CHARLESTON - A group of West Virginia University Tech supporters have filed a lawsuit, seeking a writ of mandamus to halt the school from being merged with West Virginia University until a satisfactory long-term plan can be developed.
Sonie Petry, Dorothy Phillips and Mary Lou Vinyard, through attorney Kevin Nelson, filed a suit June 26 in Kanawha Circuit Court, against WVU. The schools did merge July 1, and no judge has heard the case.
The suit says Petry, Phillips and Vinyard are former students, parents of students and retired employees of WVUIT, who would like a plan developed for the integration of the school with WVU.
According to the suit, WVU presented an unacceptable, incomplete and unapproved plan to the Legislative Oversight Committee for Educational Accountability on June 3, 2007. The plaintiffs claim there is no remedy available to ensure the proper management of governance of WVUIT as an integrated division of WVU.
The suit includes a list of problems WVUIT has developed after it entered into its association with WVU, more than 10 years ago.
The plaintiffs sought a court order prohibiting the schools from merging and to stop any activities related to the merger.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 07-MiC-272
WVU Tech supporters seek writ to halt merger
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