Fiscal Close Certification Letter

Who Must Certify

Campus senior management (Vice Chancellors, Vice Provosts, and Deans) and their Division Finance Leaders are required to complete a Fiscal Close Certification Letter annually.

Each year the University of California prepares financial statements which represent the financial position of the institution. The campuses and the Office of the President provide important financial information for incorporation into the university’s financial statements and annual financial report. In addition to providing information to a variety of users for economic decisions, the statements fulfill an important responsibility of the university to the citizens of California as a State institution.

In common with many other institutes of higher education and other nonprofit entities, the university has adopted best practices relating to documenting management representations assuring the accuracy of its financial statements. As part of the fiscal closing process, the Chancellor, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, Vice Chancellor of Finance and Chief Financial Officer, and Controller sign a campus Fiscal Close Certification Letter that is provided to the Office of the President. This letter certifies that the campus information which is incorporated into the financial statements and report is a fair representation conforming to generally accepted accounting principles.

The decentralized nature of the University of California, Berkeley necessitates that the Chancellor, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, Vice Chancellor of Finance and Chief Financial Officer, and Controller obtain written confirmations from Deans, Division Finance Leaders (DFLs), and other campus senior management regarding their financial responsibilities for the campus information which is incorporated into the annual financial statements. This is accomplished through the Fiscal Close Certification Letter.

The campus Fiscal Close Certification Letter and supporting Deans/DFLs certifications are then used to provide assurance for the assertions made in the overall University of California Management Representation Letter.

Originally issued: 2004

Revised 2005, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2020