NEW ORLEANS – On Monday of this week, Southern University at New Orleans sent an internal message to faculty and staff, stating that the college plans to “suspend all intercollegiate programs for an unspecified period.”

According to WWL, the school’s athletics program caused major budget losses.

The University has a deadline of March 2020 to become financially stable, which is a requirement of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

In the aforementioned internal message, SUNO Interim Chancellor Dr. James H. Ammons said he made the decision after thoroughly analyzing budgetary restraints and discussing it with “key stakeholders.”

In August, financial issues reportedly led the University to furlough some of its employees.

According to the Interim Chancellor, the University’s athletic programs will come to a close after the last athletic event of the 2019-2020 academic year.