Ep. 411: Hillsdale College, GRACE, Operation Underground Railroad

On today’s program, a lawsuit against Hillsdale College has been dismissed after students alleging they were raped sued the college for Title 9 violations. We’ll have details. And, the nonprofit Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment—known as GRACE for short—turns 20 years old. We’ll look back at where they started—and where they’re going. Plus, those subscriptions you forgot your paying for?...A new law will make it easy for you to unsubscribe, but it could also impact the recurring gifts to Christian ministries. But first, Operation Underground Railroad…who continues distancing itself from its embroiled founder Tim Ballard…is moving its headquarters. Operation Underground Railroad Rescue is moving its headquarters from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Minneapolis, Minnesota, according to reporting by Twin Cities Business. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Paul Clolery, Richard Levey, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT   FIRST SEGMENT Warren:  Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina. Natasha: And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Warren: On today’s program, a lawsuit against Hillsdale College has been dismissed after students alleging they were raped sued the college for Title 9 violations. We’ll have details. And, the nonprofit Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment—known as GRACE for short—turns 20 years old. We’ll look back at where they started—and where they’re going. Plus, those subscriptions you forgot your paying for?...World Vision is encouraging donors to cancel those and give to people in need around the world. They’re calling it Subscribe to World Change. We’ll take a look. Natasha: But first, Operation Underground Railroad…who continues distancing itself from its embroiled founder Tim Ballard…is moving its headquarters. Warren: Operation Underground Railroad Rescue is moving its headquarters from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Minneapolis, Minnesota, according to reporting by Twin Cities Business. Tammy Lee, OUR Rescue CEO said about Minneapolis. “There is such a strong foundation here, in the legal community as well as the philanthropic community and the survivor support community,” The global headquarters’ relocation is planned for January 2025. Lee also said the mission of the organization will adjust to focus more on domestic trafficking and rescues. Natasha: How do they plan to do that? Warren: Lee said, “In this coming year, we’re going to be building out direct services for survivors of human trafficking and sexual exploitation,” “We’re also looking at supporting key populations that are really underserved, looking at the indigenous populations and partnerships with other non-governmental organizations to do that work.” Lee joined OUR Rescue as CEO in February 2024 with the task of rebuilding and rebranding the organization. OUR Rescue was founded by former homeland security agent Tim Ballard in 2013 as Operation Underground Railroad. In April, Lee and the board renamed the group OUR Rescue. In the MinistryWatch database, Operation Underground Railroad has a 1-star financial efficiency rating, a C transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 45, meaning donors should exercise caution when giving to this group. Natasha: Next up, A lawsuit against Hillsdale college has been dismissed Warren: Last October, one present and one former student of Hillsdale College filed a federal lawsuit alleging the institution failed to adequately investigate their claims of rape and misrepresented how safe they would be on campus. Hillsdale prevailed in getting the lawsuit dismissed by U.S. District Judge Jane M. Beckering last month. According to the lawsuit, Grace Chen, a current Hillsdale student, claimed she was raped by a fellow student in November 2021 in a Hillsdale dormitory. Danielle Villarreal, a former Hillsdale student, claimed she was raped by a fellow student in August 2021. Both women reported the assaults to members of Hillsdale administration. Natasha: What happened next? Warren: Well, Chen and Villarreal asserted that Hillsdale had failed to comply with Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any program that received federal funding. Hillsdale argued that it is not subject to Title IX because it does not accept federal funds at the school. The plaintiffs asserted that Hillsdale receives a federal benefit by way of its tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code and therefore ought to be subject to Title IX. Natasha: How did the court respond? Warren: The court disagreed, however, concluding that “Defendant’s § 501(c)(3) status does not implicate the terms of Title IX’s proposed contract with educational institutions” and dismissed the claims under Title IX. Because the plaintiffs had already amended their complaint once, the court dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, meaning they cannot bring the claim again. The plaintiffs have filed a notice of appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. In the MinistryWatch database, Hillsdale College has a 1-star financial efficiency rating, a C transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of only 30, meaning donors should withhold giving. Natasha: Our next story is also in the world of Christian academics. Warren: After what Fuller Theological Seminary called “a comprehensive and deliberate review of alleged misconduct,” it has fired associate professor Vince Bantu. According to Christianity Today, Bantu’s termination came five months after members of his accountability group reached out to the seminary with claims that Bantu was secretly married to a second wife and had engaged in sexual misconduct. Fuller hired an outside investigator to conduct the inquiry, but the seminary did not disclose the results. Natasha: When was his termination? Warren: On Wednesday, October 23, Fuller President David Emmanuel Goatley sent an email to its students announcing Bantu’s termination. The seminary’s message did not include the exact reasons for Bantu’s termination, but said, “Fuller Seminary has high expectations and standards of conduct for all members of our community, especially for those in positions of authority.” Bantu has taught church history and Black theology through Fuller’s online program and at its Houston campus since 2019. The accountability group also contacted Meachum School of Haymanot where Bantu serves as president. According to a statement on the school’s website, Bantu has been placed on leave. “We, the Meachum community, have been disheartened by these allegations, yet we take them seriously. As promised, investigations are under way,” the statement says. Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return GRACE celebrates 20 years of equipping the church to prevent and properly deal with abuse. I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and we’ll have that story and much more, after this short break.   BREAK   SECOND SEGMENT Natasha: Welcome back.  I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Next, the story we promised before the break, GRACE celebrates 20 years. Warren: Attorney and sexual abuse advocate Boz Tchividjian founded the Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE) in 2004 to equip faith communities to recognize, prevent, and respond to abuse more effectively. According to the GRACE website, the organization "exists to equip the Church with a vision for authentic community, where responsibility, accountability, and compassion are second nature and caring for children and adult survivors of abuse are non-negotiable." As part of its anniversary, GRACE held an online panel, bringing together the original GRACE visionaries to discuss its mission and impact over the last two decades. Natasha: What were some highlights? Warren: Tchividjian recounted how he and others came together with a vision to address abuse within faith communities. Tchividjian, grandson of famed evangelist Billy Graham, described how he experienced a significant disconnect between the ideal of a faith community as a place of refuge and the reality he observed as a prosecutor, where faith institutions often failed to protect victims of abuse. Natasha: Tchividjian stepped down as executive director of the organization in 2019 to return to full-time law to directly assist survivors of sexual abuse, but has remained supportive in the ministry. Warren: Boz Tchividjian also noted a shift in the church's approach to abuse, with some progress in recognizing child abuse issues but a widespread lack of awareness around adult clergy abuse Tchividjian said many are leaving traditional church institutions due to perceived corruption and lack of accountability, making it crucial for GRACE to adapt its mission to reach these communities outside formal church settings. The conversation closed with a call for the church to "convert to Christianity" by embracing Jesus' radical message of caring for the vulnerable. Natasha: Next, new FTC rules could aid donors in opting out. Warren: Nonprofit managers are scrambling to get clarity on how to proceed regarding the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) new “click to cancel” provisions requiring businesses to make it easier for consumers to cancel enrollment in recurring billin