Federal Officials Reject Grant Application from ORU Due to University's Religious Nature

The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare has refused to consider a grant application from Oral Roberts University for residency training. The departments grants management officer, John Westcott, stated that the university's pervasively religious nature violated the separation of church and state. ORU officials were unaware that their application would not be considered and expressed hope that they could still receive the funding. However, Westcott said that his decision only applied to his office and it was uncertain if other branches of the government would take the same position.