Saint Augustine’s, Shaw alumni discuss possibility of merger

Alumni from Saint Augustine’s University and Shaw University spoke with WRAL News on Thursday about the possibility of merging.

It comes as Saint Augustine’s University deals with financial challenges, and after St. Augustine’s Board of Trustees Chairman Brian Boulware released a four-page letter rejecting the proposed merger.

The idea came up during a business dinner including leaders from Shaw University, local developer Smedes York, former News and Observer publisher Orage Quarles and Capitol Broadcasting’s CEO Jim Goodmon.

WRAL News reached out to several of the business leaders in the meeting and asked if Boulware’s letter is accurate.

None of them have spoken publicly about the meeting since Boulware released his statement on Wednesday.

In March, Saint Augustine’s University interim President Marcus Burgess said that a merger would be “difficult.”

“There may be consideration of how do we do shared services — like maintenance or food services or even police services?” Burgess said. “Those are conversations we may be willing to have with other institutions.

On Thursday, WRAL News reached out to Saint Augustine’s University and Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin with a request for comment but have not heard back.

WRAL News did speak with Saint Augustine’s University and Shaw University alumni on Thursday about the proposed merger.

“Nobody said that Meredith and Campbell need to merge, but Shaw and Saint Aug need to merge,” said Save Our Shaw spokesperson Eugene Myrick. “This narrative that we’re just so Black and so poor, I’m sick of it.

“We have to do better. We need better management at these HBCUs to do that.”

Karole Kimble is an alumnus of Saint Augustine’s 1992 class.

“The exact same value that they see in the land that Shaw is on, for instance, or the land that Saint Aug occupies, they should see the same merit in their legacy,” Kimble said.

In the letter, Boulware said the university is working on financial solutions, but didn’t elaborate on what they are.

Sources told WRAL News the school is working on a multi-million-dollar bridge loan to hold them over while they explore selling some of their property to raise money. In March, Burgess told us selling land was not off the table.

“We are land rich, so we are working with the IRS to get some lien releases on appropriate parcels of land, so we can utilize development, land leases and sale if need be, so we can get ourselves out of this rut,” Burgess said.

WRAL Investigates went through tax records and calculated the tax value of every piece of property they own. It amounted to about $100,843,001.

“I’m realistic. It should not be completely off the table,” Kimble said of the possibility Saint Augustine’s sells its land. “It should be the last resort.

“Saving these institutions is paramount for legacy.”

Kimble says she wants people to appreciate their individual legacies and for city leadership to back them.

“It’s time to start bailing out Black and brown people and our institutions,” Kimble said.