Hugine is seeking $1 million from the university itself, accusing South Carolina State University of breaching his 2005 employment agreement. He is also asking for a total of $2 million from the individual defendants, according to the lawsuit.
Hugine's firing drew criticism from at least two state lawmakers, with one legislator threatening to call for a full audit of the school and another proposing changes to the way the board is appointed. Washington said the school owes its students and the state better than they have gotten in the past.
U.S. Department of Agriculture official George E. Cooper took over as president on July 1.
Charles Boykin, an attorney for the school said in a news release he had not seen the lawsuit and could not comment but said the school would ``vigorously defend'' itself against the allegations.
Smith and Fields declined to comment on the lawsuit, and a listing for Foster could not be found. Phone messages left for other board members were not immediately returned.
The historically Black college in Orangeburg, about 40 miles south of Columbia, has about 5,000 students.
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