Answer all questions
AIP 7.12 Budgets and Cost Centers LO 1, 2, 3 Western State University publishes and distributes over 100,000 copies of its Official Bulletin on Undergraduate Studies to prospective students, high-school guidance counselors, faculty and staff of the university, and other interested parties. This 250- page catalogue with four-color pictures and state-of-the art graphics is one of the primary marketing devices for the university's undergraduate programs. The catalogue is also available online, but the hardcopy version continues to be distributed widely as the public relations department considers it to be more effective in reaching its target 330 audience, especially parents. Students completing high school who express interest in attending the university receive the Bulletin, along with other information about the university. It lists the various programs of studies, course offerings, and requirements. Each year, it is revised and reprinted as courses and programs change and the photographs are updated, to improve its use as a recruiting tool. The annual cost of preparing and printing the Bulletin is about $1 million, which includes the cost of photographers, non-university graphic designers, typesetting, and printing. This figure excludes the cost of university employees who rewrite the text, proofread the galleys, and manage the entire process. The admissions office and the public relations department share the responsibility of pre paring the catalogue. The admissions office co-ordinates the collection of the basic data on course and program changes. Many of these are not known until June, after the various faculties have met and approved academic program and course changes. These changes are edited and the overall content of the publication is determined based on the admissions office's experience with high school applicants. Admissions then sends a draft copy of the brochure to the public relations department. Public relations is responsible for the overall image and publicity of the university and for ensuring that university publications present a consistent image. Public relations, using outside graphic designers, marketing specialists, typesetters, and printers whom it has come to know, take the changes and produce an attractive, high-quality catalogue. The admissions office reports to the Dean of the Undergraduate College, who reports to the Vice-Chancellor. The public relations department reports to the Director of External Affairs, who reports to the Vice-Chancellor. The admissions office affects the cost of the brochure in terms of the quantity of text to be included and how many Bulletins must be ordered to satisfy its distribution plan. Public relations affects the cost by using more color photographs, more expensive paper and cover materials, and elaborate layouts. Both the admissions and public relations departments affect the cost by not meeting timely production schedules. If copy is returned late or the design is not completed on time, additional charges are incurred by typesetters and printers working overtime to meet the publication schedule. It is critically important to the admissions process that the Bulletin be available for distribution in late autumn to high school students beginning their university search process. The admissions and public relations departments are both cost centers. They have been arguing over whether the cost of the Bulletin should be in the admissions office budget or the public relations department budget. a. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of placing the budget for the Bulletin into the public relations versus the admissions office budget. b. What are some alternative ways of handling the Bulletin's budget? c. Based on your analysis, what recommendation would you make? AIP 7.12 Budgets and Cost Centers LO 1, 2, 3 Western State University publishes and distributes over 100,000 copies of its Official Bulletin on Undergraduate Studies to prospective students, high-school guidance counselors, faculty and staff of the university, and other interested parties. This 250- page catalogue with four-color pictures and state-of-the art graphics is one of the primary marketing devices for the university's undergraduate programs. The catalogue is also available online, but the hardcopy version continues to be distributed widely as the public relations department considers it to be more effective in reaching its target 330 audience, especially parents. Students completing high school who express interest in attending the university receive the Bulletin, along with other information about the university. It lists the various programs of studies, course offerings, and requirements. Each year, it is revised and reprinted as courses and programs change and the photographs are updated, to improve its use as a recruiting tool. The annual cost of preparing and printing the Bulletin is about $1 million, which includes the cost of photographers, non-university graphic designers, typesetting, and printing. This figure excludes the cost of university employees who rewrite the text, proofread the galleys, and manage the entire process. The admissions office and the public relations department share the responsibility of pre paring the catalogue. The admissions office co-ordinates the collection of the basic data on course and program changes. Many of these are not known until June, after the various faculties have met and approved academic program and course changes. These changes are edited and the overall content of the publication is determined based on the admissions office's experience with high school applicants. Admissions then sends a draft copy of the brochure to the public relations department. Public relations is responsible for the overall image and publicity of the university and for ensuring that university publications present a consistent image. Public relations, using outside graphic designers, marketing specialists, typesetters, and printers whom it has come to know, take the changes and produce an attractive, high-quality catalogue. The admissions office reports to the Dean of the Undergraduate College, who reports to the Vice-Chancellor. The public relations department reports to the Director of External Affairs, who reports to the Vice-Chancellor. The admissions office affects the cost of the brochure in terms of the quantity of text to be included and how many Bulletins must be ordered to satisfy its distribution plan. Public relations affects the cost by using more color photographs, more expensive paper and cover materials, and elaborate layouts. Both the admissions and public relations departments affect the cost by not meeting timely production schedules. If copy is returned late or the design is not completed on time, additional charges are incurred by typesetters and printers working overtime to meet the publication schedule. It is critically important to the admissions process that the Bulletin be available for distribution in late autumn to high school students beginning their university search process. The admissions and public relations departments are both cost centers. They have been arguing over whether the cost of the Bulletin should be in the admissions office budget or the public relations department budget. a. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of placing the budget for the Bulletin into the public relations versus the admissions office budget. b. What are some alternative ways of handling the Bulletin's budget? c. Based on your analysis, what recommendation would you make
