Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina, is in an ongoing battle with the IRS and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Board of Trustees after the historically Black school’s previous finance department “mismanaged” a $34 million budget, according to university officials.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), both public and private, have been underfunded due to lower endowments, less alumni support and state and federal underinvestment.
Recently, HBCUs have faced several challenges. During a funding crisis, Tennessee State University had its board stripped away in a complete overhaul by state lawmakers. In Mississippi, lawmakers proposed a bill that would have shut down the state’s only public HBCUs.
Now teachers and staff at Saint Augustine’s have not received a salary for three months following the institution’s plunge into debt of $32 million. The dire financial situation places the university at a high risk of losing its accreditation, a crucial aspect of its credibility and reputation.