Paychecks delayed for Saint Augustine's University employees
WHEN TEMPERATURES JUMP BACK
WELL INTO THE 60'S.
NEW TODAY, WRAL LEARNED
EMPLOYEES AT SAINT AUGUSTINE'S
UNIVERSITY IN RALEIGH ARE BEING
PAID ON TIME AND SOME TOLD US.
>> IT IS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES
IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS. HELLO
AND THANKS FOR JOINING US.
I'M GERALD OWENS AND I'M DEBRA
MORGAN RIGHT NOW, THE SCHOOL IS
FIGHTING TO KEEP ITS
ACCREDITATION AND HAS AN
INTERIM PRESIDENT AFTER FIRING
ITS PREVIOUS LEADER.
>> WRAL'S MATT TALHELM IS LIVE
TONIGHT OUTSIDE THE SAINT ON
CAMPUS WITH WHAT THE UNIVERSITY
IS SAYING ABOUT ITS FINANCIAL
FUTURE THAT.
>> YEAH, DENVER, WE ASKED THE
UNIVERSITY TO EXPLAIN THIS
PAYCHECK DELAY. WE ALSO ASKED
TO TALK TO THE INTERIM
PRESIDENT TO ASK HIM THOSE
QUESTIONS. THE ONLY RESPONSE WE
GOT WAS NO COMMENT. NOW
EMPLOYEES WE TALKED TO DIDN'T
WANT TO GO ON CAMERA. TELL US
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THEY
HAVEN'T BEEN PAID ON TIME.
>> THE FINANCIAL TROUBLES OF
SAINT AUGUSTIN'S UNIVERSITY ARE
FAR FROM A SECRET MIGHT BE
FOUND HERE WILL RHYMES. THE
UNIVERSITY'S INTERIM PRESIDENT
MADE A PLEA FOR DONATIONS FROM
ALUMNI AND SUPPORTERS IN THE
RECENT LAUNCH OF THE FALCON
PRIDE FUND WITH THE GOAL OF
RAISING 5 MILLION DOLLARS.
>> THIS FUND IS DEDICATED TO
ASSIST THE UNIVERSITY WITH THIS
AREAS OF GREATEST NEED.
>> NOW AT THE BELEAGUERED HBCU
IS STRUGGLING TO FIND THE MONEY
TO MEET ITS PAYROLL. WRAL
OBTAINED THIS EMAIL SENT OUT
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE
PRESIDENT EXPLAINING THE DELAY
IN FRIDAY'S PAYCHECKS. IT SAYS
OUR CURRENT FINANCIAL SITUATION
OR LACK THEREOF HAS
SIGNIFICANTLY HINDERED THE
OPERATIONS ACROSS OUR CAMPUS.
WE WILL FIND A SOLUTION AND
IMPLEMENT MEASURES TO ENSURE
THE STABILITY AND FINANCIAL
SECURITY OF THE UNIVERSITY
MOVING FORWARD. THE WRAL HAS
LEARNED THIS ISN'T THE FIRST
TIME IN RECENT MONTHS THAT
SAINT AUG'S DIDN'T PAY
EMPLOYEES ON TIME. THE
UNIVERSITY SET UP THESE SHORT
MESSAGES ALERTING STAFF ABOUT
DELAYED DEPOSITS DURING 2 PAY
PERIODS IN NOVEMBER AND
DECEMBER. THE PAYROLL PROBLEM
IS THE LATEST CHALLENGE FOR THE
157 YEAR-OLD PRIVATE UNIVERSITY
SAINT AUG'S FIRED HEAD FOOTBALL
COACH HOWARD FEGGINS IN
OCTOBER. HE'S NOW SUING THE
SCHOOL AND OUSTED PRESIDENT
CHRISTINE MACPHAIL FILED A
DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT
ALLEGING THE UNIVERSITY'S BOARD
CREATED A HOSTILE WORK PLACE.
HER TERMINATION IN EARLY
DECEMBER WAS ANNOUNCED JUST
DAYS AFTER THE SOUTHERN
ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND
SCHOOLS COMMISSION ON COLLEGES
VOTED TO REMOVE SAINT
AUGUSTIN'S ACCREDITATION THE
ASSOCIATION FOUND THE
UNIVERSITY FAILED TO COMPLY
WITH SEVERAL STANDARDS,
INCLUDING FINANCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY.
>> IT'S SAINT AUG'S IS STILL
ACCREDITED WHILE IT APPEALS
THAT DECISION THERE, THEY DO
EXPECT TO HAVE A HEARING
INVOLVING THAT APPEAL AS SOON
AS NEXT WEEK. NOW, AS FOR THE
PAYROLL DELAY, THAT E-MAIL THAT
WAS SENT OUT FROM THE OFFICE OF
THE PRESIDENT SAYS THE
UNIVERSITY IS ON THE BRINK OF
FINALIZING SOME TRANSACTIONS
INVOLVING ITS LAND AND IS
WAITING FOR THOSE FUNDS TO COME