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State-Run University Spent $96,000 on First-Class Airline Tickets

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LINCOLN, Neb. — The University of Nebraska has been dinged by the state auditor for allowing employees to spend nearly $96,000 on 20 first-class flights around the world, book $300-a-night oceanfront resort rooms for a week and get reimbursed for alcohol while traveling, in violation of state law.

While digging through travel records, auditors found 20 first-class airline tickets costing nearly $96,000 charged by the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

The state accounting manual requires reimbursement for flights be limited to coach fare, if it’s available. No reasons were given for the upgrades, according to State Auditor Mike Foley’s letter to the university.

Jack Gould, issues chairman for Common Cause Nebraska, said university employees need to remember they’re spending taxpayer dollars and tuition of “students working two, three jobs.”

“Those people are working hard out there, they’re not living first-class,” Gould said.

Among the first-class UNMC trips:

University spokeswoman Melissa Lee said the cases cited by the auditor represent a small share of total travel.

“It’s among our highest priorities to be responsible stewards of our resources,” Lee said via email. “We’re confident in the policies we have in place for reporting travel.”

Read more at Watchdog.org.

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