Saint Augustine’s leaders remain hopeful, as university faces new threat to its accreditation

The campus of Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Courtesy photo

[Episcopal News Service] Saint Augustine’s University, the historically Black college with Episcopal roots in Raleigh, North Carolina, is again under threat of losing its accreditation after its accrediting agency voted recently to end the school’s membership.

The university responded in a Dec. 10 statement vowing to continue its ongoing fight to maintain its accreditation, which remains active while Saint Augustine’s leaders pursue their latest appeal.

The school’s statement notes that the board of the accrediting agency, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, or SACSCOC, while voting to remove Saint Augustine’s from membership, also found that the university had resolved all issues of concern except for those related to finances.

The university said it plans to submit more up-to-date financial documentation to the SACSCOC appeals committee by February showing that it “has made significant progress” as it attempts to remove all the sanctions that for the past year have cast doubt on the school’s long-term viability.

“While this may seem like a disappointing decision, we view this as an encouraging outcome that acknowledges our progress,” Saint Augustine’s President Marcus Burgess said in the university news release. “This opportunity to prove that SAU is now a stronger and more financially healthy institution will bring confidence to our stakeholders and partners, ensuring them that SAU remains a cornerstone of opportunity and innovation for our students and the Raleigh community.”

Saint Augustine’s and the much smaller Voorhees College in Denmark, South Carolina, are the two remaining historically Black higher education institutions with Episcopal roots. The pair of colleges have received several million dollars from The Episcopal Church in recent years while also accepting the church’s guidance on administrative and fundraising matters.

Saint Augustine’s history dates to 1867, when it was established by Episcopalians in the Diocese of North Carolina. Though still rooted in the Episcopal tradition, it now operates as an independent institution.

SACSCOC first ruled in December 2023 that Saint Augustine’s had failed to meet six of the agency’s requirements and standards, including those relating to the university’s governing board, its financial resources and financial documents.

Local news reports earlier this year indicated that Saint Augustine’s was behind on payments to its insurance company and was struggling to borrow the money it needed. Documents filed by the IRS also indicated the university had not paid its federal taxes since 2020. The university responded by launching new fundraising efforts while seeking to address the accrediting agency’s concerns about its financial controls.

Then in July, the university announced it had won back membership with the accrediting agency, bolstering its chances of survival while it remained on probation for financial and governance issues. The SACSCOC’s latest reversal this month, however, indicates the university is still fighting for its future.

Under federal guidelines, colleges and universities seek accreditation by an approved governmental or nongovernmental agency like SACSCOC to ensure they meet “acceptable levels of quality,” according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Accreditation, for example, is a minimum standard typically verified by managers when assessing graduates for potential employment.  An academic institution that fails to retain accreditation also could be disqualified from federal grants and student aid programs, potentially jeopardizing the school’s ability to remain open.

– David Paulsen is a senior reporter and editor for Episcopal News Service based in Wisconsin. He can be reached at dpaulsen@episcopalchurch.org.