A discrimination lawsuit filed against the university filed by an ISU alumnus will be heard at the county court house in July.

Hadi Tabbara, who graduated from Iowa State in May 2000, said he suffered discrimination from Ali Tabatabai, professor of agronomy. Tabbara is of Lebanese descent, and Tabatabai is of Iraqi descent.

The trial will begin at 9 a.m. July 22 at the Story County Court House in Nevada.

Tabbara has claimed that Iowa State “discriminated against Tabbara based on his national origin and/or in retaliation for engaging in protected activity by denying him educational opportunities and ultimately terminating his employment,” according to court documents.

University officials deny Tabbara’s claims.

“We believe that Tabbara’s claims are unfounded and frivolous,” said Paul Tanaka, chief university counsel.

“Dr. Tabbara filed a complaint with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission and the commission dismissed his complaint, finding that there did not appear to be a basis to his allegation of discrimination,” Tanaka said. “In fact, the case determination says that what the university did was ‘prudent under the circumstances.’ “

Tabbara’s attorney, Mike Carrol of Des Moines, was unavailable for comment.

Tabbara first came to Iowa State in 1986 to begin his doctorate study in soil chemistry. He then left Iowa State in 1987 to attend North Carolina State University, until he left for Canada in 1990, Tabbara said.

He then returned to Iowa State in 1996 to earn a doctorate in soil science from the Department of Agronomy. Prior to coming to Iowa State, Tabbara earned a master’s degree in soil science from the University of Arizona in 1979, according to Daily staff reports.

Tabbara said he was never allowed into the agronomy department and was “ping-ponged” between departments. He finished his degree in water resources from the ISU Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering in May 2000.

He claims he did not have sufficient time to complete his dissertation, which was not in his area of specialty. Tabbara said Ramesh Kanwar, professor and chairman of agricultural and biosystems engineering, told him he would only have a few months to complete his dissertation.

Tabbara said he then appealed to the dean of the agriculture college and received an extension until May 2000.

Tabbara earned his doctorate and went on to do post-doctoral work for the agronomy department. After his three-month contract expired, Tabbara said his contract was not renewed and he was banned from the department.

On Oct. 13, 2000, Tabbara said he filed a civil rights complaint with the ISU Office of Affirmative Action.

Then on Oct. 20, 2000, the Department of Public Safety served Tabbara with two letters, one relieving him of his duties and the other banning him from campus, according to court documents.

Tanaka said a number of Tabbara’s claims are “unfortunate and incorrect.”

The agronomy department declined to comment.