JFAC seeks answers at special committee meeting

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Idaho legislators are seeking answers about the University of Idaho's agreement to purchase the University of Phoenix.

Idaho's Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee met with the University of Idaho and State Board of Education officials on Friday.

Idaho Falls state representative Wendy Horman, co-chair of JFAC, sat down with Local News 8 to explain the committee's concerns.

"We want to give them the benefit of doubt that this process unfolded, but the State Board of Education, University of Idaho is not the fourth branch of government, and so we want to make sure that the constitutional issues, the legality issues, we want some transparency on this, the public and the legislature should have some access to the fiscal details of this transaction." 

University of Idaho President Scott Green says the purchase will be no cot to Idaho taxpayers, but Representative Horman says taxpayers have reason to be concerned.

"We want to make sure Idaho taxpayers are not on the hook for any of that portion of their [University of Phoenix's] troubled past, if you will, [and] we are seeing some signs that things are heading in the right direction, but again, without those financial documents it the 'trust but verify category' for me. "

Representative Horman says JFAC will "definitely" be holding more meetings on the subject.