Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina, is one of two remaining historically Black colleges with Episcopal roots. Photo: Saint Augustine’s University
[Episcopal News Service] Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina, reportedly will move its classes online in April as it fights to maintain its accreditation and remain open as one of two remaining historically Black colleges with Episcopal roots.
The university also is pushing back against pressure from alumni groups for its entire Board of Trustees to resign over concerns that it has failed to ensure the institution’s continued financial solvency.
“The board remains focused on preserving SAU’s accreditation and stabilizing the university’s finances under its new leadership,” the board said in a statement released March 20 in response to the alumni groups’ demands for a new board. “The university’s accreditation and financial stability are critical to its ability to continue as a premier HBCU in North Carolina. Our focus remains on fulfilling Saint Augustine’s University’s mission and supporting students, faculty, staff, and alumni.”
The latest developments follow news last month that Saint Augustine’s accrediting agency had rejected a university appeal, putting it on the brink of losing accreditation and potentially threatening its continued viability as an institution of higher education.
Its accrediting agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, or SACSCOC, first ruled in December 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. After losing its appeal of that decision, Saint Augustine’s board has vowed to pursue arbitration with SACSCOC and ultimately a court battle if necessary to remain accredited.
Few details were immediately available about the reported plan to move classes online. Sources at the university told WRAL-TV that students had been asked to move out by April 3 and to prepare for remote learning. Episcopal News Service asked the university for confirmation or clarification but has not yet received a response.
The six alumni organizations are describing their campaign for change with the shorthand SAVESAU.
“We believe and evidence shows the SAU Board of Trustees has breached its fiduciary duty to the university,” John Larkins, a 1966 graduate, told local media. “The FY21 audit also states that the board’s overall governance and oversight of the university were severely absent. … Alumni have expressed major concerns about the board’s governance of SAU for the past five years.”
Saint Augustine’s and the much smaller Voorhees College in Denmark, South Carolina, are the two remaining historically Black 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. Its enrollment in fall 2021 was 1,261 students, according to the latest data compiled and released by the National Center for Education Statistics.
Under federal guidelines, colleges and universities seek accreditation by an approved governmental or non-governmental 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.