Ohio State University president E. Gordon Gee has reportedly charged millions of dollars in expenses on lavish parties and trips during his tenure.
According to Laura A. Bischoff of the Dayton Daily News, Gee has racked up $7.7 million in expenses—in addition to his $8.6 million in salary—since becoming president in 2007 in order “to travel the globe, throw parties, wine and dine donors, woo prospective faculty, hang out with students and staff and maintain a 9,600-square-foot mansion on 1.3 acres.”
And apparently, the university believes that this is not only permissible, but advisable. In a statement regarding its president’s spending, Ohio State said, "A significant proportion of President Gee’s time, travel and use of the university residence is devoted to resource-generation to support the work of our students and faculty,” via Bischoff’s report.
This rationale for the exorbitant spending is unacceptable from an institution that forced Jim Tressel to resign his post as head football coach and allowed five athletes to be suspended by the NCAA for trading memorabilia for tattoos.
