“Two years ago, I never could have imagined that the university would dismiss me and other doctors, nurses, faculty, staff, and students for this arbitrary and capricious reason,” said Aaron Kheriaty, psychiatry professor and director of the medical ethics program at the University of California at Irvine’s School of Medicine.

According to the report, Kheriaty filed suit against the university in August when his request for a medical exemption was denied. He was placed on paid leave in October, and has now been fired.