Background

The history of the Bursar’s Department establishment started as early as the establishment of UPSI in July 1997. En.Yusuf bin Semahil, Deputy Bursar of University Putra Malaysia (Terengganu Branch) on secondment to UPSI had formed the UPSI Bursar’s Department. Later, he was appointed the first Bursar in the UPSI Bursar’s Department. As a pioneer of the Bursar’s Department establishment, he has contributed many things to ensure the smooth running of the initial operation in UPSI.

En. Yusuf had taken the initiative to draft the UPSI Accounting and Financial Regulations which has become the foundation and reference for the accounting and financial management activities in UPSI. It is being used in the UPSI financial management until now.

Apart from drafting the UPSI Accounting and Financial Regulations, his early contribution was to find the suitable computerised accounting system to record and process the Bursar’s Department’s accounting operations. The earliest accounting system used by the Bursary in 1997 was the Integrated Accounting Systems (INTACs) supplied by the NK Systems Sdn. Bhd. This system was extremely handy in assisting the Bursar’s Department operations and it has been updated and upgraded from time to time.

In December 16^th, 1997, Puan Khadijah binti Hamdan had reported for duty as the UPSI Deputy Bursar and her presence in this Department had strengthened the Bursar’s Department operations. She was responsible in helping En. Yusuf in administrating the department. Before being transferred to UPSI, she was the Assistant Bursar in Bursar’s Department, Universiti Putra Malaysia. The experience and knowledge she gained from UPM had been used to organise the smooth running of the overall administration and operation in the Bursar’s Department. En. Yusuf and Pn. Khadijah mostly adepted the procedure, forms, and the working systems practiced in UPM into the UPSI Bursar’s Department because this working systems were proven to be effectively implemented in UPM.

Beginning July 1997, the UPSI Bursar’s Department has made payments for salary, supplies and maintenance works. Consequently, task specialisation and  task distribution have been made from time to time to ensure that the administration and management run smoothly in accordance with the fast pace of UPSI’s development.

Beginning 2005, the Bursar’s Department has been using the UPSI Integrated Management System-Financial Information System (UIMS-FIS) which integrates all the existing management systems, including the financial system, students information system, salary system, and others in one main system.

The Integrated Management System consists of 7 main applications which are:

• Students’ Academic and Record Information System
• Financial Information System
• Management and Human Resource Information System
• Development and Asset Management Information System
• Post Graduate Students Information System
• Community Portal Information System
• Electronic Learning Information System

Financial Information System (UIMS – FIS) is one of the applications in the Integrated Information System and it is the earliest application fully implemented on 2^nd January 2005. It has 11 modules which are:

1. Budgeting
2. Purchasing / Procurement
3. Accounts Payable
4. Accounts Receivable
5. Assets/Inventory Management
6. Store Management
7. General Ledger
8. Cash Management
9. Loan Management
10. Payroll
11. Management Information System (MIS)

It meets the standards set by the Standard Accounting System for Government Agencies (SAGA). This system will meet the following four objectives:

1. Providing maintenance facilities for updated full set of accounts.
2. Enabling accounts to be closed daily.
3. Providing better accounting and financial management facilities.
4. Preparing pre-audit financial reports on time.

Currently, Bursar’s Department is administered by the Bursar, Pn. Khadijah bt. Hamdan and assisted by two Deputy Bursars, 8 Assistant Bursars and 42 supporting staff. There are 8 units based on specified fields which are:

1. Administration, Finance and Quality Unit
2. Payment Unit
3. Assets, Stores and Development Unit
4. Payroll, Study Leave and Ticketing Unit
5. Trust Accounts and Loan Unit
6. Procurement and Contract Management Unit
7. Accounts, MIS and Budget Unit
8. Students and Colleges Residential Financial Unit

The reorganizing of the administration structure and the increased number of staff has strengthened the Bursar’s Department management and operation to move forward effectively and exploring new challenges.

In the effort of increasing the automation and electronic working environment, the Bursar’s Department has introduced a lot of online applications to the staff in MyUPSI Portal. This effort has reduced the usage of manpower, time and paper. Among the amenities enjoyed by university’s staff through the portal are:

• Pay Slip and EC Form Details Statement printing facilities
UPSI’s staff can check, print or save the softcopy of their monthly pay slip and yearly EC Statement online.

• Checking the Status of Claim
UPSI staff can check their status of claim in MyUPSI Portal whether the payment made using cheque or electronic transfer

• Application for government loan for computer and vehicles and status of outstanding loan enquiry.
UPSI’s staff can make on-line application for government loan facilities for computer or vehicles and enquire outstanding loan through online. The status for their application can be checked through the MyUPSI portal after the application has been processed by the Bursar’s Department. Staff also can calculate their monthly installment for the computer or vehicles loan in MyUPSI Portal. UPSI’s staff can check the vehicles and computer outstanding loan balance in MyUPSI portal.

• Online Application for Petty Cash Claim
UPSI’s staff should make on-line application for petty cash claim. The status of their application can be checked in MyUPSI portal after the application has been processed by the Bursar’s Department.

• On-line Application for tithes aid
UPSI’s staff and student can make on-line application of tithes aid through MyUPSI Portal.

• Online Application for overtime claim.
Staff should make application for overtime claim via MyUPSI Portal and every claim should include work order from the officer in charge.

• Online travelling claim application
Staff should apply for the travelling and miscellaneous claim via MyUPSI Portal. The status of the claim can be checked in MyUPSI portal after the application is submitted to the Bursar’s Department.

• Online Application for Advance Claim
Staff should made advance claim via MyUPSI Portal. The status of the application can be checked through the portal after the application is submitted to the Bursar’s Department.

The Bursar’s Department will continuously introduce new innovation in financial management through MyUPSI Portal. Bursar’s Department is committed in providing the best services to the clients and to strive hard in improving the quality of services rendered.