An ISU professor who sued the university is pursuing charges of defamation and interference against two colleagues, but his allegations that he received inadequate salary and was denied promotion have been dismissed.

Moustafa Gabal, associate professor of veterinary medicine, filed a lawsuit in February against Iowa State and two colleagues, claiming that they conspired against him and prevented him from becoming a full professor. The charges were dismissed May 8.

In his lawsuit, Gabal said Richard Ross, dean of veterinary medicine administration, blocked his promotion to full professor, which Gabal said was promised to him by former Dean Oscar Fletcher in February 1992.

“His claims against the university that relate to his not being promoted and his claim that he has been granted inadequate salary, that all has been dismissed,” said Paul Tanaka, director of University Legal Services. “There are two aspects of the lawsuit that are continuing for technical reasons. Those are the defamation claim and interference with contract claim that are lodged against Dean Richard Ross and against . . . Charles Thoen.”

Gabal said in his lawsuit that Ross and Thoen, professor and chair of veterinary microbiology and preventive medicine, made incorrect and inappropriate statements regarding the quality of his professionalism and scholarly work in the presence of other college and department faculty.

Gabal said he intends to pursue this aspect of the lawsuit. “The legal counselor [who represents me] will pursue the liability part of the suit,” he said.

Thoen declined comment for this article, and Ross could not be reached. However, Tanaka said, “[University officials] don’t believe that those claims are warranted in any way.”

There will be no official ruling on Gabal’s lawsuit until he exhausts his appeals with the state Board of Regents, Gabal said. He said he intends to go to the regents with his case.

“[My legal counselor] intends to similarly pursue the exhaustion of the administrative appeal, unless the university will go ahead and enact a former university decision with promotion and salary adjustment,” Gabal said.

Though he hopes to be granted full professorship, Gabal said he will stay at Iowa State no matter what the outcome of his current situation.

“I have always felt and continue to feel loyal to ISU, and I will continue to teach, do research and professional practice as I have been doing enthusiastically over the past years,” he said.