veterans' Home: $63.3M Academic & Support: $683.3M Research: $206.0M SBF Agency Funds: $18.9M Stony Brook Foundation: $41.1M Faculty Student Association (FSA): $27.4M.

These charts compare the breakdown of costs across the entire organization by division between the actual costs during the 2019/20 financial year and the budgeted expenses for 2020/21.

Left chart: Pie chart showing Stony Brook's 2019/20 $3.5 Billion Operating Actual Expense by Division & Expense Type   Hospital: $1,813.9M Clinical Practice: $594.7M Veterans' Home: $64.2M Academic & Support: $704.0M Research: $188.1M SBF Agency Funds: $18.9M Stony Brook Foundation: $41.1M Faculty Student Association (FSA): $29.8M Saved to Reserves: $1.9M, Right chart: Pie chart showing Stony Brook's 2020/21 $3.5 Billion Operating Budget by Division & Expense Type   Hospital: $1,844.4M Clinical Practice: $643.0M Veterans' Home: $63.3M Academic & Support: $683.3M Research: $206.0M SBF Agency Funds: $18.9M Stony Brook Foundation: $41.1M Faculty Student Association (FSA): $27.4M.

These charts show the breakdown of costs across the entire organization by expense. Salary and Wages accounts for the majority at 57%. The category Other accounts for 11% of the FY21 Operating Budget that includes, but is not limited to: license fees, mail and messenger services, printing and graphics, advertising and promotional expenses, general and administrative expenses, and telephone expenses.

The following three sections show the breakdown of costs by division in the academic and research operations, including breakouts of the Stony Brook Foundation Support and University Administration. The largest area is Academic Affairs, followed by Research and Health Sciences/School of Medicine.Left chart: Stony Brook's 2019/2020 $984 Million Academic & Research Actual Operating Expense By Division.  SBF Agency Funds: $18.9M Research: $188.1M Provost/Academic Affairs: $232.7M Health Sciences & School of Medicine: $136.3M University Administration: $165.7M Information Technology: $29.5M Student Affairs: $22.6M Athletics: $26.6M Other: $7.5M Campus Residences: $83.3M Stony Brook Foundation: $41.1M Faculty Student Association (FSA): $29.8M Saved to Reserves: $1.9M. Right chart: Stony Brook's 2020/2021 $977 Million Academic & Research Operating Budget By Division.  SBF Agency Funds: $18.9M Research: $206.0M Provost/Academic Affairs: $219.5M Health Sciences & School of Medicine: $134.6M University Administration: $171.4M Information Technology: $30.9M Student Affairs: $25.5M Athletics: $23.7M Other: $3.9M Campus Residences : $73.8M Stony Brook Foundation: $41.1M Faculty Student Association (FSA): $27.4M.

We anticipated operating expenses outpacing revenue in this fiscal year. As a result, we do not expect to set aside funds to our reserves as we were able to do last year.

Both charts (FY20 and FY 21) show a breakdown of the $41.0 Million Stony Brook Foundation Support as follows:  Provost: $21.3M, Advancement: $8.6M, Stony Brook Medicine: $7.0M, Other: $2.7M, Student Affairs & University-Wide: $1.4M.

Stony Brook Foundation support is budgeted at the same level as in prior years. Annually, the SBF provides $41.1 million of support to the operating budget through various arrangements. The SBF support reflected above includes external philanthropic support but does not include the $18.9 million we have categorized as SBF Agency funds elsewhere. “Agency Funds” represent pass-through funds owned by the university and invested by the Stony Brook Foundation on SBU’s behalf.

Left chart: Pie chart showing a breakdown of the $165.7 Million University Administration expense in 2019/20  Student Aid: $54.7M Facilities, Operations, & Safety: $40.6M Utilities: $34.1M Finance, HR, & Procurement: $8.7M Research & Economic Development: $5.1M University Advancement: $6.0M Strategic Initiatives, Events & Institutional Research: $6.9M Government & Community Relations, Communication, & Employee Support: $3.8M University Administration, Diversity & Legal Compliance: $5.9M. Right chart: Pie chart showing a breakdown of the $165.7 Million University Administration expense in 2020/21  Student Aid: $62.8M Facilities, Operations, & Safety: $35.5M Utilities: $33.8M Finance, HR, & Procurement: $8.6M Research & Economic Development: $7.4M University Advancement: $4.8M Strategic Initiatives, Events & Institutional Research: $8.5M Government & Community Relations, Communication, & Employee Support: $3.4M University Administration, Diversity & Legal Compliance: $6.6M

The University Administration category includes much of the general operating costs for the university as a whole, for example in 2020/21, $33.8 million for Utilities and $35.5 million for Facilities, Operations & Safety. University Administration, Diversity and Legal Compliance represent 3.9 % ($6.6 million) of the $171.4 million anticipated expenses. Due to an anticipated change in the mix of resident and nonresident (international) students, an additional $8.1 million (3.7%) of student aid is budgeted for FY21 compared to $54.7 million in FY20 actuals.

 

Left chart: Pie chart showing Stony Brook's 2019/20 $984 Million Academic & Research Actual Operating Expense by Expense Type  Salary & Wages: $622.5M Contractual Services: $85.6M Student Aid: $77.5M Debt Services: $33.1M Supplies: $36.2M Other: $47.4M Utilities: $41.6M Equipment Expense: $27.0M Travel: $10.6M Saved to Central Funds: $1.9M. Right Chart: Pie chart showing Stony Brook's 2020/21 $977 Million Academic & Research Operating Budget by Expense Type  Salary & Wages: $634.3M Contractual Services: $82.1M Student Aid: $80.7M Debt Services: $9.2M Supplies: $47.5M Other: $39.5M Utilities: $41.6M Equipment Expense: $25.9M Travel: $11.2M.

 

This chart shows academic and research operations by expense. Salary & Wages account for 65% of the FY21 budget, followed by Contractual Services (8.4%) and Student Aid (8.3%), comparable to the same actual expenses in FY20. 

As noted above, we anticipated operating expenses outpacing revenue in this fiscal year. As a result, we do not expect to set aside funds to our reserves as we were able to do last year.

 

Left Chart: Pie chart showing Stony Brook's 2019/20 $2.5 Billion Hospital and Clinical Practices Actual Operating Expense by Expense Type  Salary & Wages: $1,350.6M Clinical Practice Supplies: $384.1M Contractual Services: $329.4M Lease Expense: $22.9M Equipment: $19.4M Utilities: $24.9M Other: $341.6M. Right Chart: Pie chart showing Stony Brook's 2020/21 $2.6 Billion Hospital and Clinical Practices Operating Budget by Expense Type  Salary & Wages: $1,385.6M Clinical Practice Supplies: $542.8M Contractual Services: $246.5M Lease Expense: $12.8M Equipment: $5.9M Utilities: $30.1M Other: $327.0M.

This chart shows hospital and clinic practice operations by expense.  Salary & Wages account for 54.3% of the FY21 budget, followed by Clinical Practice Supplies (21.3%) and Contractual Services (9.7%).

 

Note: Data has been updated as of May 28, 2021.

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