TULSA, Okla. (AP) - As Oral Roberts University prepares to hand out diplomas to its Class of 2008, Anna Siebring, a junior, will be mailing out applications to transfer to another school. Siebring, a government major, is among many students having second thoughts about staying at Oral Roberts after six months of scandal at the evangelical Christian university.
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(Photo: AP Images / File)In this Oct. 5, 2007 file photo, the prayer tower at Oral Roberts University looms over the campus in Tulsa, Okla. As the university prepares to hand out diplomas to its Class of 2008, many students are having second thoughts about staying at Oral Roberts after six months of scandal at the evangelical Christian university.
She and others fear the furor will reduce the value of any degree they earn there. Some graduates worry that they will have to try twice as hard to market themselves to potential employers after Saturday's commencement.
"The reputation of the school means a lot," Siebring said. "I want to be proud of the school that I went to, but I could definitely not say that about the school right now."
During the past school year, TV evangelist Richard Roberts, son of school founder Oral Roberts, resigned as president after being accused of misspending university funds to live in style. Also, it was disclosed that the school was more than $50 million in debt.
Among other things, Roberts and his wife were accused of spending school money on shopping sprees, home improvements and a stable of horses for their daughters. They are also alleged to have sent a daughter and her friends on a Bahamas vacation aboard a university jet.
Projected enrollment for the fall semester could be 150 students fewer than the 3,166 who attended last fall, interim President Ralph Fagin said in an interview last week. Two university employees who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation said they have been told a much higher figure: around 400.
That would amount to a startling drop of almost 13 percent.
Oral Roberts spokesman Jeremy Burton said the decline has less to do with students leaving and more to do with fewer new ones enrolling.
"It doesn't typically swing this much," he said. "We don't want to be down any for next fall. We are doing everything we can to tell students ORU is a good place to come to get your education."
He said applications are down by 83 compared with last year at this time, but he said he did not have overall numbers. In the past eight years, the university has lost 500 students.
School leaders have urged professors to lean on students and encourage them to return in the fall. Billionaire Oklahoma City businessman Mart Green, who stepped in last year to save the school with a $70 million donation and became chairman of the board of trustees in January, said budget cuts and layoffs are possible.
But the new beginning that many expected after Roberts stepped down appears slow in coming, according to interviews with more than a dozen professors, students and alumni
Before the scandal, authority was concentrated largely in the hands of Roberts and his wife. With their departure, many on campus expected the administration to be more open and more collegial, with students given more of a say.
Administrators are urging patience from professors and students. Last week, Fagin conceded it would take "a while to turn a big ship." Similarly, Green said it will take years to make necessary overhauls and begin rebuilding trust. He has already dissolved the old board of regents and established a new set of bylaws.
"We have a bright future. Most of the students are excited the picture has changed quite significantly," Green said. But "it doesn't happen overnight."
Green's money has been used to eliminate about half the school's debt and is going for numerous renovations to the dated, 1960s-era campus, known for its 60-foot-high bronze sculpture of praying hands. Continue >>
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There is nothing new under the sun...
A few years back, the stain of immorality rocked the T.V. evangelism and it created a deep
drop in filling the offering plate. Recently. financial impurity, and the extravagant lifestyle
borrowed from the world began to rock the boat of electronic evangelism. Now, the economy
is rocking and many are suffering financially. If the T.V. preachers won't put their act
together and have a moderate lifestyle, their empire and institutions to bear their names for
eternity will be shatterd. The T.V. preachers will not admit that it was their greed for power
and pomp, but the world will judge them for their double face and arrogance.
to JHS - sin is a sin do not justify it. the school is $50 million in debt but his son is misusing money? something is wrong with the picture.
if you say i am judging them then why don't they show the financial records.
It's time to rename the University.
i am surprised that there isn't an article or forum going about Todd Bentley. He is having a city wide revival in Lakeland Florida. There is alot of controversy about him. And I mean alot.
To JHS,
I've been to the campus. A fellow Pastor and friend of mine graduated from there and my senior pastor at my first pastoring position was from ORU. There is deep seated Bigotry and I'm sorry you can't see it. It is not as bad as Bob Jones University, but the undercurrent is there.
Don't make assumptions about my post when you know nothing about my experience with ORU.
gavulav - didn't Paul judge a man living an immoral life and put him out of the church?
REPLY TO msnchris70;
I AM AN ORU GRADUATE, YOU ARE DEAD WRONG ABOUT HOW MANY DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS ARE REPRESENTED, THERE ARE CATHOLIC, METHODIST AND THE LIKE ETC THAT ARE PROFESSORS, SO BEFORE YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH, KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. IT WAS NOT ALL THIS WORD OF FAITH CROWD ALWAYS. ORU IS A ECUMENICAL CHARISMATIC UNIVERSITY.
It is good to see Students come to their senses about a University that is known to be a Fundamentalist Instition where bigotry of fellow Christians is approved. Want examples of who they are bigots against? Ok, how about bigotry against Billy Graham to start and to Methodists, Lutherans, Episcopals, Reformed Churches and Catholics.
Fudamentalists = Faith without Reason which leads to extremism. I will pray that the students find good schools to go to.
For years Oral and Richard Roberts and their wivies have been telling people that the way to prosperity is to "plant a seed for your need." This has always meant giving money to them. They have at the same time maintained that if this is done, God will prosper (make rich) those who do!
It appears that their "system" isn't working! In normal or sanely run companies, when revenues fall, you cut expenses. From the financial records it is clear that Richard and Lindsay certainly did not. When faced with reduced demand for your product or service, a good company will consider ways in which to improve it or introduce new, better and innovative ones to take their place. That wasn't done at ORU, instead they continued on the same path, with the same people and produced the same poor results.
Now the school has an interim President that was part of that "old crowd." The old administration under Richard is still intact. The same professors that tolerated Richard's inept leadership are still there. Until there is a clean sweep of this "old wineskin" any monies given to this school will be wasted.
I feel sorrow for the many unsuspecting students that are being sent there. No school worth anything needs to use its professors to "lean on students" to have them return or come to the school! Only a mediocre institution would ever stoop so low! Where's is their vaunted "FAITH?"
1Ti 6:6-12 "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into [this] world, [and it is] certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and [into] many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. "
1Th 5:22 "Abstain from all appearance of evil. "
2 Sam 12:14a - "However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme..."
"I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men?" (Acts 24:16).
"Giving no offense in anything that the ministry be not blamed" (2 Corinthians 6:3)
What I 've seen of Dr.Roberts Jr. on his programs is that he looked burntout. Being a college
president especially a Christian one is probably harder than being a pastor of a large chruch
from what I've seen. Didn't someone notice that he needed a sabbatical ??
It is very sad to say that some Christian institutions started with great hopes, but the love of
money and greed for power, and love of the world changed the course of direction, and
crash landing for the whole affair. If Richard Roberts didn't jump to the bandwagon of
a lifestyle to fit the rich and famous CEO's of fortune 500 companies, the University could have
been smoothly in operation. The love of money has a great hold on 99% of the Christian ministries
in the U.S., and this virus is spreading even to the third world countries of Africa. Until these
mega prosperity preachers have a U-turn in their attitude of high lifestyle, many preachers
and their organizations running like a family enterprise will come to a grinding halt. Some
of these preachers have created their own "gospel of prosperity" simply by pushing the
Bible under the pillow. We will reap from where we sow. Let this be a warning sign to
everybody who are preaching the gospel without having the humility of Jesus.
Let's face it....your always going to have people slamming the body of Christ, whether it's deserved or not.
From what I have observed (for years) of Richard and Lindsay Roberts, they are genuine spirit-filled, wonderful, caring people. Who, on ocassions before this particular issue, have readily admitted they are no where near being perfect people, nor do they pretend to be.
There have been bold faced lies spread about them, and they never retaliated or spoke angrily or defended themselves. I'm sure if it was me, I would have given the TV audience/students a real earful of my side of what was really going on, and yet..... they were gracious, meek, self-controlled, and still praised God in the midst of the whole mess.
I don't care what anyone say's...they were an amazing example of christ-likness, you just can't "fake" that....it was inspiring!!!
It amazes me how people seem to easily forget that we ALL MAKE MISTAKES, in life.... yes, even Christians, and can't wait to point that ol' bony finger at someone!
I do NOT believe any of the gossip from the rumors of what was 'in the paper'. I think we all know how the newspapers aren't exactly reliable, as well they eat up a negative story, especially if it involves one of those "Christians".
Don't you think for 1 second, that there aren't people who are constantly looking for ways /chances to bring any type of Christ centered institutions of learning down, to discredit, malign, etc. or the people that run them
If those students want to leave the school from a bit of rough water, then I say GO. The school's probably better off without people that will bail out at the first sign of trouble....wah.
If Oral Roberts has erred before God, then God alone will be his judge. If he fails to repent of whatever sin he may have committed, then he will have to give an account of his actions to God.
What a great pity it is that the university is going through a bad patch. We must respond as Christ would have us respond to the burdens that our fellow believers bear. Let us not judge but help through our earnest prayers.
I remember oral roberts telling his congregation saying that if he will not have $1 million god will call him home
since the school has more than $50 million in debt, he should repeat the same "request" to his congregation saying that if the $50 million debt is not paid god will call (strike him down) him home. or oral roberts should ask mike murdock to give him $50 million SEED MONEY. would mike give his fellow believer the SEED MONEY for his school? every man for him'self'.
"School leaders have urged professors to lean on students and encourage them to return in the fall."
How about encouraging the students to pray, fast, and obey God's will for their lives instead?
"School leaders have urged professors to lean on students and encourage them to return in the fall. Billionaire Oklahoma City businessman Mart Green, who stepped in last year to save the school with a $70 million donation and became chairman of the board of trustees in January, said budget cuts and layoffs are possible."
The sins of any generation cannot be covered with money.