The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Board voted to remove Saint Augustine’s University (SAU) from accreditation following its annual meeting in Austin, Texas.
The university will appeal the decision, and it will remain accredited throughout that process. This means that SAU’s December 2024 and May 2025 graduates will receive degrees from an accredited institution.
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"It's just a sad day," said Marlon Lee, an alum of the university.
Issues with financial management and lack of oversight at the school put the its accreditation in jeopardy to begin with. St. Aug’s says they addressed all of those concerns – except financial stability. SACSCOC’s policies will allow Saint Augustine’s University to submit additional financial information to an appeals committee in February 2025. Saint Augustine’s University will clear all sanctions if all concerns are satisfied.
A recent announcement that St. Aug's has signed a deal to lease land, expected to bring in $70 million, came after the deadline to prove good standing to SACSCOC.
What does this mean?
The vote to remove Saint Augustine’s from membership is not considered a final action.
The removal from SACSCOC membership would only be finalized if the University chose not to pursue an appeal. Since Saint Augustine’s plans to appeal the decision, the university will remain accredited now until the final decision of the appeals committee and, if necessary, an arbitration panel.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, schools must maintain accreditation by a nationally-recognized accrediting agency to participate in federal student aid programs. Students cannot get federal financial aid when a school loses its accreditation.
The appeal process
As part of the appeal, SAU will provide additional evidence about the measures implemented since November 2024.
While the SACSCOC report does not include the details, these are the seven areas in which the school failed to comply:
- Governing board characteristics: The institution has a governing board of at least five members that meet necessary requirements.
- Financial resources: The institution has sound financial resources and a demonstrated, stable financial base to support the mission of the institution and the scope of its programs and services.
- Financial documents: The member institution provides the required financial statements.
- Financial responsibility: The institution manages its financial resources and operates in a fiscally responsible manner.
- Control of finances: The institution exercises appropriate control over all its financial resources.
- Control of sponsored research/external funds: The institution maintains financial control over externally funded or sponsored research and programs.
- Federal and state responsibilities: The institution is in compliance with its program responsibilities under Title IV of the most recent Higher Education Act as amended and audits financial aid programs as required by federal and state regulations.
In a statement, interim president Marcus Burgess said, “While this may seem like a disappointing decision, we view this as an encouraging outcome that acknowledges our progress.”
Alumna Crystal Bodie-Smith said, "I would like to believe that we will survive, we will get through this, and this will turn around, but until they are more transparent, until they outline what they're doing, we have no way of knowing. We have no way of feeling assured that this is going to take place."
Alumni of the school said the moves by the school are not strong enough in light of what they face.
"You're putting a Band-Aid on a broken leg," Lee said.
Others remained hopeful in spite of the situation, but remain cautious of what lies ahead.
"I would like to believe that we will survive," said Crystal Bodie-Smith, another Saint Augustine's alum. "Until they are more transparent [and] outline what they're doing, we have no way of knowing."
Accreditation timeline
In December 2022, the SACSCOC put the university on probation because the university failed to comply with accreditation requirements regarding finances, governing board characteristics and federal and state responsibilities.
Just over a year later, SACSCOC alerted the university that it was in danger of losing its accreditation.
On Feb. 27, 2024, the SACSCOC Board of Trustees denied a university appeal and informed Saint Augustine’s that it would lose its accreditation. According to the association’s policy, the university remained an accredited institution on probation during the appeal process.
July 22, 2024, the school announced the board reversed its decision to strip SAU of its membership.
Work to prove compliance
WRAL has covered the university’s struggles, including IRS liens, missed paychecks, incorrect student balances and unpaid bills.
An alumni group, Save SAU, also sued to remove most members of the Board of Trustees. In the now-dismissed lawsuit, the group accused the board, particularly the chairman, of not following bidding procedures for construction projects, violating bylaws and breaching their implied duties.
Since July, the school has completed its overdue but required FY22, FY23 and FY24 financial audits.
The Attorney General’s office is also investigating the board. A forensic audit, authorized by the board in response to WRAL’s reporting, suggests no wrongdoing by the chairman of the board.
You can find a full timeline of WRAL’s reporting here.