Who will be UC Santa Barbara’s new chancellor?

Despite sitting Chancellor Henry Yang preparing to leave his position in a few weeks, no replacement has been named. 

Yang, who was appointed in 1994, announced in August that he would step down as chancellor at the end of the school year and return to teaching and research.   

The academic year ends June 13, with commencement ceremonies through June 15.

During closed session at the May 28 UC Board of Regents meeting, regents did receive an update on the UCSB Chancellor search, but that information was not shared with the public. 

The Board of Regents isn’t set to meet again until July 15, unless there is another special meeting. 

In that same May meeting, the regents appointed a new Chancellor for UC Riverside. Jack Hu, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at the University of Georgia, will take over for Kim Wilcox starting on July 15.

A search committee for the new UCSB Chancellor was formed in the fall. Students, staff, and faculty were invited to a series of town halls to discuss what they wanted to see from the university’s new leader.

Sources tell Noozhawk that the search committee wrapped up its obligations in March. 

The committee was reportedly presented with a list of 10 finalists to take over for Yang. The search committee narrowed that list to five to six candidates for UC President Michael Drake’s consideration. 

According to the Chancellor Search information page, Drake was supposed to interview the candidates, perform background checks, and recommend a finalist to the UC Board of Regents, which would then vote on the nominee. February and March was the time for selection and appointment, according to that process.  

When Noozhawk asked for an update on the search and when a new chancellor would be named, Stett Holbrook, spokesperson for UC Office of the President, said there were no updates available. 

Holbrook did not answer whether an interim chancellor would be named before Yang’s permanent replacement is selected. 

For whatever reason, the UC administration is not providing updates about who will take over, and when.  

Yang’s legacy of 30 years as chancellor was recognized at a UC Regents meeting last month. The Board of Regents also approved temporary off-campus housing for the new chancellor, paying up to $25,000 a month.  

The new chancellor will live off campus for about two years while the on-campus chancellor house is renovated, according to UCSB.

The building hasn’t had major work done since Yang moved in.