In a pivotal management transition at a time of intense scrutiny, Saint Augustine’s College (SAU), a traditionally Black faculty in North Carolina, has appointed Sophie L. Gibson as chair of its Board of Trustees. The announcement comes because the HBCU continues its authorized battle to protect its accreditation.
Ms. Gibson, a enterprise chief based mostly in Atlanta, turns into the primary lady in SAU’s 157-year historical past to function board chair. She succeeds Brian A. Boulware, an alumnus who had led the board since 2019. Mr. Boulware, who cited rising skilled obligations in his determination to step down, will stay on the board as a trustee.
A File of Stabilization
Underneath Mr. Boulware’s management, the college made strides to stabilize operations amid monetary and institutional uncertainty. SAU accomplished 4 years of overdue monetary audits, restored worker payroll and advantages, and applied stronger accountability practices. The board additionally secured funds that proved crucial to sustaining the varsity’s mission.
“It has been a privilege to function Chair of this historic establishment throughout a time of nice problem and transformation,” Mr. Boulware stated in an announcement. “I’m pleased with the work now we have completed collectively and assured within the management of Chair Gibson and the Board to information SAU right into a shiny future.”
A Historic Appointment
For the primary time, each high board positions at SAU will likely be held by ladies. Ms. Gibson will likely be joined by Vice Chair V. Lynette Mitchell, a 1989 graduate of the HBCU and longtime supporter from Williamstown, N.J. The twin appointments mirror what leaders describe as a renewed dedication to inclusive management on the HBCU.
“We’re deeply grateful for the regular management of Trustee Boulware throughout difficult instances,” Ms. Gibson stated in a ready assertion. “As we transfer into this new chapter, we honor their contributions whereas embracing a daring, strategic path ahead that can strengthen our influence for generations to come back.”
Trustee Mitchell echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the significance of alumni engagement in sustaining the establishment by way of tough circumstances. “We’re turning the web page to an thrilling new period for SAU – one guided by a transparent strategic path and a renewed Falcon spirit,” she stated.
Accreditation and Fundraising Challenges
The management transition arrives because the college faces one in all its historical past’s most consequential authorized and monetary struggles. Earlier this month, SAU secured a preliminary injunction in federal courtroom that enables it to keep up accreditation whereas difficult a choice by its accrediting physique. With out accreditation, the college’s college students would face jeopardized federal help and levels of diminished worth.
SAU has referred to as on alumni and supporters to contribute to its “Imagine in SAU: A Falcon Is Not an Bizarre Chicken” marketing campaign to maintain its authorized battle and put together for the autumn semester. The fundraising drive helps each operational wants and the authorized protection fund. The college has additionally provided donors the choice to contribute on to its authorized staff, Alston & Chicken LLP.
A Essential Turning Level
The board’s new management, paired with the continuing battle to protect accreditation, underscores a broader problem going through many HBCUs: balancing historic missions of entry and neighborhood uplift with modern greater training’s monetary and regulatory pressures.
For Ms. Gibson and Ms. Mitchell, the second is each symbolic and pressing. Their appointments mark a milestone within the college’s historical past whereas highlighting the stakes of its unsure future.
“Collectively, we are going to make sure that Saint Augustine’s College not solely survives, however really prospers within the years forward,” Ms. Mitchell stated.
