Marcus H. Burgess has resigned after a tumultuous 18 months as interim president of Saint Augustine’s University, which was on the brink of closure throughout his time at the helm.

The embattled historically Black university in North Carolina made the announcement last week. While Saturday was his last day, SAU noted he submitted his resignation July 16.

“We extend our sincere gratitude to Dr. Burgess for his leadership and service during a pivotal period in the University’s history. His commitment and dedication to the mission of Saint Augustine’s University have been deeply valued,” SAU’s Board of Trustees said in a statement. Trustees noted Burgess stepped down for “personal reasons.”

Contacted via LinkedIn, he did not respond to a request for comment from Inside Higher Ed.

The announcement was made shortly before SAU’s fall semester began virtually Tuesday. Provost Verjanis A. Peoples will now serve as Saint Augustine’s interim president.

Burgess, a veteran administrator who has served at other HBCUs, tendered his resignation the same week that arbitrators rejected Saint Augustine’s appeal to remain accredited after the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges first stripped SAU’s accreditation over financial and governance issues in late 2023, prompting a lengthy legal battle.

But last month a court intervened and restored SAU’s accreditation.

SAU Board of Trustees chair Brian Boulware also stepped down from his leadership role last month, though he remains a member despite a litany of alumni complaints lodged against him.

Peoples will now step into a leadership role that has seen much turnover in recent years. Irving Pressley McPhail briefly served as president in 2020 before dying during the pandemic due to COVID-19 complications. He was succeeded by his wife, Christine McPhail, who was fired in 2023 and subsequently sued the board, accusing it of gender-based discrimination. That legal battle is ongoing.