In relation to the key Risk Categories defined by OSU - strategic risk, reputational risk, financial risk, compliance risk, operational risk and life safety risk - the Division of Finance and Administration (DFA) has developed DFA Risk Appetite Statements, which are an expression of the amount and type of risk that DFA is willing to accept in pursuit of its objectives. The DFA Risk Appetite Statements are a tool to facilitate the linkage between the University's strategy as executed by DFA, the business functions and plans of DFA, and risk. The DFA Risk Appetite Statements can be used at all levels and for all decisions, as they provide parameters on the amount of risk DFA leadership is willing to accept.

Strategic (S): Events that affect our ability to achieve our strategic goals and objectives.
Advancing inclusive excellence:              DFA has a considerable appetite for proactive integration and advancement of inclusive excellence.
Cultivating innovation, integration and security:   DFA has a considerable appetite for innovative, integrated and secure services and systems that both increase responsiveness and support continuous improvement in support of the university mission. 
Planning proactively:           

DFA has a considerable appetite for proactive forecasting, and planning, before resource allocation decisions.  

Reputational (R): Events that negatively affect public perception and the university's reputation that may lead to a loss of funding, enrollment, donations, and grants.
Advancing our reputation:  DFA has considerable appetite for activities that improve university success and will be viewed as national best practices. 
Protecting our reputation:  DFA seeks to avoid negative press to the university that will question the university’s integrity and credibility. 
 

Financial (F): Events that lead to a loss of resources needed to run operations, serve students, or conduct research.
Balancing cost and loss: DFA has a considerable appetite related to balancing administrative costs and potential losses.
Generating new revenue streams: DFA has a considerable appetite for generating and pursuing new revenue streams.
Avoiding financial crime: DFA seeks to avoid inadvertent and overt fraud, collusion or theft.
Enhancing and protecting external funding: DFA seeks to avoid outcomes that have a significant negative impact on funding from external sources.
 

Compliance (C): Events that violate laws, rules and regulations restricting our ability to conduct business processes, serve students, or conduct research.
Creating policies, guidance and training for compliance: DFA has a considerable appetite to create broad policies supported by guidance and training that reinforce compliance of legal, statutory, regulatory and financial requirements.
Mitigating non-compliance: DFA seeks to avoid actions that may place the university in non-compliance with legal, statutory, regulatory and financial requirements.
 

Operational (O): Events that impact our ability to conduct business processes, serve students, and conduct research.
Conducting due diligence on third party contracts: DFA has a considerable appetite for conducting due diligence on the development, execution and maintenance of third party contracts.
Improving efficiency: DFA has a considerable appetite for improved efficiency of operations.
Providing customer service and meeting commitments: DFA has a considerable appetite for meeting the commitments to and needs of internal and external customers, stakeholders and/or partners.  
Training employees:  DFA seeks to avoid risk arising out of inadequately trained employees.
 

Life Safety (L): Events that lead to injury or loss of life.
Enhancing health, safety and well-being: DFA has considerable appetite for opportunities that enhance health, safety, and well-being.
Protecting our community: DFA seeks to avoid behavior or misconduct threatening the safety, physical and mental health, and well-being of its employees, students or visitors.