U.Va.'s board spends a lot on travel

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - The University of Virginia Board of Visitors spends more on travel and food than the boards of other state colleges.

Documents obtained by The Washington Examiner show that U.Va.'s board spent more than $125,000 on food and travel over the past year.

Virginia Commonwealth University's board expenses were less than $48,000. Virginia Commonwealth has nearly 32,000 students, compared to 24,300 at U.Va.

The U.Va. board's biggest expense is an annual retreat. Last year, the board spent $34,000 for a two-day retreat in Alexandria, the newspaper says.

Board Rector Helen Dragas tells the newspaper that the retreats are an opportunity to focus on one or two important issues. She says board members want to control the event's costs.