News 12 at 11 o'clock, July 8, 2009

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- News 12 has learned more details about why a junior college is shutting its doors. The Savannah River College has had financial problems and now News12 has learned the college has filed a lawsuit against a former employee who allegedly persuaded students to drop out.

News 12 first told you about money problems at the college last fall and then two weeks ago the schools' president sent News 12 an email saying classes were being taught at "primarily our cost while receiving very little payment for tuition and that financially the college could not continue like this."
Now News 12 has learned that the college has filed a 250,000 dollar lawsuit against a woman named Cherry Carter and Strayer University.

The suit claims that Carter, a former admissions representative of SRC breached her contract and it accuses her of making numerous calls to about 25 SRC students asking them to withdraw from classes in order to attend Strayer University. The suit was filed back in March.

The suit further goes on to say the 250,000 dollars in damages sought by SRC is unrecoverable "tuition" that the college will never see because those students withdrew.

Strayer college is also listed as a defendant in the case.

Also enclosed in the court documents - financial worksheet information for those 25 students many who still allegedly owe money to the college. There are also emails and conversations between students and teachers, allegedly about why they(the students) chose to withdraw.

SRC is accusing Carter of that influence.

News 12 talked with David Hudson, the attorney for Cherry Carter who referred us to Strayer University's attorneys. The attorney in this case did not return our phone calls.

Last fall, the U.S. Department of Education conducted an open program review of SRC and it was announced two weeks ago the school would be closing.