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| We need to learn how the capitalists do this. We are planning a rapid expansion of our empire too. |
Christian Ecclesia College Stands by President After He Is Indicted for Mail, Wire Fraud:
"Neal pleaded guilty in January to conspiring with an Arkansas state senator to appropriate government money to two non-profit entities — a college in Springdale and a corporation that manufactures jobs for disabled veterans, disadvantaged youth and those recovering from substance abuse. Between 2013 and 2015, they authorized and directed the Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District to award a total of $600,000 in General Improvement Funds to those entities — $200,000 of which went to the college. In return, Neal received approximately $38,000 in bribes from officials at those entities.
According to the Democrat Gazette, records from the NWAEDD show that Neal specifically requested a $50,000 grant be given to a private college and the only grant he directed for that amount to a college was for Ecclesia. His grant was awarded in 2014 just after Woods directed a $150,000 grant to the same college.
Also, according to the Gazette, nine Northwest Arkansas legislators requested $592,500 for the school. Woods directed the most at more than $350,000.
In total, Arkansas legislators gave nearly $700,000 of taxpayers' money to help Ecclesia College buy almost 50 acres although it already owned more than 200 acres, the Gazette reported. The college also reportedly used state improvement fund grants to help buy two proprieties in 2013, for well over their county-appraised value.
Ecclesia said in its grant applications it needed the land for student housing to accommodate rapid growth in its fall 2013 and fall 2014 enrollments, but the Springdale building department shows no new buildings or structural renovation have occurred on the properties, the Gazette reported."
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| The dishonest Ecclesia website is managed by Oren Paris' sister, Angie Paris Snyder. She and Oren listed Steven Henderson as a member of the EC Board of Regents - surprising Steve Henderson. |
'via Blog this'
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GJ - Let's be frank about this rapid growth. I heard that line from a former board member, Jim Parsons, who is suing the college to tell the truth about its finances. That was about five years ago. The college has not grown at all, except in land owned.
Parsons, a veteran Green Beret, is known for his battles to promote government integrity.
Where did all that money go? One Oren Paris pal had the president hire a lady for $50,000 a year, which included a $7,000 cash bonus. What was this job - to be Oren's secretary in the office he seldom used.
No dorms were built with this enormous flow of money. The students live in the kind of buildings found in old church campgrounds.
No classroom buildings exist. The funny octagon (main) building is a combination of everything - rooms divided by plastic curtains, registrar's offices, a so-called children's ministry, a microscopic library, and offices for all the coaches. I never saw a decent classroom on the entire campus.
The stairs up to the most of the classrooms are steep and there is no access for the handicapped.
The addition to the Walker building seemed more like a big room designed for political meetings, - the real passion for Oren Paris.
Big sports school? No gym. No locker-rooms. No pool. They have a baseball diamond built by volunteers. They compete in basketball at local gyms.
Deluxe parking - the gravel parking lot is in need of more gravel.
Deluxe walkways - more gravel, plus mud.
Deluxe eating facilities - a little old building with a kitchen, fireplace, more of a leftover church campground facility.
The faculty are qualified to teach, but there is a ghost faculty too.
One lawyer asked me, "Have you seen most of those listed as faculty?" I said "No, and I am there various days." He looked up one famous faculty member - at that time a permanent resident at a nursing home.
The members of Oren's family - the ones getting most of the money - are not qualified to teach or to manage higher education.
The Paris family thought they could take a little volunteer Pentecostal Bible College and upgrade it to rake in public funds. But they do not feel obliged to follow the rules. They refuse to disclose how the money is being spent, although all public institutions share their budgets, actual faculty members, actual board members, and actual facilities.
The college that my wife and I attended started out very small, moving from one location to another. The faculty ratio in education at Augustana is 91% PhD. That attracts donations and earns the support of public foundations.
But Oren Paris continues as the overpaid president of Ecclesia College - his mom on the board and very well paid. All this, even though Oren was indicted by the federal government for the way he obtained the government funds and used the college's funds.
Hey Paris Family - the money does not belong to you, but to a non-profit institution with public responsibilities.
