Litigated FOIA Appeal: University of Michigan Records Missing for Sara Abraham Complaint Interviews
After receiving the FOIA release from the University of Michigan regarding the Sara Abraham complaint, Dr. Myria Petrou and I filed subsequent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests in February 2022 seeking records related to interviews conducted by the University of Michigan Office of General Counsel and Human Resources (HR).
These interviews involved myself, Dr. Petrou, and Duaa Altaee and were conducted in connection with Sara Abraham’s complaint. During the interviews, University officials asked a number of personal and non-clinical questions, including inquiries about the Greek Orthodox Church we attended, our families, and our home.
I paid the required 50% FOIA deposit of $108, with the University estimating a processing time of approximately 80 business days. The University subsequently took multiple extensions, which are not permitted under the State of Michigan FOIA statute.
After more than nine months without a substantive response, I filed a litigated FOIA appeal on November 24, 2022. The University contested the appeal.
On January 30, 2023, the University formally denied the request, stating that “no responsive records” were found, and refunded the $108 payment. (The FOIA response is included at the bottom of this article.)
This outcome is notable in light of the prior FOIA release, in which the University of Michigan stated that no official documentation exists for the internal Office of General Counsel and HR investigation. The absence of both investigative records and interview documentation raises significant questions regarding transparency and the handling of internal investigations.
It also raises additional questions regarding Sara Abraham’s broader allegations, which included claims of antisemitism, sexual harassment, and financial irregularities. None of these allegations were documented in our faculty files, which we obtained after leaving the University of Michigan.
Furthermore, the University did not enter into any financial settlement with Sara Abraham, despite her requests for one based on these allegations (as reflected in a subsequent litigated FOIA appeal).
According to publicly available information, Sara Abraham is currently employed as a public school teacher in Dearborn, Michigan.
University of Michigan Litigated FOIA appeal: Constructive denial for Sara Abraham complaint interview records.
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Brad Foerster, MD PhD
Brad Foerster is a FOIA advocate documenting requests, transparency disputes, and accountability investigations involving public agencies, universities, police oversight, and Russia-Gate related inquiries. His work compiles original documents, timelines, and analysis of public records and institutional responses. Brad is also a board-certified radiologist, author of Town & Gown, and has published over 40 peer-reviewed articles. Brad lives in Potomac, Maryland with his family and is active in the Montgomery County Medical Society and the Takoma Park U.S. & World History Book Club.