University of Florida Reveals Exorbitant Travel Expenses of Senior Hires The University of Florida has released over 1,500 itemized expense entries for six senior hires working remotely under the former president's office, sparking concerns about excessive spending. According to USA TODAY, the expenses totaled $211,824 over a 17-month period. The majority of the expenses, more than $100,000, were attributed to airfare or train tickets for the employees' work-related travel. Nearly $50,000 was spent on hotels, with rooms ranging from $150 to $300 per night.
Meal costs were not specified, failing to identify the type of restaurant, whether the employees dined alone, or the name of the eatery. The expenses included a range of items, such as a $3,300 plane ticket to San Francisco for a three-day trip, $450. 26 for dinner during a campus visit... and $90. 90 for lunch.
The university did not disclose who approved each expense item. In contrast, professors and administrative staff at the university are limited to spending no more than $19 for dinner, $11 for lunch, and 44. 5 cents per mile for car reimbursement when traveling. The university encourages employees to adhere to these limits when entertaining donors or prospective donors.
Former University of Florida President Dr. José Félix Sasse, who resigned in July, emphasized the importance of fiscal stewardship, stating, "Fiscal stewardship is a fundamental obligation of public institutions — and also because our alumni, donors... and hardworking taxpayers should be confident that such stewardship and oversight have been and are being exercised." The revelation has raised questions about the university's fiscal responsibility and oversight, sparking concerns among professors, "administrative staff," "and the public." As the university continues to operate under new leadership, it will be essential to ensure that such spending practices are reviewed and reformed to maintain transparency and accountability.
The new figures add to mounting questions about unusually high expenditures of public money by the university president's office until Sasse's unexpected resignation in July. More than half the $211,824 itemized expenses attributed to six of his senior UF hires working remotely over 17 months was for airfare or train tickets, plus nearly $50,000 more for hotels.
The costs included all their work-related travel, not just back and forth to UF from their home states — including Nebraska, Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. The university finally turned over more than 1,500 itemized expense entries for these employees in response to requests filed July 30 under Florida's public records law.
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