Wait on outside probe, ORU alums urged
BY APRIL MARCISZEWSKI World Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
10/17/07 at 11:37 AM
For more: Read the latest stories, view the lawsuit and other documents and watch slide shows and video.
Oral Roberts University
alumni were encouraged
Tuesday not to judge the
school based on financial and
political impropriety allegations raised in a lawsuit but to
wait on an independent investigation commissioned by the
school's board of regents.
Alumni association board
of directors Chairman Rhae
Buckley sent an e-mail "calling on all ORU alumni . . . to
continue to support ORU
through this process."
The alumni group, through
the e-mail, praised a recent
decision by the board of regents to have an outside auditor look into the allegations
and evaluate ORU's practices.
A lawsuit filed Oct. 2 claims
that three former ORU pro
fessors were wrongfully fired
or led to resign after they
turned over an unsubstantiated report of misspending and
more to the board of regents.
The lawsuit also claims that
ORU President Richard Roberts illegally involved the university in a local mayoral campaign last year.
Roberts and his wife, Lindsay Roberts, have denied the
allegations.
Buckley's e-mail informed
alumni of the situation and
the responses from ORU and
Richard Roberts. He wrote
that the alumni association
was giving both positive and
negative feedback from alumni to ORU staff members.
"You should know that despite the current situation,
the university's future is
bright," the e-mail said, offering evidence of high enroll
ment, a unique "spirit-filled
student experience" and quality graduates.
Buckley's e-mail can be
seen online at www.tulsaworld.com/orualumni.
Several alumni who attended a monthly alumni lunch
Tuesday were supportive of
ORU and said they are waiting to see the results of the regents' independent investigation into the allegations.
Joey Odom, a 2003 graduate and a member of the
alumni board, said he looks
for positive results from the
lawsuit. More alumni are reconnecting with the university, he said, and he thinks the
situation will refine ORU.
Many people distrust the
school now, but "I hope it
turns out positive," he said.
Alumni have been slower
than others to support ORU
in this situation, said Gene
Gregg, a graduate, alumni
board member and former di
rector of seminary admissions. However, major donors and supporters of ORU
whom Gregg knows "are
hoping for the best and willing to give Richard (Roberts)
the benefit of the doubt."
Gregg described Roberts
as "broken and humble"
when he spoke with the alumni board last week, and he
thinks that most of the allegations against Roberts are fabricated. He said Roberts has
"earned the confidence of the
students and the staff and the
alumni."
Gregg wonders, however,
whether the professors who
claim that they were wrongfully forced out of ORU were
treated fairly and heard, he
said, adding that "I know they
were godly . . . and highly regarded."
He said people, including
professors, are ORU's greatest asset.
Alumnus Terry Unruh has
taught accounting at ORU
since 1980, and he said that
through all of ORU's controversies over the years, the
school has "always come out
on the good side." That is the
outcome he expects this
time, too.
Students are on fall break
this week, and before they
left, Unruh told them: "Just in
case any of you are concerned, we're going to be
here when you get back," he
said.
Unruh said he has encouraged students not to "prejudge" ORU or its administrators. Like everyone else, he
said, students want to "find
out what the real story is."
April Marciszewski 581-8475
april.marciszewski@tulsaworld.com
