RALEIGH, N.C.—The Southern Affiliation of Schools and Faculties Board of Trustees committee affirmed their December 2023 ruling on Tuesday, to take away Saint Augustine’s College‘s standing as an accredited establishment.
The varsity had an appeals listening to with the Board of Trustees on Feb. 20. The committee that heard that enchantment rendered their choice yesterday afternoon.
“A SACSCOC Appeals Committee of the Faculty Delegate Meeting unanimously affirmed the December 3, 2023, choice of the SACSCOC Board of Trustees to terminate the accreditation of Saint Augustine’s College, Raleigh, North Carolina. The Appeals Committee discovered the SACSCOC Board of Trustees’ choice to be affordable, not arbitrary, and based mostly on the requirements cited,” the choice started.
Dr. Marcus H. Burgess, interim president at Saint Augustine’s College, says the varsity is not going to settle for the choice mendacity down.
“College students, school, workers, alumni and supporters on the market, –we nonetheless have our accreditation and we’re going to proceed to battle for this nice establishment,” Burgess informed CBS17. “157 years of nice assist, we’re going to proceed battle on.”
SAU was positioned on probation again in December 2023 for failure to adjust to core necessities. The college had since been positioned on probation pending final week’s committee assembly.
The termination impacts over 85% of the coed inhabitants who will now not be capable to obtain monetary help below a non-accredited standing. The ruling has left college students and fogeys confused and determined for solutions.
“It’s very, very scary to me. I hoped to graduate this 12 months, however with the varsity and accreditation, I don’t know what to do,” scholar Nicholas Castro mentioned.
“It’s unhappy for our youngsters, unhappy for us as individuals. It shouldn’t have gotten so far. Now now we have to determine our method out of this if there’s a method out of this,” dad or mum Andrea Parham mentioned.
Representatives with Saint Augustine’s mentioned they disagreed with the board’s ruling, saying they felt the choice was arbitrary, unreasonable and inconsistent with the board’s insurance policies.
“We disagree with the choice made by SACSCOC and plan to enchantment to the next authority with proof supporting the establishment’s progress in resolving non-compliance,” mentioned Dr. Burgess. “We are going to transfer shortly to file a lawsuit in opposition to SACSCOC looking for an injunction that, if granted, will enable Saint Augustine’s College to stay accredited with SACSCOC on Probation for Good Trigger till the conclusion of litigation.”
SAU has additionally been going through payroll points since early February. President Burgess despatched out an e-mail concerning the varsity’s delayed Feb ninth payroll.
“Our present monetary state of affairs, or lack thereof, has considerably hindered the operations throughout our campus, and I’m aware of the hardships it has brought about,” interim president Marcus Burgess mentioned in an e-mail obtained by WRAL.com.
Earlier this month, the college launched a fundraising marketing campaign with a purpose of $5 million to show to SACSCOC that the college is financially steady. The varsity additionally held a candlelight vigil on Feb. 18 in an effort to indicate bodily and religious assist to those that have been affected by the issues of the college’s standing.
*This story continues to be growing and will probably be up to date as extra data is offered.
