ANN ARBOR, MI – A former University of Michigan professor has filed a federal lawsuit against the university, alleging he was subjected to different tenure standards than white faculty in the music theory department.

Attorneys for Somangshu Mukherji filed the lawsuit Tuesday, Oct. 28, in U.S. District Court for the Eastern Division of Michigan against the University of Michigan (UM) and its board of regents.

Mukherji claimed that UM retaliated against him after he complained of discrimination, blocking him from two tenure-track positions in January 2025.

A university spokesperson did not immediately respond to MLive’s request for a response to the allegations in the lawsuit.

Mukherji said he was hired by UM’s Music Theory Department in 2013. He worked as an assistant professor until hi

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