URBANA, Ill. – The University of Illinois spent the equivalent of two students’ tuition on a “once-in-a-lifetime” visit by Vice President Joe Biden.

The vice president visited the university to promote a campaign centered around preventing campus sexual assaults.

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The University of Illinois is still tabulating the final cost of Thursday’s event, but school spokeswoman Robin Kaler estimated the total to be about $30,000.

Kaler insists the “chancellor’s office” covered the tab and “no state or tuition money” was used.

The costs included purchasing lumber to build bleachers for the event. (The “global warming” club wasn’t available for comment.)

Other costs included 500 “It’s On Us” T-shirts and other signs for the event, The News-Gazette reports.

The university wasn’t stuck with Biden’s travel or security bill. Federal taxpayers ponied up for those undisclosed expenses.

School administrators defend the event and the expense.

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They say after Biden’s visit, pledges for the “It’s On Us” doubled, to 3,162.

According to US News, UI-Urbana has an undergraduate enrollment of 32,695.

“We know that our student leaders had a once-in-a-lifetime experience in working with White House planners and participating in a vice presidential visit. Finally, we saw that many students listened intently as the vice president gave a powerful speech asking them to stand up and protect each other,” Kaler wrote in an assessment for Chancellor Phyllis Wise.

“(I)f the event changes one heart, it was well worth the time and investment we made.”

The paper notes six student selfies were taken in the vice president’s car.