Flying Bulldogs

Should the use of the University’s private plane have more limitations?

Oh the joys of having a private plane – and a loaded Athletic Association.

It’s the combination of the two that allowed the association to spend more than $14,000 to fly University administrators to Jacksonville for Georgia’s annual football game with Florida.

Or to allow football coach Mark Richt and other coaches spend $32,600 in one month on recruiting trips.

Or to allow University President Michael Adams spend $1,363.64 for a trip to Macon.

Or $11,354 for a trip to San Antonio for a basketball game, and the list goes on and on.

The plane’s most frequent flyers, Adams and Richt or his coaching staff, charge the majority of their flights to the association, but some the flights seem terribly unnecessary.

There is a policy that requires destinations to be more than three hours away to use the plane, but seven of the most frequented cities are within 100 miles of Athens.

The Red & Black editorial board agrees there should be enforced limitations on how the plane can be used. But we’re not sure how much the UGA community should be concerned, as the University itself pays nothing for the plane.

But c’mon, there is no reason to fly to Lawrenceville.

- Michael Fitzpatrick for the editorial board