The Resource Management Model is intended to support the major guiding principles and goals of the institution. As it is made clear in the strategic plan for Iowa State University, excellence is and will continue to be a core value of the institution. The model is intended to provide incentives for both revenue generation and cost reduction that will ultimately provide the resources necessary to support the mission of the institution. The model must support university leadership's decisions and should be coupled with a planning and decision-making approach that supports the strategic plans of the institution.

The ability to work effectively within this model requires that the concepts and processes be clearly understood. The purpose of this section is to describe those concepts and define the policies, procedures and processes that support the Resource Management Model.