The Columbia Tribune reports that Missouri curator Don Walsworth contributes $50,000 per year out of his own pocket to Mike Alden's salary. Mr. Walsworth also owns a printing company named Walsworth Publishing, which provides materials and sports programs to the athletic department and Mizzou Sports Properties. According to the article, Walsworth Publishing provides some materials free of charge or at cost to the athletic department, but no one would comment on any deals between Walsworth Publishing and Mizzou Sports Properties, which has an exclusive media rights agreement with the athletic department.

At first blush, this raises serious questions of conflict of interest and other unsavory words. Being a curator, Walsworth has a fiduciary relationship with the University of Missouri and oversees (indirectly) the athletic department, which in turn contracts out publishing work.

So let me break it down for everyone. Here's what I'd like to know:

1. What contracts does Walsworth Publishing have with the University of Missouri Athletic Department...particularly any no-bid contracts (if any)?;
   
2. What contracts does Walsworth Publishing have with Mizzou Sports Properties?;
   
3. Does Walsworth Publishing have an advantage in gaining contracts with either Mizzou Sports Properties or the athletic department by having this financial relationship with the director of athletics?
   
4. What do the rest of the curators think about one of their colleagues having this relationship with the director of athletics?
   

I'm not suggesting impropriety at this point, only the appearance of it. As a state university, the public is entitled to some answers.