University statement on presidential expenditures

"The university has a robust process for establishing the president's budget, and his expenses are examined by a small internal team and reviewed by members of the Board of Trustees. When President Gee assumed leadership at Ohio State in fall 2007, the Board of Trustees charged him to aggressively build relationships with the university's many constituencies and to establish the base for a comprehensive $2.5 billion fundraising campaign. Under President Gee's leadership, the university has raised nearly $1.5 billion to support the teaching, learning, and research of students and faculty. It is particularly noteworthy that the fundraising success, as well as the significant advancement progress made under Dr. Gee's leadership, has occurred during an economic recession. Securing this strong level of financial support, and maximizing the use of the president's time, requires extensive travel to recruit key academic leaders and forge crucial relationships with alumni, donors, and key national leaders. It also requires countless events, including many held at the university residence. No tuition or tax dollars are used to fund the president's travel and expenses. The Ohio State University has received a superb return on its investment in helping President Gee to do such an excellent job."