APU Celebrates the Inauguration of Adam J. Morris

This article was originally published on APU’s website.

Azusa Pacific University celebrated the inauguration of its 18th president, Adam J. Morris, PhD, on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022. More than 2,000 faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends of the university filled the Felix Event Center to watch as Morris was officially sworn in to take the helm of APU. “During my interview process with the Board of Trustees, I told the leadership of this great university that I wanted to be part of something so big, that only God could do it,” Morris said. “It’s that hopeful expectation of what God will do in our midst that motivates and encourages me to join each one of you on this epic adventure called Azusa Pacific University.” Watch a recap of the entire program or view President Morris’ address.

The festivities began with a processional as APU’s dedicated faculty marched down the aisle donned in regalia from their respective alma maters. Albert Tate, Board of Trustees vice chair, delivered an invocation and acknowledged special guests in attendance, including several university presidents, elected city leaders, and superintendents of local K-12 school districts. Many more special guests livestreamed the inauguration online.

APU’s renowned chapel band took the stage to lead the crowd in worship, followed by special remarks from Shirley Hoogstra, JD, President of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU); Barry Corey, PhD, President of Biola University; and Richard Felix, PhD, President Emeritus of APU. Hoogstra wished Morris success in leading the university into a new era. Corey spoke of how instrumental Morris was in his role as executive vice president and chief transformation officer of Biola, helping the institution thrive missionally, academically, and financially in the ever-changing landscape of Christian higher education. Felix offered personal advice, having served as APU’s president from 1990-2000, encouraging Morris to stand on the shoulders of the 17 presidents who came before him. Felix said he was confident that APU had chosen the right person for the job, saying “His breadth and depth of experience is remarkable. His ability to deal with various and complex issues is simply amazing. He has a firm grasp of the challenges that face all Christian colleges across America today and seasoned wisdom in the pursuit of God’s calling for this assignment.”

The investiture of President Morris was led by Board of Trustees Chair, Thomas G. Miller. All 19 members of the Board took the stage and held onto a cord, which ran through a Bible that once belonged to Cornelis P. Haggard, APU’s 13th president. Morris placed his hand on the Bible with his wife, Faith, holding her hand underneath. “By the power conferred upon me by the Board of Trustees, I hereby instate you as President of Azusa Pacific University. And now, Adam, may the power, peace, and presence of God uphold, sustain, direct, and keep you always. To Him be all the glory,” Miller said. Lucie Moore, JD, prayed for Morris and APU as his tenure as president officially commenced.

Morris delivered his inauguration speech, revisiting the history of APU, back to its roots as the Training School for Christian Workers. “The institution grew to become Pacific Bible College, then Azusa College, followed by Azusa Pacific College, and today, Azusa Pacific University,” he said. “APU’s history is replete with remarkable men and women of God whom He has used to advance His mission throughout the world.” Morris spoke of the impact these great leaders had, including Felix, Haggard, William Marshburn, Cliff Hamlow, Carolyn Koons, Ron Turner, Nobel Henson, and past president Jon R. Wallace. “Pausing this morning to remember anecdotes from APU’s past is both healthy and wise. It’s Biblical and it’s fitting for a day like today,” Morris said. “The Psalmist writes, ‘I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you’ve done; I ponder the work of your hands.’ (Psalm 143:5) Recalling moments from our past is really an invitation to reflect on God’s goodness, faithfulness, and to acknowledge all that God has done.”

Morris spoke about the priorities for the year ahead, including developing a financial roadmap, reinvesting in infrastructure, bringing clarity to the strategic plan, spending time cultivating community well-being, and building an executive team to chart the course into a future full of possibilities. “There is much to do, and I couldn’t be more optimistic for our future, but I would be remiss today if I didn’t ground us yet again in our sacred, time-honored mission,” he said.

“APU is an institution that is unapologetically Christ-centered, with a deep commitment to academic excellence, a global Great Commission mindset, and a passion to touch the lives of our beloved and diverse student body.”

Morris gave examples of several students who are doing exemplary work, readying themselves to become difference makers in their respective fields. Having spoken earlier about the revival that had taken place in Azusa so many years ago, Morris called for the same thing to begin on campus today. “I’ve begun to pray for revival at Azusa Pacific University. I invite you to do the same,” he said. “It’s hard for me to put into words the strong sense that I have that God is about to do something new, and even miraculous, in our midst. But I can tell you that I sense it. I believe it’s coming.”

Morris was presented with gifts embodying APU’s four pillars of Christ, Scholarship, Community, and Service from the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, and student body. The gifts included a Bible, bookends engraved with Psalm 119:66, a statue of Jesus washing the feet of another, and a wooden table decoration representing the different backgrounds of APU students.

The Inauguration ceremony closed as President Morris was joined by his parents, children, and grandchildren on stage as Tate and Coba Canales, EdD, dean of spiritual life, prayed over the Morris family. “We ask that your love would fill them. We ask that your hope would guide them. We ask that your peace would sustain them. We pray that this presidency would be marked by your presence and your revival, in Jesus’ name.”

Zoombombing, phishing and smishing: Scams abound during COVID-19

This article originally appeared in ZU News.

Over the past few weeks, the Azusa Pacific community has received a number of emails from Information and Media Technology (IMT) about increased hacking attempts. As students and faculty transitioned to an online learning environment, they were particularly vulnerable to different forms of phishing, smishing and Zoombombing.

According to Shawn Kohrman, security architect and executive director of Information Services, IMT was informed by numerous faculty and students of suspicious emails, including many from an APU email address.

“We saw a significant number come in, several thousands of them,” Kohrman said. “They all had the same look, feel and format. The subject, the body and the destination were the same. They would go to a hack real estate company website.”

Kohrman said the timing was particularly bad because of the new fully online environment. The APU community is no longer protected by the university’s firewall since people are on their own private Wi-Fi networks at home.

“It was a perfect time for an email like that to strike because everything is up in the air. Business as usual is not business as usual. Whoever launched that attack timed it well, to catch people when they were at their most vulnerable,” Kohrman said. “Before that, we hadn’t had a compromised account in almost two years.”

The coronavirus (COVID-19) also served as a new opportunity for scams related to it.

“There’s been a huge uptick in COVID-19 related scams and phishing attempts. They’re not just themed COVID-19. They’re about the stimulus package, medical supplies or apps that pretend they’re COVID-19 tracker apps, but they’re actually hijacking apps,” he said.

There has also been an escalation in three other types of hacking. 

The first is smishing, short for SMS phishing, where a person will get a text from a random number about an issue with a package delivery or something that gets them to click on a link which installs malware on their phone.

The second is robocalls, where people or robots call a person’s phone and try to solicit information. These calls are trying to be stopped, but carriers are struggling with the volume of calls.

The third is a new phenomenon called Zoombombing, where people who are not a part of a group will invade their Zoom meetings and mess around.

“One of the primary ways Zoombombing has been successful is because people were sharing their meeting links in public ways. They were posting them on social media or sending them out in other public venues. The hacker community was monitoring. They were looking for those,” Kohrman said. “When they felt like messing around, they would jump in and do whatever they were going to do just to be obnoxious.”

Zoom has added more security features to prevent this, including password protection and waiting rooms.

Kohrman said hackers generally are focused on two things.

“The first is credential harvesting, where they set up a website that looks like our authentication page for instance, and they’re saying, ‘Your account expires or your password expired or we’re going to cut you off.’ It builds a sense of urgency and fear,” Kohrman said. “They play off fear as the primary emotion they work with. That gets the user to click on the link and they put in their username and password thinking that’s what they have to do to get access.”

This is how hackers got access to an APU email address. When a hacking email comes from an address within the institution, according to Kohrman, it looks less suspicious and people are more likely to click on it. 

After the spike in phishing emails, Kohrman implemented an external tag on all emails coming from outside the university. This tag appears in the subject line, so you’ll know before you open an email that it’s from someone outside of the organization, forming a first line of defense.

The other area hackers are focused on is malware.

“That link takes them to a website that will try to inject malware or viruses or Trojans onto their computers as soon as they load the webpage without having to do anything else,” Kohrman said.

Having all of your programs up to date with their security features and having antivirus software is helpful, but nothing is 100 percent effective, according to Kohrman. He said the most effective defense is not technology, but people themselves.

“If you get an email that you’re unsure of, send it to spam@apu.edu and the support desk or myself will review it and get back to you pretty quickly. If you get a suspicious text, take a screenshot of it and send it to us,” Kohrman said.

A lot of things are common sense, but it helps to be extra vigilant, according to Kohrman. 

“If you have accounts that support multi-factor authentication, use that. Facebook does, as do pretty much all social media outlets,” Kohrman saiad. “Your personal email is one of your biggest prize secrets because that’s what attackers are always trying to get. Your personal email account is where all your forgotten password and reset password emails go to. If someone gets ahold of your personal email account, they can do password resets on everything that you have access to.” 

Another best practice, according to Kohrman, is to hover over a link and see if the destination matches what it says before you click it.

Kohrman recommended two other methods to prevent hacking.

“Always use strong passphrases. String some words together that means something to you. It could be a song lyric or a favorite verse or it could be four or five random words that mean nothing. But having that password length is more important than the complexity,” Kohrman said.

Finally, to prevent password theft or loss, you can use a password manager. Kohrman recommended LastPass because they don’t have access to your information. LastPass has a free option, or a cheap premium subscription.

“Hackers will always try to take advantage of a crisis. They will always try to leverage fear. They’ll always try to scare you into something and build a sense of urgency,” Kohrman said. “If you have questions, if you don’t feel right, if the hairs on the back of your neck rise, follow your intuition and when in doubt ask the support desk. We’re here to help. The end goal is to keep the community and our families safe.”

How the coronavirus has impacted local churches

This article was originally published in ZU News.

Over the past two weeks, the coronavirus (COVID-19) has shut down many institutions, and churches were no exception. Houses of worship, much like businesses and schools have had to transition to an online only format.

This includes several prominent churches in the San Gabriel Valley where thousands of Azusa Pacific students normally attend on any given Sunday during the school year. Notably, Fellowship Monrovia, Foothill Church and One & All Church (formerly Christ’s Church of the Valley) all began their online-only services on March 15, which they will continue indefinitely, until large gatherings are permitted again.

Despite the tumultuous nature of the past three weeks — including the new phenomenons of social distancing and toilet paper hoarding — Foothill Church Lead Pastor Chris Lewis is not afraid. 

“We don’t have to be anxious. We don’t have to be afraid. Our God is with us. Rather than hoarding, what if we were sacrificing? Rather than being restless, we’re restful,” Lewis said in a sermon.

Lewis suggested the members of his church should still be good neighbors during this time. He gave the example of someone who had an abundance of supplies and shared it with their community, saying the church should follow their example, helping and sharing in the ways they could.

Albert Tate, lead pastor of Fellowship Monrovia and a member of APU’s Board of Trustees, led his church’s first online only service with a small group of pastors and staff around him. He was not shy about acknowledging the changes the church is going through. 

“We want to just be prayerful as we navigate new normals, and I can’t think of a better thing to do when trying to navigate new normals than go to the one whose always been consistent, go to the one whose always been faithful, go to the one whose always been there, and that is Jesus Christ,” Tate said in a sermon.

Both Tate’s and Lewis’ sermons were available to be live streamed or watched any time after online. One & All Church has also made their sermons available online, taught by Lead Pastor Jeff Vines, who hopes there may be some good that comes out of these times.

“The cross is a reminder that we have our hope and our security in something that no disease could ever touch and we have each other. This is why our community is strong. There’s going to be a lot of people right now searching, just like after 9/11 … and I just hope that somehow in the midst of all this that people will seek God as they sought him in the past and their eyes would be opened to his truth,” Vines said in a Facebook video.

The coronavirus has had an equally large impact on the Catholic church of Los Angeles. According to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, “All Roman Catholic churches in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles will be closed until further notice because of the coronavirus outbreak, Archbishop Jose H. Gomez announced Tuesday, March 24.”

On a smaller scale, COVID-19 has impacted APU and the university’s regular practices led by the Office of Spiritual Life. The university announced all events, including chapels, would be canceled for the rest of the semester on March 12.

However, the Office of Spiritual Life is still hosting one online chapels on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Recordings of chapel programs can be found on YouTube. 

While the coronavirus has taken away many traditional forms of worship and services, these online measures allow for APU students and all people to still receive the spiritual care they need.

Azusa Pacific shuts down

This article originally appeared in ZU News and was cowritten with Ruby McAuliffe and Cheyenne Jiminez.

On Tuesday, Azusa Pacific President Paul Ferguson announced a series of changes that will impact the APU community. According to Ferguson, students will need to move out of university housing, dining services will shut down, classes will be suspended for one week, and commencement, summer action teams and study away programs will be canceled.

There are still no confirmed COVID-19 cases within Azusa, APU’s Azusa campus or the regional campus, according to the email. However, APU is working with its government and health partners to help stop any potential spread. The President’s Cabinet and the APU Critical Incident Response Team (CRIT) are moving forward with additional actions. 

 Housing

Students are required to move out of all university housing by the end of March. Those who live in University Residence Halls must leave by March 22. Those in University apartments must leave by March 27. The email said that there will be an “exception process for cases of hardship, which will likely involve moving to a different residence.”

Vice President Shino Simons will update students with further details.

Students within campus housing will receive a “prorated housing credit for the 5 weeks remaining in the spring 2020 semester,” according to the email. This housing credit can be applied to fall 2020 housing fees or can be refunded for seniors graduating in May.

Additional information from Student Financial Services will be provided to students and parents before May 1. 

 Commencement

Commencement was originally scheduled for May 2 but is now canceled as well. 

“In keeping with many other colleges and universities, the prospect of significant restrictions to travel and gathering of people means we cannot guarantee our ability to deliver in-person Commencement activities during this period,” Ferguson wrote. 

According to the email, Interim Provost Rukshan Fernando and the Office of the Provost will work with the SGA to create a way to honor graduates. However, there will not be an in-person ceremony before the next scheduled Commencement on Dec. 19, 2020.

 Dining Services

Dining services will also be closing on March 25, as opposed to the previously scheduled May 1. To comply with state and county guidelines, pick-up and/or mobile orders will still be made available on select East and West Campus eateries until March 25. Non-seniors who currently have a dining plan will have unspent dining points allocated toward a Fall 2020 dining plan. Graduating seniors will be eligible for a refund.

 Classes Suspended

According to the email, all classes will be suspended for the remainder of this week, from March 17-22. This break will allow students an opportunity to return home before resuming school.

“Given the anticipated disruption for a large number of undergraduate students moving out of University housing,  faculty are asked to take a pause from course activities,” Ferguson wrote. “We would like students to use this time to immerse themselves in their new learning environments and work out any changes or challenges in their living/learning circumstances.”

Classes will resume online on March 23.

 Summer Action Teams and Study Away Programs

All 2020 summer action teams and study away programs have been canceled. This is due to the “restriction on movement across international borders,” according to the email. With the progression of COVID-19, these restrictions may not let up soon, leading to these decisions.  

President Ferguson concludes the email with his thanks and appreciation for the resilience and teamwork of APU faculty and staff. He acknowledges the frustrations felt by the APU community and as it navigates this health crisis. 

APU moves classes online, cancels events for rest of semester

This article was originally published on ZU News.

On Thursday morning, Azusa Pacific President Paul Ferguson emailed the student body that due to coronavirus concerns, all classes will move to an online format for the rest of the semester, effective March 16. Ferguson also announced several other measures APU is taking.

“Since the news broke about the virus, APU has been closely monitoring the evolving status of COVID-19 and assessing our campus academic and operational strategy to promote the health and wellbeing of our community,” Ferguson said. “We have activated our Critical Incident Response Team COVID-19 Task Force to lead our preparedness, response, and decision making. Our strategies align with public health guidelines and reflect an abundance of caution.”

Currently, there are no known cases of COVID-19 on APU’s campus or in the cities of Azusa or Glendora. The closest case was reported on Wednesday in Pasadena. 

Classes will transition to Canvas or other online formats, and will be designed and managed by faculty. According to the email, clinicals, internships, labs, student placements and service-learning opportunities will continue unless otherwise specified by the department chair and/or dean. 

University housing will remain open for the semester, as will dining services. This means students may continue to stay on campus, for now. 

“We will continue to assess this decision in light of unfolding developments and guidance from public health agencies,” Ferguson said.

All events on campus scheduled for the rest of the semester are canceled effective immediately. This includes all chapels. It also includes the Presidential Inauguration and Strategic Plan which were scheduled for April 3. 

According to the president’s email, some events may be permitted to go on if they are deemed essential for academic progress and degree completion.

Athletics events will continue, but they will be spectator free effective immediately, in accordance with recent NCAA COVID-19 guidelines. Limited family attendance may be allowed.

General operations of the university will remain open. Employees will continue to come to work, but are encouraged to stay home if they feel sick.

According to the email, Commencement ceremonies and related activities, such as Baccalaureate and hoodings, remain scheduled at this time and under close review.

All U.S. outbound international travel for APU business or study remains suspended.

More information on how the coronavirus will affect APU can be found on the university’s COVID-19 site.

Azusa Mayor Joe Rocha reflects on time in office

This article was originally published in ZU News.

On Monday, Azusa will have a new mayor for the first time since 2007. Joe Rocha is retiring after 13 years as mayor of Azusa.

As he began to clean out his office, Rocha reflected on his time as mayor and his life in the Canyon City.

“I don’t look like what a mayor should look like according to some people. When I first was elected, I went to meetings and people asked, ‘where’s the mayor?’ They would point to me and say, ‘He can’t be the mayor. That’s not what a mayor looks like,’” Rocha said. “Take the time to get to know people before you pass judgment on them.”

At 75, Rocha has lived his entire life in Azusa. He said the city looks remarkably different now than it was in the 1940s and 50s. 

“When I was young, there were certain parts of Azusa where we were not allowed to go,” Rocha said. “Our destiny was determined by other people based on the color of our skin.”

Rocha’s parents were denied the opportunity for many things, including buying a house in the northern part of Azusa. Because of this, his father pushed the importance of education on his family from a young age. 

“My dad only went to third grade. My mom only went to seventh, and they were both hard workers,” Rocha said. “My dad really wanted us to graduate and go to university. He worked a couple of jobs to help me get through [the University of] La Verne. I was the first one in either family to go to college.”

After graduation, Rocha became an elementary school teacher. He began working at Magnolia Elementary, but soon transferred to Charles H. Lee Elementary, where he taught for more than 40 years.

Rocha taught third through sixth grades throughout his time at Lee. Then at 28 years old, Rocha began teaching ESL to adults. As if this wasn’t enough to fill his time, he decided to go back to school to get his master’s at La Verne.

“I worked days and nights when I was getting my Master’s,” Rocha said. “I was married. My wife and I got married really young, I was 22, and we had three or four kids by that point. I knew I wanted something better for the kids.”

Rocha gave his kids a piece of advice that he has strived to live by to this day.

“I told them, ‘Dreams come true if you aspire to be what you want to be. Don’t let anybody else determine your destiny. Don’t try to prove them wrong, but prove yourself right,’” Rocha said.

Rocha instilled this lesson in all of his students, to treat everyone with dignity and work hard.

“It’s not a perfect journey, but as long as you know the Lord is always with you, you will get to the point with a lot of hard work and perseverance,” Rocha said.

Rocha was asked to run for City Council in the 90s. He declined the first time, but the next time, he listened. In 1997, Rocha ran along with nine other candidates. He finished with the second most votes and earned a seat on the council. 

After a decade of service on the City Council, Rocha decided he wanted to do more. 

“In 2006, there was not a balance between economic development and quality of life in Azusa because we were so hungry to bring in businesses. We were accepting anything without any concern of how these new businesses were going to impact our people, our families,” Rocha said. “That was my platform, to maintain equal balance between economic developments and the way it impacted our residents.”

One of his accomplishments as mayor focused on community development. He created an opportunity on Saturdays for kids to work with adults, planting flowers and trees. Rocha saw this as an opportunity for kids who didn’t have older siblings to receive mentoring from adults. 

“We give up a lot of our time, but seeing the difference in the kids, it’s all worth it,” Rocha said. “Don’t ask of others what you’re not willing to do yourself. So if I ask them to pick up trash or to plant plants, I’m right alongside them.”

Another of Rocha’s accomplishments as mayor was a structural change to City Council meetings. He made sure that the meetings always began with a prayer. That way, even if there were harsh words to be exchanged soon after, each meeting began on a positive note of faith.

“Our meetings have been very calm and respectful with the different pastors from the different churches,” Rocha said. “We had a ministry association and it fell apart because of in house fighting. So I brought it back about a year ago and now they’re strong. They make sure that we always have somebody here to start with prayer.”

Rocha is hopeful this tradition continues with his successor. He said one of the candidates promised he would keep it going, but Rocha is unsure.

In his tenure as mayor, Rocha has seen numerous businesses come and go. Several prominent chains have built new locations in Azusa in the past year, including Raising Cane’s and In-And-Out Burger. Rocha said he always tries to speak with the new business operators before they open.

“I ask them, ‘If there are two qualified applicants and one is an Azusa resident and one is not, please give the job to [the] Azusan,’” Rocha said. “I hope that it continues, that businesses come in, businesses that are going to enhance the city and also hire Azusans.”

Rocha has also worked to help the homeless. He helped start a food bank 12 years ago under Pathfinder’s Ministry.

“Every Friday we feed about 40-50 people. It doesn’t matter if you’re from Azusa, or if you’re working or not. If you come in, you get food,” Rocha said. “The people are very respectful. I hope some of the things that we have will continue.”

***

When thinking about his legacy, Rocha turned to the famous John F. Kennedy quote, “Don’t ask what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”

“That’s my motto. Don’t ask for what your people can do for you. Ask what you can do for them,” Rocha said. “I think my students and the people of Azusa can vouch for that.”

Rocha decided not to run for reelection because he wants to spend more time with his wife and the rest of the family. His wife has had health issues for years and Rocha began experiencing some too recently. 

Last year, Rocha caught pneumonia. When he went to the doctor’s office, his doctor found a lesion in his lung and another abnormality in Rocha’s chest.

“From February 8 last year until July 30, I had to have procedures done almost on a daily basis,” Rocha said. “I went from taking zero pills a day to five a day.”

Although he is sad to leave the office he loves so much, Rocha is prepared.

“We knew it was coming. My wife and I, we’ve been together since we were kids. We knew the day would come,” Rocha said. “My wife has been sick for a long time. I knew it was time.”

Rocha recently bought a condo in Hawaii where he and his wife will spend most of the next year. They don’t plan on keeping it much longer than that, but he wants all of his family to come out with him for a week or two at a time. 

“I’m excited to spend time with my family out there,” Rocha said. “But that’s not home. Azusa is home.”

APU CFO Ross Allen named president of Bethel University

This article originally appeared in ZU News.

On Thursday, Bethel University named Ross Allen as their sixth president-elect. Allen departs from Azusa Pacific after serving as the school’s CFO for the past two years. He will begin his new position as president of his alma mater in St. Paul, Minn. on July 1.

Allen was fundamental in orchestrating APU’s financial turnaround last year. Just one year after reporting nearly a $20 million loss, APU returned to the black with a gain of $4.8 million. This was possible primarily because of temporary heavy cuts to faculty and staff’s retirement plans and raises. 

APU President Paul Ferguson congratulated Allen on his new position. 

“This is a wonderful opportunity for Ross personally and professionally,” Ferguson said. “The APU community is so grateful for the many years of service Ross gave as a member of the APU Board of Trustees and for his extraordinary contribution to our fiscal recovery. I wish Ross and his family success and joy in this new role.”

According to Bethel’s announcement, the decision was made unanimously by the school’s Board of Trustees. Bethel Presidential Search Committee Chair Jim Green and Board of Trustees Chair Julie White narrowed an extensive pool of candidates down to one.

“Of all the candidates we interviewed, Ross demonstrated a uniquely thorough understanding of Bethel’s mission and the challenges facing Christian higher education,” White said. “He is a deeply committed Christ-follower, a seasoned executive leader, and a transformative developer of people, culture and organizations. We are thrilled to welcome Ross back to Bethel.”

In a video announcement, Allen described how working at APU prepared him for his new role. He said he would not have been ready to transition from his 25 year career at Medtronic, a multinational medical device company, to the president of a higher education institution without learning from his experience at APU. Allen also expressed his elation for his new position.

“It’s exciting to think what we all can do here at Bethel in such a critical time as this. To step into the shoes of those who have come before, I’m excited about that and yet humbled and honored,” Allen said.

Allen will replace Jay Barnes, who has served as Bethel’s president since 2008 after serving as the school’s provost for 13 years before that, according to the Star Tribune. Barnes managed Bethel’s transition from a college and seminary to a university in 2004.

Allen graduated from Bethel in 1984 with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration. He is the school’s first alum to become president, according to the Bethel Clarion. 

***

In an email to APU faculty and staff, Ferguson announced that effective March 6, Alanna Godoy, APU’s director of financial planning and analysis, will assume the position of vice president for finance and business strategy and CFO. 

Godoy joined APU in 2019 after serving for nearly 10 years at Biola University, most recently as director of University Budget. She received an MBA and a B.S. in Business Administration from Biola University, and completed the Management Development Program at Harvard University. 

“Since her arrival at APU, Alanna has distinguished herself through positive engagement with the APU community and Board of Trustees,” Ferguson said. “She has worked to improve fiscal awareness and discipline, contributing to our financial turnaround while providing strategic thinking for future sustainability. I look forward to and welcome her substantive contribution and leadership on the President’s Cabinet and her continuing work with the Board of Trustees finance committee.”

According to Ferguson, Allen will serve in an advisory role to Godoy and the Division of Finance and Business Strategy over the next month, ensuring a smooth transition.

The day Kobe died

This article was originally published in ZU News.

There are a few moments in life when the whole world stands still and people collectively stop what they’re doing to take in what has happened. One of these moments came on an overcast morning last Sunday as Los Angeles learned that one of its greatest heroes had died tragically in a helicopter crash alongside his 13-year-old daughter and seven others. 

At 9 a.m on Sunday, Jan. 26, Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others boarded Bryant’s private helicopter to fly to a basketball game hosted by Bryant’s amateur basketball league, Mamba Sports Academy, where his daughter and two other passengers on board would play later that day.

A little before 10 a.m, the helicopter became trapped in a very thick fog north of Calabasas, Calif. Scott Daehlin, who happened to be in the area at the time, reported the helicopter was, “hovering in low cloud cover seconds before it crashed in the hills.” Daehlin said he believed the pilot was disoriented in the heavy fog that was so thick that the tops of the hills north of Calabasas weren’t even visible from the ground.

The helicopter struck the side of the steep terrain with such force that the debris covered the span of a football field and the helicopter burst into flames. It was incredibly difficult for first responders to reach the crash site due to the terrain, and the helicopter’s flames were difficult to extinguish due to the magnesium present at the crash site once the firefighters arrived. All of the people on board perished, including the 41-year-old basketball icon

The full emergency response briefing can be found here.

Along with Kobe and his daughter, the victims included Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri and their daughter Alyssa (Gianna’s teammate); Sarah Chester and her daughter Payton (also Gianna’s teammate); Christina Mauser (assistant coach of Kobe’s Mamba League team) and Ara Zobayan (the pilot of the aircraft).

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently investigating what exactly caused the crash — if it was a matter of weather complications, pilot error, mechanical error or a combination of circumstances. 

Regardless, nine people tragically lost their lives, including two children who had their whole lives ahead of them. Kobe is, of course, the most well-known person in this tragedy, but the others on board cannot be forgotten.

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Bryant established himself as an NBA’s prodigy from an early age. Growing up in both Philadelphia and Italy, Kobe began to play basketball at three-years-old, which was heavily influenced by his father’s professional career. Kobe’s father, Joe Bryant, played in the NBA for nearly a decade. 

Kobe became nationally recognized due to his historic playing tenure at Lower Merion High School in his home state of Pennsylvania. He was quickly noticed as the best high school basketball player in the country, and his skill set was developed enough to where he declared for the NBA Draft following high school graduation, the youngest player to ever enter the NBA.

Drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick, Kobe was traded to his childhood team, the Los Angeles Lakers, after a brilliant move by Jerry West, the Lakers’ general manager at the time, who sent starting center Vlade Divac to Charlotte for the pick. Little did anyone know at the time, the move was one of the greatest trades in NBA history.

After the inevitable high school-to-professional adjustment period for Kobe, he became a consistent starter and eventually a fan favorite of Los Angeles. His explosive style of play, in which he would attack the basket with a merciless approach, along with his awe-inspiring ability to create separation from defenders and make clutch shots that seemed impossible in the moment, made Kobe a box office talent.

Even wilder is how he would get better, year after year.

Combined with MVP center Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe and the Lakers went on one of the most impressive runs in NBA history, winning three consecutive titles from 2000-02. After a power struggle on the team, the Lakers traded O’Neal to Miami, and the team went through some rebuilding years. However, Los Angeles management eventually brought in a new team that would lead the Lakers back to the championship with Pau Gasol, Ron Artest and Andrew Bynum joining Kobe to bring two more titles to Los Angeles.

Along with five championship rings, Kobe was also an All-Star a whopping 18 times, making the roster 17 straight seasons and winning four All-Star Game MVPs. He was named to 11 All-NBA First Teams, including nine All-Defensive First Team nods. His most impressive season was in 2008, his lone MVP-winning season, in which he averaged 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game.

Kobe experienced major injuries later in his career with a torn Achilles tendon, a lateral tibial plateau fracture in his left knee and a torn rotator cuff all affecting his play throughout his final three years of competition. But it didn’t matter. It was still Kobe Bryant, he was still going to compete, and he was always going to do it wearing purple and gold.

Kobe concluded his career with the most impressive final game of any NBA star’s career. Against the Utah Jazz on April 13, 2016, Kobe scored 60 points in his farewell game, including 23 points in the final quarter. 

In total, Kobe is the fourth highest scorer in NBA history with a cumulative total of 33,643 points. He was also the first player in league history to have at least 30,000 career points and 6,000 career assists. LeBron James is the only other player on that exclusive list.

When comprehending the legacy of Kobe, it may be the statistics that jump out at you, or maybe it’s the countless moments, such as the final game against Utah, that makes him such a special basketball figure. Nevertheless, his legacy expands far beyond the reach of professional basketball. 

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Kobe’s commitment to his craft is something that anyone can value. There has never been another player who was as committed to basketball as Kobe was. The tales of his preparation and competitiveness on the court are nearly mythological, with stories of him spending hours in the gym before practice (even in high school) or him making teammates play him in one-on-one games to 100.

But Kobe’s love for basketball became unselfish once his daughter Gianna found that same passion. The two built a relationship that was supported by their similar work ethic on the court, and Kobe was influenced to further expand the game’s appreciation of female players. Kobe was a major supporter of the WNBA and made it a personal goal to speak highly of a league that so often gets criticized.

“There’s no better way to learn than to watch the pros do it,” Kobe said to the Los Angeles Times in May 2019. “The WNBA is a beautiful game to watch.” 

Kobe also had several passions beyond the sport. Once he retired, Bryant used his legendary “Mamba Mentality” in all facets of his professional career. He learned to become an award-winning storyteller and content creator, with his short film “Dear Basketball” winning an Academy Award and his book “The Mamba Mentality: How I Play” being beloved by both fans and critics. Surely, there was so much more opportunity that Kobe was destined to receive, and most likely conquer.

However, to understand the man Kobe truly was means to understand him as a father and husband. All of his colleagues and friends drove home this truth of the 41-year-old loving his family more than anything else in the world. He built a relationship with his wife Vanessa in which love was the focal point. They had four daughters together, the last of whom was born only seven months ago. Kobe raised all of his children with pride and jubilation, and he loved being a girl dad.

When living in the spotlight, life tends to go slower. In the world of sports there is always pressure to succeed, always a desire to be the best. Kobe lived that life to its fullest potential, and he did it for the sheer love of the game.

Kobe left everything he had on the court, which he later admitted was a major reason why retirement felt so right in 2016. But beyond basketball, his life was just beginning. That is what makes this such a hard loss for not only the basketball community but for his family and the entire world; Kobe had so much more to offer.

All of us should have a positive reflection on the life of Kobe Bean Bryant. We have the memories that he gave us on the court — the slam dunks, the game-winning three-pointers and the championships. We have the lessons he provided us throughout his life — how to treat pressure with a winning mentality, how to approach commitment to be the best at your craft and how to be a good father. The NBA and countless professional athletes have been and will continue to be inspired by the model Kobe set. 

Millions of Americans will channel their inspiration from Kobe into the daily facets of their lives, whether that’s the young kid practicing layups at the park, or the father trying to embrace the passions of his children. The outpouring of love and support has been evidence of how important Kobe was to all of us. 

When thinking about Kobe’s legacy, a quote from the classic movie “The Sandlot” jumps to mind. “Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.” Kobe Bryant was a legend. He may be gone, but the “Mamba Mentality” lives on.

And for that, we thank you No. 8 and 24.

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

Kobe’s impact in the words of fans

T.J Hardeman, Head Coach of Azusa Pacific Women’s Basketball

“Colossians 3:23 tells us to do everything as unto the Lord. Kobe embodied that scripture with his work ethic. What a great example for all of us to follow on a daily basis in every aspect of our lives.”

Corey Langerveld, Azusa Pacific Sports Information Director

“The news of Kobe and GiGi’s passing was heartbreaking and shattering. Perhaps the hardest part was that we were able to see the connection that they shared around the game, and you saw their love for one another and desire to be with each other as much as possible. From the perspective of a former basketball player, Kobe’s death leaves a huge hole in the game. We all know his work ethic, and he set a standard that demanded excellence and commitment. Even the possibility of his presence at any game or event created a sense of accountability, in that we all wanted to earn his respect and more importantly, not disrespect the intensity and passion he brought to the game. 

Above all else, this tragedy is excruciating because the surviving members of the Bryant family lost two members of their unit and must face this reality daily. Their pain will be overwhelming without the love and presence of God, and my prayer is that they look to Him and find hope in who He is.”

Selom Mawugbe, Azusa Pacific Men’s Basketball Player

“Pure disbelief. It’s always hard to come to terms with someone like that being gone. It’s a little bit different, but I’ll equate it in some ways to Michael Jackson’s death because I remember where I was, what I was doing, exactly when it happened and just how widespread the news was. That was all that mattered in the moment. He’s going to be greatly missed. Someone like that is irreplaceable. What we can do now is learn from the time he had on earth and what he gave us. We can also support his family that was left behind. However we feel, they had the worst end of it. They lost a father, a brother, a husband.

It’s kind of hard to put into words how big of an impact someone like that has until they’re gone. Many times you don’t know what you have until you don’t have it anymore. Kobe’s definitely one of those players that transcended the game, even how he did it, with his work ethic and his influence off the court. If you just take a look at social media alone, just how far-reaching someone like that outside of his game alone … in football, tennis, golf, all these different people respected him. That was not only because of what he did on the court but what he did off the court, in terms of his family, his faith, the way he carried himself among others … how he wanted to share those things and willingly did so with others, sharing his technique, his work ethic, his knowledge, not only to help himself but to help others around him.”

Mandrell Worthy, Azusa Pacific Men’s Basketball Player

“I was in shock. I didn’t want to believe it at first. Like he said, disbelief. I was upset for a while. I didn’t talk for a couple hours. I was just sitting there, thinking about his wife, his family, who I don’t even know. It was just a shock, to be honest. He inspired so many people.

My dad is a huge Kobe fan. All my life he told me to like Kobe. At first, as a little kid, I never liked Kobe, but I always respected him, his work ethic, that’s where I get my work ethic from. He’s always inspired me to want to be the best I can, to do the best I can at whatever you do. That’s what I live by. His impact on the court for me and off the court was just as big. Even after he retired, he’s been showing love to the WNBA and helping other players that are currently playing. There’s been so many interviews about his impact outside of basketball. He’s reached so many people outside of basketball. It’s crazy to think that he’s gone. He’s had an impact on the WNBA, the NCAA, girls basketball, all of that stuff.

Reid Conant, ZU Media Staff Writer

“It’s crazy because I hated Kobe as a kid and it wasn’t until I moved to California before I realized the true essence of the Black Mamba. His reach and impact go so far beyond basketball, he truly touched the world and that’s why it hurts so bad. He was one of a kind human and athlete. The world is far worse without him here with us.”

Camille Reyes, APU Junior

“Initially when I first heard about it, I was in disbelief. I got a text from a friend in our group message in the middle of church. Once I started to look into it more I began to cry and anxiety rushed through my body. I stood up and began to worship with everybody else at Fellowship as tears came down my face and my body was shaking. The moment the world heard about Kobe passing is a moment they will never forget. Nobody will forget who they were with, where they were at, or what emotions they felt. 

My family grew up in LA so I naturally became a die-hard Lakers fan. I’ve been repping the purple and gold ever since I could remember. My fondest memories are watching the games with my family and celebrating Kobe and the Lakers organization’s accomplishments. The first and last game I went to was back in 2009 against the Golden State Warriors with my dad. We sat in the second row behind Jack Nicholson, and many other celebrities sat amongst us that night. It was a moment I will forever cherish with my dad and will never take for granted. My dad and my love for the Lakers was a common thread that tied our hearts together.

Hearing that Gigi passed away with her dad in that helicopter crash made it hurt even more. Gigi was Kobe’s legacy, she was about to be the best in the WNBA. They had a common passion and love for basketball. It was very evident post-retirement when he began teaching and coaching her. I can only imagine what their last moments were like together as he was probably holding her tight in his arms, telling her how much he loved her. Kobe was there for Gigi’s first and last breath. 

The death of Kobe Bryant, the Black Mamba, the GOAT is a tragic loss that the whole world mourns. I pray for peace and strength for Vanessa and her family. I also acknowledge the other people on the helicopter that lost their lives as well. I pray that their families can find healing and courage to push through these hard times. Kobe Bryant was an icon that inspired the world. His spirit and mamba mentality will live in forever.” 

Gillian Day, APU Senior

“In the sixth grade, I went to my first Lakers game for my birthday. After we won, I waited around with my brother and cousin, hoping that Kobe would pass by. Twenty minutes of standing around had passed, and I saw him walking in my direction. I reached my hand out and he gave me a quick high-five; I was in absolute awe. I didn’t even want to wash my hands! That was my first memory of him. Since then, I knew I was going to be a Laker fan for life.

Yesterday I cried about four different times, and I couldn’t really process what had happened. It seemed silly to cry over someone who never knew me, but it was a ridiculous thought for me to not grieve over someone who made such an impact on my life. Because of him, I fell in love with the beautiful game of basketball. I literally joined a “co-ed” basketball team and refused to leave despite me being the only girl. I discovered a way to have fun, while simultaneously find rest. I built a forever and always tradition with my father. He taught me to “love the hate” and expect greatness from myself. This was a tough one, but I will keep Kobe and Gigi in my heart forever.

Cameron Kerr, Los Angeles Resident

“I’ve always admired Kobe Bryant’s work ethic since I was five-years-old. I idolized him. Everyone has their superhero. I’m 24-years-old now and my superhero is still Kobe Bryant. I was in shock when I heard about the tragedy. I thought if anyone is jumping out of a helicopter on their two feet holding his daughter tight it would be Kobe. His work ethic is absolutely unmatched, but I try my best to imitate it. I will not take credit away from my family and friends; however, Kobe has also taught me at a young age that you can become anything and accomplish any goals if you just put the work into it. 

There have been countless times where I wanted to give up, not continue school, perhaps find a job just so I can settle. He taught me that all the days and nights I dedicated to study and work will pay off in the future. I always focused on the end goal, the destination. I finally learned when I was 23 that it’s not the case. It’s the journey that means everything. It’s how you get there and appreciate your own work that you put it in. Enjoy life. 

I think the most important thing he taught me was to find my purpose in life and I did. I’m a few years away but I plan to become a Neuro Pharmacist and I want to treat patients that have epilepsy, depression, anxiety, etc. I’m continuing to work extremely hard so I get to this point. Not only having your purpose in life. But love what you do. I’m in love with the career I am pursuing. He taught me that it’s so important to wake up and be excited to go to work. So many other things matter in my life, but for me personally, just a sense of purpose in this world and doing what you love every day, that is my dream. Kobe truly inspired me and I wish I could just thank him for the significant impact he has made in my life. 

Lastly, I never took anything for granted, but he and the other lives that were lost reminded me that life is extremely fragile. I chose to live a little differently after the tragedy. Love a little more and let the little things go. I [can] also admit I let school and work get the best of me at times. Sometimes my priorities are a little mixed up when it comes to my personal life. I promised myself to be better at approaching people and just letting my family and friends know how much they mean to me.”

Adrian Barajas, Los Angeles Resident

“Kobe was so much more than just basketball to me. Sure that’s where it started, but [it] was just the beginning of how he impacted my life. I picked up the game of basketball as a young kid and enjoyed it as I did all sports, I was an athlete. But it wasn’t until watching Kobe [that] I fell in love with the game. “The game”… that goes far deeper than just enjoying playing or watching it. It’s because of Kobe that I fell in love with it by studying the game as he did. I would watch him and have to learn everything he was doing. 

I would practice every day, and I mean every day, no days off. I would literally shoot hundreds of shots every day until I got really good at it, but that wasn’t enough. Kobe could use both [his] right and left hands to play, so I decided I also had to. So for a couple of months, I did everything left-handed to teach myself to use my left. And I did. I wanted to put in the work that I knew he was doing, to say that I was outworking everyone else. So when it was raining outside, I knew no one would be playing, so I went outside and shot jumpers so I could say, rain or shine, I’m putting in the work. When the fires burned the mountains back in 2003 and school was canceled for a week because there was too much ash falling. I knew no one was outside playing, so I went outside and took shots so I could say, ‘yup, fires aren’t stopping me either.’ And when the winter came and it was snowing at my house, yup I was out there again because I wanted the same drive Kobe did. So fast forward years later, I have never played in organized basketball, just pick up games but I didn’t care, those games were my NBA and I treated the game as Kobe had showed me so many times, with respect so I played hard no matter what. I never thought I would not be playing basketball because as the saying goes, “ball was life”. But knowing I would never be a professional ballplayer I had more ambitions in life and this part of life was where I learned that the mamba mentality went well beyond the court. 

I was married and just had a baby, but I wasn’t completely happy with my life. I didn’t feel like a true purpose. It wasn’t until then did I realize the bigger point of what Kobe’s messages always was. It was to find your true passion and go after it. That’s where true happiness lies, that’s what will keep you grinding even when it gets really tough. The passion is what drives you and doesn’t allow you to quit. But the key ingredient that most people miss is not what you want but what you are willing to do for it, what sacrifices will be required of it. A little secret, none of them are easy, as they should be. But even more so it about being the best version of your true self. Not what anyone else wants you to be. Not your parents, not your friends, not your spouse and not even your kids. So as I found my passion and have gone all in, I found myself struggling a bit with the balance of the two most important things, my family and my passion. And once again, Kobe’s example was there. 

I got his book “Mamba Mentality,” and [it contains] so much knowledge of the game and different aspects of it, but the thing that stood out to me and is engraved in my mind was when he talked about his family and passion and how he balanced the two. And as Kobe was, his answer was different from the normal ones, he used the analogy of a tight rope and using a balancing pole. You use it to balance one side when the other is tipping too far. So when he would be too much on the passion he would move more towards family and vice versa. And then he said that he wasn’t willing to sacrifice either of the two, so he sacrificed himself. He slept less and adapted. I was so happy to learn this and applied it immediately, which sleep was already something I didn’t get much of and was able to function on about 3-4 hours daily. So I learned so much from Kobe from the age of 10 years old to a grown man of 32 years. So Kobe was so much more than basketball to me, he was my first mentor and is responsible for me feeling that it was okay to want more for myself and build a drive in me that never wants to quit. I will miss you so much Kobe ,and will keep the Mamba Mentality strong and going through my generations.

Bryce Ronquillo, APU Senior

It was a normal Sunday I worked that morning then went to church and during the service my phone kept going off. I was thinking to myself ‘who is blowing up my phone?’ and when I saw the article and text messages from friends I instantly fell into shock. I try to compare it to other times a famous person I knew had died like Michael Jackson or Nipsey Hustle but they can’t compare.

I grew up in a Laker household so Kobe was always on the TV. Every night it seemed like he was doing something out of the ordinary. He was just different. 

Now that he is gone along with eight other precious lives, I’m reminded every day how short life is. And how while we are here we should praise God for every minute we get to live. Kobe lived his life to a certain standard of ‘greatness.’ I would like to honor that by holding myself to that same standard, and living life to be great in everything that I do. 

My favorite Kobe moment has to be his game-winner vs. the Phoenix Suns in the 06 playoffs. I remember that moment so vividly. My grandma, my aunt and I were jumping up and down, hugging and screaming. It was as clutch of a shot as you’ll ever see and it’s a memory I’ll never forget.

APU is back in the black

This article was originally published in ZU News.

Just one year after reporting a nearly $20 million loss, Azusa Pacific has returned to the black with a gain of $4.8 million. 

The university achieved this feat under the guidance of CFO Ross Allen by cutting costs wherever possible, including big portions from faculty and staff retirement plans and raises.

“It was phenomenal,” Allen said. “We laid out the changes that were required and the organization responded.”

This is Allen’s eighth time helping with a “distressed entity,” where operations of an organization need to improve for the organization to stay financially afloat. 

“No other organization has responded so consistently and persistently as this organization has,” Allen said. “That’s a testament to who the people are.”

The people, mainly faculty and staff, were a huge part of the turnaround. Last year, APU cut the 403b (retirement plan) of all faculty and staff, meaning the university would not match what staff put into their retirement fund.

“The dedication of this team, the willingness to sacrifice, all of the employees bore a part of this,” Allen said. “The retirement plan was 8 percent of everybody’s compensation until last November when we suspended APU matching contributions. $5 million of the almost $25 million turnaround was from people’s 403b.”

Faculty and staff also had to deal with another setback; APU did not give out any raises last year. According to Allen, that’s another 2 percent of faculty and staff’s compensation.

However, as of Nov. 1, according to Allen, faculty and staff began to receive 2 percent raises again. The university also brought retirement plan matching back, although they are doing it at a lower percentage.

“We started at 4 percent as of July 1, 2019, so half of what it was before, with a goal to eventually get higher,” Allen said. “We continue to watch and see how we can do that. We’re sitting in a much better spot, but we’re going forward with that same intentionality and discipline.

Other significant portions of the budget cuts included the closure of the High Sierra program (which saved $1 million, and has since been replaced by the Zephyr Point Tahoe program), housing restructuring (renting out approximately half the units in Alosta Place to the public, and turning Smith Hall into office space), and staff reductions (although some positions have been refilled). Allen said the small things were important too.

“A big part was just being thoughtful about what we spent. Whether people went to travel for conferences or conventions or training, we pulled back on every area we could. Small things played a big role,” Allen said. “We said no more charging in when we went to lunch. In most organizations, you would charge that to the organization if it included business discussions. The message we had is if you do go out to lunch, you or one of your peers would be paying for it yourself.”

An important component in the turnaround was the way Allen and faculty/staff members talked about it.

“David Peck [Vice President for University Relations] used the term financial stewardship. That resonated well, that we are stewards of your, the students’, parents’ and donors’ money. That’s not our money. We are called to be good stewards of everything we have,” Allen said. “We used a consistent theme of every $20,000 is a student, because net average funding per student, after scholarships is $20,000 roughly [per year]. We used a correlation between the cost we spent and a student. Everything we could cut out or save, we did. People resonated with that and rallied around it.”

The turnaround is especially impressive when considering that APU’s incoming freshman class dropped significantly.

“Our freshman class, as everybody knows, is down. We expected that and planned for it. We’re fighting around that,” Allen said. “But the growth of other programs [graduate, regional campuses, online programs] are helping a lot. The working adults on regional campuses grew by 20 percent last year. Some of these programs, like the Doctoral Physical Therapy program, are growing rapidly.”

Although APU is no longer in the red, it is important to know how the university ended up there in the first place. Allen said he addressed this at the faculty and staff kickoff last fall. 

“I made the comment that APU had operated as a mom and pop organization, and we did our budget on a spreadsheet, and there’s elements of truth to that. We have operated more informally. We’ve grown fast and been entrepreneurial, but we have not put in the systems and processes in place to support this larger organization,” Allen said. “We’re now implementing a system that will move us from Excel to a robust planning and forecasting system, which we’ll have in place for this coming year.”

According to Allen, one of APU’s biggest issues was that they did not “close their books,” or do a thorough check of profits and losses, as often as they should have. Allen added that most higher-ed organizations only close their books a couple times a year, whereas most businesses close their books every month. They also generally plan their annual spending on an annual not monthly basis. 

“APU had informal processes, like is common in most of higher ed. This caused us to say, ‘No, we want more of a rigorous process,’” Allen said. “We now close the books on the fifth day of the month. The team has gotten it down, and that’s as good as any organization. When you can close the books that quickly, then we have time to look at and review it, talk about it as a leadership team.”

According to Allen, APU implemented monthly budgeting to more carefully track the university’s progress throughout the year. Allen publishes the financial reports every month on Total Access, which is accessible to all APU employees.

APU President Paul Ferguson said he is proud of the work Allen and others at the university have done in facilitating the turnaround.

“The remarkable turnaround in the financial health of APU reflects several aspects of the APU character.  This turnaround has been possible by the partnership and resiliency of the APU Community in directly addressing budget challenges.  This turnaround reflects the wise and talented leadership of Vice President Ross Allen and his team with budget managers across the university,” Ferguson said. “The university-wide commitment to ongoing budget discipline coupled with consensus-based strategic planning also reflects the hopeful and long term commitment of the APU Community to renewing our Christ-centered mission and impact with a strong fiscal foundation.  I am so proud of the APU Community for their efforts and service during this difficult season.”

Auditors

APU met with its auditors last week to discuss the school’s financial standing. 

“We had a three page report from the auditors last year noting the weaknesses that APU had. We worked with them, and making sure those were documented and communicated,” Allen said. “All of those have been addressed and resolved.”

According to Allen, the university is currently in the process of getting its forbearance and waiver lifted, a financial process which has just had its legal requirements met.

Next steps

Although APU is back in the black, Allen said the university is still being cautious in the way they handle all financial matters.

“Even though the turnaround was great, and we’re now positioned to be in a better position, every year you have to still achieve breakeven and not post a loss,” Allen said. 

Allen and other administration members will look at which departments on campus are performing well, and which need to show improvement. According to Allen, growth is imperative.

“We have $225 million to spend. There’s a lot of choices you can make in that and they’re not easy. Each of these choices are difficult and you’ve got to weigh them against each other,” Allen said. “One of the things we’re trying to do is assess and evaluate how we can do things more effectively.”

For now, Allen is happy that APU is no longer in the red. Although he has worked through seven of these situations before, including several multi-billion dollar companies, Allen said this was the most remarkable turnaround.

“In the future, we can be a model for how to do things moving forward for other Christian private universities. They can look to us as a resource,” Allen said. “God has worked through this. He’s helped us develop things. He didn’t create this problem, but he’s helped us develop things that will be a great foundation for us going forward.”

Breaking News: Armed Robbery Near APU

This article was originally published on ZU News.

On Friday afternoon, Lamas Jewelry, located about half a mile from Azusa Pacific’s East Campus was burglarized by an armed robber. The Glendora Police Department and other law enforcement officers have contained the area and are actively investigating and searching for outstanding suspects.

The robbery took place in the Peachwood complex, which also houses APU’s Office of University Relations (UR), just four doors down. UR employees are on lockdown until further notice.

The APU community was informed of the robbery by a text/email/phone call from Campus Safety (DCS) at 12:53 p.m. APU’s Azusa campuses are not on lockdown; however, the community is advised to stay away from the area of Barranca and Route 66.

ZU News will provide updates as they come in.

Update 1:56p.m.

There was a reported shooting. According to Andrew Mendez of Azusa City News, police officers were involved in a shooting in Glendora near Vecino Drive and Route 66.

“At least one patient was transported to an area Trauma center according to Los Angeles County Fire,” Mendez said. “Traffic is shut down between Barranca Avenue and Grand Avenue, along Route 66.”

According to Mendez, multiple Glendora Schools are on lock down, but there isn’t a threat to students.

UR is still on lockdown. Employees report they are safe and secure. According to DCS, the area will remain on lockdown until Glendora Police Department Officers are satisfied there is no ongoing threat to the businesses or residents within the containment area.

Update at 4:09 p.m.

Glendora P.D. released a statement regarding the armed robbery, including a description of the suspect. Officers are still searching for suspect.

Update at 5:07 p.m.

One of the suspects in the armed robbery case was arrested at 4:45 p.m. and another was shot and killed by Glendora police, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. 

According to a statement made by Los Angeles Sheriff Lt. Robert Westphal at a recent news conference, the suspect had not followed police commands and was shot. They were then taken to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center where they were pronounced dead. The names of the suspects have not been released, but one woman is reported to have been found in her car near the scene and was arrested. 

UR employees were let out from lockdown under police supervision at approximately 5:10 p.m, but Stanton Elementary School on 725 S. Vecino Ave. and Foothill Christian School at 242 W. Baseline Road are still under lock down.