본 연구는 사립대학의 감가상각 제도와 건축적립금 적립 규정과의 관계를 검토하고 문제점에 대한 합리적인 대안을 모색한 것이다.
연구의 결과는 다음과 같다.
첫째, 사립대학의 교육시설 확보의무가 학교법인에 있다는 원칙적인 규정에 대해 교육시설의 확보의무를 등록금회계와 연계시키고 있는 예외 규정이 있으나 예외 사유가 없거나 모호하므로 예외적이고 불가피한 경우에 등록금회계로부터 교육시설 확보 및 대체투자가 가능할 수 있음을 명시하는 규정의 신설이 필요하다.
둘째, 과도한 건축적립금 적립을 규제하고자 그 한도를 감가상각비로 제한한 특례규칙제34조5항은 원래 의도와는 달리 사립대학들로 하여금 감가상각비만큼 건축적립금 적립을허용한 것으로 받아들여지는 부작용이 있어 보완규정 마련과 더불어 동 조항을 폐지하는것이 바람직하다.
셋째, 건축적립금 적립 계획 보고 위반 등에 대한 규제방안이 미흡하므로 과도한 적립금적립에 대해 정부의 재정지원이나 대학평가에 반영하여 이를 규제해야 한다.
넷째, 현행 특례규칙은 토지뿐만 아니라 건물 등의 고정자산에 대해서도 자산재평가를할 수 있도록 규정하고 있으나 감가상각의 기준금액은 취득원가로 하고 있어 자산재평가대상 자산을 토지로 제한하고 감가상각 기준금액이 취득원가임을 명확히 해야 한다.
다섯째, 건축적립금의 적립 및 사용계획 보고의무 규정인 현행 사학기관 재무•회계규칙 제22조의2제1항은 교육부 훈령이 아닌 사립학교법에 규정할 성질이므로 이를 사립학교법 제32조의2에 별도의 조항으로 규정해야 한다.
여섯째, 사립대학에 대한 외부감사를 통해 감가상각비 계상의 적정성 여부 검증의 중요성이 증대되었다. 그동안 사립대학에 대한 외부감사의 실효성에 대해 여러 가지 문제가 제기되어 왔는바, 이 문제는 감사수수료의 일부를 정부가 부담하되 외부감사인의 지정제도를확대하거나 외부감사인에게 일정부분 조사권한을 부여하는 문제 등에 대한 장기적인 검토가 필요하다.
The purpose of this study is: to look into the relations between private universities’ depreciation accounting and regulations on reserve for construction costs; review effectiveness of independent audit of any and all of related private universities; figure out sensible solutions to identified problems; and to provide policy insights.
The findings of this research are summarized as follows: First, the Framework Act on Education’s Article 16 and the Private School Act’s Article 5 stipulate that the duty to ensure private universities’ educational facilities lies in incorporated school in principle, and the Framework Act on Education’s Article 32-2, Paragraph 1 contains a special condition that relates the obligation to ensure educational facilities to tuition accounting but it does not specify the ground for such special condition or looks vague. Therefore, we recommend devising a conditional clause for Article 16, Paragraph 1 of the Higher Education Act or Article 5, Paragraph 1 of the Private School Act, stipulating that ensuring educational facilities and making alternative investment are allowed for tuition accounting, and including detailed applicable cases in corresponding enforcement ordinances.
Second, Article 34, Paragraph 5 of the special regulation sets a cap of reserve for construction costs at the amount of depreciation expense, with a purpose to ban private universities’ excessive accumulation of reserve for construction costs. However, this has brought unintended consequence, making private universities understand that they are allowed to book additional reserve for construction cost as much as their depreciation expense. Because depreciation expense is non-cash cost, it itself enables internal financing, or achieving alternative for fixed assets. Nevertheless, current depreciation accounting for universities is understood as a right to set aside fund at the amount of their depreciation expense, failing to deliver its intended purpose. Therefore, we recommend abolishing the special regulation, Article 34, Paragraph 5 that is considered to define the condition of the Framework Act on Education’s Article 32-2, Paragraph 1 under its sub-regulation as well as making a regulation that supplements such side effect set forth above.
Third, regulation on unlawful reporting of plan on reserve for construction costs is insufficient. Therefore, excessive accumulation of reserve for construction costs shall be subject to tougher regulation by reflecting such fact on the government’s financial supports or university evaluation.
Fourth, current special regulation allows revaluation of assets that include not only land, but also fixed assets including buildings. By contrast, accounting for depreciation is based on purchase price. This may cause confusions during revaluation for buildings.
Taking note of this, we recommend limiting assets subject to revaluation to land only, and making sure that accounting for depreciation shall be based on purchase cost.
Fifth, Article 22-2 and Paragraph 1 of the Regulation on Finance and Accounting of Private School, which regulates accounting of additional reserve for construction costs and mandatory report of the plan for use, falls in the scope of the Private School Act, not of the Ministry of Education’s orders. Hence, it should be enacted as the exception clause to the Article 32, Paragraph 2 of the Private School Act.
Sixth, independent audit of depreciation accounting to prove its appropriateness has grown in importance because accumulating reserve for construction costs based on depreciation expense is closely related to how tuitions are calculated. So far, several issues have been raised regarding effectiveness of independent audit for private universities. To solve this problem, we, from the long-term perspective, recommend getting the government to take on part of the audit fees, expanding independent auditor designation system, and reviewing several options including granting greater rights to investigate to independent auditors.