UC Santa Barbara Appoints Dennis Assanis New Chancellor Starting September

Dennis Assanis, former president of the University of Delaware, has been appointed as the sixth chancellor of the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), effective September 1. Assanis succeeds Henry Yang, who retired after a historic 31-year tenure, and will earn an annual salary of $880,000. During his presidency at Delaware, Assanis significantly expanded the university's research capacity, increasing research expenditures from $176 million in 2016 to $466 million in 2024, and spearheading the creation of the Science, Technology and Advanced Research campus. UC President Michael V. Drake praised Assanis for his commitment to interdisciplinary work, student success, and academic excellence, highlighting his strategic vision as suited to leading UCSB amid funding challenges and a student housing shortage. Assanis, born in Greece and highly educated with degrees from Newcastle University and MIT, also served on the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology under President Biden, reflecting his national stature in science and education policy. His leadership is expected to continue UCSB's growth as a top public university and innovation hub.