College president pleads guilty before fraud trial

FAYETTEVILLE — The president of a Christian college in Springdale has pleaded guilty in what prosecutors called a kickback scheme involving his school.

Oren Paris III had faced a trial Monday with former state Sen. Jon Woods and consultant Randell Shelton. Instead, the president of Ecclesia College pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court in Fayetteville.

Prosecutors say Paris paid kickbacks to Woods and thenRep. Micah Neal in return for

$550,000 in state grants in 201314, using Shelton’s consulting

firm as a go-between. Neal pleaded guilty last year but has not been sentenced.

Woods faces 15 fraud counts while Paris and Shelton were named in 14 counts. The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported Paris pleaded guilty to a fraud charge Wednesday. All had been charged with conspiracy, and Woods also faced a money-laundering charge.

ASU gets $10 million donation from alumnus

JONESBORO — Arkansas State University is renaming its business college to honor an alumnus who donated $10 million to his alma mater.

The university announced the gift Tuesday from Neil Griffin, who lives in Kerrville, Texas. The 91-year-old World War II veteran graduated from Arkansas State in 1948 with a degree in business administration.

On Tuesday, ASU’s board of trustees voted unanimously to rename the business college the Neil Griffin College of Business.

According to The Jonesboro Sun, Griffin also committed a gift from his future estate. That, combined with the $10 million, is expected to be the largest individual gift in school history.

The university says the donation will primarily be used for new scholarships, professorships and enhanced funds for college operations.