Linda Katehi, the University of California-Davis Chancellor under rhetorical fire for ordering police to evict student protesters on Friday, was previously appointed to chair the Committee on the National Medal of Science appointment by President George W. Bush.

The 12-member committee evaluates nominees for the National Medal of Science. She served on the committee until 2010.

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Katehi was named the sixth chancellor of the UC Davis in 2009 by the UC Board of Regents and currently receives a salary of $400,000 per year, an increase from the $356,000 she received from the University of Illinois.

Her husband, Spyros Tseregounis, is a professor at UC Davis in the Department for Chemical Engineering.

Katehi placed school police chief Annette Spicuzza on administrative leave Monday afternoon.

Two other officers have also been placed on suspension for deploying the pepper spray, and an investigation is underway.

Katehi, facing calls by UC Davis faculty for her resignation, said Monday morning that she will not step down, insisting that the “university needs me.”

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Updated 9:16pm ET