URPA5329 Financial Management in the Public and Non-profit Sectors

Location LS 121 Day and Time Thursday 7:00 - 9:50 pm Instructor Qiushi Wang E-mail [email protected] Office UH527 Office Hours Monday, Thursday 2:00 -5:00 pm Office Phone 817-272-3338

Description of Course Content: Financial management is one of the basic functions of all public and nonprofit organizations. Competency in financial management precedes competency in management. Without good financial management, even the best-run organization will not survive. As such, the set of skills and competencies required to manage financial resources effectively are some of the most important skills that you will learn during your graduate studies.

Student Learning Outcomes: Owing to the importance of financial management in public organizations, SUPA has placed a large emphasis on this course. It is my hope that this course will strengthen and develop the following knowledge, skills and abilities:

 Knowledge of the basics of financial accounting  Financial statement analysis skills  Financial condition analysis skills  Cost accounting skills  Knowledge of control functions (e.g., purchasing control, inventory control)  Knowledge and application of the time value of money  Knowledge of cash management techniques and instruments  Municipal bond markets and financial intermediation  Municipal bond valuation  Investment analysis techniques  Investment management

Required Textbook and Other Course Materials: Finkler, Steven A. (2010). Financial Management For Public, Health, and Non-Profit Organizations (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. ISBN 01306070736. This book provides a good basic coverage of the issues and tools of financial management. It will serve you well in class and as a future reference. Additional readings will be posted to the course web site. In addition, there will be extensive use of problem solving in class. You should always bring a calculator (preferably a financial calculator) to class.

1 Prerequisite: None

Problems Sets and Final Exam: Your performance will be evaluated through four problem sets and a final exam. The problems sets will cover the course contents and provide you with an opportunity to familiarize you with important financial concepts and calculate frequently used financial problems by yourself. Group discussion is allowed, but each student must submit an individual copy for grade. The final exam will be comprehensive. No group work is allowed for the final exam.

Grading Policy: Each problem set will be worth 10 percent, and the final exam will be worth 50 percent of the points in the class. The remaining 10 percent of points will be awarded for class participation. Grades will be assigned on a percentage basis. The instructor reserves the right to curve the final grades. The percentages that correspond to each grade are listed below.

A 93% A- 90% B+ 87% B 83% B- 80% C+ 77% C 73% C- 70% D+ 67% D 63% D- 60% F <60%

Course Calendar: The following is a tentative course calendar. Please come prepared for class so that we can proceed smartly through the material. The calendar is subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances. Readings marked with an (F) are from the Finkler’s book; those marked with an (W) will be available on the course web site.

Date Reading Assignment Lecture Content Aug. 27 Preface & Chapter 1 (F) Introduction & Background Sept. 3 Chapter 9 (F) Financial Accounting I: Balance Sheet Sept. 10 Chapter 10 (F) Financial Accounting II: Income Statement and Statement of Cash Flows Sept. 17 Chapter 14 (F); Financial Ratios Financial Statement Analysis (Problem Handout (W) Set 1 Handed Out) Sept. 24 No Class Instructor Out of Town for Conference Oct. 1 Chapter 15 (F); Honadle & Lloyd- Financial Condition Analysis (Problem

2 Jones (W) Set 1 Due) Oct. 8 Chapter 4, pp. 126 – 144 (F) Introduction to Cost Accounting; Cost Behaviors; Break-Even Analysis (Problem Set 2 Handed Out) Oct. 15 Chapter 4 (F) Break-Even Analysis; Price Setting; Cost Allocation Oct. 22 Chapter 8 (F) Accountability & Control (Problem Set 2 Due) Oct. 29 Chapter 5 (F); pp. 175 - 209; Time Value of Money (Problem Set 3 Appendices 5 – A & 5 – B Handed Out) Nov. 5 Brealey, Myers & Marcus (W) Risk and Return Nov. 12 Chapter 7 (F); Livingston (W) Cash Management (Problem Set 3 Due) Nov. 19 Baker, Logue, & Rader (W); Pension Fund Management; Capital Chapter 5, pp. 171 – 174 (F); Management (Problem Set 4 Handed Out) Nov. 26 No Class Thanksgiving Holidays Dec. 3 Kriz & Kiedrowski (W); Chapter 6 Debt Management; Bond Valuation (F) (Problem Set 4 Due) Dec. 10 Final Exam

Drop Policy: Students may drop or swap (adding and dropping a class concurrently) classes through self-service in MyMav from the beginning of the registration period through the late registration period. After the late registration period, students must see their academic advisor to drop a class or withdraw. Undeclared students must see an advisor in the University Advising Center. Drops can continue through a point two-thirds of the way through the term or session. It is the student's responsibility to officially withdraw if they do not plan to attend after registering. Students will not be automatically dropped for non-attendance. Repayment of certain types of financial aid administered through the University may be required as the result of dropping classes or withdrawing. Contact the Financial Aid Office for more information.

Americans with Disabilities Act: The University of Texas at Arlington is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of all federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). All instructors at UT Arlington are required by law to provide "reasonable accommodations" to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of that disability. Any student requiring an accommodation for this course must provide the instructor with official documentation in the form of a letter certified by the staff in the Office for Students with Disabilities, University Hall 102. Only those students who have officially documented a need for an accommodation will have their request honored. Information regarding diagnostic criteria and policies for obtaining disability-based academic accommodations can be found at www.uta.edu/disability or by calling the Office for Students with Disabilities at (817) 272-3364.

3 Academic Integrity: It is the philosophy of The University of Texas at Arlington that academic dishonesty is a completely unacceptable mode of conduct and will not be tolerated in any form. All persons involved in academic dishonesty will be disciplined in accordance with University regulations and procedures. Discipline may include suspension or expulsion from the University. According to the UT System Regents’ Rule 50101, §2.2, "Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts."

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