After Scandal, Students are Leaving Oral Roberts University

Between students looking to transfer out and a reduced number of applications, Oral Roberts University could see as much as a 13% drop in enrollment come fall as the fallout continues from the financial and sex allegation scandal involving Richard Roberts and his wife (who has been alleged to have a predeliction for under age boys). Personally, I cannot attending a university based on a kooky Christianist agenda, but I am sure some of the students attended with either good intentions or as a result of parental pressure. Now, they are rightfull concerned about the marketability of their diplomas in the wake of the scandal. It's unfortunate for these students that the Roberts were unsrupulous frauds who used the university to enrich themselves. Here are some highlights from the Virginian Pilot's AP coverage of the story:

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TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- As Oral Roberts University prepares to hand out diplomas to its Class of 2008, Anna Siebring, a junior, will be mailing out applications to transfer to another school. Siebring, a government major, is among many students having second thoughts about staying at Oral Roberts after six months of scandal at the evangelical Christian university. She and others fear the furor will reduce the value of any degree they earn there. Some graduates worry that they will have to try twice as hard to market themselves to potential employers after Saturday's commencement.

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Two university employees who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation said they have been told a much higher figure: around 400. That would amount to a startling drop of almost 13 percent. Oral Roberts spokesman Jeremy Burton said the decline has less to do with students leaving and more to do with fewer new ones enrolling.

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Administrators are urging patience from professors and students. Last week, Fagin conceded it would take "a while to turn a big ship." Similarly, Green said it will take years to make necessary overhauls and begin rebuilding trust. He has already dissolved the old board of regents and established a new set of bylaws.

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But that doesn't appear enough for sophomore Andrew Saah, who has already been accepted at the University of Maryland as a transfer student and is thinking about making the jump. He said Oral Roberts needs to change its culture to give more voice to its students.