Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina, has announced that it is eliminating 22 jobs in an effort to bolster the historically Black educational institution’s bottom line. The university states that the cuts will include voluntary departures and layoffs.
In December, The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools placed the university on a second year of probation citing financial problems and issues of institutional effectiveness.
The university’s bottom line has taken a hit in recent years due to declining enrollments. In the fall of 2012, there were 1,387 students enrolled at the university. By 2016, fall enrollments stood at 944 students. Although there has been a slight increase in enrollments and alumni support, President Everett Ward said in a statement that “we still have significant challenges ahead. We must take advantage of this momentum and make these changes now.”
President Ward added that “I’m confident, with this restructuring, we’ll emerge as a stronger university, with a laser-focused path to continued growth and financial sustainability.”
