Fall classes begin Tuesday for students at Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh just two days after the school's interim president resigned.
The university announced Sunday that Marcus Burgess has resigned as interim president due to personal reasons. Burgess, who served 18 months, submitted his resignation letter on July 16, but the move was not made public until Sunday.
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Save SAU Coalition Chairman Benjamin Johnson, a member of a group working to save Saint Augustine's, worries the resignation could jeopardize the school's accreditation.
"In order to continue to have accreditation, you do have to have an interim and acting president," Johnson said. "And right now, with his resigning, we don't have an interim president."
In a statement by the university Board of Trustees, officials said in part they extend “sincere gratitude to Dr. Burgess for his leadership and service during a pivotal period in the University’s history. His commitment and dedication to the mission of Saint Augustine’s University have been deeply valued.”
Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Verjanis A. Peoples has assumed all administrative responsibilities and will serve in the role until further notice, according to board of trustees members.
“This is more of the mismanagement of the University and the malfeasance and misfeasance they have conducted,” Johnson said. “How do you run a university like this where you have an interim president for 18 months and that person leaves? Now you have to go back and restructure that part of it, and we don’t know what the leadership is and what the vision is in that.”
Sunday's news comes after Brian Boulware stepped down as chair of the university's board last month, although he still remains on the board in a different capacity, which Johnson says is an issue.
“They’re moving chairs on the deck of the Titanic,” Johnson said. “If they get off the ship, there’s a possibility to save it.”
Lenders, Johnson said, are on board to help the flailing finances facing the university but with very specific conditions about the handling of leadership.
“It’s my understanding that we’re $52 million-plus in debt,” Johnson said. “We have lenders that will cover two-thirds of that and we can get other lenders if the board is gone. Especially that leadership.”
A spokesperson with the SaveSAU Coalition said that while new leadership developments mark a shift toward real reform, they warned against what they call "boardroom musical chairs," which they said is the reshuffling of titles without addressing the issues that pushed the university into crisis.
“Lenders have already made it plain: until both Boulware and Vice Chair Perry are gone, there will be no financing for Saint Augustine’s,” the Coalition stated in an email. “When the music stops, failed leaders must step aside. Anything less is more of the same dysfunction that has brought this University to the brink.”
While Peoples is taking over administrative responsibility, the school has not officially named her or anyone else as the interim president. Johnson fears the school could have its accreditation at risk again because of it.
“That’s our understanding,” Johnson said. “In order to maintain your accreditation, you have to have an interim or acting president. Right now, with [Burgess] resigning, we don’t have an interim president. We are in a financial crisis but we’re also in an accreditation issue.”
The Coalition said they requested a meeting for July 23 to talk with the board about these concerns and it has since went unanswered. They renewed this request for a meeting on Friday, Sept. 12 to address the new change.
WRAL News has been pressing the school for enrollment numbers. The latest data shows enrollment has dipped to as low as 200 students.