Dennis Assanis reflected on his past and energetically looked forward to UC Santa Barbara’s future during his inauguration as the institution’s sixth chancellor on Wednesday. 

The choice to hold the ceremony at the Lobero Theatre in downtown Santa Barbara shows the university’s commitment and connection to local communities, he said, and so does the new State Street property and OASIS facility in Goleta.  

Assanis thanked the faculty, staff and students at UCSB, University of California officials, local electeds, and friends and former colleagues who spoke during the ceremony, saying they had “touched my heart.” 

Assanis started as UCSB chancellor in September 2025. He took over from Henry Yang, who served in the role for a record 31 years. 

Wednesday’s ceremony hadn’t happened for more than three decades, university officials noted. 

Assanis said UCSB has always expanded its educational mission to meet the moment and added important programs through the decades. 

“UC Santa Barbara has never been daunted by challenges of a changing world,” he said. “Instead, we make breakthroughs, we dream, we innovate, we build, we lead. We always meet the moment.” 

He added: “The potential of what we can achieve together is simply limitless.”

Assanis previously worked at the University of Delaware, where he served as president from 2016 through 2025. He and his wife of 45 years, Eleni, have two adult sons, Nicholas and Dimitris, two grandchildren, and two Australian labradoodles named Coco and Apollo. 

A native of Athens, Greece, Assanis got his undergraduate degree in marine engineering at Newcastle University in England. He has three master’s degrees and a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).  

In his first nine months at UCSB, he has been meeting with people, “listening carefully,” putting on blue and gold — the university’s official colors — to support student athletes and taking a lot of selfies, he said.

Assanis said this is a time for UCSB’s next chapter, to think bigger and expand the university’s reach.

While the campus will “always be the heart of our endeavors,” he wants to expand hybrid and online learning options to expand opportunities to more students. 

He cited the university’s new online master of engineering degree as an example, adding that more programs are being developed.

The Master of Engineering and Technology Leadership degree will first be available in fall 2027. 

He also talked about campus improvements, like the new San Benito and East Campus student housing developments, which will add thousands of beds. 

“UCSB is here for you,” he said, addressing the local community in addition to the campus community. Business leaders and public officials should know the university is here to partner with them, and “if you’re looking for talent and ideas, look no further,” he said. 

He thanked his family, including his 98-year-old mother watching the livestream and Eleni, who was on stage with him. 

“Eleni, you’ve been the wind in my sails. None of this would have been possible without your spark, your strength, and your love. Thank you, my dear,” he said. 

Speakers at Wednesday’s ceremony included Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, City of Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse (a UCSB alumnus), UC Regents Board Member Janet Reilly, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians member Nakia Zavalla, UCSB faculty and student leaders, and more.

There were also student musical and dance performances. 

After the tributes, University of California President James B. Milliken presented Assanis with a medal, a symbol of authority bestowed by the UC Regents.  

“After listening to all of them, I’m really glad we hired you,” he said when he took the podium. 

In their first conversation about his time at UCSB, Assanis “said he wants to build, he wants to grow, he wants to excel, he wants to win,” Melliken said.

Ceremony Speakers

“At a time when immigrants and higher education are under attack, California continues to demonstrate something very powerful: when you combine talent, education and opportunity, you create not only economic success, but a stronger and more vibrant society,” Kounalakis said. 

Reilly, the chair of the UC Board of Regents, called Assanis “the right leader and the right leader for the moment.” 

Rita Raley, head of UCSB’s Academic Senate, said faculty told the search committee that they wanted a leader who understands the importance of shared governance, “guiding the community by counsel rather than command.”

They also wanted someone who understands UCSB’s research and teaching mission. 

“Your time with us has already generated optimism,” Raley said. 

Le Anh Metzger, the 2025-26 Associated Students student body president, said she was excited to keep collaborating with him on the new chancellor’s advisory committee.

“We’re happy to have you,” she said in a video message. 

Several of Assanis’ former colleagues and friends from other universities shared stories and told the crowd Santa Barbara is lucky to have Dennis and Eleni Assanis.

At the University of Delaware, Assanis delivered again and again, even when the scale seemed impossible, said former trustee John R. Cochran III. 

During Assanis’ tenure, the university saw a doubling of research expenditures, increasing graduation rates and a fundraising campaign over $1 billion, Cochran said. 

“He’s a bold, courageous and persistent individual,” Cochran said. 

Assanis would mobilize the faculty “and then get out of the way,” said Levi Thompson, dean of engineering at the University of South Florida who has known him since their college days. 

“They are indeed a dynamic duo,” Thompson said of the couple.