UCD Names Former US Attorney As Investigator; Ken Burtis As Acting Provost

Melinda Haag
Melinda Haag

Former U.S. attorney to lead investigation into allegations against UC Davis chancellor

The University of California Office of the President announced today (May 5) that San Francisco attorney Melinda Haag, a former U.S. attorney for the Northern District of California, will lead an independent investigation into allegations that Linda Katehi violated university policies while serving as chancellor of UC Davis.

UC President Janet Napolitano last week placed Katehi on 90-day paid administrative leave to allow outside investigators to review the allegations. The investigation is to be completed no later than August 1, 2016.

Haag currently serves at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, where she is a partner in the white-collar and corporate investigations group. Orrick regularly conducts internal investigations throughout the world in areas such as employee misconduct, conflict of interest, and a host of other criminal and regulatory issues. The Orrick team includes attorneys with extensive experience in federal and state government.

Haag earned her law degree from UC Berkeley School of Law and her bachelor’s in political science from UC San Diego.

Details about the investigation will remain confidential while in progress.


Ken Burtis was named Acting Provost by Acting Chancellor Ralph Hexter
Ken Burtis was named Acting Provost by Acting Chancellor Ralph Hexter

UC Davis Acting Chancellor Hexter Names Ken Burtis as Acting Provost

By Dana Topousis

UC Davis acting Chancellor Ralph Hexter has named Ken Burtis as acting provost, following approval from the UC Office of the President.

Burtis, a professor of genetics and past dean of the College of Biological Sciences, has served as faculty adviser to the chancellor and provost since 2011. In that role, Burtis served as a liaison with key campus constituencies and had a lead role in the 2020 Initiative, which involved strategic planning for campus growth, including enrollment management, facilities planning and academic resources.

“I am delighted that Ken will be serving in the role of acting provost at this critical moment,” Hexter said. “Ken has a long history with UC Davis, having been here as a student, a staff member, a professor and an administrator. He is already very engaged in many of our most important projects.”

Hexter served as UC Davis provost and executive vice chancellor until being appointed acting chancellor by UC President Janet Napolitano on April 27, 2016.

Burtis was the first dean of the College of Biological Sciences. Prior to his appointment as dean, he served as chair of the Genetics Graduate Group, vice-chair of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, associate director of the UC Davis Genome Center, and associate dean for Undergraduate Academic Programs in the College of Biological Sciences.

“I am deeply committed to UC Davis and am honored to be able to serve the campus and its outstanding students, staff and faculty in this role,” said Burtis.

Burtis earned his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and biophysics from UC Davis, and his doctorate in biochemistry from Stanford University.

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33 comments

  1. “Haag currently serves at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, where she is a partner in the white-collar and corporate investigations group. Orrick regularly conducts internal investigations throughout the world in areas such as employee misconduct, conflict of interest, and a host of other criminal and regulatory issues.”

    Haag does not serve at Orrick . she works there as a lawyer with California State Bar Licence # 132612.  Is not a coincident that Napolitano hired Haag to do dirty job for her to nail Chancellor Katehi to the cross .  Standard UCSR procedure .  Former  California Justice Reynoso with his team was not different in 2011-2012 Crucifixion of Chancellor Katehi , UC Davis Chief of Police Annette and Lt. Pike who was used by Steven Drown, Charles Robinson and Stephen Chilcott  as tool to finalize the plan .

    Lt Pike following by following the given order did not realized that he will be first to go and his crucifixion was decided  before 11/28  by Charles Robinson , Steven Drown , Stephen Chilcott and Matt Carmichael who was Lt. in UC Davis Medical Center.

    I am quite certain that Melinda Haag has conflict of interest as the lawyer to be hired as investigator by Napolitano. (Obama’s ) Coincidentally or not Haag worked not so long ago in the office ( U.S Attorney ) where I submitted in March 2016 my inquiry to bring criminal charges against U.C Regents and UC  committing and covering up multi-million dollars fraud allegedly  committed by regents  in 1999-2003 and 2012-2013.   This why FBI called me not so long ago and questioned me about whole mess .  Yesterday I sent e-mail to Ms. Haag and informed her that I will add her to  my complaint with California State Bar  I filed in March 2013 against 23 attorneys .

     

     

    1. “I am quite certain that Melinda Haag has conflict of interest as the lawyer to be hired as investigator by Napolitano”

      Not necessarily a conflict.  But may not be impartial.  However, Katehi is gone, the sooner people come to that realization, the better.

    2. Jerry

      Former  California Justice Reynoso with his team was not different in 2011-2012 Crucifixion of Chancellor Katehi , UC Davis Chief of Police Annette and Lt. Pike who was used by Steven Drown, Charles Robinson and Stephen Chilcott  as tool to finalize the plan .”

      Any one of these individuals had the ability, and I would say the obligation to say “no” to engaging in these ( in some cases) illegal activities. Would there have been personal cost involved ?  Most likely. But would it have been any worse than doing the wrong thing ( ordering removal of and then pepper spraying peaceful protestors) and then having to pay the cost of their career anyway ?

      I have no knowledge at all of any of the other individuals or situations involved that you are referencing. But just because a superior orders someone to do something illegal or immoral does not exonerate the lower ranked individual from having complied with the order.

  2. Some will be more delighted than others about the HEADLINE NEWS>>>>>.

    If one READS what JERRY writes above, they one will understand MORE than they know or think they know now…

    I have been on the UNIVERSITY side with cases with Steve Drown….

    I was NEVER a fan of Spicuzza and it had NOTHING to do with anything other than HER behavior on TOO many things I knew and observed.

    I think that Matt Carmichael WAS and IS a good choice for Police Chief….  He has proven that to ME on  several occasions in recent months.

    Ms. Haag IS a conflict of interest, BUT so is Napolitano….

    Thank you Jerry……

    PS>   UCD Is OVERRUN with ex-MILITARY AND ATTORNEYS these days…. no WONDER>>>>

    PPS>>>>  Not that there is ANYTHING wrong with THAT…..   LOL

     

     

    1. Matt Carmichael is a crooked cop and conspirator who hurting people and UC Davis since 2011. His name is in U.S attorney office . Ask him what kind  game he was playing with Steven Drown and Stephen Chilcott in November 2011 and May 2012. I don’t talk to talk and if I write something than I have the documents to back this up.  I don’t make false allegations and accusations against others without having evidences or facts to proof  the allegations.

      If don’t believe that I don’t talk to talk than ask David Greenwald to post on  Davis Vanguard copies of the several checks ( not one check)   I provided to him recently . He has my permission to post it . These checks are  the best  proof  that I don’t talk to talk but is the proof of my actions to fight corruption and stand up for my and other people rights .

      No one of the  participant writing on this blog signed  the UC Regents Settlement -Agreement with UC Regents which is related to 2011 and to days 2016 mess crated by Steven Drown , Charles Robinson and Stephen Chilcott  with involvement of  crooked cops Matt Carmichael and his buddy Lt. James Barbour .  Many people mistakenly on several occasions   underestimated me because my twisted English  .  I previous employer paid for such mistake hefty price in amount of $ 100,000,000 plus . It is a two millions dollars regents pay for for ill crafted  by Steven Drown , Charles Robinson and Stephen Chilcott  pepper spray .  I don’t have resources like regents  but it  is not going away soon . Corruption scandal  could  be covered by another corruption scandal but it will pile up and will blow up sooner or later and criminals will be prosecuted .

       

  3. Melinda Haag was the prosecutor for Barry Bonds’ case.  And that went so well.  If she wants Katehi gone, she will search until she finds something…anything…to win her case.

    Ken Burtis, however, is a fantastic choice.  He was definitely an advocate for students while the Dean of BioSci.  Very approachable and kind.  I applaud this selection.

      1. Everthing is covered up by UC policies and Katehi did not violated any policy . Accusations are completely false and Haag is legitimizing false allegations by her former U.S attorney title in same way as  former Superior Court Justice Cruz  Reynoso was used for . Old communists trick and way to prosecute innocent people .

        1. Sorry… probably violating VG standards…

          But, Jerry, thru DHS adult school, or some other source, your points would be better made if you did a ESL language and grammar thing… meant as a friendly suggestion, as I believe your contributions to the discussion (even if I have disagreements) are important…

          As it is, takes several reads to understand your points…

        2. Jerry

          Everthing is covered up by UC policies and Katehi did not violated any policy”

          Then why did she publicly apologize for her violation of policy by participating on the DeVry board prior to obtaining approval ?  This was in her own words as a mistake she was owning. I have a hard time believing that “everything is a cover up” when she stated as much herself.

  4. Normally when I write legal briefs or legal papers  I use proof readers  outfit to fix the grammar and sentences structure . It is cost money . I should  be  a lawyer today but life is not going sometimes as you expect and make mistakes . When I came to this country I should stay on welfare for one year and go to English classes and learn the English as I should .  My English school was learning on the fly with most of the time two jobs to do . I never spent on minute on any social welfare . I was always thought that and I still believe that is demoralizing things which never should be provided to the people who are healthy and can work.  Today 48 million Americans on  food stamps in the biggest governmental fraud in USA history and ticking Bolsheviks revolution bomb  ready to blow up . It is long ongoing problem and growing problem  and enormous burden for taxpayers  to feed these people .  Government  knew this and  this why Homeland Security was crated long time ago to pacify the  Bolshevik if this bomb will blow up.

  5. I am truly happy Jerry, that I am NOT the only one who is exposing things right now…

    As a prior UCD student, then PELP, then reentry, then a student worker, then a career employee, who took some time to start a family, then back to UCD>>>>>and up the ranks…. someone who has managed to BE THERE and DONE THAT at the most opportune (for me) and most inopportune  for some others….(for those others who HAVE SOMETHING TO HIDE)….

    I am happy to say that the RuSSIANS are coming to the rescue….or Polish or whatever….

    We who HAVE lived through more than MANY others ever dream of…  I mean that in a GOOD SENSE as well as in some of the MOST horrific things that any mere typical american….

    PS>   Who has time to proofread when good people’s LIVES are at stake…?

    Not ME either…

  6. I too, loved Ken Burtis when I was a student…and I LOVED him when I was staff…

    I even loved him, when he came to ask ME what the staff think..

    I even LOVED him when as a Manager of a CBS unit, he would come around to find out what MANAGERS and STAFF think.

    THEN he LIED to me and coveredup on something…..when the DEAN HILDREtH  was hired….

    And, there is a WHOLE story about THAT, my friends…

    I was ASKING HIM various questions nearly daily and HE truly LIED to MY face….

    He was MY friend for DECADES>…and  no more…

    I stood UP for him when our chairs and faculty knew who HE was….   I ALWAYS give EVERYONE the benefit of the doubt…

    Of course, I no longer am a fan…

    And, of course he is a good choice for the position.

    He is NOT a good choice for those who truly are stellar and have jealous nobodies casting stones at THEM>>>>>>>>>>>>…

     

     

    1. as a truly mediocre researcher and later a Dean who was only in it for HIMSELF>>>

      He refused OUR request for TWO stellar hires back a decade ago.

      The reason was that “there was NO money in the field” for our truly stellar runner up.

      Did it MATTER that SHE was first choice of some of our MOST stellar faculty?

      Did it MATTER that she was  K99 and so forth?

      NOOOOOOO>… He was sure, because, he never could get any money for HIS research that there would NOT be enough money in THAT field.

      After that, this Interim and incompetent interim dean….who gave away OUR college for his own movement up the LADDER…. refused OUR requests to recruit for over EIGHT years, truly trying to crash OUR Department…it is a wonder WE survived.

      I kept track of this wonderful, Brilliant and very competent person who the interim dean thought would NOT make it…..her first name was Jade…

      SHE soon after took her SECOND choice offer…..and got an NSF Career award in THAT field where the TRULY mediocre could NOT get funding and the TRULY brilliant still could…

      Thank you for listening…..    LOL   this is hardly a tip of THIS iceberg   🙂

       

       

       

  7. Jerry, if YOU are right about CARMICHAEL….then HE is the snitch to Napolitano..

    He knows some things that I tried to expose in a letter to the Enterprise….and NOW it is ALL TRULY falling together…

    OMG    IT is WAY worse than I EVER thought on this campus…

    Well,   I have so much stuff and truly I am going low profile for a while….

    Jerry, you can email me or leave a message on my work number…..I will contact you from my private emails and numbers…..

    The UCD telephones and emails are recorded and listened to….  but I will ALSO not post anything more of my private info HERE>>>

     

    1. My e-mail is:  jjw1980@live.com

      Twitter: @Vashchook1980

      Carmichael is not snitch , he is worse than snitch . If he was conspired with Steven Drown and Stephen Chilcott in 2011 to destroy Chancellor Katehi  for the offer to get Annette Spicuzza job than he crooked and dangerous to society .   When news broke out that he fired Lt Pike it was so disgusting. People don’t know that he has no any power to fire anybody from Police department with exception of  his signature on the  termination letter. In Lt. Pike case , Lt . Pike termination was ordered by UC President after consultation with General Counsel Charles Robinson and UC Campus Counsel Steven Drown who was conductor and director of the 18/11/2011 pepper spray TV show to create Lt Pike image for Chancellor Katehi letter of termination which was written and was ready to deliver. Look back and check how quickly Carmichael from patrolling UCDMC Lt. became interim Police Chief.  He was in stand before  pepper spray TV show and he  waited for his chance he was given in exchange to join the mobsters.

       

  8. LOL…   Some don’t know what WEALTHY Russians and Poles WILL DO …..

    It is NEVER about the MONEY ….it is ALWAYS about what is RIGHT>>>

    And, CONNECTIONS are EVERYthING>>>>

    Fortunately for ME I know many people in many places ALWAYS have….

    Watch out MeLINDA and the Napo….

    I see ANOther lawsuit brewing….

    UCOP  is VERY quickly changing policies as I type….they cannot change them FAST enough for the Napo….

  9. PS>>>   ESPECIALLY if OUR friends and ESPECIALLY our family are wronged…

    That includes people who have BEEN like family….

  10. I just can’t get on board with the whole government is evil, conspiracy theories abound, thinking.

    Jerry, I do suggest that you take time to learn U.S. history.  You could start with the history of the Food Stamp program and its purpose to provide access to food while stabilizing food markets for farmers.

    I don’t know what to suggest to Marina.  It seems to me that there is a whole lot of anger there and I wonder what happened to create that anger.

    Both need to stay more on topic.

  11. “Haag is legitimizing false allegations by her former U.S attorney title in same way as  former Superior Court Justice Cruz  Reynoso was used for … ”

    Cruz Reynoso  accused of being unethical? The Katehi supporters have gone off of the deep end. I doubt I have ever known anyone who is more ethical than Justice Reynoso.

     

  12. Hi Mia
    Everthing is covered up by UC policies and Katehi did not violated any policy”
    Then why did she publicly apologize for her violation of policy by participating on the DeVry board prior to obtaining approval ?  This was in her own words as a mistake she was owning. I have a hard time believing that “everything is a cover up” when she stated as much herself..

    If  she would not offer an apology than she would  be done instantly . By apologizing  she gained  the time  to deal  with the attack  against  her. She controlled the aimed assault against her very well . The students occupying Mrak Hall did not get sprayed with pepper spray and no settlement was offered  to them  than new allegations were blown out of proportion. It  did not worked well either  than Napolitano attacked Chancellor’s  family than  five assigned legislators wrote the letter  to fire her (only five) and on and on .
    On DeVry Chancellor had nothing to apologize because UC General Counsel Charles Robinson  doing same same being for long time on PJM Board . We would probably find more folks who are getting paid from outside sources padding their salary. I have no opinion if it good that Chancellors or other very smart people having some insight into other businesses and getting pay for . I think it is beneficial for the university until it cost tax payers their dollars .

    I think Chancellor  did very well so far to repeal the attacks and looks like UC will pay hefty price for humiliating her and her family regardless if Chancellor will stay or not ( most likely not )

    I don’t have time now to write much about the  Chancellor Katehi’s apology but I will  eventually elaborated  about base on the taken action against my psychologist family after  Chancellor Katehi supposedly asked or requested  confidential   report on me in November 2011  and  Matt Carmichael inquiry on me with Lodi Police in June 2012 . Soviet Union from Stalin ear or today’s North Korea society . Hard to believe but documents I have are very convincing what is the UCSR is capable of in destroying its own employees lifes and their normal  existence .

    1. Jerry

      On DeVry Chancellor had nothing to apologize because UC General Counsel Charles Robinson  doing same same being for long time on PJM Board ”

      I do not know if you are familiar with the expression “two wrongs do not make a right”. Linda Katehi admitted that she had not obtained appropriate approval prior to signing on to the DeVry board. It simply does not matter if all of the Chancellors were doing the same thing. If it was outside the proper rules, it was outside and therefore very worthy of apology.

      1. Actually, it was worthy of NOT DOING… heard it said, “an ethical person knows it’s wrong to cheat on your spouse… a moral person just doesn’t do it…”

        If it had not been DONE, no apology would be needed…

        Am thinking we need to look with folk with good morals, and we wouldn’t need as much time spent on ethics training…

      2. Mia

        It is does matter if other high ranks UC officer doing same things .  This is a lame argument. It is  like one is being awarded for murdering somebody and other for same crime was sentenced to death . Come on . It is not going to fly .

        Beside the above , Napolitano stated  in her letter dated April 27, 2016 which removed Chancellor from her position and placed her on administrative leave .I am deeply disappointed to have to take this action.

        “AS I SAID WHEN I DEFENDED YOU AFTER YOU ACCEPTED THE DEVRY BOARD POSITION, ANOTHER VIOLATION OF UNIVERSITY POLICY, YOU HAVE DONE SOME GREAT WORK FOR UC DAVIS.” 

        I not sure who wrote the this statement and I don’t like to comment this statement by dealing with law and UC policies for last 15 years . Is this is a UC President statement addressing the Chancellor Katehi credentials and achievements.

        In UC Davis Medical Center several individuals were given promotion with enormous wages for dumping machine oil to the Sacramento River for seven years and here Napolitano suspending Chancellor because she wanted to make UC Davis looks good . Where is the logic and where is the harm to UC Davis done by Chancellor Katehi . ?I  have no words . 

         

        Most disgusting is attack on Chancellor. If read on DavisVanguard the Keyzer’s case you will find that Janet Keyzer was attacked. UC lawyer was threating me that UC will go after my wife wages . My wife is Norstrom employee for 26 years and has nothing to do with UC and she does not wants hear about my dispute with UC from me. This is the little taste of rotten by corruption UC administration    

         

  13. Marina wrote “with Napolitano’s agenda to militarize the UC system AND enforce the NSA spying on ALL computers on the network, without even prior approval or even KNOWLEDGE by the Academic Senate NOR managers….” There have also been attempted analogies between UC and the Stalinist Soviet Union and North Korea.

    I have no doubt that these two commenters believe all of this, but I strongly subscribe to Carl Sagan’s advice: “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” Please show us the evidence of the NSA’s spying on all UC computers. Really? With all the bigger fish to fry, why would they care?

    I can understand UC Davis’ students concerns about corporatizing the campus and UC in general, but where is the evidence of “militarization”? And what does that mean?

    I’ve been following Davis Vanguard since it began. While I’ve certainly witnessed posts and statements that deserved Don’s moderation (and pretty much always were moderated), and while I certainly disagree, almost always, with certain regular commentators here, I don’t recall seeing regular (if any) posts from people who I would label “wacko conspiracy theorists” until these recent responses to several of David’s Chancellor Katehi updates and commentaries.

    I guess I can see where they may not violate DV guidelines, but when they start making outrageous accusations and berating, if not slandering, individual campus employees by name, I can’t help but wonder into what direction DV is heading.

    Note to posters: again, I’m not completely discounting your claims, but they are often so far out on the edge of credibility that they demand some evidence of their reality.

  14. If you want some more DOCs ask THOSE on here who are PART of the ACADEMIC SENATE…or DO your own research please….

    What is THAT saying once again?   YOU CANNOT MAKE THIS STUFF UP?

    I didn’t use ANYONE’s names except the UCOP PRES and the UCD Chancelllor – bTW

    CHANCELLOR Kathi is STILL our CHANCELLOR so please show some respect buddy!

    EVERYTHING else you can find on doing your OwN research…

    Truth is ALWAYS stranger than fiction and what are the other old sayings that come to mind…

     

     

  15. Napolitano has NO Idea who SHE is up against when it comes to someone MUCH more educated and MUCH more brilliant than SHE is…

    WANT PROOF>>>>google Katehi AND google the Nap

    Pluse Katehi has INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS of STANDING….unlike the Nap who has a lame duck Pres for a pal.

  16. Ms. Napolitano is responsible for accepting position as the UC President. It was very immoral and improper for Ms. Napolitano that she used her friend U.S Senator Dianne Feinstein to be hired as a UC President. Senator  Feinstein’s  spouse Richard Blum is the  most influential regents in the UC  Board of Regents.  Just friends . For sure Ms. Napolitano would not be responsible for extinction of dinosaurs  in UC system . However she  would be held liable for discrimination and witch hunt aimed at UC Davis Greek born Chancellor Linda Katehi.  

  17. One of my many superpowers as an activist, with many decades of practice, I am very adept at riling people up…..my kids and husband are often appalled…..increasingly so are my faculty , staff and our dean’s office.

    I KNOW I am succeeding when others start telling me to tone things down..

    And, as my UCD Researchgate profile had a HUGE increase in hits….overnight!!!!

    Sometimes I wish there was an edit button,  so that after I have created an effect, I could tone things down a bit…  oh well…

    Have a good night…

  18. CONCLUSION OF THIS CHAPTER

    The Greek family is being prosecuted by Napolitano and Haag , the two rejects from the Obama’s administration . Mini “KRISTALLNACHT IN CONSTANTINOPLE” in UC Davis, California . How worse it could get?“If we don’t confront those things that are wrong, it gets worse.” ― Sunday Adelaja

     

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