St. Augustine's interim president outlines plans for university, battle for accreditation
Saint Augustine's University on Wednesday appointed Dr. Marcus H. Burgess to the role of interim president. He is stepping into the role as the university fights for accreditation.
“I am deeply honored to step into the role of Interim President at Saint Augustine’s University and am committed to advancing its mission of excellence in education,” said Burgess. “I am committed to ushering in a new era of stability and growth for the university, ensuring its continued accreditation and fostering a culture of transparency and collaboration. I stand with the dedicated faculty, staff, and students as we navigate these challenges and build a promising future for SAU.”
Burgess, who most recently served as vice president for institutional advancement at Claflin University in South Carolina, spoke to WRAL News about his plans for the university's future.
Given SAU’s current challenges, Dr. Burgess admits it’s a long hill battle. Right now his focus is on finding solutions and building trust among graduates and the students and staff who’ll return here after the holiday break.
"I came here understanding, knowing one of our schools needed strong support, strong leadership," he said.
Burgess says stepping onto a new campus with challenging circumstances is a heavy burden – but one he’s willing to approach head-on.
"From a financial standpoint, it’s dire times right now," he said. "We’ve had to make some tough decisions on who we pay and how we pay them, but we’re taking it one step at a time."
Then there’s the action from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, putting SAU’s accreditation status in jeopardy.
"We’ll have ten days to respond," he said. "We’re going to appeal their actions and look for it to be favorable in our response."
Burgess’ arrival comes weeks after the former president, Dr. Christine McPhail, spoke to WRAL News about her firing, which she characterized as a betrayal.
Alumni told WRAL News they want to move in a direction where controversy no longer overshadows SAU’s rich legacy.
"If he can get us in the right direction so we can get away from being placed on academic probation, that’s my main focus at this moment," said Des White, class of 2012.
"We have to stop looking for the quick solution to end things. This is going to be a long uphill battle. We’ve known this, and that’s okay," said Zac Barco, class of 2023,
When asked if he plans to pursue the role full-time, WRAL News was told yes, Burgess wishes to earn the right to stay here. He believes that he’s up to the task.
Former St. Augustine's President says her dismissal was a "betrayal"
McPhail told WRAL News that she learned she would be dismissed from the role she held for less than two years when separation papers were delivered to her on Nov. 4. Her firing was effective immediately.
McPhail said the decision stemmed from a contentious board meeting in October where she and a colleague were berated by a board member. That led McPhail to file a formal complaint.
"A few days later ... [James] Perry, who is our board chair, asked me to recant the complaint, and I refused," McPhail said. "After that, he told me he needed it to go away."
On Tuesday, the Saint Augustine's University Board of Trustees released a statement.
"The Board denies the unfounded allegations Dr. McPhail has made against the University, and the Board is prepared to defend itself and the institution," the statement reads in part. "The University will have no further comment on these issues given that this is a personnel matter.
Dr. Leslie Rodriguez-McClellon was named acting president the following day.
On the day of her promotion, St. Aug's received notice it would lose its accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges [SACSCOC] after being on probation since December 2022.
"The work has already begun to appeal SACSCOC's decision, and we will remain steadfast during this process," Rodriguez-McClellon said in a statement. "While we are disappointed by SACSCOC's decision, we are confident and unified in our commitment to fulfill and complete our mission."
Accreditation is important for colleges and universities. The federal government requires accreditation for students to receive government financial aid.
Losing accreditation would have meant losing Federal Pell Grant funds, which help pay tuition for many of the university's students.
Board of Trustees Chair James Perry said the board decided to go in a "different direction" by appointing Rodriguez-McClellon.
"We will stop at nothing to ensure that SAU maintains its accreditation," Perry said. "We are experiencing one of the most important moments in the institution's history."
St. Aug's has struggled to remain accredited for years
The SACSCOC has put Saint Augustine's University on probation twice before.
The most recent sanction began in December 2022, when the SACSCOC placed Saint Augustine's University on probation, but on "good cause."
The SACSCOC Board of Trustees can extend accreditation for good cause if:
- The institution has demonstrated significant recent accomplishments in addressing noncompliance
- The institution has provided evidence which makes it reasonable for the board to assume it will remedy all deficiencies within a 12–month period
- The institution has provided assurance to the board that it is not aware of any other reasons, other than those identified by the board, why the institution cannot be continued for Good Cause
Probation is the most serious public sanction imposed by the SACSCOC Board of Trustees short of loss of accreditation.
"The University's accreditation is critical to the University's ability to continue as one of the predominant HBCU's in this State," Saint Augustine's Tuesday statement reads. "This critical mission will remain our central focus as we continue to support the faculty, staff, alumni, and, most importantly, the students of Saint Augustine's University."
SAU is due to receive an official letter of SACSCOC's decision on Jan. 11, 2024. The university plans to respond with a request to appeal the decision by Jan. 21. According to the SACSCOC policy, the university will remain an accredited institution on probation during the appeal process.
New St. Aug's president focused on stability
Rodriguez-McClellon served as the vice president of community relations and government affairs the university. Before that, she served the university as the senior vice president for student experience and operations. She has more than 25 years of experience in higher education.
"I’m excited to continue supporting the mission and vision of this historic institution," Rodriguez-McClellon said in a statement. " This is an important time for SAU, and I will continue to focus on institutional sustainability, student success and the wonderful legacy of this university."
Turnover at the top threatens stability at St. Aug's
McPhail, who took over in April 2022, expressed shock at how quickly she was terminated.
"I feel betrayed because that was not the relationship that I had with the Board [of Trustees]," McPhail said to WRAL News. "I worked aggressively with the team at Saint Augustine's University. We were rebuilding relationships throughout the community."
In October, the university also fired the football team's head coach, Howard Feggins, who also claimed he was unjustly fired. His firing came just 8 games into his tenure and was also effective immediately.
In July 2020, four former, high-ranking employees, including legendary track and field coach George Williams, sued the university for wrongful termination, claiming they were were retaliated against for raising concerns about how the school was being run. The other plaintiffs in that suit were a former interim president, Gaddis Faulcon, Kyle Brazile, who served as the university's general counsel, and Clarence King, who managed the university's facilities and construction.
