Ecclesia on agency's watch list | NWADG

Ecclesia on agency's watch list | NWADG:


"SPRINGDALE -- The U.S. Department of Education placed Ecclesia College in Springdale on a watch list that affects the school's cash flow, according to the department's website.

Ecclesia is under "Heightened Cash Monitoring 2," an indication that the department is providing additional oversight of cash management, according to the website for the department's Federal Student Aid office.

Typically, colleges receive federal student aid funds on an "advance pay" or "direct reimbursement" basis from the Department of Education. Once an educational institution has been placed on the heightened-monitoring list, funds are released to the school after it has disbursed money to the student or parent borrower, and the school must submit manual reports. The process slows the affected college's cash flow.

Federal Student Aid may place institutions on the heightened-monitoring list "to provide additional oversight for a number of financial or federal compliance issues, some of which may be serious and others that may be less troublesome," the website states.

Arkansas Babtist College in Little Rock is the only other institution in the state with the same status.

Department officials did not respond to repeated requests made since Monday for information on how or why Ecclesia ended up with the heightened-monitoring designation.

It was unclear whether the designation is related to recent criminal allegations against the college's president, Oren Paris III."

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Oren Paris III and Ecclesia College. NWA editorial: The money changers | NWADG

Oren Paris III with Heidi and Ted Cruz

NWA editorial: The money changers | NWADG:

"NWA editorial: The money changers
Converting public money to private use demands scrutiny
By NWA Democrat-Gazette
Posted: April 8, 2017 at 1 a.m.

Perhaps it's just human nature to want it all.

Or, since we live in a nation of relative abundance, maybe that attitude is just particularly well developed here in the land of plenty.

What’s the point?

If private organizations or businesses receive taxpayer money, their records related to the use of that money should be open to public inspection.

Ecclesia College, the private Christian school in Springdale, is today's example. Its history dates to 1975, and for much of that, the school has operated without making big headlines. It's educated its students with a focus on biblical education along with business, counseling and other degrees. Under the leadership of Oren Paris III, the college has grown its campus and its areas of study.

Of late, the news about Ecclesia hasn't been so bright. A corruption case involving local, elected state government representatives has shone a spotlight on the college, which involved the two state lawmakers. One former state representative has already pleaded guilty to accepting a kickback to direct taxpayer dollars toward Ecclesia. A former state senator is indicted in the same case, as is Paris.

But set all that aside for a moment. Ecclesia's involvement in the case centers around more than $700,000 in state money provided to the college, primarily if not wholly for land acquisition. Absent the alleged kickbacks, that money appears to have been achieved through otherwise legal means, a funding mechanism called the General Improvement Fund. That public money, as a result of a terrible public policy, was effectively handed over to the control of state representatives and senators who could allocate it as they saw fit.

Ecclesia pursued the money and got plenty of it. Now, under the shadow of the kickback allegations, the college has been asked to produce documents related to its use of the money the state's taxpayers effectively donated to the Bible college's purposes. Jim Parsons of Bella Vista filed a lawsuit after his requests for information about the money and its use were rejected by Paris. Parsons asserts the college's records related to the public money should be accessible by the public that provided the money.

Paris and the college are fighting the lawsuit, continuing their assertion that as a private institution, it is under no obligation to open itself to public scrutiny or accountability.

No ruling has been made in the lawsuit.

It makes no sense for public money to be funneled to a private college. Beyond that, it defies reasonable ethical expectations that even a private institution or organization should be able to accept public money without having to open its records with regard to how that money is used.

We don't suggest Ecclesia's entire operation become open to public inspection, but accepting $700,000 in public money ought to come with some strings attached. Transparency ought to be one of those strings.

State lawmakers who want to protect the public's interests should support measures to make clear that any money handed over to a private entity such as Ecclesia is subject to the same level of transparency as if that money was used within state government. After all, it's the public's money.

Ecclesia is wanting it all, free money from taxpayers without accountability.

We understand why the college might take that stance, but Arkansans should expect more from the people they send to represent them in Little Rock, and state lawmakers should be more interested in making sure the tax dollars Arkansans pay are put to appropriate uses.

If we can't trust them to do that, why would we ever trust them with any more of our tax dollars?

Commentary on 04/08/2017"

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One Good Way To Make Christian Schools Look Bad. Owen Paris III | denelecampbell

 This would make a great movie,
including the hiring of one guys's female friend
as a secretary for Oren Paris III - for $50,000 -
when the faculty were paid peanuts and the students lived
in Third World shacks called "dorms."

Owen Paris III | denelecampbell: "Home » Posts tagged 'Owen Paris III'

Tag Archives: Owen Paris III
Do the Ends Justify the Means?

Posted on March 4, 2017 | 2 Comments


Following 2015 charges against “19 Kids and Counting” star John Duggar for molesting his sisters and the rape of a young girl at the hands of a former employee of Rep. Justin Harris who had adopted the girl then ‘rehomed’ her to the man who would rape her, the latest moral scandal in Arkansas has to do with a scheme of kickbacks in exchange for funneling state tax dollars to a tiny religious college. Earlier this week, former Sen. Jon Woods, Ecclesia College president Oren Paris III, and a business consultant friend of the two, Randell G. Shelton, were named in federal indictments.


Former Rep. Micah Neal
Previously indicted on several counts in the same scheme, former Rep. Micah Neal entered a plea of guilty to taking kickbacks. Other indictments may follow for additional persons, one of whom is referred to as “Businessman A” and for Ecclesia College, assumed to be “Entity A.”

The federal investigation has been ongoing for a couple of years and covers a period from 2013 to 2015. Until news of the investigation leaked out in the summer of 2016, Neal had been running for county judge. He dropped out of the race, citing residency concerns as his reason. News of his indictment came later.


Former Senator Jon Woods
Woods announced in November 2015 he wouldn’t run for re-election, possibly due to knowledge of the investigation.

Here’s the set up. An Arkansas law allows leftover money from the General Improvement Fund to be allocated for pet projects in legislators’ home districts. If approved, grant requests disperse the money through economic development districts toward worthy nonprofits. It’s a system ripe for abuse.

Currently in session, the legislature is expected to take away this honey hole at the urging of our rather embarrassed governor, Asa Hutchinson, a former Congressman, head of the Drug Enforcement Agency, and more recently, head of Homeland Security.

But the cash cow is already out of the barn, at least for this highly religious group. A total of thirteen indictments against former Senator Woods alleges he committed fraud and took a bribe of $40,000 plus “an undetermined amount of cash” in exchange for helping funnel more than $350,000 to Ecclesia College, purportedly for land on which to build student housing.

But there was no need for student housing. The grant request claimed that the college needed housing due to “rapid growth.” The college with an enrollment of less than 200 mostly off-campus students already owned 200 undeveloped acres. Records show that the GIF money paid for about fifty additional acres at an inflated price. To date, no building permits have been sought to build on any of this land, so evidently the ‘urgent’ need for housing wasn’t so urgent after all.

While indictments do not constitute a conviction, chances are good that plea deals will follow. The money was there and they wanted it and they had a handy nonprofit, namely Ecclesia College, by which to obtain it. According to the indictments, as early as January 2013 these three men “devised a scheme and artifice to defraud and deprive the citizens of the honest services of a public official through bribery.”

A March 3 write-up in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reveals a tangle of people eager to get their sweaty hands on state tax dollars. Never mind that Woods and Neal, as elected officials, both swore to uphold the state’s constitution. Never mind that Paris served as president of a college presenting itself as a Christian institution. The elaborate diversions through which the money flowed portrays clear evidence these men knew they were doing something wrong.[1]"



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More Ecclesia College Opinions - Rep Ballinger’s conflicts make him the wrong messenger for FOIA exemption | Conduit for Action

Oren's mom, his sister Angie, and his sister Twila
all support him. But Ecclesia College revenue supports them.
A former coach and a former board member are suing
the college for its poor management and for
ducking the FOIA request for where the money went.

Rep Ballinger’s conflicts make him the wrong messenger for FOIA exemption | Conduit for Action:

"Representative Bob Ballinger is spearheading SB373 in the House of Representatives.[i]  His involvement has the appearance of conflict and he should do the prudent thing and withdraw from the bill.

First, Representative Ballinger is a member of the Story Law Firm which is representing Ecclesia College in its efforts to avoid disclosure of documents under an FOIA request. The documents relate to the receipt of state General Improvement Fund (GIF) money awarded to the private college by legislators.[ii] Recently, Travis Story of the Story Law Firm filed a motion on behalf of Ecclesia College to dismiss the FOIA lawsuit.[iii]

SB373 would exempt the work product of Ballinger and the Story Law Firm concerning the GIF received by the college.

If Ecclesia College sounds familiar it may be because former state Representative Micah Neal pled guilty to a kickback scheme in the award of GIF money to the college. Former state Senator Jon Woods and Oren Paris III, the President of Ecclesia College, are under indictment.

Second, Ballinger is one of several legislators who authorized some of “their share” of GIF funds to Ecclesia College to purchase land. In 2013-2014 he directed a total of $8,500 to the college. There has been no indication of wrong doing by Ballinger in the awards. But, since one former legislator has pled guilty of kickbacks, it is a bad decision for Ballinger to be involved in legislation that could close the door on FOIA requests concerning public funds received by Ecclesia College.

Third, before moving to the Story Law Firm, Ballinger did legal work for Ecclesia College.  After allocating $8,500 of “his” GIF to the college, Ballinger did the legal work on the purchase. He prepared the deed and prepared the title insurance.  Perhaps he didn’t receive any compensation for that work, but if he did, steering legal work to Ballinger might be seen by some as a payback for his award of state GIF to the private college. Even If Ballinger had done previous legal work for Ecclesia College, sending a GIF award to a client could look bad.

Note: There is confusion over the value of the land purchased by Ecclesia College.  The grant application says the total estimated project of purchasing twenty-three acres is $565,000.[iv] The Real Estate Tax Stamp says the purchase price was $675,000.[v] The estimated market value of the property by Benton County is $204,600.[vi]

Fourth, prior to the indictments, an Ecclesia College official described Ballinger as their attorney. Again, SB373, being spearheaded by Ballinger in the House of Representatives, would draw a curtain on his “communication or attorney work product” for Ecclesia College.

Representative Bob Ballinger should reevaluate his involvement in SB373. We think the prudent thing to do, to avoid a conflict concerning this bill, is to withdraw from it."

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President's Message for Ecclesia College Students

Dear Friends,

Our world is changing.  But we know that God’s ways have not changed and are still perfect.  When it comes to helping shape our minds and the minds of our students, we are determined to follow His ways so that His purposes will be fully realized in our lives.

There is a particular order He prescribes to us in II Peter 1:5-10.  As we follow this prescription for knowledge, we arrive at an increasing understanding of Him, the Truth Who sets us free.  According to Scripture, the proper foundation for knowledge is first “faith” and then “character.”   In Christ we continually add faith, character and knowledge, in that order of cyclical increase.  Knowledge gained through any means apart from the foundation of Christ inevitably leads us to spiritual ignorance and eventual ruin.  Begin with the wrong premise, and you will arrive at the wrong conclusion.

We encourage you to stand firmly against the trends of this present culture to pursue a faith and character-based education.  And we invite you to do it here at Ecclesia College.  Here we always emphasize—whatever your major—setting your mind on the things above so you will be rooted and grounded in unshakable Truth.

Allow us to help equip you with godly knowledge, skills and credentials so you can be even more effective for His Kingdom in your sphere of influence!

"Dr." Oren Paris III

BA Ecclesia College, BA University of Arkansas, Online DMin Laurel Univeristy
President, Ecclesia College

---

Ecclesia College President Oren Paris Among New Indictments in Arkansas Bribery Scandal

March 2, 2017 by Warren Throckmorton 35 Comments

The other shoe dropped today.

After Arkansas state representative Micah Neal was indicted for his part in a kickback scheme involving Western Arkansas non-profits, including Ecclesia College, speculation mounted that state senator Jon Woods would also be indicted. The fate of others mentioned in the Neal indictment was not as clear. However, today a federal grand jury released indictments of Woods, Ecclesia College president Oren Paris III and their mutual friend Randell Shelton, Jr.

Read the indictment here.

According to the indictment, Neal, Woods, Shelton and Paris conspired to defraud the citizens of Arkansas.

---

Inside Higher Education wrote -

On Sept. 27, 2013, Ecclesia College President Oren Paris III signed an agreement accepting $200,000 from the Arkansas General Improvement Fund -- $200,000 that had been directed to the college by Republican State Senator Jonathan E. Woods, federal prosecutors say.

The same September day, Ecclesia College cut a check for $50,000 to a consulting firm that had been established the day before by Randell G. Shelton Jr., a friend of both Paris and Woods. Shelton took the check and used it as an initial deposit to open a bank account for the consulting business. Then four days later, on Oct. 1, Shelton transferred $40,000 from the newly opened bank account to a personal account owned by the state senator, Woods.

Also on Oct. 1, Woods withdrew $33,000 from his personal account to buy a cashier’s check. The only funds in the account at the time had come from the consulting firm’s account, which was only filled with money from Ecclesia College.

Shelton issued a check to himself on the same day from the consulting firm’s account for $1,035.62, writing that it was a reimbursement for gas expenses. Two days later, Ecclesia College’s Board of Governance approved a $25,000 bonus payment to its president, Paris. The board approved the bonus on the same day the college deposited the state General Improvement Fund money into its own account.

That series of events is described in an indictment issued March 1 of this year against Woods -- who did not run for re-election past the start of 2017 -- Paris and Shelton. A similar series of transfers took place numerous times between September 2013 and October 2015, according to the indictment. A federal grand jury charged the three men with multiple counts of mail and wire fraud in the alleged kickback scheme. The college was not named in the indictment.

Paris paid a total of $267,500 to Shelton’s consulting firm over the two years without the knowledge of Ecclesia’s Board of Governance, according to the indictment. He also had the college hire a secretary in the summer of 2013 at the behest of Woods, paying her a salary of $43,000 and increasing her bonus from $4,000 to $7,000 during the hiring process, the charging document alleges.

It’s rare for a college president to face such a serious set of charges. But Paris has not signaled any intent to leave Ecclesia, a work-learning interdenominational Christian college founded by his parents. Paris, his mother and his brother-in-law are all on the Board of Governance. His sister, Christian singer-songwriter Twila Paris, is on the college’s Board of Regents.

On Thursday the Board of Governance issued a statement backing Paris, writing that while the charges should be taken seriously, its members believe the president acted with integrity and is a “godly leader.”

 Angie Paris Snyder is charge of the college website,
so I would not take any of the "facts" posted there
too seriously.
Thanks to excessive spending on themselves, the Paris family
has let the Third World college facilities run down even more.
No gym. No stand-alone library (just a room in the old octagon building). Three "classrooms" upstairs are separated by a
folding plastic curtain on a track.
One classroom near the dean's office is little more than a broom closet with desks there.

Twila Paris Defends Brother Indicted for Bribery at Christian... | Gleanings | ChristianityToday.com

Their dishonest website, deceptive Board of Regents,
and alleged involvement in bribery to obtain tax money
may taint the claims of Angie Paris Snyder...a wee bit.

Twila Paris Defends Brother Indicted for Bribery at Christian... | Gleanings | ChristianityToday.com:


"The story is a tangled one, and it starts with the school. Sitting on 250 acres in Springdale, Ecclesia offers 17 degrees to about 283 students. It’s a “work college,” which means students do jobs on campus in exchange for lower tuition.

 Pat Boone never heard of Ecclesia College,
but Angie Paris Snyder
had him listed as a member of their Board of Regents.
Two others also expressed shock they were listed.

Ecclesia is like a family. Like the Paris family.

Twila’s parents established the small Christian liberal arts college in 1975, along with Twila, her three younger siblings, and their grandparents. In the beginning, it hosted training schools for YWAM (Youth With a Mission), which was founded by Twila’s uncle Loren Cunningham.
In 1996, the campus transitioned into a Bible college, accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education. In 2005, it received accreditation as a liberal arts school. The college sits under the umbrella of Ecclesia Inc, which also covers Strategic Missions, Ecclesia Relief and Development, Bibles For the Nations, Ecclesia Children’s Ministries, Happy Few Unlimited, and Twila Paris Productions.

Twila’s father led the institution until her brother, Oren Paris III, took over as president in 1997. Twila’s sister Angie Snyder is the director of communications; brother-in-law Mike Novak is the financial development director and runs IT. Her mother Inez Paris is the chancellor and sits on the eight-person board of governance; so does Twila’s husband Jack Wright and Oren Paris III himself.

In all, seven family members draw salaries from the school, Snyder told CT. The indictment charges Paris with receiving more than $300,000 in compensation over four years; in all, his family recieved more than $1 million."

How many college presidents only have a BA
and - after many years - an online DMin?
Could anyone in the Paris family teach at a community college?
No one is qualified to teach or manage higher education.

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Ecclesia College - Oren Paris Family - List of Links. Most Recent at the Top. Covered by Patheos, Local and National Outlets, and Christianity Today

 Oren Paris III has his mother Inez on the governing board,
his sister Angie running the online college,
his brother-in-law Mike Novak raising money,
his sister Twila running the prep school.
Not one of them is qualified to teach or to manage higher education. They call Oren "Dr. Paris" now because
he has an online DMin (not a doctorate) from
Laurel University.
So does "Dr." Phillip Brassfield, chairman of the board.

How Money Helped Ruin Higher Education

Ecclesia College lawyers want Freedom of Information lawsuit dropped.

Berryville got its city grant after its objections to Ecclesia College grant are dropped.

Encyclopedia of Arkansas.

Pat Boone is listed on the Board of Regents, but has never heard of Ecclesia College.

 Twila Paris Official "I am so blessed to have Oren as my brother and so grateful for his faithful service in God's Kingdom. Those who know him well know that he is a man of deep integrity with a long established record of exemplary character. It is very clear that his highest aim is always to please God. 

My family and I are humbled and strengthened by the many people of good will who are believing the best and standing with us in prayer during this season we could never have imagined."

-Twila Paris

Three people listed on the Board of Regents did not know they were on that list.

Phillip Brassfield chairs the operating board of Ecclesia College.

Ecclesia College makes Freedom FROM Religion happy.

Arkansas Christian Politician Pleads Guilty - Ecclesia College Bribes

Paul Snyder - married to Oren's sister - makes demands and threats about Ecclesia College posts.

The family tree - Oren Paris family dominates Ecclesia College and pays itself very well indeed. Paul Snyder hated this post, but offered no rebuttal, only threats.

Federal indictment of Oren Paris III reveals details of kickback scheme for Ecclesia College and the Paris family.

Ecclesia College hired a woman - a friend of Woods - to be Oren Paris' secretary - for a huge salary, especially when compared to the slave wages paid to the academic faculty.

Fired Ecclesia College coach is suing the college.

Former board member and faculty memberJim Parsons sues Ecclesia College to reveal financial details involved in the federal indictments of Oren Paris III.

Arkansas Times - a smell arising from Ecclesia College.

Ecclesia College, Springdale, Arkansas - In Their Own Words

Oren Paris III among those indicted in bribery scandal.

Oren Paris III linked with Jon Woods in federal indictment.

Angie Paris Snyder is in charge of the college website,
which explains the imaginary faculty members
and board members listed - to lend credibility to the school.
A little leaven leavens the whole lump.

----

Inside Higher Education Posts about Oren Paris III

Details of Oren Paris III Indictment

Ecclesia College president Oren Paris III indicted

Indictment involves Ecclesia College in Springdale, Arkansas

---

Patheos Posts

Oren Paris Archives 

Oren Paris New Indictments

Arkansas Bribery Scandals - Will Oren's Denials Be Enough?

Steven Henderson did not know that Oren and Angie
put him on the Board of Regents.

Three People Listed by Ecclesia College as Regents Didn't Know They Were on the Board

 Pat Boone starred in that Pentecostal favorite
The Cross and the Switchblade,
but did the Holy Spriti know Pat was press-ganged onto the
Board of Regents at Ecclesia College?

Three People Listed by Ecclesia College as Regents Didn't Know They Were on the Board:

"Now that’s embarrassing.

Steve Henderson, H.D. McCarty and Pat Boone are listed by Ecclesia College as members of their Board of Regents. However, the men now say they didn’t know they were listed as members. Pat Boone told Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reporter Bill Bowden he never heard of the school.

Henderson and McCarty both know about the school and know beleaguered president Oren Paris but they didn’t know they were on the Ecclesia Board.

Paris has been indicted on charges of fraud for his part in an alleged kickback scheme including two Arkansas state legislators, Sen. Jon Woods, and Rep. Micah Neal. Neal has already pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Woods and Paris maintain their innocence."

 Oren Paris III (my photo) displayed unusual
enthusiasm for political events, and used the new addition
to an old building for political gatherings.
However, they described the large room as a
classroom addition. Haha.

'via Blog this'

 Twila Paris - Oren III's sister - is on the Board of Regents
at Ecclesia College.
Paris family members use the college as their personal piggy-bank.

There are 12 counts of mail and wire fraud. They say Woods and Neal conspired to take bribes for steering the money to enrich Paris (he was paid $300,000 for his role at Ecclesia and his family together was paid $1 million, the indictment said). Paris paid the bribes through a consulting arrangement with a company set up by Shelton, the indictment says. Shelton in  turn paid legislators.

Source - http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2017/03/02/indictment-charges-former-sen-jon-woods-college-president-and-pal-in-kickback-scheme

The Family Tree - Oren Paris II, III, IV - And Ecclesia College - The Paris Family College

 Oren Paris II founded the tiny school that became a tiny college - Ecclesia College -
in Springdale, Arkansas. Its accreditation is limited to a Bible group.

 The son of Oren II is Oren III, who is president of Ecclesia College.
He has an undergraduate degree from EC
and another bachelor's from the U. of Arkansas, nearby.
He recently completed a D.Min. from Laurel Online University,
so they call him Dr. Paris.
His son is Oren IV.

Inside Higher Education - Boards may hold off on terminating a president until guilt is proven, he said. But it’s often best for everyone if presidents take a leave of absence, at the very least.

“Some boards are more strict about this than others,” Chabotar said. “I just think best practice is if somebody is indicted, they’re put on a leave of absence.”

Ecclesia is also rare in that it does not report its financials publicly and it is closely related to a single family. That can raise questions about institutional oversight.

 Oren II died in 2012, but his widow Inez remains on the board and on the Ecclesia College payroll.

 Angie Paris Snyder is Oren III's sister.
Angie and her husband run the online version of Ecclesia College.
Angie has an undergraduate degree from...Ecclesia College.

 Twila Paris, Oren III's sister, is famous for her
Evangelical singing career.
She runs the Ecclesia Prep program for small children,
one of those group home-schooling coops.

Not pictured - Starla Paris Novak is another one of Oren III's sisters. Her husband Mike has many roles, especially raising money. He has a bachelor's degree from Liberty University and is listed on the faculty of Ecclesia College.


Inside Higher Education -

Paris issued a statement Jan. 5 after Neal’s guilty plea stating that no one associated with Ecclesia College had provided money to legislators.
“We have never been a party to any agreements to funnel money to any state Legislature,” the statement said. “At the end of the day, I am secure in the knowledge that there has been no wrongdoing either on my part or the school’s part, and any rumors, innuendo or any future news reports that say otherwise are simply untruthful.”

But the indictment clearly names Paris. It notes that he received more than $300,000 in compensation from the nonprofit corporation that operates the college located in Springdale between June 1, 2012, and May 31, 2016, and that his family members and their spouses have received more than $1 million in compensation from it during that same time period. The kickback scheme’s purpose was for Paris to enrich himself, his family and the college by paying bribes to Woods and Neal through Shelton in exchange for the legislators securing money for the college, according to the indictment.

 It's good that Inez supports her son, Oren III,
but how many colleges are controlled by an entire family,
not one of them qualified to teach college or manage higher education, unless one counts Oren's recent online D.Min.

Cari Paris, married to Oren III, as pictgured on LinkedIn.
She is also on the faculty list of Ecclesia College,
with a bachelor's degree from Evangel College.