Tenured Arizona professor targeted for exposing DEI practices fights dismissal

Matthew Abraham, a tenured professor at the University of Arizona in Tucson, says he is facing dismissal after years of clashes with administrators, including over Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at the school.

“The University of Arizona is seeking to dismiss me from my tenured position in retaliation for my four-year public records lawsuit that is now before the AZ Supreme Court,” Abraham told Campus Reform.

Abraham pointed to a lawsuit against the Arizona Board of Regents, which he says “seeks records that show how the University deploys DEI principles in the context of hiring for faculty and administrative positions.”

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“In addition, the University has truncated the dismissal process with the President delegating his role in the dismissal process to the Provost,” he added. “This delegation of authority introduces structural conflicts into U of A’s dismissal process, as the Provost is now recommending the dismissal and overseeing that process.”

In January, the Arizona Court of Appeals upheld a lower court decision against Abraham in his dispute with the Arizona Board of Regents over access to public records.

The professor had filed multiple records requests between 2018 and 2020, seeking documents related to faculty hiring processes, committee meetings, and candidate evaluations. The university released about 1,700 pages but withheld or redacted others, citing confidentiality and privacy concerns.

Abraham, a professor of English, researches political rhetoric, critical theory, and writing studies. He has authored and edited multiple books, published widely, and serves on university committees addressing academic freedom and governance, according to his profile on the university’s website.

Abraham’s troubles began in 2022, when he and colleagues were excluded from a faculty committee after being labeled “problematic,” according to Minding the Campus.

The conflict escalated in 2024, when scheduling issues with his law work were turned into a “conflict of commitment” charge. Abraham later discovered irregularities in his department chair’s appointment and raised concerns in a faculty-wide email.

In August 2025, his dean recommended dismissal, accusing him of creating a hostile environment. Abraham has been placed on leave pending review.

In a recent X post from late August that has since been taken down, Abraham said that the University of Arizona attempted to dismiss him due to “insubordination toward administrative superiors.”

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“Officially, the University of Arizona is seeking my dismissal from my tenured position as a Professor of English due to my insubordination toward administrative superiors, my misuse of my university email account to demean and harass university employees,” Abraham explained.

Earlier this year, a coalition sent a formal complaint to the Arizona Board of Regents, the University of Arizona administration, and the Arizona Legislature, alleging Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion-related corruption and retaliation.

The group highlighted Professor Matthew Abraham’s dismissal recommendation, claimed officials misused “threat” allegations, and cited similar cases to argue administrators systematically suppressed dissent and concealed legal violations.