In an interview with the Tulsa World on Friday, Roberts answered criticism by tenured faculty members and others that ORU withheld information about its finances. He also discussed his practice of reimbursing the ministry for personal expenses, a student center that was never built and the possible sale of the university's television station.

Roberts said in news articles in 1997 and 2001 that ORU's debt had been cut in half when in fact debt had increased during those years.

He said Friday: "In the early years of being president I think I got some funny information. We had to make some changes in personnel in those years."

Roberts has been on a leave of absence from the university since Oct. 17 while ORU's board and independent auditors investigate allegations in a lawsuit that he and his family misused ORU and Oral Roberts Ministries money and resources.

A World investigation showed that ORU spent $73 million more than it brought in between 1993 and 2006. The university recorded only two years with a positive

Tenured faculty members who met last week voted no confidence in Roberts as the president and CEO and voted for "greater faculty governance and transparency of university finances."

Roberts said that if he returns as president, he plans to meet with tenured faculty members every two weeks.

"The faculty, for whatever reason, have felt like they have not had a voice, and that's wrong, and I take responsibility for that," he said.

Roberts said ORU needs a "culture change," adding, "I would like to have complete financial transparency."

Roberts said he discussed the issue recently with faculty members and told them they might be "scared spitless" at times to see the university's books.

"I laughed and said, 'Can you stand it?' I said back in those early years when I was president and we didn't know if we were going to make payroll, how would you have felt back in those years if I had called you together for prayer and said, 'I'm $200,000 short for payroll on Friday?' "

He said the faculty "came to ORU to teach. You didn't come to worry about payroll."

Roberts said that although faculty members deserve to have more financial information, it is "a good question" as to whether all financial records should be shared with the public.

"You don't know what the media is going to do with that," he said.

ORU is a private university and not subject to the Oklahoma Open Records Act, as public universities are. The annual financial forms ORU files with the U.S. government, called 990 forms, are open under federal law.

The lawsuit filed by three former ORU professors alleges that Roberts and his family used university resources for personal use, including trips, clothing and other expenses. Roberts said the ministry -- Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association -- had paid for his family's personal expenses at times but he later reimbursed OREA.

"I didn't have a good system of paying for it in front. I paid for it after it was over, and that is a mistake, but all of it was reimbursed," he said.

"The charge was it was paid for out of the university, and that's not true. It came from the OREA."

Questions have also been raised about ORU's handling of $8.8 million in donations for a student center that was never built. The funds included $5 million from a donor who asked to remain anonymous.

The funds were raised in 2001 for the building, which was estimated to cost between $17 million and $25 million. After the World requested information about the project, an ORU spokesman said the university spent $3.6 million on demolition of a building and other preparation work before the project was put on hold.

With the donor's permission, other funds were spent on scholarships and operations, the university said.

But at least one donor who spoke to the Tulsa World said he did not give permission and was not asked whether his donation could be used for other purposes. ORU has refused to answer additional questions about the project.

Roberts said the student center was put on hold after Sept. 11, 2001, because donations slowed. Regarding ORU's account of the funds raised, he said: "I don't think the numbers are correct. I'm not in a position right now to correct them for you."

Roberts said he hopes the university can sell its TV station, KGEB, channel 53, to help pay down a $52 million debt. KGEB broadcasts shows such as "The Hour of Healing" featuring Roberts and "Make Your Day Count," whose host is his wife, Lindsay Roberts.

Roberts said: "My understanding is the current appraisal is $14 million for the TV station. . . . I heard this week there are currently 16 groups that have an interest in buying it."

Roberts said any sale would not affect his TV shows. He said he could buy time on the station or other stations:

"I'm not going off television, never. That's my calling."

Ziva Branstetter 581-8378
ziva.branstetter@tulsaworld.com