Toxic Timeline: Multiple Letters of Concern Sent to Jessup University Board Ignored
Nov. 15, 2023: Multnomah University leaders publicly supported the merger—though it wasn’t the final word. Photo courtesy of Multnomah/Jessup University Instagram.
A new page, “Letters of Concern to Jessup Board,” has been added to the Multnomah Legacy Project as the Multnomah Family Team continues its pursuit of moral justice. Four letters of concern sent to the Jessup University board by Multnomah University leadership from 2024 to 2025 were ignored. There are more.
Before the Multnomah-Jessup “merger of mission” was announced, there was a meeting of key supporters with Jessup’s president, John Jackson. Dr. G left that meeting cautiously optimistic. Jessup looked financially strong and growing. They had experience with a branch campus and Dr. Jackson was convincing. Profs Ray Lubeck and Karl Kutz were even more optimistic. Ray said, “I am genuinely enthusiastic about teaming with a like-minded institution like Jessup U. as we move forward with a mission that is fully in concert with our founders' vision." Prof Kutz said, “I support it [partnership] whole-heartedly.” (@multnomahbiblicalseminary, November 13, 2023)
These positive evaluations caused many to question what the Multnomah Legacy Project was doing. Comments like, “Why are you blaming Jessup when Multnomah was equally at fault?” This was supported by saying “Prof Ray was on board and saw the merger as great for the future of Multnomah.”
Many did, including Dr. G. Our research showed that this went south very quickly. About ten faculty and staff wrote letters of concern about what Jessup was doing once they directed the campus.
Dr. G met with Ray for lunch and he gave us permission to make public his letter to Jessup (May 7, 2025). We did not include it on the website earlier, but then many brought up Ray’s earlier comments. Dr. Kutz also made a U-turn and wanted his letter to bring change. Dr. Josberger wanted her letter to be included on the website.
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.
Key Leaders Voice Concerns, but go Ignored:
Dr. Ray Lubeck
“I do not trust Dr. Jackson. He has defrauded people by raising hopes, elevating expectations, making promises, and giving assurances that proved to be false. To give him the benefit of the doubt, he may have simply been sincerely mistaken about all those things he said to Multnomah employees. If so, he was at best unwise at handling the responsibility. Leaders make mistakes. But excellent leaders acknowledge those mistakes as such and admit regrets, especially to those whom they have deeply hurt. Conversely, he may have been deceitful all along by deliberate calculation to cash in on “the assets” for the money. I do not know his real motives. But in neither case has he earned the reputation of trustworthiness.“Dr. Karl Kutz
“I feel some latitude to share since I have retired. I not only have no vested interest in Jessup, I have only disdain and contempt and grieve daily for what I see happening to my colleagues. What they go through with inept leadership is infuriating. I try to keep my distance so that I do not get worked up over and over with the grief and loss of what they have destroyed in so little time. I have also wrestled for decades with the crappy leadership I see in the Church and their leadership together with their mission ‘In partnership with the Church …’ has done nothing but leave me disdainful of anything labeled Christian.”Dr. Rebekah Josberger
“…apparently Dr. Jackson’s shenanigans know no bounds. My experience with Jessup and its leadership since the merger has been characterized by disrespect, unacknowledged misogyny, the dismantling of seminary programs, and the repeated lack of follow through on anything Dr. Jackson commits to doing for Multnomah. After two years of advocating for the Seminary and for myself to no avail, I have decided the Jessup organization is not one that I can work for, thus I will not be renewing my contract.1 Yet the offense continues to escalate.”Read Dr. Josberger’s Full Letter
Multnomah Leader
A leader from Multnomah under Jessup has given 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."“From the outset of the July 1, 2024 acquisition, employees and students at the Multnomah campus were given assurances that Jessup had a long-term vision for the Multnomah campus revitalization. This messaging directly influenced employee retention and student enrollment decisions. However, what followed revealed a clear disconnect between the communicated vision and the internal strategic trajectory. No operational plan, financial model, or viable growth strategy was presented to campus leadership. Following a public-facing acquisition celebration that projected stability, optimism, and long-term commitment to the Multnomah campus, senior leadership, specifically Dr. John Jackson dramatically shifted the narrative within the first 30-60 days. At that time, he began communicating generalized concerns about institutional financial instability, but offered no financial statements, strategic plans, or measurable data to substantiate the claims. This abrupt pivot from public celebration to internal crisis messaging created deep confusion and revealed a troubling pattern of deception.”
