Executives, consultants and staff members at Saint Augustine’s University (SAU) have growing concern about the future of the school, privately fearing that it is unlikely to pass an upcoming accreditation site visit from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), and that its third negative review in three years may close the 151-year-old institution for good.
Internal documents anonymously forwarded to the HBCU Digest reveal an institution divided by financial hardship and differences held by members at the highest levels of school leadership over the management of the school, and the capacity of its current administration to report and resolve issues honestly with stakeholders. Chief among those issues are questions about the school’s enrollment management strategy.
ENROLLMENT CHALLENGES
Since 2009, enrollment at the university has decreased by about 64% from 1,529 students to 974 in the fall 2017 semester. The last two years have produced an enrollment increase from a nine-year low of 810 students in 2015, but records indicate that SAU has confirmed attendance for just 122 paid first-time and transfer students as of July 20, 2018 for the upcoming fall semester out of 2,871 admitted students.
This figure is well short of its internal goal of an incoming class of 600 new students for the beginning of the school year.
FINANCIAL FUTURE UNCLEAR
Last month, Saint Augustine’s was one of several historically black colleges awarded debt relief in a federal Department of Education capital debt loan deferment program. The initiative will excuse the school from interest-bearing loan payments and penalties for the next six years and will return more than $1 million to SAU for its 2017-18 payment.
The debt relief alone, however, may not be enough to salvage the university’s challenges with revenue. In addition to its negative outlook on student enrollment income, budget proposal documents from the last two academic years reveal that the university increased revenues between its 2016 and 2017 fiscal years (FY), but increased spending as well, resulting in a net zero budget for the 2016 fiscal year, and a $1.2 million shortfall last year.
These losses parallel financial difficulties cited by SACSCOC President Belle Wheelan in her notice of probation letter to SAU President Everett Ward in January of 2018.
CLICK TO READ INTERNAL FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS
“Significant enrollment declines through 2015 with increases in fall 2016 and fall 2017, but net tuition and fee revenue decreased from $14.6M to $10.6M in FY 2016. Net tuition and fees only increased $100,000 with the enrollment increase in fall 2017. Net operating results were negative $700,000 in FY 2016 and $1,700.000 in FY 2017.”
According to Wheelan, total net assets declined by $8.1 million between 2014 and 2017, and operational unrestricted net income over the last three years has averaged $1.8 million.
The university, which has made headlines in recent years for staff layoffs and sales of campus property, has laid off more than 90 full-time or temporary employees, furloughed remaining staff members, and has yielded extraordinary turnover since the appointment of former SAU board member and alumnus Everett Ward as interim president in April 2014, and permanent president one year later.
PERSONNEL TURNOVER, EXECUTIVE STRIFE
In the last four years, the school has hired five chief financial officers, three vice-presidents for marketing, three vice presidents for student success, four different police chiefs and two provosts. The turnover was a point of dissension in a recent board evaluation of Dr. Ward in July 2018, in which trustees in job performance ratings and in written narratives showed a wide gap in its desire to fire or to keep him in the position.
According to documents, trustees rated Dr. Ward’s performance in several leadership areas (relationship with board of trustees, community relations, personnel relations, finance, personal qualities, physical plant, curricula, and student services) as a 70 out of a possible 100 percent rating, with Dr. Ward receiving highest marks in community and personnel relations and the lowest in finance and physical plant categories.
CLICK TO READ SAU BOARD OF TRUSTEES PRESIDENTIAL EVALUATION
Personal narratives submitted by some trustees underscored the low rating.
“The president has continuously refused to follow the bylaws and the procedures/policies of the board of trustees,” wrote one board member. “He does not provide the board with the necessary reports so that informed decisions can be made for the greater good of the university. He does not provide follow-up for tasks that are given. He acts as if the board of trustees reports to him.”
Others expressed full confidence in Dr. Ward’s leadership.
“ [the] President has a difficult board with some members going beyond board authority and taking on administrative duties,” wrote another trustee. “President works well with who he has.”
Some trustee consensus focused on Dr. Ward’s frequent absence from campus and his dual role as general president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Dr. Ward has been featured nationally in conversations regarding the impact of fraternities and sororities on black communities, and the value of supporting historically black colleges and universities.
Updates from Dr. Ward and statements on national issues and fraternity happenings have been regular since his installation in July 2016, but regular administrative updates and presidential statements from the campus have been sparing since beginning his tenure as Alpha Phi Alpha general president over the last two years — and according to the university’s website, administrative updates have not been published since 2016.
In June, Dr. Ward issued statements on behalf of Alpha Phi Alpha condemning the NFL’s participation mandate for players to stand during the playing of the national anthem, and the federally-authorized separation of families in illegal immigration prohibition policies along the United States’ southern border.
Fraternity officials say that their organizational bylaws allow for the proper balance of both roles, and in a statement, said that Dr. Ward has the full support of its membership and leadership.
“Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. fully supports our 35th general president Dr. Everett B. Ward. The administrative structure of our fraternity has always lent itself to our elected leaders ability to excel in both their professional roles and their positions within our brotherhood. The strategic vision of Alpha Phi Alpha is competently set and perpetuated by our general president but ably executed by our executive director and chief operating officer who manages the staff and the day to day operations of the Fraternity.”
Trustees also cited the high number of firings and concern about unqualified persons holding key positions. These comments were echoed by reports compiled by higher education consultants, which indicated in both letters and memos to the president, that the school is likely to close without immediate and substantial changes.
“I am formally informing you and the Board of Trustees that in my expert opinion, I do not feel that St. Augustine’s University is ready or prepared for the upcoming accreditation site visit, and unless drastic measures are taken immediately, the institution will lose its accreditation and be closed,” wrote one consultant to Dr. Ward in a July 2018 letter.
The comments echoed statements in a consultant’s memo written to Dr. Ward following a March 2018 meeting with SAU officials.
“(The consultant) shared that time was of the essence and that SACSCOC would be less than willing to extend the time unless there was absolute and complete progress,” the memo reads. “That progress should be a balanced budget with a surplus, addressing reoccurring findings, addressing the current findings, having no findings in the most recent audit and an increase in enrollment.”
Both consultants recommended that SAU develop strategic plans for enrollment management, fundraising and financial management, while appointing qualified personnel to key administrative positions and increasing focus on the accreditation monitoring report.
Since issuing a ‘First 100 Days’ status report in 2014, the university has not published a strategic plan or made drafts or previous versions of a plan available on its website.
ACCREDITATION JEOPARDY
In December 2017, SACSCOC kept Saint Augustine’s on probation for continuing non-compliance in standards of financial resources and stability, institutional effectiveness in educational programs, and control of finances. According to officials, the institution is required to submit its fourth accreditation monitoring report before a Sept. 7, 2018 deadline, when a special committee will visit the campus to report on improvements in the areas of non-compliance.
CLICK TO READ NOTICE OF PROBATION LETTER FROM SACSCOC
In an emailed statement, Dr. Ward said that he remained committed to transparency concerning the university’s improvements and excited about its potential.
“It is a fact that since January, this administration, in total transparency, has made our internal and external stakeholders fully aware of all aspects of the accreditation process. As we communicated then, Saint Augustine’s University remains committed to serving our students with the highest academic standards possible and being in full compliance with the regional accrediting body, The Commission on Colleges of Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. As President of Saint Augustine’s University, I remain excited and extremely optimistic about the students of this university and the future and viability of this 151-year-old institution of higher learning.”
SAU Board of Trustees Vice Chairman James E.C. Perry said that Dr. Ward has the full support of its members.
“The board of trustees fully support Dr. Ward and the administration. As a board, we are committed to resolving accreditation compliance issues and remain confident that each issue will be in compliance with SACSCOC standards. The board continues to be engaged with the administration in the accreditation process and looks forward to Saint Augustine’s University being removed from probationary status.”
Accreditation officials, however, were less than optimistic.
“With its upcoming review in December 2018, your institution will have exhausted its probationary status and its period of continued accreditation for good cause,” Dr. Wheelan wrote. “At that time, your institution must demonstrate compliance with all the requirements and standards of the Principles of Accreditation, or be removed from membership. The commission calls your attention to the enclosed policy entitled “Sanctions, Denial of Reaffirmation, and Removal from Membership.”
It’s time to recruit, enroll, and donate !i Our life has never been a crystal stairway, but we always survive, We have overcome 150 plus years of struggles and like every other time; we triumph.
You were possibly hired under Dr Suber hiring. She destroyed the school. Very much a lot not qualified hires. Why listen to destruction?
Life is not easy. I bet your home was no better. You went to school for a better chance in life. Some don’t have the grades to go to other colleges or else you would have went.
This reminds me when President Obama became President after Bush. It took so much just to get on even street. The previous president destroyed the school. The state schools put up new dorms and buildings yearly but are fully funded. Dr Ward is fighting to getting us back on even street.
The University Needs to listen to a wise man named ( Steve Hairston ) on all University issues. He can get it turned around.
It’s baffling to me that you all can see the house burning, but your only concern is castigating whoever had the matches. THAT says a lot about your priorities, and probably how the institution got to where it is.
The fact of the matter is there are people administrating who can barely spell administration. But they got their jobs because they are related to, or go to church with, or are frat brothers/sorors with somebody who knew somebody. They are collecting checks while your children don’t have access to the tools they need to be competitive. If all of this wasn’t a secret (as has been said in the comments), and alumni were aware …. (1) why is the school in this condition? (Pause. Stop saying it’s a money issue; it’s a MANAGEMENT issue. That’s precisely why they’re being assessed). (2) If it was known … then you shouldn’t be here making a big deal of the fact that someone sent the info anonymously to HBCUDigest. So do you want to beat the match holder, or do you want to stop the fire and save the house? You can’t do both.
And while SAU is a private institution, it’s a private institution that depends on the public (students & parents). Those students and parents have every right to know what they’re spending nearly $30/yr for. Would you go to a car lot and buy a used vehicle without knowing it’s history, problems, or condition? NO. The widespread push for secrecy is just a means of covering it up. I know that the institution is largely run by sorors and frats who believe wholeheartedly in secrecy … but this is not a greek organization, it’s supposed to be an institution of higher learning. That said, the credos of your beloved organizations don’t trump the need for transparency and accountability. And yes, Dr. Ward inherited a really bad situation, but that inheritance doesn’t explain or excuse the continued practice of poor leadership, poor hiring practices, nepotism, talking to faculty members like they are children, and failing to attend to the clear and present BASIC needs of the students. Some of you should stop opining from a distance and actually talk to students and faculty at SAU. There are no lies presented here.
I disagree. Whistleblowers play a huge role in getting accurate information out to those who need to know. I read the word transparent too many times in the SAU administrator and Board’s comments. My daughter attended SAU last year and a lot needs to be fixed. The physical plant is absolutely deplorable. The dorms and cafeteria are beyond antequated. The food became more of a joke as the year went on. Those issues are just to start and the tuition was a serious sticker shock to her father and I. My daughter has decided to transfer out and begged my son not to attend as a new student this year. He will not attend.
I graduated from an HBCU and believe that we must hold ourselves accountable to provide the BEST services to our community versus worrying about airing our dirty laundry. SAU should not be allowed to continue operating at such a low level because it will only produce ill prepared graduates.
The two times that I was able to have a conversation with the President, I felt that he was out of touch with what other HBCUs are offering and how bad SAU is. I respect all HBCUs but I expected much more than what my daughter and I experienced from SAU. I truly understand why enrollment is down.
Saint Augustines University is Episcopal. And the Episcopal church USA sends a grant and donations yearly to St-aug and Voorhies college in SC. Many scholarships, campus programs, and chapel programs are completely funded by those donations.
I completely disagree with that comment. There is no question about Dr. Wards character. You obviously don’t know him and his associates. He has been in the area for most of his life and has made many great friends that he feels St-Aug could benefit from knowing and that their talents are needed. He could be anywhere else but he chose to come here and lead St-Aug to greatness. If you don’t know him. Google him or stop by Oakwood Ave he will be happy to introduce himself, because he doesn’t hide in any office.
I completely agree. And thank you for your advice.
I’m not giving my money to anybody without confirmation of their money management skills and a proven track record of good stewardship. Although Pres. Ward came into this situation in a deficit, there’s no evidence that the university has improved its money management ability. Yes, they’ve raised 2 million dollars, but what are you doing with it if you’re cutting student scholarships—correction, promising students scholarships you don’t actually have money for—cutting athletic teams due to funding, running out of money for paper for students to print their assignments, missing a viable and useful student book store, don’t have enough computers for your students, admitting them into poor living conditions, etc.? If that looks like good money management and leadership to you, I’m afraid to see what your own finances look like. I’m all for supporting our institutions, but you all are afraid of accountability, and that in itself is frightening.
St. Augustine’s is Episcopal not Catholic
YES. I wholeheartedly agree with you ! I really feel like this school need to be SHUT DOWN ! Completely! They offer you absolutely NOTHING .. I don’t care about an alumni it’s not the same from when y’all graduated in 1970 or 1980 .. the school is Trash ! Charge You an arm and a Leg for ABSOLUTELY nothing ..
There are a couple of ways to look at this. One is to go nuts over this anonymous source. As a former HBCU public relations director, I had to constantly deal with folks who wanted to “expose” unpopular leaders by trying to use media to smoke them out–horrible idea. I even had folks ask me to use my platform as a PR director to help take leaders down–ridiculous idea. But going nuts over an anonymous source while getting mired in personality conflicts, perceptions of leadership and “he-said-she-said” makes it difficult to focus on solutions.
Another way is to look at running this story as a call to action. HBCU Digest is hardly the enemy. Besides, there are two (or more) sides to the story–leadership’s side and faculty and staff’s side with the the truth somewhere in the middle. While numbers may speak volumes, there’s context that we on the outside may not be privy to. Turning a troubled institution around is not a one-year job and leaders often have to make extremely unpopular decisions. Regardless of who’s at fault for what, we all know that, as an institution, SAU needs people to engage in a robust conversation with leaders (president, administration, and board) about the future of the university ASAP. How that is done is up to those stakeholders.
Putting my PR director hat back on, I’ll tell you what I told alumni at my past stops. Now is not the time to “feel some kind of way” about people. Put on your thinking caps and be prepared to have thoughtful conversations with leaders about the future health of St. Augustine’s. Those conversations will take some time and they will be far from perfect, but thoughtful conversations will yield real results.
No, he has not been transparent. Do you know what they sold the golf course for? Where is that money? Have you received any information about the endowment? Is it still in tact? What about the extra millions that the accountant found? Where is that money and why are they just now finding it in the old coffers? What about total enrollment? Has he provided an actual enrollment and not an inflated one? Has he provided that he terminated St. Aug alum employees and replaced them with inexperienced family and friends? Has he provided you with a report that he called a board of trustee meeting with only his friends to make a quorum to push out a board member that wanted answers to finance questions? Girl bye. This is why this university is closing-because folks like you can’t see that this Ward man has never cared about SAU, just received his doctorate when they hired him and had no experience whatsoever. Finally, how can he “pump” up his role as a fraternity president full Time and not pump up SAU? Y’all better wake up and stay woke! Get rid of that man and the entire staff. Replace them with folks that genuinely love SAU.
Agreed
UPDATE : As of February 1, 2019 Dr. Everett Ward has announced his retirement at the end of the 2018 – 2019 academic year. With the fiasco of fall 2018, as indicated in the above article, is his departure a mark of leadership and service or going to another institution for an opportunity to advance his career in a non hostile, problem ridden space?