USF prepares for possible Poly financial audit

SUS Board member and student representative Michael Long, who is also the student body president at New College, said he called Goodman in regards to the $140,000 spent on the YouTube promotional video.

"He said those funds came from private money, so he raised that money himself … not the taxpayers' pockets, so that does make me feel better," Long said. "I know the background of the YouTube video, but as far as the promotional video … I did not talk to Dr. Goodman about that. But $500,000 for a promotional documentary is probably not the greatest idea, both politically and in the sense of just spending of funds that the state awards."

Fasano said he understands that USF President Judy Genshaft is in an "awkward" position.

"The state senator that is pushing this, Senator Alexander, is the chairman of the appropriations committee that holds the purse strings of the universities in this state," he said. "(But) we're hoping to find out how, exactly, dollars are being spent. To me that's just a common sense question and there should be a very common sense, easy answer with disclosure. Everyone, every taxpayer in the state, every student at USF, every faculty member, every state senator and state legislator has the right to know how they are spending state dollars at USF."