Going to college is getting more and more expensive every year. Most students have to take out a crazy amount of loans, that if you are like me – seemingly will never be paid off.
Which should make you all kinds of pissed off about a recent discovery of how CSU administrators across California have been spending donated money on everything but education.
While many colleges are instituting budget cuts, CBS2 investigative reporter David Goldsten found hundreds of thousands of dollars, donated with the intention of supporting students’ educations and the schools, being spent by admins and staff on what appears to be a whole bunch of bullshit!
After examining the tax returns, CBS2 found millions of dollars in contributions and grants. While some of the money went to student aid, it also went to parties, booze, season tickets to The Hollywood Bowl, and a $3,000 American Express Gift Card which was a retirement gift for Cal State Fullerton President Milton Gordon (his salary was just under $300,000 a year).
Here are some of the ridiciculous things the money was spent on:
At Cal State San Bernardino, thousands of dollars seem to have gone towards meals, as well as drinks, along with a membership to the exclusive Arrowhead Country Club.
At Cal State Northridge, checks were discovered, adding up to nearly $15,000 for an interior designer, who worked on the president’s on-campus housing. An addition $17,000 was spent for the kitchen appliances.
Also found was a $5,100 membership to the exclusive City Club on Bunker Hill, as well as thousands of dollars that went towards meals at expensive restaurants, all charged by former Cal State LA President Dr. James Rosser, who is now retired.
Other schools in the Cal State system were likewise involved.Tens of thousands of dollars were spent on catered receptions at the home of Cal Poly Pomona President Michael Ortiz. This was spent in the name of fundraising, as donor money instead went towards receptions with premium bars and bottles bought at Costco for Ortiz to use at receptions and dinners.
Cal State University Chancellor Timothy White, who heads all the universities, told CBS 2 that the parties are not all fun and games:
“It’s hard work,” White said. “It’s hard work to build relationships over time.”
White says it is necessary to ‘wine-and-dine’ wealthy donors.
“I think people expect the normal hospitality,” White said. “I mean, those people that are wealthy live in a life style of comfortable living.”
Yup, just like those of us in the 99% are growing to expect getting shit on by those same entitled, wealthy assholes and never having a chance to pay off our gigantic, mounting student loan debt.
So next time you get that call to donate to your alumni association (and if you are like me, you get 20 of these calls a year), tell them this…
Spend 5 minutes and watch this great report here (warning, it will make you really pissed off)
