The children of trustees of the University of Central Arkansas have received up to 80-percent discounts on their tuition and fees, the Associated Press reports. Although the tuition breaks appear to be legal, according to a lawyer cited by the AP, trustees do not typically benefit from their board positions.

The discounts could be perceived as gifts, said Jim Purcell, the Arkansas higher-education director, according to the AP. They could also present a conflict of interest for trustees, who set policy for the institutions they serve.

In response to Freedom of Information Act requests from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, which first reported the discounts, the university named five current or former trustees who received discounts for their children’s tuition and fees.

State officials say the practice, if it is to continue, should at least be written into formal policy. Matt DeCample, a spokesman for Gov. Mike Beebe of Arkansas, would encourage the state’s public universities “to put [any such policies] in writing, make them transparent, and make sure [taxpayers] know what is going on,” according to the AP. —Steven Bushong