Amid a $35.7 million projected operating budget deficit for the 2024-25 year, Principal Patrick Deane opts for business class when flying for more than four hours.
University documents posted to Reddit accurately reflect the travel expenses incurred by Deane and were obtained through a Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FIPPA) request, confirmed in a statement to The Journal from the University.
The Journal was unable to identify the individual who obtained the records through the FIPPA.
Deane took 14 flights to events and conferences between August 2022 and March 2024, costing the University $85,635.80, according to receipts from Maritime Travel to the University. Deane’s heftiest expense was a $14,546.28 roundtrip, business-class flight to Australia in September 2023.
Deane deals with “sensitive” and “highly confidential” information while in transit, requiring him to travel business class for any air travel that exceeds four hours, a letter signed by Board of Trustees Chair Mary Wilson Trider said. Deane needs “suitable rest and recovery between travel and business appointments,” requiring him to forgo economy class, the letter added.
Deane’s travel and hospitality expenses totaled $17,831 from April 30 to July 30 of last year, a report to the Board of Trustees said. Significant expenses include an Air Canada flight to the United Kingdom in May, costing $6,887.96, and a one-way limo ride from Kingston to Toronto in July, totaling $1,543.58.
The University affirmed its commitment to financial transparency and will “continue to examine ways to further that effort, subject to any requirements to respect personal information or privacy.”
The documents were revealed as United Steelworkers (USW) 2010 and the University are set to discuss potential layoffs amid budgetary issues in the coming weeks, USW President Kelly Orser said in a statement to The Journal.
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