Former official at Morris Brown files wrongful termination suit

ATLANTA - A former top official of Morris Brown College has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the school and ex-president Dolores Cross. <br> <br> Jonnie Brown, who was vice president of fiscal affairs, said in Monday&#39;s suit in federal court that she was fired for blowing the whistle on improper spending. <br> <br> The historically black school, which has a deficit of $27 million, had its accreditation stripped by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. If the school loses its appeal, the Department of Education has said it would immediately cut off the financial aid that most of Morris Brown&#39;s 2,500 students rely on. <br> <br> Brown said she alerted Cross, who resigned in February, about mounting financial problems as early as June 2001. <br> <br> The lawsuit said she also reported the problems to the school&#39;s board of trustees, its external auditor and the U.S. Department of Education. <br> <br> Cross later demoted Brown and then fired her in January 2002, the lawsuit said. Brown, whose salary topped out at $120,000, is also seeking back pay. <br> <br> Cross, who became president in 1998, has denied any wrongdoing, saying she worked hard to solve the school&#39;s problems. In an interview last month, she said she fired Brown for not making improvements in her department fast enough and for fighting with financial aid director Parvesh Singh. <br> <br> ``Dr. Cross looks forward to addressing Ms. Brown&#39;s allegations, but she has not seen the suit and has not had a chance to consult with counsel,&#39;&#39; Cross&#39;s lawyer, Warren Sams, said Monday. ``She has done nothing wrong with regards to Jonnie Brown.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The college&#39;s spokeswoman, Karon Stephens, said she was not aware of the lawsuit and declined to comment.

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