By Dorie Turner Staff Writer

UT President John W. Shumaker apologized Friday to area alumni for how he handled recent public criticism of his use of the university’s airplane and credit card.

"I’m sorry for that," he told a small group gathered at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. "I apologize to you if I’ve caused you any distraction or heartburn."

Dr. Shumaker flew from Knoxville to Chattanooga on Friday in the university’s eightseat King Air turboprop to answer alumni questions about the controversy. He is meeting with other alumni groups across the state next week, he said. The state and the University of Tennessee are conducting audits of the president’s use of the university plane and his school-issued credit card, as well as other expenses from his office.

The internal university audit will be reviewed by a committee of the UT board of trustees when it is completed in August. The state audit is expected to be complete Sept. 4, officials said.

This week the Louisville Courier-Journal newspaper reported that University of Louisville administrators plan to audit Dr. Shumaker’s expenses during at least two of his years as president of that school. The Louisville board asked Dr. Shumaker in 1998 to submit quarterly reports on his travel and entertainment because of concerns over his frequent travel, the paper reported.

Dr. Shumaker came to UT from Louisville a year ago.

For the past several weeks, Dr. Shumaker has defended his actions, citing university policies governing use of the credit card and the plane. He said he has or will reimburse the university for any personal use of the credit card or plane.

He has eliminated the credit card, he said.

Dr. Shumaker also has pledged to pay for $25,000 in flights to Birmingham, Ala., and Louisville, Ky.

Dr. Shumaker was president of the University of Louisville before coming to Tennessee, and he still has family in that area. University of Alabama at Birmingham President Carol Garrison has been what Dr. Shumaker called a "good personal friend" since the two worked together at Louisville.

The Southeastern Conference headquarters is in Birmingham, as well.

On Friday, Dr. Shumaker blamed much of the controversy that has plagued the university for the last month on "tabloid journalism" by several news outlets in the state. He also said he should have worked to dispel faster the rumors circulating around the state about his spending habits.

"It was giving the sense of blood in the water to sharks who were trying to circle the university and create controversy," Dr. Shumaker said. "I probably could have done a few things better in terms of being sensitive to the sensitivity of the issues."

Gov. Phil Bredesen and several lawmakers have criticized Dr. Shumaker’s handling of the situation. In a July 18 editorial board meeting at the Chattanooga Times Free Press, Gov. Bredesen said the president wouldn’t get a "Good Housekeeping seal of approval."

Dr. Shumaker said he doesn’t feel his job is in jeopardy, and he hopes to move past this after the audits are completed.

UTC alumnus David Noblit, chairman of annual giving for the National Alumni Association, said he and other alumni support the president.

"He has turned a ship that didn’t have full throttle on to full steam ahead, especially here in Chattanooga," Mr. Noblit said.

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