Big changes have been happening recently at Oral Roberts University. Richard Roberts is gone for good, ORU will soon be out of debt thanks to a $70 million pledge, and the Board of Regents is listening to alumni. Yes, things are changing for good at Oral Roberts University.
Many strongly conservative and religious organizations are resistant to change and Oral Roberts University has been no exception. As a matter of fact, male students are still not allowed to have beards under the current dress code. So when a scandal erupted at Oral Roberts University on October 2nd this year, no one was surprised that Richard Roberts denied everything and planned on continuing business as usual. No one could’ve foreseen where Oral Roberts University would be now, less than two months later.
After several professors were fired, allegedly for presenting a document containing a list of wrongdoings by former Oral Roberts University President Richard Roberts and his family to the school’s Board of Regents, the former professors filed a lawsuit for wrongful termination. Richard Roberts immediately made several statements including a denial of all wrongdoing and a note, claimed to be written by God through Roberts’s hand, that said the professors were just trying to use blackmail and extortion against him.
A week after the lawsuit was first made public, Richard Roberts and his wife Lindsay appeared on Larry King Live, continuing to deny all wrongdoing, and Richard Roberts stated that he would not step down because he had done nothing wrong. Just over a week after that, Richard Roberts announced that he was taking a temporary leave of absence, his father, Oral Roberts, flew back into town and declared that his son, Richard Roberts, would soon be back in his position as President of Oral Roberts University. Other than some revisions to the professors’ lawsuit, including some allegations of possible sexual misconduct by Lindsay Roberts, not much else happened for about a month.
From the beginning, however, Oral Roberts University’s Board of Regents, and its spokesman, George Pearsons, have stated that they were undergoing a full investigation into the allegations and Richard Roberts’s possible return would be at their discretion. Hundreds of current students, alumni, and staff responded to the lawsuit with little shock and plenty of firsthand accounts of the Roberts family’s wrongdoings
One of the most impressive statements was made by Oral Roberts University’s tenured faculty on November 12th. In a nearly unanimous decision, they voted “no confidence” in Richard Roberts’s leadership at the school, regardless of the lawsuit or investigation’s results. Richard Roberts and Oral Roberts appealed to the faculty to revoke their vote, but they wouldn’t budge.
At the same time, members of Oral Roberts University’s alumni board began requesting information from ORU’s alumni and urging them to send their thoughts and opinions on to the Board of Regents for consideration. Other than asking for donations, there has historically been very little contact or cooperation between Oral Roberts University and the vast majority of its alumni.
Just a couple of short weeks later on November 21st, an ex-accountant began a lawsuit against Richard Roberts saying that Roberts ordered him to “cook the books” and lie to the IRS about expenses. Two days later, Richard Roberts resigned for good from his position of President at the University, the day after Thanksgiving and four days before results from the investigation would be given to the Board of Regents. Richard Roberts states that God insisted he permanently resign for the good of the University.
Several days later on November 27th, as the Board of Regents met to review the results of an outside auditing firm’s investigation into the lawsuit, Mart Green, founder of Hobby Lobby and Mardel’s, pledged $70 million to Oral Roberts University with $8 million given up front. The University’s debt had been just above $50 million, so the Green family donation will bring the University out of debt and then some. Mart Green has had no prior connection to the University or the Roberts family but said that he believes he is answering “God’s call.” The pledge will be completed after a satisfactory 90 day review process of the University’s operating procedures.
The Board of Regents also announced that Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association (Oral Roberts Ministries) would be completely cut from Oral Roberts University concerning finances, governance, legalities, and all areas except its “spiritual” connection. This is more good news because the deep intermingling of the University and the Ministry supposedly played a large part in the Roberts family’s financial abuses. ORU’s Board of Regents also announced that Oral Roberts and Richard Roberts would remain on the Board as “spiritual regents” but would not be allowed to vote in any matters concerning the governance or business of the University.
Finally, the Oral Roberts University’s Board of Regents announced that they’re beginning the process of finding a new President and will ensure that there is “meaningful input and participation from the administration, faculty, staff, alumni, student body…” They are looking for a candidate that is not only dedicated to “the spiritual vision” of Oral Roberts University, but who is also skilled in the financial aspects of running a university in ORU’s position.
All of these changes and proclamations would’ve been nearly unfathomable at the start of this scandal less than two months ago. But with constant pressure from the public, the participation of faculty and alumni, and a conveniently timed “voice from God,” drastic strides have been made to improve the administration, finances, and overall governance of Oral Roberts University.
The Roberts family, who many still respect in spiritual matters, are no longer part of the operations of Oral Roberts University and can no longer interfere in the school’s finances or administration. Oral Roberts University’s Board of Regents is using the authority that used to be theirs in name only and claims to be taking the school in a positive new direction. Feedback from the school’s alumni are being are beginning to be considered and alumni themselves are more positive about the school’s future than ever. And Oral Roberts University will soon be out of debt and in a position to stay that way. Drastic changes in such a short amount of time have made this a good time for supporters of Oral Roberts University.
