RALEIGH, N.C. — An alumni-led rally is taking place at St. Augustine’s University in downtown Raleigh Monday morning. The historically Black university’s accreditation is on the line amid accusations of financial mismanagement that has resulted in the school’s inability to pay vendors, according to court records, faculty and staff.

In February, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) also filed a $7.9 million tax lien against the university.

What You Need To Know

  • An alumni-led rally is planned at St. Augustine’s University in downtown Raleigh on Monday at 10 a.m.

  • As the HBCU faces accusations of years of financial mismanagement, classes were moved online and its accreditation is up in the air

  • In early March, the university shared that it was taking the situation to arbitration with the commission that voted to end its accreditation late last year

  • St. Augustine’s said the arbitration will happen within 90 days, which could be as late as June 6

Walking around St. Augustine’s campus in downtown Raleigh, Crystal Bodie Smith said memories come flooding back to her. She graduated from the HBCU in 1982.

“My dad dropping me off right here. This is where it all began. This building right here. Freshman year 1978. Coming to this campus. Yes. That’s when it all started for me,” Smith said. “Over those four years that I actually attended school and I actually worked here too. So I have a lot of memories in my heart for St. Augustine’s University.”

Recently, the HBCU has faced accusations of years of financial mismanagement. Classes have now been moved online and the university’s accreditation is up in the air.

“It’s very discouraging. Just the thought of there being no more classes or no more school — it hurts. It hurts because I want more people to be able to come here and send their children here for generations to come,” Smith said. “Anything is discouraging when you think about the possibility of something going away. I mean, it’s like a loss. It’s almost like you grieve.”

Smith believes in the power of positivity, and that’s why she’s helping organize Monday’s rally.

“We’re going to walk down this street right here, all the way around the perimeters of everywhere where we spent those years and reminisce,” Smith said.

She truly believes in the HBCU experience and says the only way they’ll get through this is together.

“The students are still proud, maybe a little confused, but they’re encouraged. And that’s what we want to do. We want to keep having encouraging events to let people know that this too shall pass,” Smith said.

The alumni-led rally starts at 10 a.m. Monday with a prayer on the quad of St. Augustine’s, followed by a march around the perimeter of campus and a press conference scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

The last official update about St. Augustine’s accreditation was on March 8. The university shared that it was taking the situation to arbitration with the commission that voted to end its accreditation late last year. St. Aug’s said the arbitration will happen within 90 days, which could be as late as June 6.