CHARLESTON -- Another student has filed a lawsuit against Mountain State University for failing to inform her about problems with the school's accreditation.
Former university president Charles H. Polk and the Mountain State University Board of Trustees were also named as defendants in the suit.
Kimberly Hunt was admitted into MSU's nursing program for a Bachelors of Science in Nursing degree, according to a complaint filed Aug. 3 in Kanawha Circuit Court.
Hunt claims when she was admitted to the program, she was informed that the program was accredited by National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission and West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses, but later discovered the nursing program did not have full accreditation status.
In 2008, the NLNAC voted to place nursing program at MSU on warning and scheduled the next evaluation visit for spring 2010, according to the suit.
Hunt claims after the spring 2010 visit by the NLNAC, the commission voted to deny continuing accreditation to the BSN program.
MSU, Polk and the Board of Trustees failed to inform Hunt of the accreditation denial and encouraged her to continue paying for and participating in the program, according to the suit.
Hunt claims on Nov. 12, 2010, the West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses voted unanimously to require that MSU's BSN program cease and desist all admissions to all nursing programs/pathways or any other program representing progression toward a nursing degree for a minimum of 15 months.
The defendants were negligent in keeping the students informed and breached their contract with Hunt by failing to provide the education opportunity promised, according to the suit.
Hunt is seeking compensatory and punitive damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. She is being represented by Stephen P. New and S. Douglas Adkins.
The cases have been assigned to Circuit Judge Jennifer Bailey
Kanawha Circuit Court case numbers: 12-C-1561