Syracuse University received a letter from an Oklahoma senator in July, asking the administration to account for and evaluate all federal money received in the last six years, as well as to disclose the university’s use of lobbyists.Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., who chairs the Senate Federal Financial Management Subcommittee, wrote to the heads of 112 private and public universities, including SU, asking for a list of all federal earmarks the school has received since 2000 and for an overview of what the funds went towards. SU has received more than $30 million from federal earmarks since 2000. Earmarks, sometimes negatively referred to as ‘pork barrel spending,’ are line-items inserted into a congressional bill to direct funds to a specific project or recipient without any public hearing or review. Coburn’s spokesman John Hart said that Coburn, who is known for his criticism of wasteful federal spending, is worried that while many of these grants are worthwhile, some of the earmarks may not be necessary.’The main question is if the tax dollars given to universities through the earmark system are being spent wisely,’ Hart said. The university received the letter and sent out a response yesterday, which met Coburn’s request of a Sept. 1 deadline, said Kevin Morrow, director of SU News Services.Once SU receives confirmation that Coburn received the response, anyone who wishes to see a copy can request one, Morrow said.Out of the more than $30 million SU received, $22.6 million went towards the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems, which is a federation of firms, organizations and institutions that works to create innovations in environmental and energy technologies. The Daniel Patrick Moynihan Global Affairs Institute, which was founded in 1993 in conjunction with the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, was given $10 million.Rep. James Walsh, R-Onondaga, has helped the university receive millions of dollars in federal funding, said Walsh spokesman Dan Gage. The money has gone towards projects such as the connective corridor, NASA programming through the L.C. Smith School of Engineering and Computer Science and research programs, as well as the Center of Excellence and the Moynihan Institute. The Center of Excellence benefits many people, not just the university, Gage said.’The Center of Excellence will take research led at the university level and apply it to commercial applications,’ Gage said. ‘Not only is it providing an excellent educational component, but hopefully it will also foster economic development and create jobs locally.’The information Coburn is asking for in his letter is all public information that is readily available, Gage said.’All of the information that Sen. Coburn is looking for is either available through the various departments that the money has gone through, or through the Congressional Research Service,’ Gage said. ‘It is up to the university to decide if they want to respond.’Coburn’s letter also asks the schools to disclose whether they hire lobbyists to help them gain federal money.’Universities are spending huge amounts of money on lobbyists to secure these earmarks and those fees are being passed down to students through higher tuition,’ Hart said. SU spent $180,000 on lobbying fees in 2005, according to opensecrets.org, a lobbying database. Former U.S. Attorney Dan French, who now has a local law practice, is employed by the university for his lobbying services, according to opensecrets.org.Along with French, the university employs a man who lobbies state officials in Albany. Several university staff members are also registered as lobbyists, Morrow said.SU, however, is not unusual in hiring lobbyists to help receive federal grants. Cornell University and the University of Rochester, who both also received a letter from Coburn, spent $490,000 and $120,000 respectively on lobbyists in 2005, according to opensecrets.org.