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Baylor, Scandal, and Christian Cowardice

Baylor University

The scandal at Baylor University is all the buzz right now. (Read here  for a good recap or here) This week news broke that the University was “firing” President Ken Starr for his failure to investigate …

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The Louisiana College Board of Trustees: Sycophants and Heroes

Heath Veuleman
Heath Veuleman
Heath Veuleman

When all is said and done it is the responsibility of the Louisiana College Board of Trustees to make sure LC is a healthy and properly run institution. As I have been in conversation with academics, legal professionals, and media members around the country, the consistent bewilderment has been…”How does the board let this continue?” We’ve known the answer for a while but have had no proof. There is a majority of the board that has seemed to support Joe Aguillard’s presidency no matter what immorality or incompetency he perpetuated. But, there has also been a minority that has sought to do the right thing. These ethical board members have been marginalized, attacked legally, and removed from their important posts on the board. They were almost able to remove Aguillard from office last year in response to his misappropriation of funds. But, due to the influence of LBC Executive Director, David Hankins, Aguillard was able to survive. 

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Joe Aguillard Exonerated! … oh wait, nevermind

Headshot of Tony Perkins
Tony Perkins
Tony Perkins

First it was the liberals who were after Joe. Then it was the Calvinists. Or at least that has been the narrative. But, there are some troubling figures for this narrative. I came to Louisiana College because of the conservative doctrine and am not a Calvinist. But, I am from California and lived in NYC so I am easy to brand as a liberal. (Though you may want to read Am I a Liberal?). Then came Tim Johnson. He certainly isn’t a Calvinist or a liberal. He was even the Chairman of the Board when Aguillard was elected President and Johnson was a key figure in making that happen. Now, there comes Tony Perkins. I am not certain, but I do not believe he is Calvinist but he certainly isn’t liberal. In fact, he is a major political figure within conservative evangelicalism’s conservative political scene. His conservative credentials are as strong as any. In fact, when the relationship between Perkins and LC was first developing I remember Aguillard being rather excited about it.

So, what is happening now?

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Why Louisiana College Students are Afraid, and Why They Should Be

Student's and Alumni praying for Louisiana College in front of Guinn Auditorium
Student's and Alumni praying for Louisiana College
Student’s and Alumni praying for Louisiana College

Yesterday, a Louisiana College official laughed at students and one of their parents when they stated that people on campus are afraid. When I wrote my open letter in 2011 I included a couple of statements about the fear on campus:

There is a spirit of fear among the faculty and students which is wholly inconsistent with our God who does not give a spirit of fear.

The level of fear at LC is such that students are told by their family to not raise health concerns related to facilities out of concern that they may not actually be granted their degrees. Meanwhile, faculty members shake their heads silently for fear of losing their jobs, many choosing to leave quietly after just a year or two.

I was charged by the college for lying about these statements. The defense that the was used yesterday against the students on these issues was all too familiar to me. “You can’t say there is a spirit of fear on campus because I’m not afraid.” The truth is there is a spirit of fear at Louisiana College and it has existed for many years. As bad as it was when I was there, I am told by several sources that it is worse now. I’ve been told by some that the oppression is “palpable.” I’ve been told that it feels like summer because there is so little life on campus.

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Open Letter to Louisiana College Students

An abandoned building with "Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes" spray painted on the side.

Dear Louisiana College Students, I respect so much that you are standing against the powers who have damaged your college experience and are risking the future of the institution you chose to be a defining …

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Louisiana College: Satan is Working Hard, Stand with Joe

Guinn Auditorium at Louisiana College

Recently,  Dr. Joe Aguillard, President of Louisiana College, sent out an e-mail (Joe Aguillard’s Request for Faculty and Staffinviting LC Faculty and Staff to a meeting where they would be briefed about the recent “attacks” against the College. Essentially the message was, “Satan is working hard. Stand with Joe.”

Louisiana College © 2013 Pamela Reynoso-2It has been rough recently for Aguillard.

First, recordings of Aguillard condescending to an employee with provocative statements such as:

The employee was “here to serve the President and show 1000% loyalty to whatever he does.”

“I am the employer and I sign your contract. You don’t work for the College. The College is not an employer. It’s a place of work. The employer is me and the employee is you.”

“Every office on campus is mine.  (pause for effect) Every office on campus is mine.”

“There is no freedom of speech here. I didn’t make that up. That’s the law. When a student says, “I have freedom of speech…” We have three attorneys who will laugh them into the ground because there is no such thing here.”

“I’ll put loyalty over competency with everybody that I allow to voluntarily work here, including student workers.”

“I’m going to make it very clear before people re-sign up. Don’t sign up here if you aren’t on board with Joe Aguillard. Cause it ain’t going work, it’s just not gonna work. That’s the way it is. Like my Momma and Daddy, you gonna live under my roof and eat my food and wear my clothes you will live by my rules.”

This story was picked up by the nationally followed Podcast Pulpit & Pen  which has been interested in the issues at LC since Aguillard got rid of three Calvinist faculty last year.

For some reason Aguillard then decided to release a press release where he dishonestly claimed full exoneration of every accusation against him and publicly drew the integrity of Dr. Chuck Quarles into question.

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Lies Work

Sad faced emoticon showing a thumbs down

People don’t say lies for no reason at all. Further, they say them because they work. For those of us who have kept an eye on Louisiana College over the last few years, we are …

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Louisiana College Executive Committee looks to extend Joe Aguillard’s contract

David Hankins laying handson Joe Aguillard
David Hankins laying handson Joe Aguillard
David Hankins laying hands on Joe Aguillard

I heard this from several sources last week but Chairman of the Louisiana College Board of Trustees Tommy French spoke directly to the Town Talk on the issue of Aguillard’s contract. According to French the Executive Commitee is looking to extend Aguillard’s contract. When commenting about the committee’s discussions French said, ““But I saw no opposition. There were not any negative points there to say we would not renew because we think he’s done a good job.” French also did not expect money to be an issue. Saying of Aguillard, “He doesn’t work for money, he works for the Lord.” That said, in 2012 (the most recent numbers available) Aguillard was paid $216,556. According to Chris Gherz, Chair of the History Department at Bethel University, on his blog the Pietist Schoolman Aguillard’s pay was 7th highest among Council of Christian Colleges and University schools and 79th highest among the 500 schools in the study, when compared against the schools budget.

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