Much like the Ben Ladner scandal at American University, three former professors accused Oral Roberts University President Richard Roberts of using university funds for personal expenses.
Roberts asked the university's board of regents for administrative leave yesterday, according to MSNBC.
"I don't know how long this leave of absence will last, but I fully trust the members of the board of regents," Roberts said in a statement released by the university. "I pray and believe that in God's timing, and when the board feels that it is appropriate, I will be back at my post as president."
According to the lawsuit, former professors John Swails, Tim Brooker and Paulita Brooker accused Roberts and his family of using university funds to pay for personal luxury items costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In a statement posted on the university's Web site, Roberts denies the accusations, saying an outside firm independently audited all expenses.
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EXTRA EXPENSES A lawsuit filed by three former Oral Roberts University professors alleges the university president, Richard Roberts, and his family misused university funds in many ways, including: *Vacations for Roberts' daughters, including a senior trip to the Bahamas on a private university plane *$51,000 for clothing for Roberts' wife, Lindsay, including $39,000 at Chico's *A white Lexus SUV and red Mercedes, used exclusively by the Roberts family *Cell phone bills of more than $800 a month, including more than 800 text messages from Lindsay Roberts' phone 21 new cell phones in a two-year period *A personal chef *Remodeling of the Roberts' home, 11 times in the past 14 years *A horse stable exclusively for the Roberts children SOURCE: Swails et al v. Oral Roberts University et al www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/content/2007/oru-lawsuit/default.html |
Oral Roberts is a Christian school in Tulsa, Okla., founded by evangelical preacher Oral Roberts.
One Oral Roberts student said sometimes people fail.
"Even if the allegations are true, ORU is still God's university, and it is comforting to know that the atmosphere on campus is one of hope and trust in God," said Anastasia Baklashev, a sophomore at Oral Roberts, via Internet communication.
The former professors are suing Roberts after he allegedly fired them for submitting a list of Roberts' alleged misconducts to the university's board of regents, according to the lawsuit.
Roberts allegedly pressured Brooker, a public policy professor, into helping the campaign of Randi Miller, a Republican candidate for mayor of Tulsa, despite Brooker's warning that using university resources and contributing university funds violated of state law for nonproft organizations, according to the lawsuit.
When the IRS contacted the university about these violations, Roberts allegedly pressured Brooker into taking the blame and covering up the university's involvement. As punishment for Brooker's misconduct, the university refused to pay him his salary, according to the lawsuit.
Other instances of misconduct include vandalism by the Roberts children, using university employees to do the children's homework, granting nonacademic or need-based scholarships to friends of the family and using university classrooms and professors to homeschool the Roberts children, according to the lawsuit.
Everyone should wait to hear the end result of the investigations before passing judgment, said Ben Fieselmann, a junior in AU's School of Public Affairs. At the beginning of the Ladner investigation, people thought he spent a lot more money than he actually did, he said.
Ennie Yola Abioye, a freshman at ORU, said in an Internet communication she is not taking sides on the issue.
"I have been taught to pray for and respect my authorities regardless of what may be going on," she said.
Not all Oral Roberts students are supportive of the administration. Nick Metts, an Oral Roberts alumnus, said in an online communication he believes at least some of the allegations are true
