A legendary former track coach with Saint Augustine’s University was honored at an alumni benefit Friday evening to help the school as the it navigates several financial issues.
The event was called “The Race to Save SAU.” Former track coach George Williams was the guest of honor as several people in attendance looked to raise money for the school.
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“It’s going to whatever Saint Augustine’s needs,” Williams said. “This is for the institution to help people, pay faculty and staff, give scholarships to students [and] whatever we need to do with the funds. That’s what we’re going to do.”
The event was hosted by the Save SAU alumni group. The group and several other former students and staff, including Williams, said they were concerned about a $7 million loan from Gothic Ventures the school took out to repay several of its debts.
In the terms of the loan, the school has a 26% interest rate and could lose property if they default. Several alumni, along with Williams, condemned the term of the loan.
“I can’t understand who would make such a decision, and the impact it’s put on the institution,” Williams said.
Dr. Everett B. Ward, former president of the university, said the group is concerned about the school as more information about the school is made public.
As a former university president, he said the lack of communication is what’s most concerning regarding the situation.
“We need to know what all the facts are,” he told WRAL News. “[We need] to make certain we have the right people in leadership roles.”
Williams was fired from the school in 2020 after leading the school’s track team to 39 national titles in 44 years.
Williams joined five other employees, including former school president Gaddis Faulcon, who sued members of the school’s board of trustees for wrongful termination.
Regarding his firing, Williams said it was a “bad move,” saying the decision was made by the same people who took out the loan.
“God doesn’t make winners or losers, he makes choosers, and that was a bad choice,” he said.
Those in attendance at the event, including Pattye Brown, who graduated from the school in 1985, said the group wants what's best for the school.
“I was able to finish my degree and raise my two daughters the way I wanted to raise them,” she said. “We want this thing to work. It’s a struggle, but it’s hope.”
It was a sentiment shared by Williams.
“I always know that God works things out,” he said. “He worked them out for me, and he’s going to work them out for Saint Augustine’s University.”
In an email to WRAL News, a SAU representative responded to remarks made at the event.
"While we appreciate alumni efforts to support us, we have yet to receive any verified donations from the Save SAU Coalition," said a spokesperson. "We also understand the community’s concerns regarding the Gothic Ventures loan, but the university faced limited options to address our financial difficulties, particularly due to the Coalition’s actions undermining alumni contributions."
The university is pointing potential donors to its Falcon Pride initiative.