Income Taxes, continued
Service granting exemption from federal income taxation pursuant to the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3).
The University's policy is that restrictions on assets cannot be fulfilled by the expenditure of unrestricted funds for similar purposes. The determination on whether restricted or unrestricted funds are expended for a particular purpose is made on a case-by-case basis. Restricted funds remain restricted until spent for the intended purpose.
The University defines operating activities, as reported on the statement of revenues, expenses and changes in net position, as those that generally result from exchange transactions, such as payments received for providing goods and services and payments made for services and goods received. Nearly all of the University's expenses are from exchange transactions. Certain significant revenues relied upon for operations, such as state and certain federal appropriations, gifts and investment income, are recorded as non-operating revenues, in accordance with GASB Statement No. 35.
Financial aid to students is reported in the financial statements under the alternative method as prescribed by the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO). Certain aid, such as loans and funds provided to students awarded by third parties, is accounted for as third party payments (credited to the student's account as if the student made the payment). All other aid is reflected in the financial statements as operating expenses, or scholarship allowances, which reduce revenues. The amount reported as operating expenses represents the portion of aid that was provided to the student in the form of cash. Scholarship allowances represent the portion of aid provided to the student in the form of reduced tuition. Under the alternative method, these amounts are computed by allocating the cash payments to students, excluding payments for services, on the ratio of total aid to the aid not considered to be third party aid.
Per GASB Statement No. 24, pass-through grants should be reported as revenues and expenses in the financial statements if that entity has any administrative or direct financial involvement in the program. An entity has administrative involvement if it determines eligible secondary recipients or projects, even if using grantor-established criteria. Therefore, Pell Grants are considered non-exchange transactions and are recorded as non-operating revenues in the accompanying financial statements.