Student Loan Travel Money

A new report from the Lexington Herald-Leader shows the former head of student loan agencies in Kentucky spent over $55,000 on travel and entertainment from 2010 to 2011. The newspaper obtained the expense reports of Edward Cunningham through the Kentucky Open Records Act. Cunningham was chief executive of the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority and the Kentucky Higher Education Student Loan Corporation until his retirement in April.  Cunningham's expenses in 2010 and 2011 included $42,000 for 30 trips to other states where he often treated guests to meals costing more than $100 per person. Board members and agency officials defend most of the spending. Attorney Diana Barber says the expenses were vetted by two auditors and the finance committee of their governing board.