SUNY Cobleskill is facing a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by a former employee. Dayana Perez has details.

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COBLESKILL, N.Y.-- In a 14-page complaint filed last week, former SUNY Cobleskill Dean Thomas Hickey alleges he was fired for speaking against, what he calls, "fraudulent and racially discriminatory practices" at the school.

"Instead of saying, we are doing this incorrectly, the response is let's kill the messenger," said Hickey's attorney Phil Steck.

Those named in the lawsuit include school President Donald Zingale and Vice President for Academic Affairs Anne Myers. According to the suit, the school leaders have been admitting students who don't meet college standards, to reel in tuition and balance out the budget. The lawsuit also contends the GPA threshold was lowered and even suspended at one point. It also states school leaders falsified academic records targeting minorities so they could enroll at the school.

"You have to have remedial programs in place to give them a chance of success. Without those programs they are not going to have that chance, and you're basically taking their tuition dollars under false pretenses," said Steck.

"I don't think it's right to accept students who aren't qualified to be here, then take their money when there are probably going to drop out within a year anyway," said student Andrew Greck.

Student Danielle Campbell said, "It stinks because I worked my butt off to get here and if students are just getting accepted just because they want money, then why did I work so hard?"

Steck said his client wants to be reinstated to his position, but if that doesn't happen he's seeking compensation for lost wages as well as opportunities for future employment at the college.

We reached out to SUNY Cobleskill. The school's spokesperson tells us they haven't been served with any papers yet. She also tells us the school is not at liberty to comment on any lawsuit brought against them.