KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
In a statement released last week, the Master’s University Board of Directors said they believe a majority of their board members are independent and that not “every assertion” made in the WSCUC report is correct.
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In March of this year, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) sent out an Accreditation Visit Team (AVT) from their Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) to review the educational and administrative practices of the school.
Then on July 18 of this year, Master’s University officials and students were informed, in a letter from WSCUC, that the school had been placed on academic probation due to a number of issues found by the AVT.
TMUS President, Dr. John MacArthur, first spoke of these concerns with students on Aug. 27. Then, last week, the school’s Board of Directors released their first statement in the form of a letter posted on the school’s website.
The letter begins by asserting that the board was concerned about the “troubling findings concerned with the work environment” at Master’s — something that the WSCUC report called a “climate of fear, intimidation, bullying and uncertainty” among staff and faculty members — but then goes on to say that the board wishes to “mitigate some of the findings” found in the report.
Related: Master’s University President Calls Allegations Against School ‘Untrue,’ ‘Persecution’
“For example, after researching the WSCUC standards for board independence and discussing several specific situations with WSCUC leadership, we believe that a majority of our board members are independent, as the WSCUC standards require,” read the letter.
And while Master’s officials said they do acknowledge that there “are a number of significant issues (they) must address,” they went on to say that their goal of releasing the statement was “simply to point out that (they) do not believe that every assertion in the Commission’s report will eventually prove to be correct at the level initially assessed.”
Additionally, the Master’s Board said that a week before the report was officially filed they were already mobilizing the board to respond to “anticipated findings.”
The letter stated that the board was working with an independent firm to assess “staff and faculty satisfaction” and a “special task force of the board to work with an independent firm” in order to strengthen the work environment.
Related: The Master’s University Put On Probation After Review Finds ‘Climate Of Fear,’ Other Issues
However, while the statement did say that the board has taken specific action steps raised by the report, the letter failed to state the specifics on what the actions steps were.
And while they directly referenced two of the issues brought up in the WSCUC report, they failed to directly reference the other issues brought up by the AVT, including: alleged conflicts of interest regarding student financial aid; staff without qualifications for their positions; MacArthur’s son-in-law allegedly overseeing a contract from which he benefited from; or how the institution handles reported rape cases and Clery Act regulations.
The letter also stated that while the school board, who have met three times since the letter was released in July, had a clear timeline to demonstrate to the Commission that the school was handling the issues brought up in the report, the letter did not disclose the parameters of that timeline.
Since first reporting on this story on August 16, 2018, KHTS has received dozens of communications from other alleged victims of sexual assault and rapes at Master University. They are claiming the school failed to report or follow proper federal guidelines on taking action or reporting on these allegations. In addition, off the record comments to KHTS have implied financial impropriety on the part of school administrators as well as cases of nepotism.
KHTS is working diligently to document these allegations and will be sharing them with our readers in the upcoming weeks. Anyone who has additional information should contact us at newstips@hometownstownstation.com.
Messages left by KHTS with Master’s University officials to further clarify the specifics within the Board’s plan went unanswered.
The WSCUC returns to Master’s on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2 to assess the school’s response to the initial report.
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Every allegation of sexual assault should be investigated and taken seriously.. Other than that, it sounds like the leftist trying to control a religious college and trying to force them to teach what and how the left want.
The leftists have no tolerance for any other way of teaching or thinking. Freedom and a Expression of ideas is a threat to them and they won’t have it.
Our daughter attended Masters college ten years ago. She graduated in five years with two degrees. Excellent school,
Excellent professors and wonderful atmosphere.
The problem with the complaints and report is that even WASC doesn’t qualify. It only generally referenced a number of complaints.
The sexual abuse claim was between two students, not against any staff misconduct of sexual abuse.
I don’t think guy was a student- the girl was.
There were sexual assault and rape issues involving staff members. Masters staff responded to allegations as serous as rape by applying Biblical solutions which berated the victim and assigned them guilt for having been attacked in the first place. In some cases they not only insisted the victim stop trying to get the rapist in trouble, they told them they should marry them. If victims refused to cooperate they threatened to expel them and ruin their good names.
It seems Masters University, like many other church schools & churches, is guilty of nepotism. finance mismanagement and most importantly, protecting sexual predators. Stop protecting sexual predators!! Report the crime to the police first! Forget covering up the crime to avoid tarnishing the school’s ‘good’ name. Enough already!
You don’t know what you are talking about Albert. I hate it when people on the internet act like they are an insider that knows all the facts. To use your phrase…”Enough already!”
Good for you Albert. You are absolutely correct and speak the truth. Sexual predators must be reported and dealt with appropriately from the local level all the way up to the top federal offices. And this is not a left / right issue but a legal and moral matter.
Masters administrators don’t deny they knew about and dealt with allegations of sexual abuse and rape in their own way, they were cited for not being in compliance because they kept those incidents a secret from the proper authorities. They say they had no idea they had to report rape to the authorities. If you believe that I have a bridge to sell you.
School staff are not asked to or suggested to report rape and sexual abuse, they are MANDATED, and saying they had no idea may be a successful tactic for avoiding losing their schools right to continue teaching, but it’s also admitting they broke the law by not reporting incidents as they are REQUIRED TO DO.
Instead Masters Staff are accused of using intimidation to hush up victims so they could continue to pretend they run a religious school with the highest moral standards. If your little girl was one of the abused and raped victims you might not agree with that statement, but I can see how those who have no idea what was really going on behind the scenes to keep all this a secret, would believe otherwise.
No one likes to think they have been conned.
All,
There is no no proof that the school hushed up of sexual assault victims, and no proven mishandling of actual incidents. Shame on you KHTS for being so one sided in your reporting- and gullible!
There is not one credible person (not even the Jane Doe story) that has come forward as if this date with a proven example of these assault allegations- meanwhile you are all too willing to slander the reputation of a fine organization.
You now intend to print stories based on single sources of information? Sounds like you want to get sued for libel.
There is far too much pandering to allegations of wrong doing in our country – with just single source (he said/she said) evidence.
Print it – and accept the consequences. Everyone who has worked in the print business knows you need a minimum of two sources with the same firsthand story to print – and unnamed sources are not enough. Your exposing your ignorance (and reputation) in your rush to scoop other local papers and hope a news outlet picks it up.
Boo
Christy- when and where did Master’s admit they kept that information a secret from the authorities? No one has admitted that, and any “secret” information you have lacks credible facts to back it up.
If you cannot prove your premise- everything you said afterwards is not relevant.
I call “fake news” on your allegations!
Noname, save your indignation. There is direct and positive proof of the accusations that TMU has covered up reports of sexual assault and rape by persons under their employ. The fact that someone who uses “noname” as a moniker hasn’t seen that proof doesn’t make it cease to exist. The irony is that John MacArthur has condoned the action (or inaction) taken at TMU that replicate those of the Catholic church, after it was learned that priests were moved in an effort to hide their actions from public view. I thought I would never live to see the day that John MacArthur would seek to emulate the Catholic Church.
I trust the lack of evidence and credibility will prove these accusations false and justly punish those that would shamelessly participate in the crime of spreading lies and defamation.
Furthermore, there is no specific number in the article. The embellished figure refers to unsubstantiated allegations and claims. It sounds like it was written by PR agency.
Sounds like the Blasey-Ford allegations.
I don’t think guy was a student- the girl was.
Sounds like the Blasey-Ford allegations.