RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Virginia’s attorney general is not stepping into the pitched battle over the planned closing of Sweet Briar College. Attorney General Mark R. Herring says the decision to close lies with the private women’s college board of directors, not with the state. Unless the board acted improperly or violated its duties, it would be inappropriate for the state to step into to the fray, according to a statement issued by Herring on Thursday. In a court filing, Herring said the county attorney for Amherst lacks standing to bring action in the name of the state alleging violations of trust code. County Attorney Ellen Bowyer is seeking an injunction to stop the women’s college from shutting down in August. Only 532 students were enrolled at Sweet Briar this semester.
