Last month, it lost its accreditation for failure to prove financial stability and proper oversight.
Two companies have filed lawsuits against Saint Augustine’s University over unpaid bills, according to WRAL News.
SBA, a wireless company, says the university defaulted on an agreement only after a year of starting business together. The company wants the university to pay the early termination fee of nearly $17 million plus interest.
Byron Saintsing, the lawyer representing Avaria, says the company still provides services to the university despite the lawsuit.
“It’s a tough line, particularly when you’re trying to be supportive of the university, where you draw that line between being supportive and continuing to offer services versus protecting your own pocketbook,” Saintsing told WRAL News. “In our particular case, the services that are being provided are pretty crucial to the university. It’s basically a lot of the IT infrastructure. If they were to pull the plug on that, it would make a very bad situation even worse.”
The commission, however, rejected the deal.
In the meantime, the university is fighting for its future and calling on alums, corporate partners, and the broader HBCU community for support.
BE contacted Saint Augustine’s University for comment but has not heard back.
RECENT CONTENT: HBCU Saint Augustine’s University Loses Accreditation Appeal
Source: Black Enterprise
