By Jheri Hardaway
Staff Writer
Raleigh, NC - The Carolinian received an anonymous tip that “Urban Explorers” are breaching security to trespass on Saint Augustine’s University, which is already grappling with a fragile financial recovery and a complex federal bankruptcy process. Saint Augustine’s University (SAU) is now facing a new threat after dark. Self-styled "urban explorers" and internet video creators are infiltrating the historic campus, documenting their trespassing on social media while leaving behind thousands of dollars in property damage.
The trend has transformed the campus, a historic cornerstone of Black higher education in North Carolina, into a playground for digital clout-chasers. For the staff and caretakers fighting to preserve the university’s physical and academic integrity, the nightly intrusions are a worsening nightmare.
According to local sources, these trespassers are highly organized. They operate using a coordinated, multi-stage scouting system designed to bypass police and campus security. A campus source, who requested anonymity, detailed how these groups coordinate their entries: “Groups go around... they just go in there, shoot videos, take pictures, whatever. What they do is they have a scout. The scout will come through, look over, and say, 'Nobody over there,’ and that’s where they enter. They bust windows, set fires, whatever they want to do.” Footage of the empty, historic campus corridors is routinely uploaded to social media platforms under the guise of "exploring abandoned spaces," ignoring the fact that SAU is a protected, historically black university under active restructuring.
The source mentioned that the police are often called, but by the time authorities arrive, the troublemakers are gone. The source also stated that those who are caught only receive a citation for trespassing. “They’re hard to catch in the act.”
Recently, Raleigh Police were dispatched to the campus following reports of significant property damage. Officers discovered 20 shattered dorm room windows, causing up to $10,000 in immediate damage. The scale of the destruction has drawn the attention of the federal court system. The U.S. Bankruptcy Administrator's office confirmed it is actively working with SAU's legal counsel to ensure the debtor takes aggressive measures to secure the campus, prevent unauthorized entry, and preserve the physical condition of the university's assets.
The historical and psychological impact of these break-ins cuts deep, and it stings as well. Founded in 1867, Saint Augustine's University has survived over a century and a half of societal change and economic hardship. To see its empty spaces treated as lawless backdrops for likes and comments on internet videos feels, to many, like a profound sign of disrespect. Local advocates point out that the trespassers view the school's financial vulnerability as an invitation. "They hit buildings all over the state," another source noted, "but Saint Aug is a regular spot because they think, 'Saint Aug, ain't nobody going to do nothing!'"
As the bankruptcy proceedings continue and academic leaders work to stabilize the institution, community members are calling for increased vigilance, sturdier physical barriers, and a harsher legal response than simple trespassing citations to protect a priceless piece of North Carolina's educational heritage.
