In the summer of 2006, I worked as a counselor and instructor for a high school journalism camp at The University of Alabama.
That summer, I had the pleasure of meeting a young lady named Anna Van Hollen-- daughter of Chris Van Hollen, Democratic Representative from Maryland’s Eighth Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives.
Auburn University is accepting applications for an opening on its frequent flyer club board of trustees!
Applicants must be a resident of the district and less than 70 years old at their time of appointment.
The Auburn Board consists of one trustee from each congressional district as they were constituted in 1961, a trustee representing Lee County, three at-large trustees and the governor as an ex-officio member.
Candidates can submit applications to Auburn University Trustee Selection Committee, Attn: Grant Davis, 105 Samford Hall, Auburn, AL 36849.
Now kids, this is a cushy gig. As you may remember, back in March, the Huntsville Times reported that the university had spent almost half a million dollars flying trustees and university officials around the country (including good old Tunica, MS) and around the state (most notably from Auburn to BIRMINGHAM - 14 trips) on private jets. Most of which belonged to the athletic department.
Well hell, at least some department at the school is well-fixed for funds. Because, as a PACT parent, it's hard for me to keep from gagging when university officials poor mouth about funding and tuition, when we know that they spend more time in the air than the average migratory bird.
I'm thinking that I should apply! As an almuna, I could bring an interesting perspective to this whole issue. AND, I've served on numerous statewide boards and never expected to be flown to meetings - or even be reimbursed for travel expenses. Maybe Auburn can take my share of the flight $ and apply it to my daughter's tuition in 2012.
Follow me on the flip for an interesting story about this report that explains a lot about the mostly sorry state of journalism in Alabama.
Remember when university officials at both Auburn and Alabama rebuffed the PACT board's requests for tuition assistance? Their excuse was quite legitimate: legislative funding cuts have left them strapped for funds and requiring steep tuition hikes for students.
But Huntsville Times reporter, Bob Lowry, (whose PACT reporting has made him one of my favorite Alabama journalists) seems to have uncovered another issue: Auburn University officials and trustees' jet-setting ways have cost the university almost half a million dollars during the 2008-08 fiscal year.
Auburn University spent nearly $500,000 flying its administrators and board of trustee members on its two corporate jets during the past fiscal year, records show.
The University of Alabama spent considerably less during the same period - $30,500 - for flights on its lone jet, and trustees rarely were aboard.
Lowry's article contains a full page of flight logs from both Alabama and Auburn.
Perusing them last night, I was blown away by some of the descriptions, destinations, and charges. For instance, on October 9, 2007, Auburn University spent $4747 to fly "unidentified passengers" to Tunica, MS.
TUNICA? For what? Perhaps this is the new funding strategy for Auburn's development staff. Maybe the slots and craps tables look like more of a sure thing than the Alabama legislature. But darn, couldn't they at least have done their gambling in Alabama?
Almost as entertaining as the descriptions of the flights is the explanation by Auburn spokesman, Mike Clardy, for the numerous private flights instead of commercial:
Clardy said it's more practical for the university to use its own jets even though commercial travel through the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is less than 90 minutes from Auburn and the Montgomery Regional Airport is only an hour away.
He noted that traveling through Atlanta also involves a time zone change.
"...involves a time zone change." Remember kids: this is a major university in the United States.
Student Activists, Iraq Vet Arrested in "Mock Raid"
Four protesters were arrested and charged with "disorderly conduct" after members of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) staged a mock-raid with Jason Hurd, member of Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW).
Hurd, along with members of Tuscaloosa- SDS and Asheville-SDS, were detained for over four hours on Friday, Feb. 29th, before being taken away in handcuffs to Tuscaloosa City Jail. During interrogation, UA-PD insinuated the protesters were terrorists and threatened to hand the case over the F.B.I. The bail was set for a total of $2,500. The non-students were also charged with trespassing and are now banned from university property.
The University has already released a statement condemning the action, claiming it "may have been alarming to those in the area" and that they "will not tolerate behavior that mimics a true emergency on our campus." Several news sources have reported that the University
plans on launching an investigation against the Tuscaloosa chapter of SDS, a officially registered student organization.
"If you are one of those people who was frightened, you had a glimpse of what it feels like to be an Iraqi man, woman or child who experiences things like this and worse everyday," said J VanBolt, a UA student who witnessed the mock raid. "That is life for people in Iraq."
We, Tuscaloosa-SDS, condemn the actions of the University, which we feel was not only exaggerated, but politically motivated. We demand that all charges be dropped. We want an apology from the University for their attempts to equate protesting with terrorism and violence. We refuse to be intimidated and harassed on our own campus.
We are urging supporters to contact the University, to let them know their will not be tolerated! We have a right to protest the unjust and illegal occupation of Iraq. We have a right to make students aware of the immense suffering the U.S. occupation is causing the Iraqi people. Please help us put pressure on the University to DROP ALL CHARGES NOW!
To show support for the four arrested, you can call the University President, Dr. Robert Witt, at (205) 348-5320 and demand that all charges be dropped. You can also contact Tim Hebson, Dean of Students and Director of Judicial Affairs thebson@sa.ua.edu or Todd Borst, Assistant Director of Judicial Affairs tborst@sa.ua.edu. You can also sign our online petition-
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