ORU tops list in employer survey
By Sheldon Yoder

A survey commissioned by the Tulsa Metro Chamber of Commerce ranked Oral Roberts University graduates number one in employee quality.

The assessment polled employers in Northeast Oklahoma.

ORU received a 4.5 score on a 5 point scale. Coming in at second and third respectively were the University of Tulsa with 4.2 and Oklahoma State University at Okmulgee with 4.1.

Dr. Ralph Fagin, Vice President for Academic Affairs, was not surprised by the findings. "The best thing about ORU is its product. If you want to have a strength, it's good to have it in what you're producing."

Fagin has received feedback from employers and parents for years on the quality of graduates ORU puts out.

"Sometimes you wonder if they're just being polite or nice or actually saying this to everybody," Fagin said. "This is the first time I've ever seen a formal study done to confirm a lot of the information."

John Brown, Director of the College Career and Guidance Center (CCGC), also said the study confirmed anecdotal evidence he has received over the years. Many business owners and managers relate that the University produces graduates who exceed expectations.

"Some employers say they can find employees who can do the job, but finding those who show up on time and follow procedures [is harder]," Brown said. "They say the quality of ORU students is above average."

The findings showed that most Tulsa-area employers are pleased with the quality of graduates from the high schools and other training facilities in Northeast Oklahoma. However, employers felt that in general four-year institutions needed to emphasize communication skills as well as business and engineering courses more.

The Wadley-Donovan Group conducted the research. The quality-assessment results were gathered from surveys of 2,953 employers in the 10-county area of Northeast Oklahoma, including Creek, Mayes, Muskogee, Okmulgee, Osage, Pawnee, Rogers, Tulsa, Wagoner and Washington counties.

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