Former Winthrop General Counsel Sues University and Board Leaders Over 29 Alleged Open Meetings Law Violations
Byline: Lanie Cauthen – Editor-In-Chief
Campus News
Christopher Todd Hagins, the former General Counsel and Secretary to the Board of Trustees at Winthrop University, has filed suit against Winthrop University, Board Chair Joel Hamilton, and Board Secretary Tammie Phillips, alleging 29 violations of South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by the Board of Trustees during eight meetings over the past year.
The complaint asserts that Winthrop repeatedly evaded open meetings requirements, holding secret votes on budget items totaling nearly $50 million, including student tuition and fee increases, without proper public notice or disclosure. The lawsuit further claims the University purposefully failed to publish meeting minutes in order to conceal these decisions from students, faculty, and the public.
The suit also alleges the Board of Trustees routinely misused executive sessions to illegally hide information and controversial topics from the public, a practice widely assumed by Winthrop students, faculty, and staff, but now formally challenged in court.
Hagins further contends the Winthrop Board violated its own bylaws by permitting the Chair and Vice Chair to serve beyond the six-year term limit, potentially invalidating board actions taken over the past year.
The case follows Hagins’ earlier EEOC complaint, one of two federal investigations now underway into allegations of racial discrimination and retaliation at Winthrop. The EEOC complaint names University President Edward Serna, Vice President of Human Resources, Diversity and Employee Wellness Lisa Cowart, Executive Director Tammie Phillips, and others, alleging a campaign of retaliation against Hagins after he objected to efforts to punish an employee who reported discriminatory remarks and actions by Phillips. The Board in June 2025 voted to elevate Phillips to the position of Secretary to the Board without including it in the public agenda casting doubt on the legality of the vote.
According to the lawsuit, Hagins himself was unlawfully terminated after the Board allegedly conducted an illegal private telephone vote to remove him—circumventing FOIA requirements—out of concern he would publicly disclose evidence of potential illegal and unethical conduct within the administration and Board of Trustees.
“This case is about transparency, accountability, and protecting the rights of the public to know how their tax dollars are being spent,” Hagins said. “Winthrop University should not be permitted to operate in secret while silencing and defaming those who call out wrongdoing.”