The root problem is the president, Len Munsil. He runs ACU like a political campaign, not a Christian university. He’s not a spiritual leader—he’s a lawyer playing administrator, and the result is chaos. He’s driven by fear of public perception and shuts down any suggestion that ACU is anything less than perfect. The culture this creates is one of fear, isolation, and hypocrisy. He’ll likely read this review and try to suppress it or retaliate instead of reflecting honestly and repenting.
Money is tight, and “growth” for the sake of survival is the only strategy. Admissions standards have dropped in order to admit anyone with a pulse—even as leadership insists everyone here is a Christian. What you’ll find isn’t gospel-driven leadership, but pride and self-reliance. Everything is done in the name of Jesus, but often without any apparent trust in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Departments are constantly asked to do more with less. When a role is cut, the workload is just redistributed. Burnout is rampant. Raises are rare. Turnover is high.
Meanwhile, Munsil takes home over $600K—two to three times what presidents at similar institutions earn. The Board of Trustees seems either blind, compromised, or too passive to lead with integrity.
Overall, top-level leadership speaks the language of “biblical worldview,” but makes decisions based on politics, fear, and donor appeasement. The enrollment model is unsustainable. And the work culture is fully disconnected from the mission, vision, and values that ACU claims to stand for.
