ORU cancels $500,000 in student balances

TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — Oral Roberts University is canceling more than $500,000 of previous balances on current student accounts.

As of Monday, 646 qualified students received notice from the university that their account now has a zero balance.

ORU President William Wilson said the financial benefit will give these students a fresh start financially as they go into the fall 2021 semester.

“I am very excited to make this announcement to our amazing students at ORU,” Wilson said in a news release. “We were able to take over $500,000.00 of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds given to as institutional aid to directly help our students in this way. This is in addition to several millions of dollars ORU students have received from the government in other COVID relief funds over the last year. We are always mindful of the cost of a college education, which is why at ORU, we are committed to the value of our educational model. We are grateful that we have this occasion to assist so many students in their journey to becoming Whole Leaders for the Whole World.”

The university was able to eliminate the balances through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, which was funded by the American Recovery Plan.

“For these qualified students this was great news,” said Alison Vujnovic, ORU assistant vice president of enrollment management-residential. “This development came at a time when many students remained undecided about college. Now, this roadblock is removed, and they can continue their academic journey.”