Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina, has canceled all classes and educational programs for the Fall 2026 semester, according to a report from The News & Observer.
The HBCU filed for bankruptcy in April following several years of financial turmoil and ongoing legal challenges regarding its accreditation status with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Although SAU had paused its degree programs, the university still planned to offer certificate and apprenticeship programs as a revenue source.
However, after bankruptcy judge David Warren raised concerns with the university’s ability to offer these programs, the HBCU has decided to pause all classes in an effort to reduce payroll and other expenditures. Additionally, SAU has filed an application to work with real estate company Avison Young to advise on the potential sale of some parts of the HBCU’s campus.
As SAU continues the battle to exit its bankruptcy status, former Massachusetts Institute of Technology Chancellor Phillip Clay has signed on to advise the HBCU’s board on a pro bono basis.
“This is a person who cares about the university and the university’s success,” SAU’s lawyer Ciara Rogers told The News & Observer. “He has written and studied about historically Black colleges and universities, and the strategies for keeping them viable in today’s education landscape.”
