University administrators began investigating Professor of Education Aaron Doering after 5 Eyewitness News requested Doering’s expense and travel reimbursement forms from the school.
First-class flights, lavish trips, and expensive gifts were all expensed by Doering on his university credit card over the span of several years. The expenses totaled over $30,000.
Currently, Doering is serving time in the Hennepin County Workhouse after pleading guilty to domestic assault in June. However, due to his status of tenure, he is still being paid by the University of Minnesota.
“If tenure policies prevent him from being fired immediately, then those policies should be changed by the Board of Regents,” House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt (R-Crown) says. He adds that “there’s no reason someone who has defrauded the University and is serving time for domestic assault should be drawing a salary paid for by taxpayers and student tuition.”
In light of the wrongful expense, Joan Gabel, President of the University of Minnesota, sent out an email stating that faculty should be holding themselves accountable and asked that they review the university’s expense policy.
Now, lawmakers are asking the University to take more action. “If we say, all university employees who have a (purchasing) card, we’re going to look at all of your expenses and ask questions. If there’s nothing to hide, nobody should have a problem with that” Representative Jim Nash (R-Waconia) states.
SHOCKING: A University of Minnesota professor is STILL being paid his $114K/yr salary… despite serving time after pleading guilty to domestic assault & spending tens of thousands of taxpayer $$$s on luxury vacations & Playstations. https://t.co/Pe6xQpyaiH pic.twitter.com/8oXLamff4g
— Minnesota Senate Republicans (@mnsrc) July 26, 2019
Megan Olson
Megan Olson is a 2020 graduate of the University of Minnesota with degrees in political science and history. She works in public affairs in addition to serving on the Legislative Advisory Council for School District 196. She is also on the school board for FIT academy, a charter school in Apple Valley.
