The Internal Revenue Service slapped Saint Augustine’s University with two new liens, totaling more than $600,000, in the first half of 2025.
WRAL uncovered these new liens filed in March and July of this year.
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In 2024, the IRS filed nearly $10 million in tax liens against the struggling historically Black university.
The liens add to mounting legal bills and debts owed to creditors and vendors.
In part because of the university's precarious financial situation, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges denied its accreditation. In response, SAU will file an injunction in court to keep its accreditation status and work toward maintaining that standing.
Accreditation is the term for the voluntary, peer-review standards for colleges and universities that show a school offers a worthwhile education. It is also a requirement for universities to be eligible for federal grants and student loans.
St. Aug's remains accredited while the appeal plays out, but the threat of a loss of accreditation has cost it in terms of enrollment, staff and money. The Class of 2025 numbered just 25 graduates.
With a total enrollment of some 200 students, the university moved to a virtual class model in spring 2024, in part to save money on dormitory maintenance.
It also faces multiple lawsuits in which vendors claim that St. Augustine's owes millions in unpaid bills.