Written by Nicholas Vetrisek
Dean of Extended Learning Michael Schroder is currently being investigated by the California State University system for his ridiculous spending of taxpayer money on business trips. Among other purchases was a $256 taxi bill for a four-mile trip and a $110 steak.
Throughout 18 business trips, Schroder has spent a total of $82,000 on “business-related” expenses. Most of this spending was drastically more expensive than necessary, such as a $6,600 round trip plane ticket to South Africa.
This type of excessive spending would not normally raise much controversy, but Mr. Schroder was not spending his own money—he was spending yours. All of this was done on the taxpayers’ dime.
When asked about Schroder’s spending, the University said it wasn’t able to respond given the current investigation. CSUSM Associate Vice President for Communications Margaret Chantung avoided giving information by saying, “I can’t speak to the spending, given we now have this audit investigation.” She also noted that “President [Ellen] Neufeldt is deeply committed to complying with system policies.”
The President of the Associated Students at Cal State San Marcos, Kenny Tran, said about the controversy, “Whatever the outcome [of the investigation] is, the university should be ensuring student fees are spent ethically and they are upholding a strong fiduciary responsibility to students.”
Hopefully, Schroder will be held accountable for his wasteful spending of taxpayer money. Unfortunately, anyone familiar with academia or government knows this probably won’t happen.
