Drama has been unfolding at St. Andrews University for the last few years. The once esteemed liberal arts college in Laurinburg, N.C., has faced numerous challenges that are not unique to small, rural institutions like St. Andrews. During its long struggle to continue its educational mission, the University’s primary issue has been declining enrollments which have resulted in financial shortfalls. However, the newest threat to the once-revered University comes from a rogue group of alumni who are disenfranchised by recent changes at St. Andrews meant to save the institution.

As America’s economy transforms and job markets change, many of the liberal arts degrees once heralded by schools like St. Andrews, as part of the creation of a well-rounded citizen, have experienced declining enrollment and given way to degrees that result in jobs. While the University’s leaders and official alumni council have embraced a series of changes meant to revitalize St. Andrews, and to preserve its liberal arts tradition, a group known as “Friends of St. Andrews” are fighting against them.

The Friends of St. Andrews have squared off against the school’s administration since Webber International University president Keith Wade stepped in to save the institution more than a decade ago. Facing bankruptcy in 2011, Wade, a St. Andrews alumnus, arranged for Webber International to purchase the struggling Institution. Since then, Wade has fought tooth and nail to keep the institution afloat despite the changing nature of higher education. Throughout the process, Wade helped restructure St. Andrews’ debt, increased alumni engagement, and donations, and oversaw the previously instituted sale-leaseback of the St. Andrews campus to the Scotland County Development Corporation.

Wade also reached beyond the St. Andrews alumni base for assistance in ensuring the institution’s stability. In 2017, Wade arranged for a series of donations from Florida-based non-profit Keiser University. These unrestricted gifts helped St. Andrews recover from the devastating impact of Hurricane Florence. Such charity between institutions of higher learning is seldom, considering that colleges and universities consistently compete for students. One of the only other instances of similar charity in North Carolina occurred in 2019 when High Point University gave a donation to Bennett College to help the school stay open.

Yet, despite his best intentions, Wade has only received grief from the Friends of St. Andrews, who have often taken their argument public on a website and Facebook page riddled with attacks and misinformation. The rogue alumni group appears to be collecting their intel and taking battle cues from a political blogger who seems to have a longstanding, personal quarrel with Keiser University’s chancellor. The tempest was previously covered by The Laurinburg Exchange who graciously reported the facts in full.

In March of this year, St. Andrews hired a new campus president after a national search which involved the creation of an alumni task force. Yet, despite the input from alumni and the hiring of a very qualified candidate, Dr. Tarun Malik, the Friends of St Andrews continue their onslaught of non-support for the institution they claim to love.

A series of Facebook posts from March 31 on the St. Andrews Friends NC Facebook page shows the group has ruled out any possibility of working with Dr. Malik, express a continued lack of support, and show a belief he will fail in his attempts to revitalize St. Andrews. Most of the posts on the Facebook page dating back two years are similar in nature with the group consistently expressing pushback to the many who have attempted to help the institution.

Good-natured support will almost certainly wane as the group continues fighting anyone who attempts to assist. It’s time these disenfranchised alumni consider the reality of the situation and applaud the many who have offered assistance to the St. Andrews throughout the years. Consider where the institution would be today had it not been for that assistance and the persistence of President Keith Wade.

Some people are just born to complain, and the Friends of St. Andrews group seems to fit this bill. Seldom lifting a finger to provide constructive support, they may be intent on watching St. Andrews fail so they can say, “I told ya so.” Yet it’s time to either help or get out of the way of those who are trying to.

Justice Early Zauber is an area political analyst, following St. Andrews University.