Upcoming Deadlines
- Monday, 2/9/2026 - Complete Reserve Analysis templates
- Friday, 2/20/2026 - Submit completed and approved Org Tree change requests
- Friday, 2/20/2026 - Submit Course Materials & Services Fee (CMSF) proposals
- Friday, 2/27/2026 - Update SSGPDP fee websites
Federal Updates
Shutdown Information
In anticipation of a potential partial federal shutdown on Friday, January 30, Contracts & Grants Accounting is accelerating billing for eligible federal awards for which costs have already been incurred and are allowable and permissible under the award terms. Based on the most recent communication received by CGA, if it happens, this partial shutdown will affect only the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, Labor, Defense, Transportation, Homeland Security, State, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development. Not impacted are NSF, NASA, NIST, NOAA, Dept of Commerce, DOE, and USDA. These agencies should continue operating as normal. While recent government shutdowns kept federal systems operational, the review and approval process for award-level details in each agency's payment requests will likely delay payments until federal personnel return to work.
To reduce billing lag and mitigate cash-flow risk during potential federal payment disruptions, we ask research administrators and managers to conduct timely reviews of the GL, process error corrections, and closeout forms without delays. Please read Federal Government Shutdowns guidance developed by UC's Office of Research and Innovation (R&I). This webpage provides additional information on actions that campuses and researchers can take to reduce pressures on government-funded research activities across the system, and it will be updated as more information becomes available.
Resources
Please be aware of two resources regarding the evolving federal policy shifts: the UCOP Federal updates page and the UC Berkeley Federal updates page, which will be updated regularly as new information becomes available.
Action Items
Complete Reserve Analysis templates by Monday, February 9
The FY26 Reserve Analysis templates are now available in the divisional folders. To assist divisions with this annual exercise, please review the FY2026-27 Reserve Analysis guidelines located on the Reserve Analysis website. Completed templates are due back to the budget office on February 9, 2026. The Budget and Operations team is offering office hours on January 30 to answer any questions you might have regarding this exercise. Sign up using the Reserve Analysis Office Hours Sign Up Form.
Submit completed and approved Org Tree change requests by Friday, February 20
To submit an Org Change request, please access the Organizational Tree Change Request Portal. For Org Tree changes to be processed in February, please complete your org change request form in the portal as early as possible to allow time for the Org Tree Change Committee to review and route for all required approvals by the February 20 deadline. Please review the Org Tree Change Request Portal Job Aid for more information on how to get started. Contact dfl_concierge@berkeley.edu with questions.
Submit Course Materials and Services Fee (CMSF) proposals by Friday, February 20
The call for proposals for Course Materials and Services Fees (CMSF) for FY2026-27 has been released. The proposal form to establish a new CMSF or to increase an existing CMSF, relevant campus policies, and guidance on completing the form are available on the Course Materials and Services Fees page. Completed proposals must be submitted to studentfees@berkeley.edu by Friday, February 20. Final recommendations and approvals will be made in the spring. Please share this call widely with department leaders in your units. Contact studentfees@berkeley.edu with any questions.
Update SSGPDP fee websites by Friday, February 27
UCOP has notified the campus that School Certifying Officials (SCO), responsible for validating benefits for veterans and military-affiliated students, are facing challenges in this task for students enrolled in Self-Supporting Graduate Professional Degree Programs (SSGPDPs). This difficulty arises because some SSGPDP websites do not provide a transparent breakdown of their fees. Specifically, Veterans Affairs needs to know the fee amount that covers the cost of the educational program alone, as opposed to any additional services (e.g., campus-based fees, student health insurance, and/or student services fees).
Please review and update your SSGPDP program fee webpages to ensure that you clearly distinguish core educational program fees (i.e., tuition) from additional costs by Friday, February 27. As an example, the Berkeley Law LL.M Tuition & Fees page clearly illustrates the distinction between tuition and other fees as required by this new mandate. Please reach out to studentfees@berkeley.edu with any questions.
Informational Updates
Form A Templates will be available in your Divisional Folders in early February
We are developing the Form A templates. Form A helps plan campus support for faculty appointments. The form documents anticipated changes in permanently budgeted state-funded faculty for a division’s Forecast and Operating Budget. Form A templates will be in your Divisional Folders under the FY2026-27 Budget Process folder in early February. Additional details about the templates and the submission deadline will be shared soon.
CalPlanning availability
We anticipate making planning tools CalPlan and HCP unavailable for edits starting Monday, February 9, while we make updates to the system for the budget process. While the planning tools are down, we’ll actualize the Forecast and update central transfers for FY26 and FY27. We will also load updated UCPath HCM data for planners to review and selectively copy to HCP. The CalRptg and HCPRptg reporting applications will continue to be available to run reports and Smart View queries.
Review January’s updated unused airline ticket credits
Please review the January 2026 UC Berkeley Monthly Unused Ticket Report to ensure your unit's travel credits are used before expiration. If an employee has left UC Berkeley, their credits may be eligible for use by other staff. Please contact the UC Travel Center at 310-206-2639 or travel@finance.ucla.edu to learn how to use the applicable credit. Read more in the Unused Airline Ticket Credit Alert (January 2026).
Cal Answers training
The Cal Answers website hosts self-service learning resources, including a complete course on basic navigation, short videos, job aids, wiki documentation, and a list of frequently asked questions. Enrollment is now open for the two-hour instructor-led class that builds on the basic navigation skills covered in the self-study. There are separate courses focusing on financial dashboards and student data dashboards. In the class, a subject matter expert guides a deep dive into the reports and data available in the dashboards and answers specific questions.
CalPlanning and Smart View training
The curriculum uses a blended learning model. Courses begin with self-study using online books divided into chapters supplemented with practice exercises and short videos. Courses culminate with a group session using Zoom in which participants work on case studies in small teams to apply the material covered in the self-study. The self-study materials are available on the website for everyone to use; they can be a helpful resource for those who have already completed the training and are looking for a refresher. Review the CalPlanning training page for schedules, links to enroll, and to access the self-study materials.
Changes to the DFL in your division?
If the DFL role in your division is changing, email fpa@berkeley.edu to ensure our website, communications, and training plans are updated.
DFL Weekly Updates Page
As a reminder, these updates are regularly posted to the DFL Weekly Updates page so you can reference past updates at any time. Additionally, the Operational Deadlines page provides an overview of deliverables by quarter.
Thank you,
Office of the Vice Chancellor of Finance