Dr. Marcus Burgess Saint Augustine's University students returned to campus Tuesday amid another leadership crisis at the historically...
Dr. Marcus Burgess
The Raleigh-based university announced Sunday that Burgess had submitted his resignation on July 16 due to personal reasons, though the departure was not made public until classes were set to begin. Burgess served 18 months in the interim role following his appointment in late 2023.
Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Verjanis A. Peoples has assumed all administrative responsibilities and will serve until further notice, according to the Board of Trustees. However, the university has not officially designated Peoples or anyone else as interim president, raising concerns about accreditation compliance.
"In order to continue to have accreditation, you do have to have an interim and acting president," said Benjamin Johnson, chairman of the SaveSAU Coalition, a group working to preserve the university. "And right now, with his resigning, we don't have an interim president."
The latest departure extends a troubling pattern of leadership instability that has plagued the 156-year-old HBCU. The current crisis traces back to the controversial termination of Dr. Christine Johnson McPhail, who served as the university's 13th president from February 2021 until December 2023.
McPhail's firing came amid the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) decision to strip the university of its accreditation, though the institution remains accredited during its appeal process. Her dismissal occurred just weeks after she filed an internal complaint alleging a hostile work environment created by male trustees.
In December 2023, McPhail filed a discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging that the predominantly male Board of Trustees subjected her and other Black women to discriminatory treatment. According to the complaint, during an October 2023 board meeting, one male trustee allegedly yelled at her, "Woman, did you hear me speak?! I demand you answer my question!" and later shouted, "Who do you think you are?! You're just an employee. Get out of my face, employee!"
The legal battles intensified in April 2025 when McPhail filed a federal lawsuit against two current board members – Chairman Brian Boulware and then-Vice Chairman James Perry – alleging sexual discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination. The lawsuit seeks at least $150,000 in punitive and compensatory damages.
McPhail, who took the presidency after her husband Dr. Irving Pressley McPhail died of COVID-19 complications in 2020, claims the board created a hostile environment that ultimately led to her firing. The case has been selected for mediation, according to federal court records.
The SaveSAU Coalition has raised significant concerns about the university's financial management and governance structure. The leadership instability has coincided with severe enrollment challenges. The latest data shows enrollment has plummeted to approximately 200 students, a dramatic decline for the institution that was once home to thousands.
The accreditation crisis remains a critical concern, as SACSCOC had placed Saint Augustine's on probation due to financial challenges before ultimately voting to remove the university's accreditation. The university is appealing that decision and remains accredited during the appeal process.
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