Green says family thinks 'ORU is worth keeping'

BY April Marciszewski, World staff writer
Monday, May 12, 2008
5/13/08 at 10:29 AM

From Wayne Greene's Blog: "So, at the same time that the school remains to its Oral Roberts tradition, it must transition to a school that's not centered on Oral.

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Tulsa World Exclusive: The man. The mission. The ministry. See the web exclusive site about the life of Oral Roberts.

Mart Green’s family had never donated to an organization without “high stewardship” before giving $70 million to Oral Roberts University last fall and winter, Green said at a Tulsa Press Club Page One Luncheon on Monday.

ORU’s accreditors determined last fall that the school needed work in finances, leadership and governance.

But the Green family saw something more important and difficult to achieve than running the business aspects of the university well: The family saw that students received “quality, whole-person education,” he said.

Then the family saw President Richard Roberts resign. To them, that said, “ORU is more important than my (Roberts’) reputation,” Green said.

“We as a family have stepped in and said, ‘ORU is worth keeping,’” he said.

Green’s father, David Green, founded the Hobby Lobby store chain, and Mart Green founded the Mardel Christian & Education retail chain.

Mart and Diana Green’s youngest child, Amy Green, plans to attend ORU this fall, Mart Green said at the luncheon.

Associated Images:

Mart Green discusses ORUs new governing practices at the Tulsa Press Club on Monday.