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	Richard Roberts Quits ORU Post By Tony Thornton and John Estus The Oklahoman November 24, 2007 http://newsok.com/article/3172893/1195910001 TULSA — Richard Roberts, the embattled president of Oral Roberts University, resigned Friday, two days after a former school accountant said the televangelist ordered him to "cook the books" to cover up improper spending. ORU regents Chairman George Pearsons confirmed Roberts' resignation Friday evening and said regents will meet Monday and Tuesday to discuss the first steps in the search for a replacement. Pearsons said Roberts resigned through a letter that read in part, "I love ORU with all my heart. I love the students, faculty, staff and administration, and I want to see God's best for all of them." The letter could not be obtained. School spokesman Jeremy Burton said he hadn't seen it, and Pearsons couldn't be reached for comment. In a prepared statement, Pearsons said administrative duties will continue to be handled until Monday by Executive Regent Billy Joe Daugherty and school founder Oral Roberts, who returned to Tulsa after his son took a leave of absence last month. Momentum to remove Richard Roberts has been growing since three former professors filed a lawsuit Oct. 2, claiming they were forced out in part for refusing to use students on the Tulsa mayoral campaign of a candidate Richard Roberts favored. That lawsuit also included allegations Roberts and his wife, Lindsay, used the school's money to support a lavish lifestyle. Among the alleged spending: •A $39,000 shopping tab at one store for Lindsay Roberts. •A $29,411 Bahamas senior trip on the ORU jet for one of their daughters. •A stable of horses for the Roberts children. A lawsuit filed Wednesday by former senior accountant Trent Huddleston,backed some of the professors' claims. Richard Roberts has steadfastly denied the allegations — even going on "Larry King Live" to proclaim his innocence — but took a temporary leave in October pending an independent audit. Inquiry results aren't known. It's unclear what impact the resignation will have on Richard Roberts' television ministry. He previously had said that role wouldn't be affected when he took temporary leave from ORU. Burton said the school would not provide additional comment on Roberts' resignation until next week. A message left with Roberts' personal attorney, Frank Hagedorn, wasn't immediately returned. Reaction to the resignation was swift. "This is what's best for the university," said Donald Vance, a tenured professor of biblical languages and literature. Vance joined other tenured faculty two weeks ago in giving Roberts a "no confidence" vote and urging Provost Mark Lewandowski be named president. Lewandowski later offered to quit, telling regents he could not "in good conscience serve under his (Roberts') leadership." Lewandowski declined to comment Friday night on Roberts' resignation. Vance said Lewandowski received 95 percent support from tenured faculty. Attorney Gary Richardson, who since October has filed lawsuits on behalf of six people against ORU and Richard Roberts, said he wasn't surprised by the resignation. "We've expected this from the beginning, when we started seeing the evidence," he said. "I would say that his resigning is something that he obviously felt no option." ORU student Cornell Cross called the resignation "a good step toward fixing the university. We are still going to have to push to make sure the board of regents does what is expected of them." Cross was among two students who sued ORU on Wednesday, claiming their degrees have been devalued. Cross said the Robertses always find a way back into power at the school, and he fears that may happen again. "The pressure needs to continue, because we need a 100 percent change and not an 80 percent change," Cross said. ORU alum Mike Meleen, an Oklahoma City attorney, said he hopes the resignation will stave off further litigation. "Regardless of the outcome of the lawsuit, Richard Roberts needed to step down. The two main reasons are the debt of the university that he's had 15 years to do something about has actually gotten worse, and the culture of fear he's created," Meleen said. "Nobody has any bad feelings towards Richard. I'm not sure he was ever the man for the job, ever qualified to run the university."
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