UC Davis integrity is circling the drain
UC Davis' Integrity Is Circling the Drain
24 June 2026
BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

The bibliography includes links to materials referenced throughout this article.
On June 17, 2026, Scott M. Graffius notified UC Davis that its 2023 and 2024 publications contained material copied from his copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property. The notice identified the specific publications, provided side-by-side comparisons as evidence, supplied links, cited copyright ownership information embedded in the original work, and demanded UC Davis' confirmation of the removal of their infringing materials and an apology.
The compliance deadline expired on June 22, 2026. As of the time of this article on June 24, 2026, UC Davis had neither confirmed the removal of their infringing materials nor provided an apology.
Until UC Davis removes its infringing publications, UC Davis continues to spread misinformation and violate Graffius’ intellectual property rights.
The university’s ongoing failure raises serious questions about its commitment to the standards of academic integrity and intellectual property compliance that it publicly promotes.
Graffius presents this follow-up article to elevate visibility of this case, uphold his intellectual property rights, hold UC Davis accountable, and deter future violations.
Here's a timeline:
Details follow.
Scott M. Graffius' June 17, 2026, article documented how UC Davis’ 2023 and 2024 publications used Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property without authorization or attribution.
Here's a comparison of content from Graffius' copyrighted 2019 work and UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication:
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Questioning”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Questioning”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Displaying eagerness”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Displaying eagerness”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Providing clear expectations”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Provide clear expectations”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Resistance”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Resistance”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Conflict”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Conflict”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Competition”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Competition”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Encouraging leadership”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Encourage leaders”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Reconciliation”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Reconciliation”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Members are engaged & supportive”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Members supportive”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Recognizing individual and group efforts”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Recognize one another”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Balance of task and process orientation”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Balance task and process”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Encouraging group decision-making”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Group decision-making”
Here’s a comparison of content from Graffius’ 2019 copyrighted work and the infringing 2024 publication by UC Davis.
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Questioning”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Questioning”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Displaying eagerness”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Displaying eagerness”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Providing clear expectations”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Provide clear expectations”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Resistance”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Resistance”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Conflict”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Conflict”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Competition”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Competition”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Encouraging leadership”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Encourage leaders”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Reconciliation”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Reconciliation”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Members are engaged & supportive”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Members supportive”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Recognizing individual and group efforts”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Recognize one another”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Balance of task and process orientation”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Balance task and process”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Encouraging group decision-making”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Group decision-making”
Graffius' June 17 article also delineated that:
Graffius' June 17 article instructed UC Davis to immediately implement two actions. Here's a summary:
1. Remove the Infringing Material.
1 (a). Electronic Versions: Immediately remove the infringing material (any and all publications/products with infringement) from digital platforms where it is published, posted, or distributed; this includes removing or disabling any online access to it.
1 (b). Physical Copies: If physical copies of the infringing material are in inventory or circulation, stop further distribution, recall any copies already distributed, and destroy (shred and recycle) copies.
2. Issue a Confirmation and Apology. Email Scott M. Graffius with confirmation of compliance with 1 (a) and 1 (b), and apologize for plagiarizing his work and violating his intellectual property rights.
Beyond the June 17 article, Graffius sent notice of this serious matter to the UC Davis faculty/staff listed on the infringing publications, members of UC Davis administration, and a state official. He notified them via email the same day. Some details are redacted.
UC Davis faculty/staff listed on the infringing publications:
UC Davis administration:
State official:
The compliance deadline expired on June 22, 2026. As of the time of this article on June 24, 2026, UC Davis had neither confirmed their removal of their infringing materials nor provided an apology.
The university’s conduct (action or lack thereof) raises serious questions about its commitment to the standards of academic integrity and intellectual property compliance that it publicly promotes.
UC Davis’ Conduct Does Not Match Its Own Standards
UC Davis publicly promotes academic integrity, proper attribution, respect for intellectual property, and compliance with copyright law. Here are some excerpts (the bibliography provides details including links):
Yet, after receiving clear, indisputable evidence of plagiarism and copyright infringement in two of its publications, UC Davis has failed to confirm the removal of their infringing materials nor apologize. UC Davis' conduct is inconsistent with its stated values and call into question the sincerity of its public commitments and its integrity.
UC Davis Is a Problem
Until UC Davis' removes its infringing publications, UC Davis continues to spread misinformation and violate Graffius’ intellectual property rights.
Graffius expressly reserves all of his rights in this serious matter.
If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear in the Post-Publication Notes section at the end of this piece.
Graffius, S. M. (n.d.). Public Speaker. https://scottgraffius.com/publicspeaker.html
Graffius, S. M. (2019, May 10). Phases of Team Development [Twitter post featuring the 2019 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development"; also see scanFOAM]. https://x.com/ScottGraffius/status/1126788452295401474?s=20
Graffius, S. M. (2026). Rate Card for 2026. https://scottgraffius.com/resources/Exceptional-PPM-and-PMO-Solutions-Rate-Card-for-2026-v26010107.pdf
Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 3). Scott M. Graffius' Phases of Team Development - Applied to Human Teams and Human-AI Teams: 2026 Update. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18184.89601
Graffius, S. M. (2026, June 17). UC Davis Used Scott M. Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" Intellectual Property. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/uc-davis-used-scott-m-graffius-intellectual-property.html
scanFOAM (2024, April 17). Experience learning | 25 years of ATACC | TBS24 [YouTube video featuring the 2019 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development."] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8kubFUC79k&t=2789s
University of California, Davis. (n.d.). Avoiding Plagiarism: Mastering the Art of Scholarship. https://studentconduct.ucdavis.edu/avoiding-plagiarism-mastering-art-scholarship
University of California, Davis. (n.d.). Frequently Asked Questions. https://studentconduct.ucdavis.edu/conduct/faqs
University of California, Davis. (n.d.). How to make a whistleblower report. https://compliance.ucdavis.edu/how-make-whistleblower-report
University of California, Davis. (n.d.). What is Academic Integrity? https://studentconduct.ucdavis.edu/conduct/academic-integrity
University of California, Davis. (2023, April). MGT 440 Student Handbook Integrated Management Project. [The names listed on the publication include Kelly Wilson, Marybeth Kavanagh, Keith Weissglass, Mary Kay Vona, Chris Ziemba, and Selina Laqui.] https://schedule.aws.ucdavis.edu/public/documents/5516631/Syllabus
University of California, Davis. (2024, May). Integrated Management Project (IMP) and MGT 440 Course Objective. [The names listed on the publication include Barry Curtis, Selina Laqui, and Kelly Wilson.] https://webapps.aws.ucdavis.edu/public/documents/6929287/Syllabus
University of California, Davis, Office of Student Conduct and Integrity. (2026). Interim UC Davis policy on student conduct and discipline: 102.01.1 UC Davis Code of Academic Conduct. University of California, Davis. https://studentconduct.ucdavis.edu/code-academic-conduct
University of California Office of the President. (2026). APM-016: University policy on faculty conduct and the administration of discipline (Rev. Jan. 29, 2026). University of California. https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/apm/apm-016.pdf
University of California Office of the President. (2026). APM-015: The Faculty Code of Conduct (Rev. Jan. 29, 2026). University of California. https://aadocs.ucdavis.edu/policies/apm/apm-015.pdf

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.
He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 99 conferences and other events across 25 countries.
He’s delivered over $2.51 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.
Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.
The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.
Experience
Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.
Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.
He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.
Award-Winning Author
Graffius has authored three books.
International Public Speaker
Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 99 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.
With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.
The speaker engagement request form is here.
Thought Leadership and Influence
Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:
Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:
He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.
Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft

Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence. In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI collaborates as a teammate—to his "Phases of Team Development."
The 2026 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.
Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms

Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities—such as Fast Company, GoDaddy, Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), Ministère de la Culture (French Ministry of Culture), Pinterest Inc., PNAS, and Telecommunications Policy, among others—his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.
The 2026 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.
Education and Professional Certifications
Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:
He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management
Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.
Discover Scott’s Books
Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.













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Graffius, S. M. (2026, June 24). UC Davis' Integrity Is Circling the Drain. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/uc-davis-integrity-is-circling-the-drain.html

Coming soon

Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" is copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
University of California, Davis (UC Davis) name, mark, and content — except for material plagiarized from Graffius and used in violation of his intellectual property rights — are the property of The Regents of the University of California.
"MGT 440 Student Handbook Integrated Management Project," dated April 2023, except for material plagiarized from Graffius and used in violation of his intellectual property rights, is the property of UC Davis and contributors. The names of UC Davis faculty/staff listed on the infringing publication include Kelly Wilson, Marybeth Kavanagh, Keith Weissglass, Mary Kay Vona, Chris Ziemba, and Selina Laqui. Graffius' article includes limited excerpts, attributed and used under the fair use doctrine for purposes of news reporting, commentary, and analysis.
"Integrated Management Project (IMP) and MGT 440 Course Objective," dated May 2024, except for material plagiarized from Graffius and used in violation of his intellectual property rights, is the property of UC Davis and contributors. The names of UC Davis faculty/staff listed on the infringing publication include Barry Curtis, Selina Laqui, and Kelly Wilson. Graffius' article includes limited excerpts, attributed and used under the fair use doctrine for purposes of news reporting, commentary, and analysis.


If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.


The bibliography includes links to materials referenced throughout this article.
Introduction
On June 17, 2026, Scott M. Graffius notified UC Davis that its 2023 and 2024 publications contained material copied from his copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property. The notice identified the specific publications, provided side-by-side comparisons as evidence, supplied links, cited copyright ownership information embedded in the original work, and demanded UC Davis' confirmation of the removal of their infringing materials and an apology.
The compliance deadline expired on June 22, 2026. As of the time of this article on June 24, 2026, UC Davis had neither confirmed the removal of their infringing materials nor provided an apology.
Until UC Davis removes its infringing publications, UC Davis continues to spread misinformation and violate Graffius’ intellectual property rights.
The university’s ongoing failure raises serious questions about its commitment to the standards of academic integrity and intellectual property compliance that it publicly promotes.
Graffius presents this follow-up article to elevate visibility of this case, uphold his intellectual property rights, hold UC Davis accountable, and deter future violations.
Here's a timeline:
- 2019 — Graffius published his copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property.
- 2023 — UC Davis published material incorporating Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property.
- 2024 — UC Davis published another piece incorporating Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property.
- June 17, 2026 — Graffius published evidence of the two UC Davis infringing publications that plagiarize and infringe his intellectual property rights, and he sent notice to UC Davis faculty/staff, administrators, and a state official.
- June 22, 2026 — Deadline for UC Davis to confirm the removal of their infringing materials and provide an apology.
- June 24, 2026 (the date of this article) — UC Davis has not confirmed the removal of their infringing materials nor provided an apology.
Details follow.
Background
Scott M. Graffius' June 17, 2026, article documented how UC Davis’ 2023 and 2024 publications used Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property without authorization or attribution.
Here's a comparison of content from Graffius' copyrighted 2019 work and UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication:
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Questioning”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Questioning”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Displaying eagerness”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Displaying eagerness”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Providing clear expectations”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Provide clear expectations”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Resistance”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Resistance”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Conflict”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Conflict”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Competition”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Competition”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Encouraging leadership”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Encourage leaders”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Reconciliation”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Reconciliation”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Members are engaged & supportive”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Members supportive”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Recognizing individual and group efforts”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Recognize one another”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Balance of task and process orientation”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Balance task and process”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Encouraging group decision-making”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2023 publication has this: “Group decision-making”
Here’s a comparison of content from Graffius’ 2019 copyrighted work and the infringing 2024 publication by UC Davis.
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Questioning”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Questioning”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Displaying eagerness”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Displaying eagerness”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Providing clear expectations”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Provide clear expectations”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Resistance”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Resistance”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Conflict”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Conflict”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Competition”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Competition”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Encouraging leadership”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Encourage leaders”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Reconciliation”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Reconciliation”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Members are engaged & supportive”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Members supportive”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Recognizing individual and group efforts”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Recognize one another”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Balance of task and process orientation”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Balance task and process”
🟢 Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Encouraging group decision-making”
🔴 UC Davis' infringing 2024 publication has this: “Group decision-making”
Graffius' June 17 article also delineated that:
- Graffius’ copyright ownership details and permission request information are integrated into and appear on his 2019 "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property. It reads: "Copyright © 2008-2019 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. For permission requests, contact scott@scottgraffius.com."
- UC Davis faculty/staff neither requested nor received permission to use Graffius' copyrighted property, yet two UC Davis publications incorporated material portions of it.
- UC Davis' infringing publications failed to acknowledge Graffius' ownership of his respective content. They did not quote, cite, or otherwise credit Graffius. By doing so, UC Davis faculty/staff misled others into falsely believing that UC Davis faculty/staff are the authors and owners of Graffius' intellectual property.
- UC Davis' infringement has damaged the marketability and value of Graffius’ intellectual property.
- UC Davis' use of Graffius’ copyrighted property was not "fair use" nor otherwise allowed.
- Infringement is unprofessional, unethical, immoral, disgraceful, and unlawful.
- So long as UC Davis' infringing publications exist anywhere, in any form, UC Davis continues to spread misinformation and violate Graffius’ intellectual property rights. Accordingly, time is of the essence.
Demand for Action
Graffius' June 17 article instructed UC Davis to immediately implement two actions. Here's a summary:
1. Remove the Infringing Material.
1 (a). Electronic Versions: Immediately remove the infringing material (any and all publications/products with infringement) from digital platforms where it is published, posted, or distributed; this includes removing or disabling any online access to it.
1 (b). Physical Copies: If physical copies of the infringing material are in inventory or circulation, stop further distribution, recall any copies already distributed, and destroy (shred and recycle) copies.
2. Issue a Confirmation and Apology. Email Scott M. Graffius with confirmation of compliance with 1 (a) and 1 (b), and apologize for plagiarizing his work and violating his intellectual property rights.
Beyond the June 17 article, Graffius sent notice of this serious matter to the UC Davis faculty/staff listed on the infringing publications, members of UC Davis administration, and a state official. He notified them via email the same day. Some details are redacted.
UC Davis faculty/staff listed on the infringing publications:
- Barry Curtis at b█████████@ucdavis.edu
- Chris Ziemba (UC Davis email not listed, UC Davis email not found)
- Keith Weissglass at k███████████@ucdavis.edu
- Kelly Wilson at k███████████@ucdavis.edu
- Mary Kay Vona at m███@ucdavis.edu
- Marybeth Kavanagh at m████████@ucdavis.edu
- Selina Laqui at s███████@ucdavis.edu
UC Davis administration:
- Academic Affairs at p█████████@ucdavis.edu
- Conflicts at b███████@ucdavis.edu
- Conflicts at h███████@ucdavis.edu
- Conflicts at k████████@ucdavis.edu
- Dean at g████████@ucdavis.edu
- Ethics at d██████████@ucdavis.edu.
- Intellectual Property at k█████████@ucdavis.edu
- Intellectual Property at r███████@ucdavis.edu
- Research Compliance at d███████@ucdavis.edu
- █████████████ at █████████@ucdavis.edu
State official:
- State Auditor at S█████████@doj.ca.gov
Status
The compliance deadline expired on June 22, 2026. As of the time of this article on June 24, 2026, UC Davis had neither confirmed their removal of their infringing materials nor provided an apology.
The university’s conduct (action or lack thereof) raises serious questions about its commitment to the standards of academic integrity and intellectual property compliance that it publicly promotes.
UC Davis’ Conduct Does Not Match Its Own Standards
UC Davis publicly promotes academic integrity, proper attribution, respect for intellectual property, and compliance with copyright law. Here are some excerpts (the bibliography provides details including links):
"Plagiarism means using the words or ideas of another without giving appropriate credit."
"Plagiarism is dishonest and/or misleading, because it misrepresents work from another source as your own."
"Plagiarism violates the Code of Academic Conduct and can lead to Suspension or Dismissal."
"Plagiarism devalues others’ original work."
"Integrity also involves accepting responsibility for one's actions and the consequences of those actions."
"Furthermore, copyright violations can result in damages, fines, or worse."
Yet, after receiving clear, indisputable evidence of plagiarism and copyright infringement in two of its publications, UC Davis has failed to confirm the removal of their infringing materials nor apologize. UC Davis' conduct is inconsistent with its stated values and call into question the sincerity of its public commitments and its integrity.
UC Davis Is a Problem
Until UC Davis' removes its infringing publications, UC Davis continues to spread misinformation and violate Graffius’ intellectual property rights.
Graffius expressly reserves all of his rights in this serious matter.
If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear in the Post-Publication Notes section at the end of this piece.
Bibliography
Graffius, S. M. (n.d.). Public Speaker. https://scottgraffius.com/publicspeaker.html
Graffius, S. M. (2019, May 10). Phases of Team Development [Twitter post featuring the 2019 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development"; also see scanFOAM]. https://x.com/ScottGraffius/status/1126788452295401474?s=20
Graffius, S. M. (2026). Rate Card for 2026. https://scottgraffius.com/resources/Exceptional-PPM-and-PMO-Solutions-Rate-Card-for-2026-v26010107.pdf
Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 3). Scott M. Graffius' Phases of Team Development - Applied to Human Teams and Human-AI Teams: 2026 Update. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18184.89601
Graffius, S. M. (2026, June 17). UC Davis Used Scott M. Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" Intellectual Property. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/uc-davis-used-scott-m-graffius-intellectual-property.html
scanFOAM (2024, April 17). Experience learning | 25 years of ATACC | TBS24 [YouTube video featuring the 2019 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development."] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8kubFUC79k&t=2789s
University of California, Davis. (n.d.). Avoiding Plagiarism: Mastering the Art of Scholarship. https://studentconduct.ucdavis.edu/avoiding-plagiarism-mastering-art-scholarship
University of California, Davis. (n.d.). Frequently Asked Questions. https://studentconduct.ucdavis.edu/conduct/faqs
University of California, Davis. (n.d.). How to make a whistleblower report. https://compliance.ucdavis.edu/how-make-whistleblower-report
University of California, Davis. (n.d.). What is Academic Integrity? https://studentconduct.ucdavis.edu/conduct/academic-integrity
University of California, Davis. (2023, April). MGT 440 Student Handbook Integrated Management Project. [The names listed on the publication include Kelly Wilson, Marybeth Kavanagh, Keith Weissglass, Mary Kay Vona, Chris Ziemba, and Selina Laqui.] https://schedule.aws.ucdavis.edu/public/documents/5516631/Syllabus
University of California, Davis. (2024, May). Integrated Management Project (IMP) and MGT 440 Course Objective. [The names listed on the publication include Barry Curtis, Selina Laqui, and Kelly Wilson.] https://webapps.aws.ucdavis.edu/public/documents/6929287/Syllabus
University of California, Davis, Office of Student Conduct and Integrity. (2026). Interim UC Davis policy on student conduct and discipline: 102.01.1 UC Davis Code of Academic Conduct. University of California, Davis. https://studentconduct.ucdavis.edu/code-academic-conduct
University of California Office of the President. (2026). APM-016: University policy on faculty conduct and the administration of discipline (Rev. Jan. 29, 2026). University of California. https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/apm/apm-016.pdf
University of California Office of the President. (2026). APM-015: The Faculty Code of Conduct (Rev. Jan. 29, 2026). University of California. https://aadocs.ucdavis.edu/policies/apm/apm-015.pdf
About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.
He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 99 conferences and other events across 25 countries.
He’s delivered over $2.51 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.
Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.
The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.
Experience
Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.
Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.
He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.
Award-Winning Author
Graffius has authored three books.
- Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
- Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
- Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.
International Public Speaker
Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 99 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.
With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.
The speaker engagement request form is here.
Thought Leadership and Influence
Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:
- Adobe,
- American Management Association,
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
- Bayer,
- BMC Software,
- Boston University,
- Broadcom,
- Cisco,
- Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
- Computer Weekly,
- Constructor University - Germany,
- Data Governance Success,
- Deimos Aerospace,
- DevOps Institute,
- Dropbox,
- EU's European Commission,
- Ford Motor Company,
- Gartner,
- GoDaddy,
- Harvard Medical School,
- Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
- IEEE,
- Innovation Project Management,
- Johns Hopkins University,
- Journal of Neurosurgery,
- Lam Research (Semiconductors),
- Leadership Worthy,
- Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
- London South Bank University,
- Microsoft,
- MSN,
- NASSCOM,
- National Academy of Sciences,
- New Zealand Government,
- Oracle,
- Pinterest Inc.,
- Project Management Institute,
- Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
- SANS Institute,
- SBG Neumark - Germany,
- Singapore Institute of Technology,
- Torrens University - Australia,
- TBS Switzerland,
- Tufts University,
- UC San Diego,
- UK Sports Institute,
- University of Galway - Ireland,
- US Department of Energy,
- US National Park Service,
- US Soccer,
- US Tennis Association,
- Verizon,
- Wrike,
- Yale University,
- and many others.
Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:
- The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management
- Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition
- A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition
- A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition
- The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition
- Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition
- The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition
He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.
Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft

Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence. In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI collaborates as a teammate—to his "Phases of Team Development."
The 2026 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.
Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms

Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities—such as Fast Company, GoDaddy, Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), Ministère de la Culture (French Ministry of Culture), Pinterest Inc., PNAS, and Telecommunications Policy, among others—his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.
The 2026 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.
Education and Professional Certifications
Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:
- Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
- Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
- Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
- Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
- Project Management Professional (PMP),
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
- IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).
He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management
Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.
Discover Scott’s Books
- Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions — Deliver Products in Short Cycles with Rapid Adaptation to Change, Fast Time-to-Market, and Continuous Improvement
- Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change
- Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum
Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.












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How to Cite This Article
Graffius, S. M. (2026, June 24). UC Davis' Integrity Is Circling the Drain. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/uc-davis-integrity-is-circling-the-drain.html

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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Content Acknowledgements
Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" is copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
University of California, Davis (UC Davis) name, mark, and content — except for material plagiarized from Graffius and used in violation of his intellectual property rights — are the property of The Regents of the University of California.
"MGT 440 Student Handbook Integrated Management Project," dated April 2023, except for material plagiarized from Graffius and used in violation of his intellectual property rights, is the property of UC Davis and contributors. The names of UC Davis faculty/staff listed on the infringing publication include Kelly Wilson, Marybeth Kavanagh, Keith Weissglass, Mary Kay Vona, Chris Ziemba, and Selina Laqui. Graffius' article includes limited excerpts, attributed and used under the fair use doctrine for purposes of news reporting, commentary, and analysis.
"Integrated Management Project (IMP) and MGT 440 Course Objective," dated May 2024, except for material plagiarized from Graffius and used in violation of his intellectual property rights, is the property of UC Davis and contributors. The names of UC Davis faculty/staff listed on the infringing publication include Barry Curtis, Selina Laqui, and Kelly Wilson. Graffius' article includes limited excerpts, attributed and used under the fair use doctrine for purposes of news reporting, commentary, and analysis.

Tags and Hashtags
- Academic integrity
- Plagiarism
- Intellectual property
- Copyright infringement
- University of California, Davis (UC Davis)
- Higher education governance
- Faculty misconduct
- Phases of Team Development
- Team Dynamics
- Academic ethics and accountability
- #AcademicIntegrity
- #Plagiarism
- #IntellectualProperty
- #Copyright
- #UCDavis
- #HigherEducation
- #FacultyConduct
- #StudentConduct
- #TeamDevelopment
- #TeamDynamics
- #PhasesOfTeamDevelopment
- #UniversityOfCalifornia

Post-Publication Notes
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Copyright
Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.

