"To the board members, it would be best if you just leave," said SAU alum Marlon Lee. "Just resign."
[Ads /]
If it wasn't for St. Augustine's University, Lee claims he wouldn't be the man he is today. He loves his HBCU and is a proud graduate of the class of 1999.
"I was the first in my family to get a college degree," he said. " This was the start right here on 1315 Oakwood Avenue."
As the university continues facing financial and accreditation challenges, he told ABC11 it's been tough to watch. He spent early Tuesday afternoon walking the campus and talking to students.
"Right now it seems like they are so traumatized and based on what's going on, they should be," said Lee.
Someone who says he represents alumni launched an online petition in December of last year showing more than 1500 people calling for the resignation of the board.
[Ads /]
ABC11 emailed the board three times asking for an interview as recently as today, but our requests have gone unanswered.
Eyewitness News received a response from Board Chairman Brian Boulware. He replied, "Please refer all communications to the PR office."
In an interview on Monday with Interim President Marcus Burgess he characterized what he said he's been told by the board.
"When I say they are immensely sorry for where we are now and didn't know we were in this dire straits," said Dr. Burgess. "I get apologies all the time saying 'Dr. Burgess if we knew, we wouldn't have asked you to come here.'"
ABC11 spoke with a SACS representative who said institutional boards have fiduciary responsibility regarding the respective institutions they represent.
[Ads /]
In the meantime, alum like Lee vows to continue rolling up their sleeves to help fill in the gaps on campus by passing out food and taking out trash. He said he is not comfortable sending the HBCU money and claimed that other alumni feel the same.
"When that money is sent here, we don't know whose hands it goes into," said Lee.
WATCH | Saint Augustine's president says board 'responsible' for financial challenges, shares path forward
Saint Augustine's interim president discusses university's ongoing troubles, future