ORU: A Happy Ending [Beginning]

Oral Roberts University's acceptance of the Green (no relation) family's offer to bail the school out is one of the most positive stories I've read about in a while--amid the otherwise depressing and tawdry tales plaguing the charismatic/Pentecostal community these days.

I mused at the initial breaking of the ORU scandal that nothing substantive could improve the school's dismal reputation as long as it was run by the existing board--many of whom were haunted by their own ethical problems. It seems that Mart Green and his family were of the same opinion, as their $62 million gift hinged on the replacement of the board with a body that would more effectively represent the interests of the faculty, students and stakeholders--not the interests of the Roberts family. The new trustee board is heavily weighted toward those respected both for their solid ministry experience and academic credentials:

• Don H. Argue, Ed. D.
• Fredrick A. Boswell, Jr.
• Stanley Burgess, Ph. D.
• Hal Donaldson
• Mart D. Green, Chairman
• Rob Hoskins
• Lynette (Troyer) Lewis
• Ron Luce
• Charles W. McKinney, ED.D.
• Oral Roberts (Life Member)
• Russell P. Spittler, Ph. D.
• Dr. R. Lamar Vest
• William (Billy) Wilson
  

I think I hear the pleasant sound of ORU grads nailing their diplomas back on the wall. ...