[ballcoach15]

Corey Stewart was at Thomas Road Baptist Church this morning.

[Purple Haize]

Did you watch the services or the soundbites? The media is doing what they do best and repeating soundbites over and over again. They do the same thing with trump and it is what has created this ridiculous divide.

Full disclosure: I didn't watch the ceremonies.

Regardless this is about the president of LU using liberty's name to once again prop up Trump. It's not a good look for the university and has gotten old.

I just heard the sound bites. I didn’t care for him enough to listen to to him eulogized. But the fact that several speakers can have sound bites lifted that are swipes at the President and that several Media folks use those words to take swipes at the President and his supporters speak volumes.
I thought it was moving watching his cell mate pay his respects.

[ALAFlamesFan]

Working around teenagers and 18-22 year old college students I am constantly cautioning them about their posts on social media. Most posts and comments do not age well and we grow to regret them. Social media can be used for good or for ill but most political and social commentary is best made in the context of relationship and face to face. I would like to think JFJR will look back on some of what has been said and posted in the past few years and grow to regret them. This does nothing to further either the cause of Christ in our world or the reputation of our great institution. Everyone is entitled to their personal opinions but rightly or wrongly JFJR has been deemed a religious leader and is definitely tied to our school and it's mission. It is hard to imagine an argument that this furthers the mission or either.

[ballah09]

How quickly things have changed

http://www.liberty.edu/alumni/alumni-news/?MID=69233



If you're an enemy to Trump. You're an enemy to him.

Jr has the Trump derangement syndrome.

[Purple Haize]

The dude in the plaid shirt looks like Ben Shapiro

[Jonathan Carone]

That would be future Liberty president Trey Falwell.

[Purple Haize]

That would be future Liberty president Trey Falwell.

For reelz? Huh

[ballah09]

That would be future Liberty president Trey Falwell.

For reelz? Huh

He's prepping him, unfortunately. I hope common sense will prevail (doubt it) among students and alumni when that time comes to prevent it from happening, we know the BoT won't do anything. Trey will have done nothing to earn that position.

[Purple Haize]

That would be future Liberty president Trey Falwell.

For reelz? Huh

He's prepping him, unfortunately. I hope common sense will prevail (doubt it) among students and alumni when that time comes to prevent it from happening, we know the BoT won't do anything. Trey will have done nothing to earn that position.

No. I know he’s next in line to the throne. I was talking about the picture

[bluedevilflame]

It’d certainly be nice to have a non Falwell take the reigns but I don’t see that happening unfortunately.

[Yacht Rock]

Doesn’t his leadership experience basically consist of managing a Sweet Frog or something? LOL.

[thepostman]

I know Trey is an adult now but I dont feel comfortable talking ill of the guy. I'm not a fan of his father but I don't think hating on the kid because of who his dad is is a good look.

Jerry Jr will control the school until he dies. Hopefully Trey will become wiser and learn from his dad's mistakes. As much as I disagree with Jerry Jr's public persona he clearly learned from many of his dad's mistakes which is part of why liberty is in such a good place financially.

I wish he had learned from all of his dad's mistakes but such is life.

[Yacht Rock]

I don’t think it’s talking ill to ask what in his experience qualifies him to lead an institution like Liberty. I firmly believe that Liberty’s best days will be when it isn’t run like a family business. I think the leadership needs to ask themselves, “Who are we serving? The Falwells or the students?”

[Jonathan Carone]

Doesn’t his leadership experience basically consist of managing a Sweet Frog or something? LOL.

He’s been put in leadership roles at Liberty in recent years. By all accounts, his leadership style is totally different than his dad’s. I don’t know that he’ll ever be truly qualified to lead the school, but I don’t want to lump in Trey with his dad. They’re different people with different personalities.

[Yacht Rock]

Doesn’t his leadership experience basically consist of managing a Sweet Frog or something? LOL.

He’s been put in leadership roles at Liberty in recent years. By all accounts, his leadership style is totally different than his dad’s. I don’t know that he’ll ever be truly qualified to lead the school, but I don’t want to lump in Trey with his dad. They’re different people with different personalities.

Yeah, my concerns are more related to experience than temperament or values. I’d say it’s probably more appropriate to always keep a Falwell family member on the BOT. Outside of that, I don’t think it should be run like a family business unless someone in the family wants to pursue the path of going into higher education administration, etc and finds success in that field (that would likely include higher ed experience outside of Liberty).

[Jonathan Carone]

I don’t disagree with that. I just want to make sure we don’t disparage Trey just because of who his dad is.

[thepostman]

That is what i was pretty much saying. It is what people do to pastor kids and missionary kids too. its not fair to anybody to do that.

With that said Trey isn't taking over anytime soon and will have years to gain experience. If he ends up taking over one day I'll give him the benefit of the doubt until he proves otherwise. Just like I did with his dad.

In a perfect world he would take the good from both his dad and grandfather and drop the bad qualities of the two. Haha

[JK37]

His grandfather had no bad qualities.

Considering the evolution of the BoT membership in the last 11 years, I don’t see how LU won’t be anything but a family business for quite some time.

[Yacht Rock]

I hate to pull this card but I’d probably say that Jesus is the only human who had no bad qualities.

[thepostman]

His grandfather had no bad qualities.

Considering the evolution of the BoT membership in the last 11 years, I don’t see how LU won’t be anything but a family business for quite some time.

I loved Jerry Sr but he nearly drove the school into the ground financially. He also made mistakes in how he talked about sin of non Christian's. Of course, unlike his son, he often woklf apologize.

I have a great deal of respect for the man and admire him a ton. But he wasn't God himself, so therefore, not perfect.

[ALAFlamesFan]

I don't know Trey and I am not opposed to him one day running the school. I think JFJR has done an incredible job running the school. I have absolutely no complaints about how the school has been run.

Now the other stuff... It has hurt us.

[JK37]

I was joking about Sr. But, boy, those were the days huh?

How has the “other stuff” specifically hurt LU? And don’t give me anything related to reputation or association. It wouldn’t matter if JJ supported the Pope, Mother Theresa or Jesus Himself in the last election; plenty would still be irate.

The fact that no action thus far really has hurt the University, is reason enough to believe there is no end in sight to JJ’s provocative statements. I don’t agree with every word, but as I haven’t seen it really harm the University yet, I just don’t see it changing.

[Yacht Rock]

It’s tough to quantify impact right now. Anecdotally I know other families who either second guess sending their kids to Liberty under his leadership or hope that new leadership is installed by the time their kids are college aged.

Online enrollment is down due to a number of factors, such as increased competition, etc. With increased choice in options though, comes a greater responsibility on Liberty to be an attractive choice on the market. Does Jr do that? I’m sure for some folks it’s great and they love it. For others, it rubs them the wrong way.

In the end, even if it doesn’t hurt the school directly, I think it hurts the school’s mission.

[JK37]

I’m sure for some folks it’s great and they love it. For others, it rubs them the wrong way.

This will always be true, no matter what is said. And it protects the example you gave of people you know who hope for change before their kids are college-aged. If there is no change, and they choose to go elsewhere, other will take those spots. It doesn’t harm the University.

As to mission, before we continue, do you agree that the mission of the university is to “Train Champions for Christ”? If so, can you explain how JJ’s words affect the University’s mission to train champions for Christ?

[Yacht Rock]

I'm a firm believer that when you are a leader in any business, your actions should be judged against the mission of your business.

Even before everything with Trump went down, Jr. often conducted himself, in his official role as president of the school, in ways that are at odds with leading an institution that is "Training Champions for Christ." Now, none of us are perfect, but, typically in business there is a system of accountability that helps bring leaders back around when their worst selves get the best of them. That system of accountability doesn't seem to exist at Liberty and I most definitely think it is harmful.

While someone else might take a student's spot, you forget that the online program isn't as selective as the residential program. Where they could have had 2 or 3 students, maybe they only have 1.

The other thing to consider is that we will reach a point where Liberty will need to rely more on alumni giving. Whether it be the lower enrollment of the online program or an implosion of our current student loan financial aid situation, it is coming. A lot of what Liberty does will need to be subsidized by supporters who will likely be Christian, but may fall over the map when it comes to how they feel about politics.