Flight Series - Part 4: Trustee use flights to be "effective for Purdue"
>>Print ViewPublication Date: 10/29/2009
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Editor's Note: On April 27, The Exponent filed a public information request for the flight logs of the three planes used to transport Purdue VIPs for the period of Jan 1, 2008 to date. This is the first in a five-part series examining the University's use of these aircraft.
Trustees made 53 flights in Purdue aircraft from January 2008 to April 2009 estimated about $125,875.
Flights, only intended for business, are funded by the Purdue Research Foundation, not student tuition payments, said Keith Krach, trustee chairman.
Most flights carry trustees for meetings, many of which are at Purdue. Other meetings are held elsewhere, such as at regional campus locations. Each flight averages two legs and costs approximately $2,375. Eighteen flights departed from Purdue, although many listed Purdue as the destination or a stop on the trip. The cost of flying the airplane to the trustee for pick-up was not included in the average flight cost estimate.
Several flights, such as from Chicago Midway International Airport to Purdue, were notably short: around two hours or less if traveled by car. An example of this route was a flight in December 2008, carrying trustee Michael Birck with a listed purpose of a board meeting and commencements. Taking off at 10:15 a.m., the plane spent just 45 minutes in the air before landing in West Lafayette. Two days later, the plane carried Birck back to Midway.
The shortest flight, by far, was from Gary, Ind., to Purdue: about an hour and a half by car and half an hour by plane to cover around 90 miles. A second leg of the flight to Naples, Fla., was also listed. Trustee Mamon Powers flew alone for the first leg from Gary, though he did fly with six others for the second leg – three of whom were also trustees. The trustees flew in February 2009 to gather for board and other development meetings.
Florida was also visited by Mamon along with trustee JoAnn Brouillette in February 2008. With the purpose of attending a development dinner, they first landed in Fort Myers. On the same day, they added Naples to the trip.
Unlike this flight, several were logged in with the trustee as the sole occupant.
Breaking down the usage over the given time interval, Birck took the most flights, his usage totaling 25 flights. Frequently, he flew from Midway to Purdue primarily for board and trustee meetings, but also for Purdue President France Córdova’s April 2008 inauguration, a trustee’s retreat and commencement.
Other trustees flew fewer times. With 12 flights, Brouillette flew the second most frequently. Excluding one flight to Naples with several other trustees and administrators, Brouillette’s flights were to and from Fort Wayne, Ind., only spending 30 minutes in the air. Out of these flights, five of them carried no other passengers. One flight to Fort Wayne utilized the University’s 1997 Beechjet 440A and carried five others, including Córdova, provost Randy Woodson and treasurer Morgan Olsen.
RULES FOR USAGE
Krach stressed that trustees put in a large, time-consuming effort for the University.
“If the use of an airplane can help them be more effective for Purdue, it’s a worthwhile expense,” Krach said.
Adding to this, Krach points out that aviation technology students pilot the large turbine airplanes, providing them with a unique learning experience.
Trustees are authorized University aircraft users. In a Feb. 6 memo on turbine aircraft usage sent out by Jim Almond, senior vice president for business services and assistant treasurer, trustees are mentioned as having top flight priority along with the president’s office. If a travel plan made by a professor, dean or chancellor conflicts, the trustee’s request is honored above all others.
Proper usage of planes is also outlined in the memo, specifically saying “aircraft may not be used where there is no business purpose of benefit to Purdue.” Hence, flights by trustees must be business related.
On some flights, passengers other than trustees were carried on the plane. For example, on a flight from Naples, trustee John Hardin was accompanied by his wife and then student trustee Jill Steiner flew with a guest. Almond states in his memo that spouses and guests can fly with trustees “if they are acting in the role of official University volunteers on Purdue-related business.” The role served by Hardin’s wife and Steiner’s guest was not detailed in the flight request form.
Almond mentioned in a recent e-mail that “the list was streamlined and updated.” In the memo, 23 users were listed as removed as of February 2009. Of the 23, 10 were vice chancellors, six were directors and two were executive directors. Dean of students L. Tony Hawkins, Córdova’s chief of staff Carolyn Curiel, executive assistant Cliff Wojtalewicz, an associate provost and a comptroller were also removed.