Multnomah / Jessup Timeline & Receipts
Jessup’s failure to honor its agreement raises serious concerns—and, we believe, disqualifies them from selling the Multnomah campus and claiming proceeds built over 85 years by Multnomah’s community.
Explore the interactive timeline to see the full story, with direct links to supporting documents that provide the evidence behind these concerns.
Read the Open Letter to Christian
Community
Multnomah University was not able to continue. Jessup University agreed to continue a Christian university on the campus if Multnomah would gift all their assets and campus to them. Multnomah agreed. Eighteen months later, Jessup closed the college and put the campus up for sale.
We see two moral issues that require justice.
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Jessup University’s President John Jackson met with about 50 selected Multnomah University supporters about the "merger". Dr. Garry Friesen was present. The merger decision had to be made in a month’s time since earlier options fell through.
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Press Release Announcement on the “Agreement” between Multnomah University and Jessup University to merge ministries.
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Multnomah University and Jessup University sign “The Contribution Agreement”: Multnomah University will give all assets and liabilities to Jessup University and Jessup University would honor the mission, people and legacy by teaching out students and working for a turn around effort to help The Multnomah Campus of Jessup University thrive.
Jackson explains the Contribution Agreement
Listen to EdUp Podcast: The Barbarian at the Higher Ed Table - with Dr. John Jackson, President, Jessup UniversityThe “Teach Out” Agreement with students and regulators was signed. Students could elect to finish their degree with Jessup University on the Multnomah campus and graduate from Multnomah University. "Such services shall continue until April 30, 2027, which will be the conclusion of the 'Teach-out Period'."
Read the Teach-Out Agreement Between Multnomah University and Jessup University
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As of May 1st, 2024 Multnomah University will officially close and fold into Jessup University, no longer operating as an independent educational institution. The last date of instruction was April 28th, 2024.
View “Official Closure Letter Students”
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Jessup University takes out a $15 million loan using the Multnomah campus as collateral
View Title Report for Jessup Main Campus - 2121 University Avenue
Vesting - 2121 University Avenue
You may verify the debt Lien Documents to view the Debts, Lien Records, Party(s) Signing and Dates
You can access the Public Records at Placer County Recording Office in Placer County, California and Multnomah County Recorder's Office in Multnomah County, Oregon
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Jessup promised students that they could finish their degree at the Multnomah Campus of Jessup University and receive a diploma from Multnomah University. Several months after the “Teach-Out” Agreement, the students who trusted Jessup college students were informed that they could not all finish at the Multnomah Campus of Jessup University as promised and would need to select new Teach-Out schools in order to finish their education. This "Teach-Out" was to be in force until April 30, 2027.
It was agreed that:
"Jessup has the ability and resources to provide educational programs"
“Jessup has the necessary experience, resources, and support services to remain
stable, carry out its mission, and meet all obligations to its existing students.""Such services shall continue until April 30, 2027, which will be the conclusion of the 'Teach-out Period'."
Teach-Out Agreement Between Multnomah University and Jessup University
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Multnomah University students celebrate the final graduation as an independent institution
Jessup Univeristy President John Jackson announced that the Multnomah campus would close and the seminary would move online.
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Both Ray and Karl made positive statements when Jessup took over Multnomah. That was not their final word. About ten faculty and staff wrote letters of concern about what Jessup was doing once they directed the campus. The letters of Ray, Karl and Becky Josberger were indictive of how toxic the campus became. We have permission to share those three letters. Jessup made no response to them, but you might.
View MU Seminary Instagram Post with Statements from Dr. Lubeck and Dr. Kutz.
Dr. G Introduces the 3 LettersLetters of Concern to the Jessup Board:
Dr. Ray Lubeck
Dr. Karl Kutz
Dr. Rebekah Josberger
Multnomah Leader
Read the MU Family Blog -
Jessup University announced that the Multnomah Campus was closing.
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Jessup University puts the Multnomah Campus of Jessup University up for sale (less than a year after the “Agreement”)
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Jessup University takes another loan out with the Multnomah Campus used as collateral. The lien on the campus raises to $20 million. Finally, in Nov. 2025 they added another $6 million loan making the lien on the campus a total of $26 million.
View ProPublica NonProfit Report for Jessup University IRS Reportings
You may verify the debt Lien Documents to view the Debts, Lien Records, Party(s) Signing and Dates
You can access the Public Records at Placer County Recording Office in Placer County, California and Multnomah County Recorder's Office in Multnomah County, Oregon
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Dr. Friesen sent a letter to the Jessup University Board chair, Bonnie Gore, about moral concerns with what Jessup University had done with the Multnomah campus. He requested the campus sale be postponed until issues were reconciled.
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Dr. Friesen and All the Bible in Community (ABC) requested to purchase the Multnomah Mitchell Library books to preserve the collection and to give it a second life in Rwanda. Jessup University agreed to sell it for $50,000 with the requirement, "no portion of the Library Collection will be used to reconstitute Multnomah University."
ABC purchased it and 100,000 books were packed by MU alumni and volunteers. Alumni helped to pay for the shipping to Rwanda.
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Jessup University board chair, Bonnie Gore, graciously hosted a zoom meeting with the volunteer Multnomah Family team. Four JU board members responded to the questions earlier sent to them about Multnomah Family Team’s moral concerns. President John Jackson was not present.
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The Jessup University board responds to the October 29, 2025 letter, but does not respond to the request for mediation. It will not postpone sale of the campus. They believe that they have kept the "Agreement". However, it has a non-disclosure provision so others cannot see it.
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The Jessup University board responds to the October 29, 2025 letter. Jessup University does not respond to the request for mediation and says that it will not postpone sale of the campus.
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The Multnomah Family Team again requested mediation. It proposed that Jessup University be reimbursed for its 1.5 years of investment in running the Multnomah University campus, but that the Multnomah University campus be given back. Jessup University board acknowledged that they received the December 17, 2025 letter, but gave no response.
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The Multnomah Family Team sent a follow-up letter to the Jessup University Board. Since there was no response for mediation, the Multnomah Family Team announced they would finish the Matthew 18:15-17 process of reconciliation. This meant telling the Church in an “Open Letter” on February 13, 2026. The “Open Letter” was shown ahead of time to Jessup University board. They were invited to respond to the moral concerns and their response would be included in the Open Letter. No response was received from Jessup University.
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“Multnomah gave up its campus in a failed takeover. Alums want it back.” by Bob Smietana with Religion News Service is published
“The partnership between Multnomah University and Jessup University was seen as a model for saving struggling schools. Now it's become a cautionary tale.”
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The Open Letter was the final step of reconciliation from Matthew 18:15-17. Over four months of interaction between the Multnomah Family Team and the Jessup University board did not bring resolution. The Multnomah Family Team is sending this Open Letter to the “Church” through the Christian community of believers, Christian schools, and churches.
Multnomah Legacy Project is launched to share the letter.
"We ask again, please contact the new Jessup president and the chair of the Jessup board. Identify yourself, explain why you think they should reconcile with Multnomah and then promise to pray for them. Finally, please send this to Christian friends.”
What did Multnomah staff think of the merger?
Both Dr. Ray Lubeck and Dr. Karl Kutz made positive statements when Jessup took over Multnomah.
That was not their final word. About ten faculty and staff wrote letters of concern about what Jessup was doing once they directed the campus. The letters of Ray, Karl and Becky Josberger were indicative of how toxic the relationship with Jessup became. We have permission to share those three letters.
A fourth letter sent to the Jessup Board is also included. A leader from Multnomah under Jessup has given their permission to add their detailed letter to the board, but wants to be anonymous. It was titled, "Subject: Formal Statement Regarding Ethical Mismanagement, Deceptive Practices, and
Institutional Misuse of the Multnomah Campus."
Jessup made no response to them, but you might.