Michigan State University trustees are elected to their position knowing that the gig is unpaid. But the position can come with high-profile perks, including access to some of the university’s most in-demand sporting events, like March Madness and NCAA hockey playoffs.
This weekend, both MSU men’s hockey and men's basketball are set to play in their respective playoffs. The average lower bowl ticket on Ticketmaster to watch MSU’s basketball play UConn in Washington D.C., is over $1,200. But if a trustee were interested, they could feasibly attend free of personal cost.
The State News obtained the trustees’ expenses since 2023 through a public records request. A trend emerged: collectively, travel to MSU sporting events is one of the most expensed categories.
Since 2023, the board has expensed $77,509 in travel to sporting events, accounting for a portion of the $151,194 total, which includes travel for board meetings and other university functions.
During her tenure as board chair in 2025, Trustee Kelly Tebay expensed over $13,050 in travel to games. Her most expensive trip was see the Spartan football team face the University of Southern California, costing the MSU $2,683.60. The next three most expensive trips were to watch men’s basketball play in the Sweet Sixteen, the Maui Invitational and a trip to Chicago to watch men’s ice hockey.
Since 2023, Trustee Renee Knake Jefferson trails behind Tebay with $12,485 expensed. Trustee Dennis Denno comes in third with $10,372.
The travel expensed by Tebay to attend sporting events in 2025 was a departure from previous board chairs’ spending patterns.
Trustee Rema Vassar spent $1,839 on traveling to sports games as chair throughout 2023, while the next year, Board Chair Dan Kelly, who took over for Vassar when she resigned in March 2024, expensed just over $250 on travel for sports.
Part of the board of trustees’ duties is to be an ambassador for the University. Vice President of Communications Emily Guerrant said attending games is just a part of that duty.
“When Board members do travel for a game or an event, there’s often also another event,” Guerrant said. “It’s not just a game, there could be an alumni gathering, fundraising event or meeting with donors.”
An example of such donors the trustees could be charged with courting are longtime donors, Greg and Dawn Williams. Before making their record-breaking $401 million donation to MSU, the couple could be seen sitting courtside at men’s basketball games.
For away games during the regular season, MSU receives a limited number of tickets from the institution hosting the game, MSU Athletics Spokesperson Matthew Larson wrote to The State News. But for NCAA-hosted events, like tonight's matchup against UConn, each school gets a designated number of tickets. These are the tickets MSU has to disperse amongst trustees, Guerrant said.
Judith Wilde is a research professor at George Mason University and has spent over 10 years researching various aspects of public university presidents. Wilde said the practice of trustees attending games on behalf of their institution is commonplace but not always justified.
“It's commonplace for all kinds of administrators at the university to get tickets to games,” Wilde said, and later added. “I don't really see the purpose of having the trustees go.”
Wilde added that such access may function as an informal form of compensation.
“It's not really payment, but it's kind of in lieu of payment,” Wilde said. “It's to acknowledge their service to the university. It might be what the university is trying to do.”
The State News inquired each trustee multiple times for comment on whether they would be in attendance at the men’s basketball game on Friday; two responded. Rema Vassar said she would not be attending the basketball game on Friday.
MSU Spokesperson Amber McCann shared a statement on behalf of Board chair Brianna Scott writing, “As members of the Board of Trustees, it is our privilege to attend a variety of events, including sporting events, engaging with student organizations, community outreach opportunities on behalf of MSU, conferences to help expand our skills in support of the university, and campus events that highlight the many contributions of rich and varied communities that make MSU their home.”
Scott said she would not be attending the men’s basketball game on Friday either.
“Our work as ambassadors for MSU is one of the most rewarding opportunities we have during our tenure on the Board,” Scott wrote.
