The former top-ranked female administrator for the University of Iowa athletic department has taken her lawsuit against the school from state to federal court.

Jane Meyer filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday accusing the school, athletic director Gary Barta and the Iowa Board of Regents of violating her First Amendment and Title IX rights.

Meyer says that discovery and deposition testimony in her state-level case led her to believe that Barta’s decision to remove her from the athletic department was made only after Meyer had presented Barta a memo in which she complained about gender equity, equal pay and retaliation against her and others.

The university didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.