More than 100 lecturers and academics at the University of Tasmania have accused Liberal Whip Andrew Nikolic of "abusing his parliamentary role" by attempting to prevent a senior lecturer from criticising the Abbott government.

Mr Nikolic contacted university vice-chancellor Peter Rathjen to query whether Dr Michael Powell, a lecturer in history and politics, had broken any employment rules by submitting a fiery letter to the editor of the Launceston Examiner in which he lashed the government for cutting funding to the university.

Liberal MP Andrew Nikolic Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Mr Nikolic, a former Brigadier in the Australian Army who was promoted to the position of whip by Prime Minister Tony Abbott last month, has insisted he was not attempting to "stifle the free speech" of Dr Powell but was simply asking whether his views represented the university's position.

University staff reacted with fury after Fairfax Media detailed the brawl on Monday and revealed Professor Rathjen had deemed that Dr Powell was not representing the views of the university and had declined to defend his staff member publicly.