Tulsa World: ORU's new board to meet

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ORU's new board to meet

Argue

By APRIL MARCISZEWSKI World Staff Writer
Published: 1/30/2008 1:16 AM
Last Modified: 2/11/2008 11:32 AM

For more: Catch up on previous stories and documents related to the ORU lawsuit.

New leadership arrives at Oral Roberts University on Wednesday.

The 16-member board of trustees is scheduled to meet for the first time Wednesday and Thursday, officially marking ORU's transition from a board of regents that included prominent televangelists.

ORU is shifting from a "founder's school" model of management toward shared governance, in which faculty and administrators have input and defined roles, according to the university's new plan, written by major donors, the Green family.

The plan requires a revised rule book and financial accountability, but the Greens are leaving it up to the new governing board to chart ORU's future.

Mart Green will serve as chairman, and university founder Oral Roberts will be a lifetime trustee.

The board's time on campus, according to ORU spokesman Jeremy Burton, will include attending the campus chapel service and dinner with all ORU faculty Wednesday, and breakfast with student leaders Thursday.

The board also faces these tasks:

Mart Green has said the board will decide how to spend his family's donation of $70 million. Burton said last fall that ORU was $52.5 million

in debt.

The trustees also will conduct a presidential search. Richard Roberts resigned from the presidency Nov. 23 after being accused of misspending ORU and Oral Roberts Ministries money and allegedly perpetuating a culture of fear on campus. Roberts denied wrongdoing and said he never intended to create such a culture.

Roberts' resignation and the Green family offer came after three former professors sued ORU in October, claiming they wrongfully lost their jobs. One professor, John Swails, settled and was rehired, but Tim and Paulita Brooker are continuing with the suit.

April Marciszewski 581-8475
april.marciszewski@tulsaworld.com

Trustees' goals for ORU

MONEY Freddy Boswell, executive director of Summer Institute of Linguistics International:“To help the school get back to financial viability.”

ACADEMICS Don Argue, chancellor of Northwest University: “To see the university expand and develop based on the program of excellence that the faculty has developed.”

RESEARCH Stan Burgess, distinguished professor of Christian history at Regent University: “(ORU) needs to become a major research institution. Hire faculty who are world leaders in their areas. . . . Build up graduate programs at ORU, but only as it becomes comfortable.”

LEADERSHIP Russell P. Spittler, provost emeritus and senior professor of New Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary: “I think the school has a significant future if certain things can happen, mainly a revised governance and a new and confident president.”

INTEGRITY The Rev.William (Billy) Wilson, host of the weekly TV show “World Impact”: “We need a future . . . that has high integrity . . .”

SPIRITUALITY Ron Luce, president and founder of Teen Mania Ministries:“There’s a certain DNA about ORU that we want to preserve . . . (including) the spiritual fervor on campus . . .”

By APRIL MARCISZEWSKI World Staff Writer

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	Report Comment Alumnus, (1/30/2008 1:34:57 AM) Greatness is ahead for ORU ! Let's get it right!!! We pray that the reputation is restored at ORU.
	Report Comment M.S., (1/30/2008 2:38:28 AM) GOOD STEPS, BUT MORE TO BE DONE As a retired compliance executive with a national brokerage firm, I have two observations. As long as the past alleged offenses by RR and his key team remain buried in the outside audit-report, the people who were in charge at the time are a serious liability to the image of the "new" ORU. What if illegal, actionable offenses are disclosed in the future, via existing or future legal cases, an IRS audit of RR and LR, or a tell- all book --- and those who perpetrated those wrong-doings are still in key positions at the "new" ORU? This could greatly harm the effort to repair the image of ORU. Some of RR key lieutenants may be fine people, but as long as what has gone on in the past is covered up, no one can be sure. To keep key RR lieutenants on in the "new" ORU is a risk ORU Board of Trustees cannot afford to take. The image-building job is big enough as it is. One can imagine if a key person in the "new: ORU was indicted due to evidence of past wrong-doings. This is not judging them. Since a veil of secrecy remains over the allegations against RR ( and his team) it is a serious risk to a school struggling to rebuild it's image. Secondly, Mr. Green has pledged openness and transparency. Since the money paid to the Roberts to secure their agreement to these changes almost certainly came from the amount pledged by Mr. Green --- which would have otherwise gone to ORU --- those amounts should be made known. Money paid the Roberts would have almost certainly gone to ORU. Therefore, the stakeholders of ORU ( alumni, students, donors, supporters) should know what has been diverted from ORU to the Robertses. Once pledged, that is ORU -earmarked money, except in the unlikely case it came from the Greens separately. This is a first test if Mr. Green will deliver on his promise of transparency. Great steps have been taken. But these are two vital additional steps.
	Report Comment Family of Grads, (1/30/2008 4:03:45 AM) M.S., you, & too many people continually live in the world of "what ifs". If any problems arise due to people that are still there, the new board will deal with them.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~ Most of the people complaining about things haven't donated a dime to ORU. The new leadership at ORU will do their best to navigate all that needs done, & if the school makes it, fine. If not, it wouldn't be the first school that eventually closed. I doubt that would happen though, as the education there is excellent. You don't often run into as many high achievers as ORU has produced. The funny thing about ORU is, for as many "accomplished in the world" alumni that the school produces, there seems to be an equal amount that have gone "nowhere" but to the bottom of life because of their attitudes.
	Report Comment jam, tulsa (1/30/2008 4:54:33 AM) SPIRITUALITY Ron Luce, president and founder of Teen Mania Ministries:“There’s a certain DNA about ORU that we want to preserve ------------------------------------- The "certain DNA" quoted above is precisely the problem...Roberts' DNA should've been destroyed in the lab a long time ago. Thanks to a Tulsa judge's gag order, any wrongdoing by the Roberts' will be swept under the rug and will never see the light of day. #2 above has it right.
	Report Comment M.S., (1/30/2008 6:57:25 AM) #3 Close you eyes and hope for the best? So you don' buy car or life insurance because it's playing"what if"? If there's a car wreck you'll take care of it when it happens? You don't buy health insurance because its' playing what if? Get your head out of the ground and get real. And "great steps" is complaining? This is the kind of "close your eyes and hope for the best" attitude that got ORU in this mess. Poster #1 said it very well., "get it right." I think most people want to get it right this time.
	Report Comment Fifty Dollar Fine, (1/30/2008 7:22:11 AM) From the article - "SPIRITUALITY Ron Luce, president and founder of Teen Mania Ministries:“There’s a certain DNA about ORU that we want to preserve . . . (including) the spiritual fervor on campus . . .” " "MANIA" is right, coming from dirty little Hitler Youth "leader" Ron Luce, of BattleCry fame. Goosestepping into everyman's world is still the goal, looks like. "INTEGRITY The Rev.William (Billy) Wilson, host of the weekly TV show “World Impact”: “We need a future . . . that has high integrity . . .”" Integrity...hahaha!
	Report Comment bsr, Pryor (1/30/2008 7:28:41 AM) The BOT have very difficult decisions to make certain that additional details (courts, books, and media) do not continue to add fire and hinder ORU's progress. The forecast is "clouds of doubt which threaten rain" unless the BOT is able to succeed in the undaunting task of transparency. Mr. Green and each of the BOT has my best wishes to meet their goals for ORU. We can speculate as to who should stay and who should go. That really is of no value. Those involved hold the real keys to help the BOT and ORU in ways that are known only to them. Hopefully, they will find the courage to do so. Clouds block the sunshine!
	Report Comment E Galletty, (1/30/2008 8:11:03 AM) Changing the name is the only way to eliminate the history problems. Or, any "new direction" will move slowly under a dark cloud. Greens are sensible people that made their own wealth. They are still operating under the curse of the Roberts until the name is changed and all can be forgotten. There is no credibilty left for the Roberts.
	Report Comment patsy, jenks (1/30/2008 8:35:57 AM) wonderful news for ORU for all the alumni staff professors & current students. a breath of fresh air is blowing & the old is certainly passing away.its the year of new beginnings for all involved perhaps after Oral passes the name should be changed but out of repect for him I do not believe it should happen now. I have always believed Lyndsey needed help & hopefully now she will get that help
	Report Comment anotherkeynote, (1/30/2008 8:39:53 AM) Get rid of LEWANDOWSKI......NOW....He is a nightmare to the school
	Report Comment Machiavelli, Houston (1/30/2008 9:05:51 AM) Have the two seven day periods lapsed, and are the Green family "reasonably certain" that the lawsuits will all be settled? Because don't they have the loophole that they can renege (legally) on the $62 million if they aren't reasonably certain?
	Report Comment Gail, Tulsa, Ok (1/30/2008 9:21:42 AM) To: Mach: I think the second 7-day period ends February 5th. That is 14-days from the reported written approval by the BOR to the Green's Proposal. _____________ I am wondering what kind of behind the scene negotitions are occuring regarding the Brookers, the 2 students, and the accountant plus any possible tell all deal. __________ I had a thought.........I wonder if RR and LR had to sign a "confidentiality statement" to receive the severance pay? I just bet they did! That is standard for someone in his position.
	Report Comment another keynote+1, (1/30/2008 9:36:45 AM) Get rid of ELLSWORTH....NOW....He is nightmare to the school
	Report Comment GR, Waxahachie,Tx (1/30/2008 9:48:45 AM) The first thing that needs to happen is raise the salaries of the professors, etc. so that they don't have to work other jobs in order to live decently. Also, to help pay the large medical insurance payments which the employees alone have to pay if they want their families to be covered. Although the wages are so low that some could qualify for CHIPS and food stamps. I am sure that the people who work for Mr. Green make more money than these people with many degrees to their credit.
	Report Comment M.S., (1/30/2008 10:07:02 AM) 14 Right ---on salaries and benefits The first sign of respect is to pay decent wages and benefits, such as health. Surely this will rank high in the BOT priorities. 13 -- You;re right. Ellsworth, Richard's right-hand man, has to go. He carries heavy baggage from the past, and being at the epicenter of finances --around which the storm of allegations has swirled -- he ione of thes most likely to be compromised. Reply to 12 re confidentiality statement: To me its more important of the new ORU had to promise to not disclose any actionable, illegal offenses uncovered after they take over and get access to records of the past. What if they uncover evidence of illegalities? Do they have to keep this quiet? What deal of confidentiality did the Robertses extract from Mr. Green on these issues, if any? is this why Mr. Green has never seen the audit-report into allegations against the old regime? Perhaps he doesn'tt want to know. There is no doubting the great new day Mr. Green and the BOT have ushered in. But in a situation of this much corruption over this long a period of time the new BOT will have to addressquestions such as these that could come back and hurt ORU. Dirt swept under the carpet by the old regime, or simply ignored by the new regime, can come back to haunt the "new" ORU. It might be easier to ignore all this for the sake of peace, but buying peace at this price could be a mistake. I'm sure the BOT will give attention to these questions.
	Report Comment Gail, Tulsa, Ok (1/30/2008 10:08:12 AM) To: GR: Waxahacihie: After Thanksgiving I flew into Tulsa and specifically went to a Hobby Lobby and Mardels. I asked several employees about their salaries. They did not quote the exact amount, but led me to believe they were very low.
	Report Comment Jack Evans, (1/30/2008 10:21:59 AM) THREE QUESTIONS FOR THE BOT AS THEY MEET. First, thank you for playing a role along with the Green family in helping ORU survive the terrible scandals of the past and get on the road to being what it can be. QUESTIONS: 1) What amount of the money pledged to ORU went to the Roberts family to get their approval of your take-over? 2) Has there been a pledge to the Roberts to not raise or repodt issues of possible illegal actions uncovered by the new order? 3) Is the BOT aware of the wrongs that were committed and who was responsible -- to ensure those compromised people do not continue in key positions of responsibility in the new ORU? Thank you for your answer to these three questions in the interests of openness and transparency.
	Report Comment Another View, (1/30/2008 10:27:20 AM) I read on another post, in another article, that LR looks really bad. So, if everything is working out to their satisfaction, if she isn't being charged with anything, and if RR is "innocent of any wrong-doing", then why would she look so bad. My impression of her is that if she was innocent she would have been in everyone's face telling them (before the Gag Order took affect). The fact that she has just crawled into the woodwork and not said anything speaks volumes!
	Report Comment GR, Waxahachie (1/30/2008 10:58:45 AM) To #16-Gail. You should inquire further into Hobbie Lobby pay and benefits. It will surprise you. I believe the norm for teaching at a Univ. is a bachelors degree and a masters degree, etc.etc. Working a cash register and stocking items in a store (which is an honorable thing) does not compare with a college education. Please check the ones at HobLob with degrees and you will see.
	Report Comment anotherkeynote, (1/30/2008 10:59:21 AM) GET RID OF LEWANDOWSKI AND ELLSWORTH....NOW
	Report Comment To #18, (1/30/2008 11:05:54 AM) #18, LR DID say something. She made the announcement in the media that she lived & lives her life in a morally upright manner, etc. To say any more than that, she would have been blamed as the "lady who protests too much". I would have handled that ugly accusation the same way. JMO
	Report Comment Hold UP, (1/30/2008 11:24:13 AM) #21. Oh give me a break. LR acting that saintly... ROFL
	Report Comment Ol city boy, (1/30/2008 11:34:49 AM) Mr. Green: Here's hoping that none of your generous contribution(s) will be going to ANYONE'S "golden parachutes". Such a move will be another step to re-gaining integrity at the university. When someone spins "webs", all they can do is get caught in them as we've all witnessed. Life is a matter of choices for ALL of us....
	Report Comment D. Boone, Edinburg (1/30/2008 11:54:25 AM) They should have found a position for Kenneth Copeland at ORU. ORU could sell their plane and they could all take trips on His 18 million doller jet.
	Report Comment Gail, Tulsa, Ok (1/30/2008 12:17:16 PM) To: GR: I fully understand what a person with an education should make. I have 2 Bachelors, almost a 3rd, and a masters degree. I recognize people w/o an education make less. ______________ What I found interesting at the 2 stores was the age of the employees. There were some high school and college age, but many older people. ______________ Are you suggesting that ORU professors or people with a Bachelor's degree is working for his stores as clerks? ____________ My point was I do not know how anyone can work at the salaries they are making and be able to pay the very basics in life.

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