What did Holden Thorp do in Atlanta?
A schedule provided to Dome shows the UNC-Chapel Hill chancellor was pretty busy up through this morning.
On Wednesday, he flew to Atlanta on a state jet with his wife, two kids and three staffers. (One of the staffers then rode the plane back to Raleigh.)
That afternoon, Thorp toured CNN's headquarters, though a similar tour of the ABC News headquarters was canceled due to breaking news. That night, he was the guest speaker at an alumni reception.
On Thursday, Thorp toured The Westminster Schools, had lunch with philanthropist Charlie Loudermilk, met with the president of the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation and then the CEO of SunTrust Banks, and went to a dinner party hosted by the CEO of the Marcus Institute and his wife.
This morning, he attended a three-hour meeting of heads of the other Atlantic Coast Conference schools, the last event on his schedule.
Thorp and his family return Sunday.
Comments
Re: What was on Thorp's schedule?
March 13, 2009 - 8:14pm — j1c2kpRyan who are the 'entitled' people that get to use state jets. What are the conditions of use? What is the cost of flying people to the ACC tournament? How many state jets are there? I believe I read that a staffer rode the jet back home, does that mean the jet will return to bring Thorpe and family back to NC after the tournament?
Re: What was on Thorp's schedule?
March 13, 2009 - 5:56pm — CitizenOpinionatedI have more of a problem with Mary Easley getting her salary for her bogus position than I do paying for the Chancellor of UNC being put up, fed and flown down to Atlanta. As someone else stated, I am sure he is fundraising and bringing in more money than we are spending.
I wonder who else was on that plane with him...that might be a good question for Ryan to ask, because if he was just tagging along on a pre-scheduled flight then even less to gripe about.
Also, let's not forget that I am sure the Ram's Club will cover the cost of the hotels and food if necessary.
Re: What was on Thorp's schedule?
March 13, 2009 - 4:50pm — j1c2kpwell whoopdedoo.
Re: What was on Thorp's schedule?
March 13, 2009 - 4:13pm — GrayJPhilanthropist AND alumnus Charlie Loudermilk that is.
Re: What was on Thorp's schedule?
March 13, 2009 - 4:13pm — MattpoinEveryone does realize that Thorp was probably bringing in more money in each of those meetings than was being spent to get him there, right?
Re: What was on Thorp's schedule?
March 13, 2009 - 4:12pm — j1c2kpYou have got to be kidding me! He flew on a state jet! Unreal.
Re: What was on Thorp's schedule?
March 13, 2009 - 3:44pm — WilmingtonDemocratLast time I check, fares on Delta from Raleigh to Atlanta were pretty cheap.
At a time when teachers, policemen, nurses etc are getting salary cuts and furloughs did Holden Thorp really need to load up his family on the State luxury lear jet to go see basketball?
Kudos to the News and Observer for catching this arrogant conduct and waste of tax payer's money.
Re: What was on Thorp's schedule?
March 13, 2009 - 3:08pm — cthayes75Ryan,
Since his official business ended this morning (I would bet just in time for tipoff), are the taxpayers paying for his hotel room for the next two nights?
Re: What was on Thorp's schedule?
March 13, 2009 - 2:56pm — aftercancerOkay seriously? The man is not an idiot. He knows that if he is going to watch some basketball he needs to schedule some "work". Hope no one minds that the little people are likely to get furloughed or paycuts.