The Jericho Plan

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During the Christmas holiday my wife and I visited an old friend and his family.  His daughter and her husband attended HAC.  The husband left school between 2 and 3 years ago.  He told me that he received a bill from HAC a week before Christmas for $15,000.  This is the amount that he owes because he did not finish the Jericho Plan.  He has no plans of paying any of it.

A couple of questions - Does anyone else know of any stories like this?  What are your feelings about whether or not this money should be paid?
 
I think the entire plan was a disaster from the start. Just a bad idea, for the college and for the student.

That being said, the student and/or parent/guardian did enter into a contract with the college, and part of that contract is that the student would be financially liable for their portion even if they did not finish. I think the program was 4 years with the college paying the first two, the student paying the last two.

Legally, it is a binding contract. Knowing who wrote it, it is probably has very little wiggle room to get out. Will the college file a civil action to recoup the cost? I doubt it. 

Although, if a Christian signed a contact stating they would be liable for costs of they fail to fulfill the requirements of the contact; I would expect them to be honest despite who the contact was with.
 
RAIDER said:
During the Christmas holiday my wife and I visited an old friend and his family.  His daughter and her husband attended HAC.  The husband left school between 2 and 3 years ago.  He told me that he received a bill from HAC a week before Christmas for $15,000.  This is the amount that he owes because he did not finish the Jericho Plan.  He has no plans of paying any of it.

A couple of questions - Does anyone else know of any stories like this?  What are your feelings about whether or not this money should be paid?
Click to expand...

Can anyone say...SHAKEDOWN
 
People want something for nothing, you don't really expect them to be honest and pay their bills, do you?

We always thought this was Schaap's method of having a reason to close the college.

Yep stupid plan.
 
qwerty said:
I think the entire plan was a disaster from the start. Just a bad idea, for the college and for the student.

That being said, the student and/or parent/guardian did enter into a contract with the college, and part of that contract is that the student would be financially liable for their portion even if they did not finish. I think the program was 4 years with the college paying the first two, the student paying the last two.

Legally, it is a binding contract. Knowing who wrote it, it is probably has very little wiggle room to get out. Will the college file a civil action to recoup the cost? I doubt it. 

Although, if a Christian signed a contact stating they would be liable for costs of they fail to fulfill the requirements of the contact; I would expect them to be honest despite who the contact was with.
Click to expand...

Spot on -- bad idea (YES!).  But are you morally obligated?  (YES). 

Wouldn't it have been better to have them pay the first two years, and get the last two free, instead of the other way 'round?  I guess that having students under obligation is probably a stronger lure to keep them there.
 
Ok....I have a lot to say about this...but I will try to keep it short.

1. The first year of Jericho the Jericho students were herded into the dining hall and had a contract placed in front of them and told to sign it.  They did NOT have an opportunity to read it thoroughly or have their parents read it or have an attorney read it.  They trusted their "authority" and signed a document they did not understand because they were forced  to do so.  That is illegal.  Don't get all technical with the word "forced".  If you were there during that time, you know it was forced.  Not physically...no one held their hand down...but it was forced nonetheless.  Now, how they handled the contract after that first year, I do not know. 

2. The college breached the contract in several ways.  Not the least of which is that the program changed regularly.  They were not offered a new contract when things changed.  Another example:  after watching the program failing, JS got up in chapel and threw a temper tantrum and told the students that they could leave and not repay the program.  If they weren't serious, he wanted them out. Surely someone, somewhere has a recording of that chapel "sermon".

Our son went all the way through the Jericho program to graduation...and, yes, the bill was paid in full by my son...including all the things they added on that we not in the contract.  I could tell you stories.  Remember, they were making up the Jericho Plan as they went along.  A lot of things changed from the first year to the last.

I know several people who got that letter...and some are pretty big names.  When one pastor called JS personally, his friend, about the fact that the Jericho program hurt their son, he was told that there was nothing wrong with the program....they (the college) were sent flawed material.  Yes, those are the exact words that were used.  "Flawed material". 

The Jericho Plan was a disaster from the very beginning.  I know.  We were there for the implementation.  The staff had no idea what they were doing and they were making the "plan" up as they went along. The didn't have enough staff to handle the regulations of the program and the students had WAAAAAAY too much time on their hands.  They weren't allowed to get jobs back in the beginning and they weren't allowed to even SPEAK to the opposite sex for the first six weeks.  These are the same kids that were told that they shouldn't date in high school and should wait til college to do it.  Then....when they got to college, they weren't allowed to date then either!  What a psychotic place.  Not at all...in any way, shape, or form...the same college we went to in the early 80's. 


 
How can a felon, sitting in prison, really go after the money anyways? I think the students could make a proper claim thay JS did not fulfill his side of the contract.

[just an observation from an outsider]
 
FSSL said:
How can a felon, sitting in prison, really go after the money anyways? I think the students could make a proper claim thay JS did not fulfill his side of the contract.

[just an observation from an outsider]
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Well, the contract wasn't between a student and JS.  It was between the student and HAC.  Although, with JS as the Chancellor at the time, maybe there is some loophole.
 
Would some kind poster briefly explain what the Jericho plan was and why is was named that?
 
I was not there for this plan, but did look into it quite a bit from the outside to help others make decisions.  I can't quite remember why it got this name (Something about tearing down walls, or Faith to face the giants).

In theory, this was a great idea for both marketing and scholastic achievement.  Students received the first two years free.  Well, not quite.  Students had to pay for books and incidentals and a couple of hefty fees.  For families that could afford the money up front, and supply the student with cash for incidentals, it would be awesome.  Colleges in general have a high drop out rate up to the Junior year.  Statistically, if someone can make it to the junior year, they have a much higher graduation rate.  The goal was to help kids decide to graduate.  In theory, they would show up and have extra time to work on academics, get adjusted to college life and increase their walk with God.  The most difficult part of HAC is schedule, not academics.  In theory, this program would allow them to adjust to schedule more easily while having opportunity to spend real hours studying.  Students would only have to pay for their Junior and Senior year.  The program was never intended for dropouts or people who were thinking about maybe going into ministry.  It was intended to help those who had a real desire to be in the ministry.

Problems:
1.  Freshman college students don't study.  Especially when most of them have been manipulated into attendance.  Compound this with the common lack of academic excellence already prevalent in the faculty and staff, there could not possibly be given enough work for the students to do to keep them busy.
2.  Once the student hit his junior year, he would have to pay a higher rate than most other Bible colleges.  I don't remember the numbers, but I do recall advising people that it would be difficult to get a job that would pay all of the bill in their junior year without any work experience.  Again, the student would have to have some help from home.  Probably by his senior year, he would be able to pay, if job worked out well.
3.  Funding.  We guessed that JS was working some financial guru plan (Maybe attempting to run a take off of a ponzi scheme for tuition funding per the advice of his good buddy TK?).  It seemed that after the initial investment, the current Jr and Sr classes would be paying for alot of the upcoming Fresh and Soph classes.  Knowing class ratios, this seemed to be doomed from the beginning.

IF someone signed up for this, they knew full well that they would be responsible for the bill if they dropped out - and it would be hefty.  Yes, they are morally and legally obligated to the college to pay.  I know that in years past, FBCH has struggled with what to do with those bills.  LOTS of unpaid bills out there.  The best solution I heard had to do with selling the debt to a collection agency.  Let the agency fight for the money and pursue court or credit hits if they desire.  But, FBCH just didn't want to accept the notion that so many Christians would be so dishonest as to not pay.
 
https://web.archive.org/web/20101031224114/http://hylesanderson.edu/the-jericho-plan/

The links for testimonial and brochure work.
 
Jack Schaap explained while introducing it that it was named to reflect the first victory the Israelites had in the promised land. Ironic that it resembled the fate of the city itself more than the victory of the Israelites.
 
Okay, I am just waiting for the application to download. Will fill it out and see what happens. ;)
 
Are you suggesting the walls caved in on the Jericho plan?

:P
 
I still don't see the tie in with a Biblical supernatural battle. Maybe it should have been named the Fantastic Four plan, although that would be a little too Marvel comics-ish for HAC.
 
Years ago, I read the online description of the plan. Participants had their entire day regulated.
 
qwerty said:
https://web.archive.org/web/20101031224114/http://hylesanderson.edu/the-jericho-plan/

The links for testimonial and brochure work.
Click to expand...
Perhaps I do not understand, but it looks like the date of this advertisement was October 31, 2010.  The first year of the Jericho Plan started in the fall of 2008. 

When JS first shared his dream called The Jericho Plan with the staff, it did sound somewhat feasible.  He based the whole plan on his own experience at Pillsbury.  His parents paid for his first two years so he didn't have to work and had time to study and spend time with God.  He claimed it was the foundation of his future success.  He wanted other students to have that same opportunity.  It all sounded good.  None of the details were even remotely figured out when the plan went into full motion.  The first year was...well...chaotic.  Because so many students were pushed there...they went not because they wanted to but because that was the only option presented to them... there weren't a whole lot who had a sincere desire to study or spend time with God.  Like typical freshmen, they were more interested in dating, sports, etc.  The staff was stretched to the limit.  It was impossible to enforce all of the rules of the program, especially seeings it was a work in progress and rules were changed nearly every day. 

And, yes, their entire day was regulated.  Their dorm supe would wake them up to read their Bibles.  lol.....  Most went back to sleep after dorm supe left.  You just can't regulate spirituality.
 
Vince Massi said:
Years ago, I read the online description of the plan. Participants had their entire day regulated.
Click to expand...

Can anyone say...CULTISH CONTROL
 
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