Years Ended September 30, 2017 and 2016
Note 15 – Recently Issued Pronouncements
The GASB issued Statement No. 74, Financial Reporting for Postemployment Benefit Plans Other Than Pension Plans (“GASB 74”), in June 2015. The objective of this statement is to improve the usefulness of information about postemployment benefits other than pensions (other postemployment benefits or “OPEB”) included in the general purpose external financial reports of state and local governmental OPEB plans for making decisions and assessing accountability. This statement is effective for financial statements for fiscal years beginning after June 15, 2016. The University has determined there was no impact from the adoption of GASB 74.
The GASB issued Statement No. 75, Accounting and Financial Reporting for Postemployement Benefits Other Than Pensions, (“GASB 75”), in June 2015. The objective of this statement is to improve accounting and financial reporting by state and local governments for OPEB. This statement is effective for fiscal years beginning after June 15, 2017. The University is currently evaluating the impact that GASB 75 will have on its financial statements, but notes that the adoption of this standard will likely result in the recognition of a material liability and a corresponding material reduction of the University’s unrestricted net position.
The GASB issued Statement No. 80, Blending Requirements for Certain Component Units - an amendment of GASB Statement No. 14 (“GASB 80”), in January 2016. The objective of this statement is to improve financial reporting by clarifying the financial statement presentation requirements for certain component units. This statement amends the blending requirements established in paragraph 53 of Statement No. 14, The Financial Reporting Entity, as amended. This statement is effective for financial statements for reporting periods beginning after June 15, 2016. The University has determined that there was no material impact from its adoption of GASB 80.
The GASB issued Statement No. 81, Irrevocable Split-Interest Agreements, in March 2016. The objective of this Statement is to improve accounting and financial reporting for irrevocable split-interest agreements by providing recognition and measurement guidance for situations in which a government is a beneficiary of the agreement. This statement is effective for financial statements for periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and should be applied retroactively. The University is evaluating whether there will be any material impact from its adoption of GASB 81.
The GASB issued Statement No. 82, Pension Issues—an amendment of GASB Statements No. 67, No. 68, and No. 73, in March 2016. The objective of this Statement is to address certain issues that have been raised with respect to Statements No. 67, Financial Reporting for Pension Plans, No. 68, Accounting and Financial Reporting for Pensions, and No. 73, Accounting and Financial Reporting for Pensions and Related Assets That Are Not within the Scope of GASB Statement 68, and Amendments to Certain Provisions of GASB Statements 67 and 68. Specifically, this Statement addresses issues regarding (1) the presentation of payroll-related measures in required supplementary information, (2) the selection of assumptions and the treatment of deviations from the guidance in an Actuarial Standard of Practice for financial reporting purposes, and (3) the classification of payments made by employers to satisfy employee (plan member) contribution requirements. This statement is effective for reporting periods beginning after June 15, 2016, except for the requirements of this Statement for the selection of assumptions in a circumstance in which an employer’s pension liability is measured as of a date other than the employer’s most recent fiscal year-end. In that circumstance, the requirements for the selection of assumptions are effective for that employer in the first reporting period in which the measurement date of the pension liability is on or after June 15, 2017. The University determined that there was no material impact from its adoption of GASB 82.
The GASB issued Statement No. 83, Certain Asset Retirement Obligations, in November 2016. This Statement addresses accounting and financial reporting for certain asset retirement obligations (AROs). This statement is effective for reporting periods beginning after June 15, 2018. The University is evaluating whether there will be any material impact from its adoption of GASB 83.
The GASB issued Statement No. 84, Fiduciary Activities, in January 2017. The objective of this Statement is to improve guidance regarding the identification of fiduciary activities for accounting and financial reporting purposes and how those activities should be reported. This statement is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018. The University is evaluating whether there will be any material impact from its adoption of GASB 84.
The GASB issued Statement No. 85, Omnibus 2017, in March 2017. The objective of this Statement is to address practice issues that have been identified during implementation and application of certain GASB Statements. This Statement addresses a variety of topics including issues related to blending component units, goodwill, fair value measurement and application, and postemployment benefits (pensions and other postemployment benefits [OPEB]). This statement is effective for reporting periods beginning after June 15, 2017. The University is evaluating whether there will be any material impact from its adoption of GASB 85.
The GASB issued Statement No. 86, Certain Debt Extinguishment Issues, in May 2017. The primary objective of this Statement is to improve consistency in accounting and financial reporting for in-substance defeasance of debt by providing guidance for transactions in which cash and other monetary assets acquired with only existing resources—resources other than the proceeds of refunding debt—are placed in an irrevocable trust for the sole purpose of extinguishing debt. This Statement also improves accounting and financial reporting for prepaid insurance on debt that is extinguished and notes to financial statements for debt that is defeased in substance. This statement is effective for reporting periods beginning after June 15, 2017. The University is evaluating whether there will be any material impact from its adoption of GASB 86.
The GASB issued Statement No. 87, Leases, in June 2017. The objective of this Statement is to better meet the information needs of financial statement users by improving accounting and financial reporting for leases by governments. This statement is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019. The University is evaluating whether there will be any material impact from its adoption of GASB 87.