In a move akin to an administrative buzzer-beater, UC President Michael Drake announced the interim replacement for retiring UC Santa Barbara Chancellor Henry Yang on Monday. Yang’s 31-year-tenure expired on July 14.
UCSB’s Executive Vice Chancellor David Marshall will temporarily take the helm until a new chancellor is found, vetted, and appointed, Drake said. The announcement followed a period of uncertainty and skepticism around who may take Yang’s place and when, as the search process — started nearly a year ago — had still not bore any fruit last week, even with Yang’s retirement date quickly approaching.
Drake’s announcement, sent out en masse via email to UCSB faculty and staff, began by commending Yang for his “remarkable leadership and unwavering commitment to excellence,” crediting Yang for the school’s “historic growth” in many areas.