Financial Pillars
As USask continues to advance its institutional priorities in a dynamic and evolving environment, the Strategic Finance Office remains committed to providing the financial leadership, stewardship, and operational excellence needed to support long-term success.
The Strategic Finance Office's priorities are guided by the four pillars referred in practice as the CFO responsibility quadrants:
Strategist
Change Leader
Driving innovation, continuous improvement, and organizational transformation to meet emerging opportunities and challenges.
Steward
Promoting accountability, transparency, risk management, and responsible stewardship of university resources.
Operator
Delivering efficient, reliable, and high-quality financial services and processes that support the university community.
Together, these four pillars provide the foundation for the Strategic Finance Office's 2026-27 strategic goals, ensuring the university remains financially resilient, operationally effective, and well-positioned to achieve its mission and strategic aspirations.
2026-27 Financial Strategy
Building on the strong progress achieved in 2025/26, the 2026/27 strategic goals focus on strengthening the university's financial sustainability, enhancing decision-making, and enabling strategic investments that support teaching, research, and discovery.
2026 Bond issuance
Target completion: October 2026
Secure $250 million in 40- or 50- year bond financing to support self-financed student space expansion, critical infrastructure renewal, and initiatives that generate new revenue streams.
Learn more about USask's 2026 bond issuance
UPlan 2035 robust investment strategy
Target completion: April 2027
Develop a comprehensive investment framework to support UPlan 2035 priorities through strategic funding opportunities, faculty cluster hires, research matching support, capital investments, and other targeted initiatives identified through strategic investment proposals.
Responsible investment and pool merger
Target completion: June 2027
Review and align investment pool objectives, merge funds where appropriate to improve efficiency and returns, and enhance transparency around investment governance, sustainability practices, risks, opportunities, and performace reporting.
Capital renewal and deferred maintenance fund strategy
Target completion: June 2027
Working in collaboration with the VP Administration and Government Relations, establish a sustainable long-term funding approach to address deferred maintenance, protect university assets, and support ongoing capital renewal needs.
Stakeholder relations to advance strategies
Target completion: June 2027
Lead and support engagement with key stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff, Indigenous partners, government, donors, and industry, to advance USask priorities and strengthen relationships that support institutional succes.
Faculty cluster investments (over three years) aligned with the vision
Target completion: April 2027
Launch the first year of a three-year investment strategy to support faculty cluster hires aligned with USask's vision and strategic priorities. Annual investments will support up to eight faculty positions, with sustainable transition plans for long-term funding within colleges and schools.
Responsible investment measures, targets, and action plan
Target completion: June 2027
Collaborate with the Investment Committee to establish climate-related investment targets and performance measures through 2035, supported by annual reporting and alignment with USask's sustainability commitments.
Annual financial report peer review and adjustment plan
Target completion: June 2027
Conduct a comprehensive review of peer university annual financial reports and leading higher education sustainability disclosures to identify opportunities for enhanced transparency, reporting, and stakeholder value.
UniForum, ASR, and indirect cost integration
Target completion: April 2027
Integrate UniForum, Administrative Services Review (ASR), and indirect cost data to strengthen evidence-based decision-making, support strategic investments, identify service optimization opportunities, and enhance planning across the institution.
Integrated Services Renewal and Chart of Accounts Design
Target completion: June 2027
Lead the development of a modernized Chart of Accounts that supports consistent reporting, meaningful analytics, and future integration across finance, human resources, and student systems as part of the Integrated Services Renewal program
Central bank and sinking fund strategy
Target completion: June 2027
Develop a centralized cash management and investment approach that optimizes bond proceeds, operating cash flows, and short-, medium-, and long-term investments to enhance investment returns. Establish a sinking fund strategy to support future bond repayment obligations and strengthen long-term financial sustainability.
Shape SHARE-University Network for investor engagement ESG priorities aligned to USask values
Target completion: June 2027
Leverage USask's participation in SHARE-UNIE to advance environmental, social, and governance (ESG) priorities aligned with university values through coordinated shareholder advocacy and engagement with companies held within investment portfolios.
Subsidiaries and key related parties oversight and risk
Target completion: June 2027
Provide strategic oversight and governance support for subsidiaries and key related entities to ensure alignment with USask's objectives, promote effective stewardship, and proactively manage enterprise risks.
Board-engaged risk universe review
Target completion: February 2027
Engage members of the Board of Governors in a comprehensive review of the university's risk universe to validate institution-level risks, strengthen oversight, and support informed risk monitoring and decision-making.
Strategic finance committee and strategic investment fund programs
Target completion: Ongoing throughout 2026/27
Support the Strategic Finance Committee in providing recommendations to the president on strategic financial matters, while overseeing investment programs that advance UPlan 2035 priorities and strengthen the university's long-term financial sustainability.
Financial management and reporting excellence
Target completion: Ongoing throughout 2026/27
Maintain robust financial management, accounting, and reporting practices supported by effective internal controls. Deliver timely monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting to support transparency, accountability, and informed decision-making.
Campus and college financial engagement
Target completion: Ongoing throughout 2026/27
Enhance financial literacy and transparency through campus-wide financial town halls (two per year) and faculty- and unit-specific engagement sessions (minimum one each). Foster open dialogue on the higher education funding environment, USask's financial position, and local budget considerations while creating opportunities for questions and discussion.
SFO team priorities aligned with UPlan 2035
Target completion: Ongoing throughout 2026/27
Align Strategic Finance Office team and individual objectives with UPlan 2035 to ensure day-to-day activities, projects, and performance measures directly support the university's strategic goals and long-term success.
2025-26 Financing Strategy
Strong progress was made against the 2025/26 strategic priorities, with all initiatives completed except one. The final priority has advanced substantially and remains a key focus for completion in the coming year.
- Streamline planning and budgeting into one-step process - COMPLETED
- Launch: Sept. 2025 | Close: Jan. 2026
- Strategic Investment Fund proposals - COMPLETED
- Awards approved: April 2026
- Policy refinement: Investment, Risk, Capital - COMPLETED
- Board approval: June 2026
- Annual Debt Report strategy - COMPLETED
- Board/provincial support: June 2026
- Business case process enhancement - COMPLETED
- Checklist: Oct. 2025 | Template: June 2026
- Internal loan process communication - COMPLETED
- Release: Dec. 2025
- Financial town halls - COMPLETED
- Minimum two per year
- Launch website for financial transparency - COMPLETED
- Updated by Sept. 2025
- Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) re-launch - COMPLETED
- toolkit + survey: July 2025
- Re-defining risk assessment teams - COMPLETED
- committee defined: Oct. 2025
- Advance risk culture through communication and policy - Deferred to 2027
- policy and communications tool launch: Oct.–Dec. 2025
Planning and budget town halls
More information on USask’s Planning and budget town halls, including insights into the university’s approach to financial sustainability.