Oral Roberts University 
The information on this page was last updated 11/22/2023. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Oral Roberts University is a charismatic university, founded in the fires of evangelism and upon the unchanging precepts of the Bible. The University was founded as a result of the evangelist Oral Roberts' obeying God's mandate to build a university on God's authority and the Holy Spirit.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Oral Roberts University
7777 South Lewis Ave.
Tulsa, OK 74171
Website: oru.edu
Phone: 918-495-6161
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 730739626
CEO/President: William M Wilson
Chairman: Holly Moore
Board size: 32
Founder: Oral Roberts
Ruling year: 1964
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 04/30
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2009
Purpose
God's commission to Oral Roberts was to "Raise up your students to hear My voice, to go where My light is dim, where My voice is heard small, and My healing power is not known, even to the uttermost bounds of the earth. Their work will exceed yours, and in this I am well pleased."
Mission statement
The mission of Oral Roberts University - in its commitment to the Christian faith - is to educate the whole person in spirit, mind, and body, thereby preparing its graduates to be professionally competent servant-leaders who are spiritually alive, intellectually alert, physically disciplined, and socially adept. The University seeks to synthesize the best practices of liberal arts, professional, and graduate education with a charismatic emphasis to enable students to go into every person's world with God's message of salvation and healing for the totality of human need.
Statement of faith
1. We believe the Bible to be the inspired, authoritative, and infallible Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16).
2. We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (1 John 5:4-7).
3. We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father and in His personal return in power and glory (1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 Peter 2:21-24; John 3:16).
4. We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful man, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential (Romans 3:21-30; Galatians 4:4-7).
5. We believe the redemptive work of Christ on the cross provides healing for body, mind, and spirit in answer to believing
prayer (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24; James 5:14-16).
6. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer and operates in all believers in the power of the gifts of the Spirit manifesting them as He wills (John 14:16; Acts 1:5, 8; 2:2-4; 1 Corinthians 12-14; Galatians 5:22-23).
7. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation (John 5:24, 28-29).
8. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, and seek community together, to "become more and more in every way like Christ who is the Head of his body, the church" (Ephesians 4:15-16).
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Colleges/Universities
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 261 of 1106 | 31 of 129 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 140 of 1107 | 16 of 129 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 573 of 1107 | 75 of 129 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 443 of 1106 | 58 of 129 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 10% | 4% | 3% | 5% | 10% | 8% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 2% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 22% | 31% | 34% | 25% | 17% | 21% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 2% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 78% | 69% | 66% | 75% | 83% | 79% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 84% | 83% | 86% | 84% | 84% | 83% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 96% | 86% | 76% | 87% | 100% | 93% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 78% | 71% | 65% | 73% | 84% | 77% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 4% | 14% | 24% | 13% | 0% | 7% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 5% | 11% | 21% | 11% | 0% | 7% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 13% | 16% | 13% | 15% | 15% | 15% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.51 | 0.55 | 0.55 | 0.62 | 0.72 | 0.69 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 2.64 | 2.42 | 2.20 | 2.63 | 3.82 | 3.59 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.40 | 1.32 | 1.20 | 1.63 | 2.73 | 2.46 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 8.60 | 4.48 | 4.18 | 4.85 | 3.35 | 3.37 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.12 | 0.22 | 0.24 | 0.21 | 0.30 | 0.30 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 7.34 | 7.04 | 7.61 | 5.86 | 3.08 | 3.43 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 24% | 13% | 17% | 16% | 19% | 20% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 11% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 151% | 159% | 153% | 135% | 114% | 117% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Cash | $73,268,583 | $99,469,040 | $60,851,210 | $29,192,824 | $30,559,449 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $11,501,812 | $8,897,086 | $6,314,538 | $8,954,249 | $9,473,507 |
| Short-term investments | $34,323,019 | $13,296,623 | $15,388,261 | $13,192,523 | $15,408,742 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $119,093,414 | $121,662,749 | $82,554,009 | $51,339,596 | $55,441,698 |
| Long-term investments | $12,123,341 | $15,161,031 | $17,927,343 | $20,500,633 | $22,948,100 |
| Fixed assets | $151,689,726 | $126,155,192 | $113,455,941 | $120,938,169 | $117,549,019 |
| Other long-term assets | $5,115,466 | $4,491,857 | $3,164,659 | $3,243,653 | $2,962,099 |
| Total long-term assets | $168,928,533 | $145,808,080 | $134,547,943 | $144,682,455 | $143,459,218 |
| Total assets | $288,021,947 | $267,470,829 | $217,101,952 | $196,022,051 | $198,900,916 |
| Liabilities | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $23,860,869 | $25,959,507 | $13,942,549 | $11,912,738 | $12,701,077 |
| Other current liabilities | $2,730,757 | $3,123,999 | $3,070,445 | $3,400,984 | $3,736,001 |
| Total current liabilities | $26,591,626 | $29,083,506 | $17,012,994 | $15,313,722 | $16,437,078 |
| Debt | $47,231 | $46,963 | $28,759 | $10,844 | $53,356 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $11,348,272 | $15,308,279 | $18,177,092 | $21,456,873 | $22,926,445 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $11,395,503 | $15,355,242 | $18,205,851 | $21,467,717 | $22,979,801 |
| Total liabilities | $37,987,129 | $44,438,748 | $35,218,845 | $36,781,439 | $39,416,879 |
| Net assets | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Without donor restrictions | $90,196,103 | $88,832,162 | $88,168,231 | $92,144,752 | $76,465,979 |
| With donor restrictions | $159,838,715 | $134,199,919 | $93,714,876 | $67,095,860 | $83,018,058 |
| Net assets | $250,034,818 | $223,032,081 | $181,883,107 | $159,240,612 | $159,484,037 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Total contributions | $57,915,856 | $64,395,074 | $37,845,876 | $23,699,564 | $30,890,878 |
| Program service revenue | $123,451,023 | $120,038,832 | $112,437,091 | $114,335,870 | $111,931,130 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $1,251,010 | $5,554,853 | $1,501,259 | $1,426,847 | $1,565,577 |
| Other revenue | $1,354,033 | $1,950,774 | $2,278,476 | $1,306,560 | $2,777,190 |
| Total other revenue | $126,056,066 | $127,544,459 | $116,216,826 | $117,069,277 | $116,273,897 |
| Total revenue | $183,971,922 | $191,939,533 | $154,062,702 | $140,768,841 | $147,164,775 |
| Expenses | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Program services | $130,582,157 | $124,983,941 | $112,588,609 | $117,543,998 | $113,304,502 |
| Management and general | $24,644,955 | $19,009,978 | $19,680,056 | $20,407,206 | $20,734,937 |
| Fundraising | $2,356,960 | $2,061,425 | $2,050,887 | $2,286,700 | $2,544,611 |
| Total expenses | $157,584,072 | $146,055,344 | $134,319,552 | $140,237,904 | $136,584,050 |
| Change in net assets | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $26,387,850 | $45,884,189 | $19,743,150 | $530,937 | $10,580,725 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $26,387,850 | $45,884,189 | $19,743,150 | $530,937 | $10,580,725 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| William M Wilson | President | $639,583 |
| Paul Mills | Men's Head Basketball Coach | $327,184 |
| Kathaleen Reid-Martinez | Provost/Chief Academic Officer | $318,262 |
| Neal Stenzel | Assistant Treasurer/CFO | $303,432 |
| Michael Mathews | VP of Technology and Innovation | $288,064 |
| Timothy Philley | Chief Operating Officer | $254,274 |
| R Michael Carter | VP of Development/Alumni | $206,074 |
| Tim Johnson | Athletic Director | $202,856 |
| Norman Mintle | Associate Dean/Professor | $148,884 |
| Janice Scott | Assistant Secretary | $68,646 |
Compensation data as of: 4/30/2023
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 11/22/2023. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
ORU was birthed as the result of a mandate God gave founder Oral Roberts to "...build Me a university based on My authority and the Holy Spirit." God's commission to Oral Roberts was to "Raise up your students to hear My voice, to go where My light is seen dim, My voice is heard small, and My healing power is not known, even to the uttermost bounds of the earth. Their work will exceed yours, and in this I am well pleased." This private Christian liberal arts institution held its first classes in 1965 with 300 undergraduate students. The university dedication took place in 1967, with the Reverend Dr. Billy Graham as the keynote speaker.