University of Kansas officials have met with state legislators in Topeka to discuss the school’s ownership and use of jets.

Officials told the House Standing Committee on Education Budget that the jet expenditures of $1.5 million are more than offset by revenue that the aircrafts generate from donor relations and athletics.

The university has owned planes for several decades, but recently its endowment association has given the school money to purchase them.

Taxpayers and students pay for the fuel, operations and maintenance of the jets.

According to flight data obtained by the Lawrence Journal-World newspaper, about two-thirds of $3.5 million spent over five years was for Kansas coaches and athletic administrators. The rest of the money was used to fly top university officials. The university also flew doctors and medical staff 643 times to rural cities to treat patients.

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Associated Press information from: the Lawrence Journal-World