The Gadfly is a series of letters offering commentary on local issues and published in the Warrensburg Gazette.

I noticed a paragraph buried in a news report about the CMSU Board of Governors. It appears that President Bobby Patton is on a month-long trip to the Far East to “meet with many international alumni” and attend a conference. Tuition has been increased, staff and programs are being cut, admission standards are being revised, and the University’s leader is on a junket to Asia and Australia. It doesn’t look good, does it?

The report didn’t mention who is paying for what has to be a rather expensive trip. There are several possible sources of funding: the University itself, the CMSU Foundation, the Alumni Association, Dr. Patton’s personal funds, or some combination thereof. There may also be reason to believe that the trip will more than pay for itself in recruiting and donations. Since CMSU is a public institution, the taxpayers, alumni and our state legislators have a right to be informed of the costs and expected benefits in a time of tight funding.

An earlier CMSU Board of Governors tried to stonewall the illegal aspects of the retirement contract they gave to Dr. Patton’s predecessor. While those specific legality issues do not arise since Dr. Patton is a current employee of the University, the principles of openness and public trust should not be overlooked.