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By Rachel Makabi

Daily Bruin Contributor

The Superior Court of Los Angeles dropped all charges last month against physiology Professor Michael Chase, who was accused of one count of misappropriation of public funds and one count of grand theft by embezzlement.

While criminal charges have been officially dropped against Chase, the university can still take disciplinary action if it finds that he violated the Faculty Code of Conduct.

Due to policy, Joe Mandel, vice chancellor of legal affairs, would not say whether the university has or will take disciplinary actions against Chase.

According to Mandel, the university paid approximately $1.78 million for academic conferences Chase was holding. UCLA alleged that Chase overpaid the event planners, and some of this money was funneled back to the professor.

The dispute also questioned whether Chase was required to report the income to the Health Sciences Compensation Plan.

Though the plan allows professors to accept income outside the university if the work is related to their teachings or research, it still asks that professors report the income. But because Chase received money for work on a symposium – which is outside the duties of his job – he said he was not required to report it.

Chase said the charges devastated his professional, personal and research life, and he hopes a review of the events will prevent others from facing a similar situation.

In a civil case in March 2000, Chase settled by agreeing to pay the university $750,000. District Attorney Richard A. Lowenstein did not press charges initially due to insufficient evidence, but he later conducted his own investigation and filed a suit against Chase.

A preliminary hearing on April 4 found that funds Chase received from organizers were exchanged for work he performed, and the transactions were known and approved by the university. The hearing also found that university regulations allowed him to be compensated for private work and that the original complaint did not state a public offense.

Though Chase is a tenured professor, if he were suspected of breaking the Faculty Code of Conduct, his case would be taken to the grievance and disciplinary procedures committee at the Academic Senate. If substantial evidence is found, the vice chancellor for academic personnel can recommend to the chancellor to dismiss, demote, suspend or give a letter of censure to Chase.

Chase said he does not think it is fair for the university to take actions against anyone after the superior court has dropped charges.

“Any disciplinary actions are time consuming, incredibly costly and damaging to life and livelihood,” Chase said. “Unless they have a real basis, they can have dire consequences.”

Norman Abrams, vice chancellor for academic personnel, said the university can still bring its own charges against someone after a different court has exonerated them.