By Jordan Meadows
Staff Writer
Saint Augustine’s University (SAU) finds itself at a pivotal crossroads as it battles to preserve its accreditation status following the final ruling from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
An arbitration panel recently upheld the accreditor’s decision to remove SAU from its membership, marking the university’s second failed appeal in less than a year. Despite the blow, SAU remains open and operational.
In a bold move to retain its accreditation, the university announced it will file an injunction in court—a legal strategy designed to temporarily maintain accreditation while a more extensive legal process unfolds.
SACSCOC’s decision stems largely from SAU’s prolonged financial instability and governance issues. The university has faced mounting debts, delayed employee payments, and scrutiny over major financial deals.
SACSCOC first voted to strip SAU’s accreditation in December 2023 and reaffirmed that stance in March 2024. With the arbitration panel now siding with SACSCOC, SAU has exhausted the internal appeals process.
“We will stop at nothing to ensure that SAU maintains its accreditation and continues serving our students,” Brian Boulware, chair of the university’s Board of Trustees, said in a news release.
University officials maintain that they are still accredited as of now, and plan to begin the Fall 2025 semester with virtual instruction. The virtual format is a contingency measure as the institution works to stabilize operations and secure long-term solutions for its accreditation.
The legal path forward comes with a steep price tag. The university expects to spend at least $1 million in legal fees, including a $350,000 retainer for its legal team. To support the legal fight, SAU is calling for donations from alumni, community members, and the broader Raleigh area.
SAU’s situation echoes the path taken by Bennett College, another historically Black college in North Carolina, which lost SACSCOC accreditation in 2018. Bennett sued SACSCOC and received a temporary restraining order that kept its accreditation active during litigation. Bennett secured accreditation through another agency, the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS)—a move SAU is also exploring “if necessary,” according to officials.
SAU recently secured a $7 million loan from Gothic Ventures and intends to leverage its campus real estate for future development projects. While the details remain limited, the plan includes partnerships aimed at generating new investments.
University leaders also report a $17 million reduction in annual expenditures, achieved primarily through sweeping budget cuts and a workforce reduction that impacted 50% of university employees.
SAU is facing $18 million in litigation stemming from unpaid contracts. Previous attempts to lease large portions of its campus to private developers raised red flags from alumni and the state attorney general, prompting a scaled-back version of the deal.
“SAU is not closing — our doors remain open, and classes will continue,” St. Augustine’s President Marcus Burgess said in the release, adding that the university’s priority is ensuring “every student can complete their education at SAU with an accredited degree in hand.”
Whether SAU can retain accreditation long-term remains to be seen. Its legal strategy, potential pursuit of a new accreditor, and internal restructuring will determine the fate of an institution that has served the community since 1867.
