St. Augustine's University (Raleigh, North Carolina)

History

Founded in 1867 as Saint Augustine's Normal School, the institution first changed its name to Saint Augustine’s School in 1893 and then to Saint Augustine’s Junior College in 1919 when it began offering college-level coursework. It began offering coursework leading to a four-year degree in 1927 and changed its name to Saint Augustine’s College one year later with the first baccalaureate degrees awarded in 1931. In 2012, the institution again expanded its focus and changed its name to St. Augustine's University.

In April 2014, in the midst of what The Chronicle of Higher Education characterized as "significant turmoil" and Diverse: Issues in Higher Education described as "financial problems...stemming from a loss in enrollment and revenue," the university's board of trustees fired university president Dianne Boardley Suber one month prior to her planned retirement. At the same time, the board reinstated two senior employees that Suber had recently fired. Suber had led the university for nearly 15 years.

Dr. Everett Ward was appointed President in 2015 after serving as interim President since 2014.

Saint Augustine’s University was the nation’s first historically black college to have its own on-campus commercial radio and television stations (WAUG 750 AM, WAUG-TV 8, and Time Warner cable channel 10). It is also the only school in the Raleigh/Durham area to offer a degree in film production.

Of the 5 colleges in the Western world which have awarded honorary degrees to controversial Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, Saint Augustine's College is one of only 2 which has not revoked the award (in this case, a Legum Doctor).

2011 social media controversy

In 2011, the university barred a student from participation in the 2011 commencement exercises because of a negative comment he had made on the College's Facebook page. Shortly thereafter, the student initiated a lawsuit against the College in North Carolina State Court which was later settled out of court.

2013 summer camp employees controversy

In the summer of 2013, local news affiliates reported that two convicted murderers had been hired by the university to work for a children's summer camp. Although the university defended the employees as "exemplary employees and productive members of the community,", the university reassigned them.

Campus

The school’s size is 105 acres (0.42 km²) of historic land in an Urban setting and large city (250,000 – 499,999), just minutes away from downtown. The main area of the campus is approximately 60 acres (240,000 m²) of land housing the following facilities:

Emery Gymnasium, George "Pup" Williams Track & Field Stadium, Penick Hall of Math & Sciences, Charles Mosee Building (Office of Academic Affairs), Delany Hall (Office of Financial Aid & Admissions), Martin Luther King, Jr. Reception Center, Joseph C. Gordan Health & Science Center, The Prezell R. Robinson Library, Cheshire Building (Division of Business), Tuttle Hall of Military Sciences, St. Agnes Hospital, Goold Hall Student Union, Charles H. Boyer Administration Building (Office of the President), Hunter Administration Bldg., Hermitage Faculty Bldg., Benson Bldg. of Technology, Seby Jones Fine Arts Center, and The Historic Chapel.

Saint Agnes Hospital- Sarah Hunter founded St. Agnes Hospital in 1895. For many years St. Agnes was the only teaching hospital for blacks between Atlanta and Washington D.C. In 1905, under the direction of Bishop Henry Beard Delany it became a 75 bed center that opened in 1908. The building was severely damaged by fire in December 1926 and is currently undergoing a $13 million renovation to become an administration building, and historic site of Raleigh, North Carolina. One of its most famous patients was Boxer Jack Johnson, who was taken there following a fatal 1946 auto accident near Franklinton, NC. This building still remains but the hospital has not operated since 1961.

Saint Augustine's College Historic Chapel- The college cornerstone was laid in 1895 under the guidance of Reverend Henry Beard Delany, the first African-American Bishop elected to the Episcopal Church and the first Bishop to graduate from the college. The chapel was made possible through the acquisition by the Freedmen's Bureau and is one of the oldest landmarks at St. Augustine's University. Current chaplain of the chapel is the Rev. Nita Johnson Byrd.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Center- Built in 1973, it was previously the schools Student Union and now holds the cafeteria,mailing room, bookstore, and ballroom.

Student enrollment

In recent years, the university's annual enrollment has approximated 800-1000 students, about half from North Carolina, the remainder from 37 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Jamaica, and 30 other foreign countries. Its faculty consists of nearly 100 persons.

Clubs and activities

Student Honors Association

Student Leaders Organization

Student Government Association

Homecoming Committee

CAB (Campus Activities Board)

CFO (Christian Fellowship Organization)

New Beginnings Gospel Choir

BlueChip Cheerleading Squad

Collegiate 100 of the 100 Black Men

Carter G. Woodson History Club

FAME (Federation of Artist in Media Entertainment)

Falcon Poetry Club

Phi Beta Lambda (National Business Association)

Nubiance Modeling Troupe

Belle J'Adore Modeling Troupe

ISA International Student Organization

Marching/Jazz/Pep Band

Falcon Battalion/Army ROTC

Falcons 4 Obama

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

Foreign Language Club

Falcons for the Cause

Falcon Fanatikz Pep Squad

Residence Halls Association

Psychology Club

SAC Association for Black Journalists

Sociology Club

Students in Free Enterprise

Students North Carolina Association of Educators (SNCAE)

Honor societies

Alpha Kappa Delta Honor Society

Alpha Kappa Mu national honor society

Beta Kappa Chi national honor society

Delta Mu business administration honor society

Phi Eta Sigma national honor society

Phi Beta Lambda

Phi Kappa Delta

Greek letter organizations

Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity – Gamma Psi chapter

Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority – Gamma Xi chapter

Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity – Gamma Omicron chapter

Omega Psi Phi fraternity – Kappa Epsilon chapter

Delta Sigma Theta sorority – Gamma Rho chapter

Phi Beta Sigma fraternity – Beta Xi chapter

Zeta Phi Beta sorority – Phi Beta chapter

Sigma Gamma Rho sorority – Nu chapter

Iota Phi Theta fraternity-Theta Phi chapter

Alpha Phi Omega national service fraternity – Upsilon Kappa chapter (Inactive)

Kappa Kappa Psi national honorary band fraternity – Nu Eta chapter

Tau Beta Sigma national honorary band sorority – Prospect

Social fellowships

Groove Phi Groove social fellowship

Swing Phi Swing social fellowship

Gateway Program

The mission of "The Gateway Lifelong Learning Program" is to offer non-traditional, continuing and alternative academic educational opportunities for adult learners. The Gateway Program is designed to give working, non-traditional and community college transfer students an option to pursue a degree and / or personal/professional development. These academic programs address the learning needs of employed adults who prefer an educational delivery system that is participatory and experientially related to the workplace. An example of an educational program consistent with the lifelong learning philosophy is the Organizational Management (OM) major, which is offered through the university's Gateway Program. This unique program offers an ideal alternative academic opportunity for the employed adult to complete the Bachelor of Science degree in an accelerated format while attending classes during the evening each week.

Athletics

Saint Augustine's competes in NCAA Division II in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association. Varsity sports include:

Baseball (see also: USA Baseball National Training Complex)

Cheerleading

Football

Softball

Men's Golf

Women's Bowling

Women's Volleyball

Men's/Women's Basketball

Men's/Women's Cross-Country

Men's/Women's Tennis

Men's/Women's Outdoor Track

Men's/Women's Indoor Track