Steve Livesay, BJU Class of 1976 and BJA Class of 1972, is in the news again.
You might remember that Livesay is the genius that required the faculty at Bryan College not only to acknowledge that God created the world -- a standard viewpoint its namesake and all Christendom affirm -- but also to embrace a literal, six-day, young-earth Creationism. That 2014 stunt caused the Bryan faculty to vote that they had “no confidence” in Livesay’s leadership and eight board members subsequently resigned.
That was three years ago exactly.
This archivist knows Livesay pretty well. But Junior High for me was approximately 487 years ago.
BJU Alumni know the Livesay family -- his brother-in-law was BJU Bible Faculty Sam Schnaiter. Livesay’s parents were faculty members in the 70s. BJU-patriarchy is in his blood.
In 2015, Livesay became more tyrannical when he restricted Bryan faculty meetings.
But three years after the YEC-mandate and two years after tightening the reins on faculty governance, Livesay is acting with even less integrity than ever.
Quelle surprise.
Inside Higher Ed is covering it, but the local Times Free Press broke the story:
Livesay ... transfer[ed] land appraised at $6.9 million to Bryan College last year.
The land was previously Fort Bluff Camp, adjacent to the college and owned by the National Association of Christian Athletes. Livesay for years was chairman of NACA's board, and he named enough Bryan trustees to the board, including Cropp, that they comprised a majority.
In June 2016, the NACA board voted to transfer the camp property to the college. Cropp voted against the deal and since has resigned from NACA's board.
Before the deal, the letter states, Cropp confronted Livesay about his apparent conflict of interest, but Livesay denied any such thing. After the land was transferred, though, Livesay announced it was a conflict for him to serve as Bryan's president and be on NACA's board, the letter continues.
One of the factors in Livesay's performance review and compensation package last year was the college's financial performance. Cropp's letter states that acquiring the Bluff Fort Camp land boosted Bryan's assets by $5 million.
"But for the transfer of NACA property to Bryan College in June, 2016, Bryan College would have finished the year with a deficit," the letter states.
NACA's financials also reflect the nonprofit organization faced a loss of $1.67 million because of the deal, Cropp's letter continues.
You can read the Board Member’s resignation letter yourself. In sum, Wayne Cropp believes Steve Livesay is acting with a financial conflict of interest and juggling property to cover up a deficit at Bryan.
And that’s not all he’s covering up. In 2012, Livesay covered up Bible Professor David Morgan’s arrest in a child sex sting in Georgia. The student newspaper ran with the story, much to Livesay’s chagrin.
And this little property-juggling at Fort Bluff Camp? Well, that camp had a fine, upstanding founder:
According to Rhea County Investigator Rocky Potter, two women have alleged that Crain groped them in the office facilities of Fort Bluff earlier this year. Both were employees at the camp, Potter said.
One of the alleged victims is a minor. The teen reported that Crain molested her while they were alone on two occasions this year - once in May and another time in August, according to police reports.
The other alleged victim told police she was sexually assaulted in August as well, Potter said.
Both women claimed that they were alone with Crain when the incidents occurred, according to police reports. In one case, the alleged victim was asleep and reportedly awoke to Crain assaulting her.
Crain was found guilty.
Nice, Livesay. Real nice. You cover up sex crimes and line your pockets and blame everybody else in the process.