A professor at the University of Saskatchewan believes a recent lawsuit filed by a fired university president could damage the relationship between the school and the province.

“There will be a lot of discussion about this at the campus,” said Ken Coates, a public policy professor.

Former university president Ilene Busch-Vishniac filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the university, university board members, Premier Brad Wall and former advanced education minister Rob Norris. The statement of claim says they all conspired to have Busch-Vishniac fired and damage her reputation.

She’s seeking $8.5 million in damages.

Busch-Vishniac’s contract with the university was terminated last year after public protests over the firing of a tenured professor and a campus-wide cost-cutting measure known as TransformUS.

Coates said the lawsuit digs up things better left forgotten.

“You hope in one sense that these issues would go away, but that isn't how life works,” he said.

Regardless of whether the case makes its way to open court or not, Coates said it could hurt the university’s relations with the province.

Busch-Vishniac’s lawsuit claims the premier and Norris improperly influenced the board to terminate her — a decision outside of their authority.

“This is one of those complicated relationships that are always fraught with these kinds of issues,” Coates said.

The lawsuit also claims former provincial finance minister Janice Mackinnon and her husband, former University of Saskatchewan president Peter Mackinnon, helped a professor write a letter that ultimately led to Busch-Vishniac's dismissal. 

Mackinnon told CTV in an email the allegations are untrue.

Busch-Vishniac said she won't comment on specifics of the case but told CTV, if there is ever anything positive about a situation that compels a lawsuit, it’s that the suit shines a bright light on the matters under consideration.

The university again stated Thursday they would fight the claims.

“As the university has indicated, they have instructed us vigorously to defend the claim," said John Beckman, the university’s lawyer.

Defendants in the case have yet to file their statements of defence. The university's lawyer said his clients will be on record soon.

--- based on a report by CTV’s John Baglieri