Former US attorney tapped to investigate UC Davis chancellor

SAN FRANCISCO - University of California President Janet Napolitano has retained the former chief federal prosecutor for Northern California to lead an investigation into whether the chancellor of UC Davis violated university conflict-of-interest and ethics policies.

Napolitano's office said Thursday that former U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag would oversee the independent investigation Napolitano launched last week when she put Chancellor Linda Katehi on paid leave amid mounting calls for the campus leader's resignation.

Haag spent five years as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of California until she stepped down in September. She returned to private practice in San Francisco, where she is a partner in the white collar and corporate investigations group of a major law firm.

UC spokeswoman Dianne Klein says Haag will be paid for her services, but agreed to discount her hourly rate.