Report says former University of Florida president Ben Sasse spent $1.3 million on social events

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Former College of Florida president Ben Sasse spent over $1.3 million on non-public catering for lavish dinners, soccer tailgates and indulgent social capabilities in his first yr on the job, in line with a report from a pupil information service.

The quantity was about double the spending of his predecessor, Kent Fuchs, who was introduced again to go the college on a short lived foundation after Sasse introduced in July that he was resigning, in line with the report from Contemporary Take Florida, a information service of the College of Florida School of Journalism and Communications.

Sasse, a former U.S. senator from Nebraska, cited his spouse’s well being and the necessity to spend time with household as his purpose for leaving the job. He intends to show lessons as a professor on the college.

The report by Contemporary Take Florida comes weeks after The Impartial Florida Alligator reported that as college president, Sasse gave six former staffers and two former Republican officers jobs with salaries that outstripped comparable positions. Most didn’t transfer to Gainesville, Florida, the place the flagship college is situated, however labored remotely from a whole lot of miles away.

General, Sasse’s workplace spent $17.3 million throughout his first yr in contrast with the $5.6 million spent by Fuchs in his remaining yr. The college has an general price range of $9 billion, the Alligator reported.

A spokeswoman for Sasse mentioned in an e mail on Friday that she wasn’t approved to talk on his behalf in regards to the matter.

Final December, Sasse hosted a $176,800 vacation get together for about 200 company who dined on contemporary sushi that two devoted cooks hand-rolled alongside conventional dishes of beef, rooster and candy desserts, Contemporary Take Florida mentioned, citing itemized catering bills obtained below Florida’s public information legislation.

The invoice for the liquor was listed as greater than $7,000.

The information service mentioned it wasn’t clear whether or not the college coated the prices for all of the gadgets on Sasse’s catering tabs utilizing taxpayer {dollars} or donor contributions.