After months of fighting, Saint Augustine’s University, a longstanding HBCU in downtown Raleigh, lost an appeal for its accreditation.

The school, established in 1867, violated multiple policies related to structure, finance and governance, according to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), which revoked the university’s accreditation back in December of last year. SACSCOC is a committee that accredits many schools in the Southeast.

St. Augustine's officials appealed that decision, but Tuesday a SACSCOC appeals committee approved the decision. The school now has a 10-day arbitration period.

“The Appeals Committee found the SACSCOC Board of Trustees’ decision to be reasonable, not arbitrary,” part of a statement from SACSCOC reads.

University officials appeared at a SACSCOC appeal committee hearing Feb. 20 to plead their case and argued the board’s decision was “arbitrary” and “unreasonable,” according to a press release from the school released Tuesday.

The school also argued it has made “significant improvements,” and that it has the “potential to remedy deficiencies.” Lawyers representing the university plan to file an injunction and say the school’s accreditation will remain active while it does, the release states.

Leaders at SAU are disappointed in the decision and vow to continue fighting it in court.

"We disagree with the decision made by SACSCOC and plan to appeal to a higher authority with evidence supporting the institution's progress in resolving non-compliance," said SAU Interim President Dr. Marcus H. Burgess in the news release. "We will move quickly to file a lawsuit against SACSCOC seeking an injunction that, if granted, will allow Saint Augustine’s University to remain accredited with SACSCOC on Probation for Good Cause until the conclusion of litigation."

The school was originally founded by the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, a release says.