'[Texas Southern University] paid to send university President Priscilla Slade and her executive assistant to Maine, Costa Rica and Rome, where she stayed at the Four Seasons hotel, her former assistant testified today.

More details emerged this morning in the spending scandal that shook the financially unstable university as Erica Vallier told jurors about Slade's lavish lifestyle and how the university was expected to foot the bill for it.

Vallier said Texas Southern University paid for spa treatments, exercise classes and a $20,000 golf membership for Slade. She also told jurors about annual manicure/pedicure parties for her staff and friends, outings that TSU footed the bill for as a "team building exercise."

Vallier also talked about accompanying Slade to expensive restaurants at least twice a day, attending Houston Texans football games and sitting in courtside Houston Rockets basketball seats for which the university paid $10,000 to $13,000.

In Rome for a conference, Vallier said Slade chose to stay at the Four Seasons Hotel, while Vallier and university regents stayed at a less expensive hotel. She said they went to Kennebunkport, Maine, at least three times to scout for locations for fundraising events near the home of former President Bush, who was an honorary chairman of TSU's fundraising efforts.

Slade, who has been fired as university president, is charged with two counts of misapplication of fiduciary property of more than $200,000. Prosecutors have alleged that she spent more than $500,000 of the school's money for personal expenses.

Slade's attorney, Mike DeGeurin, has said that her expenses were reasonable and necessary to court donors and improve the university's image.'