NASHVILLE (AP) — A lawsuit against the Tennessee Board of Regents claims the agency is trying to destroy Tennessee State University by unfairly treating the school.

The Chancery Court suit, filed Wednesday, alleges the board has "deliberately and maliciously" carried out a mission to hurt the Nashville school by appointing administrators to cause disarray at the university. The complaint, filed by a group of Tennessee State supporters, said programs at other state schools have been given preferential treatment.

The plaintiffs accused the board of violating the state's open meetings law by having committee meetings last June that were not publicly scheduled and therefore their views could not be heard.

The board said in a statement Thursday it had fully complied with the law and will stress forthcoming achievement at Tennessee State.

"The TBR's focus for TSU continues to be on the future —the future success of its current students, and the potential for success from its future students," the statement said.

"Evidence exists whereby programs, departments and majors at Tennessee State University have been eliminated, diminished or otherwise made irrelevant while at the same time those programs, majors and departments are now showing up at Austin Peay State, Tennessee Tech, East Tennessee State and Middle Tennessee State universities," the suit claims.

The complaint described Tennessee State as "in disarray under the administration of Chancellor John Morgan and the direction of interim President Portia Shields."

The plaintiffs also said "every taxpayer in the state is damaged because an incredible university is being destroyed at the whim of a renegade Tennessee Board of Regents."

The suit asked the court to set aside policies by the board and the current school administration that have degraded Tennessee State.