Payments put regents in hot seat

ATLANTA --- In violation of state law, members of the Board of Regents have received reimbursements for hotel stays in connection with board meetings and official duties at the same time they've received a daily payment meant to cover those expenses, officials said Tuesday.

The revelation comes at the same time the University System of Georgia, which the board oversees, has been probing the misuse of taxpayer-backed credit cards by employees who used the cards for personal purchases.

The reimbursement disclosure came during a meeting of the board's executive committee, when board attorney and interim secretary Burns Newsome announced the payments for lodging expenses would stop after the board's March meetings, which run through today.

"We have strayed from the state statute governing regents' reimbursement," Mr. Newsome said.

According to state law, regents are supposed to receive a $105 expense allowance and mileage. The law does not provide for them to receive separate reimbursements for the costs of staying in Atlanta or other locations where board meetings are sometimes held.

Mr. Newsome told board members that the practice of reimbursing regents for lodging expenses had apparently never been approved by either the chancellor or the board chairman.

"I don't know how it happened," Mr. Newsome said.

According to university system officials, Mr. Newsome found the difference between the law and the regents' practice while preparing to take over some of the duties previously handled by the board's secretary. He is expected to be appointed secretary on a full-time basis at today's meeting.

A university system spokesman said the board has no specific policy dealing with reimbursements because the state law addresses the issue.