This goes to show how real change at ORU has produced tangible results. The alumni feel they can “trust” their alma mater again.
“First-time donation levels among Oral Roberts University alumni are at their highest in more than 10 years.”
And then… click the “Renewing the Vision” box to the right to help if you haven’t already!
Remember that independent audit that the former Board of Regents ordered last year? All evidence points to the fact that the audit was delivered ORALLY and NEVER delivered in writing. No really, we’re not kidding.
Please note that this was the audit delivered to the FORMER governing body of the school, which has since been replaced.
Normally we would write on this, but this time we’ll let you read another person’s excellent take on the matter. You won’t be disappointed.
Click here to read the analysis.
Sources have informed us that preparations may now be in order to move all Oral Roberts Ministries operations off campus. This measure would be a major step toward the formal separation of Oral Roberts University from Oral Roberts Ministries required by the IRS.
Interestingly enough, this may also include the Abundant Life Prayer Group currently housed in the Prayer Tower. Designed by Frank Wallace, the tower was originally built as the main architectural centerpiece of the campus in addition to serving as a visitor’s center and base for the phone operations of Oral Roberts Ministries.
Sources also believe that Richard and Lindsay Roberts will most likely relocate outside the Tulsa area – possibly to Southern California.
Stay tuned to SaveORU.com for more news and analysis.
The ORU Board of Regents have unanimously voted to accept the remaining $62 million gift from donor Mart Green. ORU will also join the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, something we suggested back in October.
Green will also assume George Pearson’s position as chairman of the board of regents.
Details of Green’s Proposal Include:
(from the ORU website)
– Shared governance under a new set of bylaws which will now govern the university and keep the mission and vision intact.
– Replacement of the Board of Regents, Business and Spiritual, with a single Board of Trustees, who will govern the university in trust on behalf of its students, faculty, alumni and other stakeholders.
– Oral Roberts will continue as Chancellor of ORU and will be named a Trustee for the remainder of his life.
– Use of the $62 million donation will be determined by the Board of Trustees.
Save ORU would like to thank Mr. Green for his enormous contribution and commitment to Oral Roberts University, and believe that “The best is yet to come.”
The current news being reported is that Pat Robertson, founder of CBN, The 700 Club and Regent University is interested in “options” for ties between the two universities. ORU is widely regarded as a feeder school for Regent’s graduate programs.
Pat Robertson and Oral Roberts University have a long-standing relationship. ORU’s O.W. Coburn School of Law closed in 1986 and its law library, faculty and students were transferred to Regent University (which was then called CBN University). ORU had trouble attaining accreditation from the American Bar Association, which Regent eventually did receive in 1996.
As a media pioneer, Pat Robertson started the Family Channel in 1977 as an alternative to secular programming. It was later sold to Fox in 1997 for $1.9 billion dollars. In 2001, it changed hands again and was sold to Disney. It now bears the moniker of the ABC Family Channel. Regardless of ownership, The 700 Club must air three times a day though a perpetually inherited contract agreement.
Robertson has numerous businesses, including a mining operation in Liberia and an oil refinery company. Regent University reportedly carries an endowment of around $267 million.
ORU Gets a ‘Divorce’ from ORM and 70 Million Dollars
The ORU Board of Regents officially voted to ‘accept’ Richard Roberts resignation and to legally and financially separate the university from Oral Roberts Ministries.
A short while later they received a financial pledge of 70 million dollars from Mart Green , whose family started the Hobby Lobby chain of stores.
However, the gift comes with a catch. ORU will receive 8 million in immediate funds, but must demonstrate “good governance” before the remaining 62 million can be given. The gift will effectively wipe out ORU’s 55 million dollar debt.
Is ORU saved? Mission accomplished? We hope so.
Questions still linger as to the results of the regent’s audit of the allegations surrounding Richard and Lindsay Roberts. ORU is a private university and is not required to publicize the findings of their committees or the details of their two day meeting. Either way, the university has proved it doesn’t need Richard anymore.
Stay tuned to SaveORU.com for more news and analysis.
Richard Roberts resignation is effective immediately.
“I love ORU with all my heart. I love the students, faculty, staff and administration and I want to see God’s best for all of them.”
– Statement from Richard Roberts
The final straw might have been a new wrongful termination lawsuit filed by Trent Huddleston, a former senior accountant for ORU. He claims that he was directed “against his will” to falsely list items as expenses rather than assets in order to defraud the Internal Revenue Service and other agencies.
Stay tuned to SaveORU.com for more news and analysis.
Phil Cooke is an ORU graduate and one of the leading authorities on religion and the media.
Richard recently commented that his troubles were ‘foretold’ to him in a prophecy from another minister, Phil asks the proverbial question: If he knew, then why didn’t he do something about it?
He wisely comments that “supporters of ORU need to know the President has integrity, is a solid thinker, can embrace a wide swath of evangelical America, and has a bold vision for the future … to the non-believing world, this just makes him sound weird – not the solid leader he needs to be in people’s minds.”
Read his complete commentary here.
Richard Roberts has released a statement containing rebuttals to the allegations against him and his wife Lindsay.
We think Richard needs to stay quiet for the time being and let the board of regents complete their investigation. Some of his rebuttals are merely statements of university/ministry policy. Anyone who has worked in a corporate culture or family-controlled environment knows that “policies” aren’t always evenly applied. At this point, no one should blindly accept statements that aren’t backed by hard evidence.
If the regents accept Richard’s explanations without a detailed investigation and allow him to return to his post as President, they will lose the confidence of ORU’s faculty, the Provost and put the accreditation process in jeopardy. The alumni stand ready and willing to help bring the university out of debt if Richard steps out of the picture (even for a few years) and let the leadership deliver clear results.
Amazingly, Richard is finally starting to own up to his mistakes, stating that ORU needs a “culture change”.
All this leaves us wondering… Why did it take 14 years and a national scandal to finally bring about change? Is this a case of too little too late?
Read about Richard’s rebuttal here.
Read his offer of financial transparency here.
