David Marshall, the executive vice chancellor of UC Santa Barbara, will serve as the interim chancellor starting July 15. Chancellor Henry T. Yang will step down on July 14, bringing his 31-year tenure to a close.
Marshall has been the executive vice chancellor of UCSB since 2014 and is also a distinguished professor of English and comparative literature. Photo Courtesy of The Current
Earlier today, outgoing University of California (UC) President Michael V. Drake named Marshall the interim chancellor until UC administrators select a permanent chancellor. The search for the next chancellor has been extended as the decision was tentatively set to be finalized this spring.
Marshall has been the executive vice chancellor of UCSB since 2014 and is also a distinguished professor of English and comparative literature. He was previously the Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts at UCSB for 16 years and the executive dean of the College of Letters and Science from 2005 to 2012.
“David [Marshall] has led major campus initiatives in academic planning, faculty diversity, undergraduate education, and interdisciplinary research,” an email statement read. “His deep experience, institutional knowledge, and longstanding partnership with Chancellor Yang position him exceptionally well to guide UCSB during this transitional period.”
In November 2024, Drake announced a search advisory committee for the next chancellor. According to the Santa Barbara Independent, earlier this year, the committee submitted 10 people for Drake to review. He reportedly vetted five people, but no one has been submitted to the UC Board of Regents to vote on so far.
“The search for the next permanent Chancellor remains actively underway. We are committed to identifying an outstanding leader who will carry forward UCSB’s legacy of excellence and take it to new heights,” the statement continued. “We will continue to update you as the search progresses.”
Drake also expressed his gratitude to Yang for “his remarkable leadership and unwavering commitment to excellence.” Yang is the longest-serving chancellor in UC history.
“Since his appointment in 1994, Chancellor Yang has shaped UCSB into one of the premier public research universities in the world. Under his visionary guidance, the campus has seen historic growth in academic achievement, research prominence, and global reputation,” the statement read.
UCSB and the UC at large are currently undergoing significant leadership changes. In May, James B. Milliken was appointed as the next UC president, and S. Jack Hu was named as the next chancellor of UC Riverside. At UCSB, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Margaret Klawunn retired at the end of the 2024-25 academic year, and Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Life & Belonging Katya Armistead will be leaving her position, as well.
