Vassilis Syrmos approved as next Vlogٷ Mānoa chancellor

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
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Posted: Jun 4, 2026

Vassilis Syrmos
Vassilis Syrmos


The  (BOR) unanimously approved the appointment of Vassilis Syrmos as the next chancellor of , the flagship campus of the state’s 10-campus public higher education system, during a special meeting on June 4. Syrmos was recommended for the position by Vlogٷ President Wendy Hensel following a nationwide search. His official start date will be July 1.

Syrmos joined &Բ;ԴDz 35 years ago as a faculty member in the College of Engineering. As chancellor, he will serve as &Բ;ԴDz’s chief executive officer, reporting to the Vlogٷ president and serving on the president’s senior leadership team. He will oversee an annual budget of more than $800 million and a workforce of more than 5,000 employees, leading academic affairs, research, student success, enrollment and administrative operations in partnership with the provost and executive team.

“I am honored by the confidence placed in me and grateful for the opportunity to serve &Բ;ԴDz at this important moment,” said Syrmos after the regents’ vote. “While I know the university well, I also know there is always more to learn. My first priority will be to visit every school, college and major unit across &Բ;ԴDz to listen and learn directly from our students, faculty and staff. The strength of this university has always been its people, and I believe our best path forward begins by listening first.”

Syrmos has served as interim provost of &Բ;ԴDz since July 2025, 12 years as Vlogٷ vice president for research and innovation and eight years as associate vice chancellor for research at &Բ;ԴDz.

“Vassilis has done an exceptional job as interim provost, building on decades of leadership across the Vlogٷ System and at &Բ;ԴDz,” Hensel said when announcing her recommendation. “He brings a deep understanding of &Բ;ԴDz’s budget, operations and role within the broader Vlogٷ System, as well as strong relationships at the state and congressional levels. I am confident he will be an effective partner as we strengthen leadership for our flagship campus.”

Leadership experience

As interim provost, Syrmos helped secure legislative support to sustain the Vlogٷ Cancer Center’s research and strengthened its ability to maintain National Cancer Institute designation through legislation that doubled Hawaiʻi’s cigarette tax. He also advanced efforts to improve &Բ;ԴDz’s financial transparency, modernize budgeting, strengthen student success initiatives and better align campus operations with institutional priorities.

As vice president for research and innovation, Syrmos led long-range strategic planning efforts that contributed to record growth in extramural funding, including a high of $734 million in fiscal year 2025, the fourth consecutive year Vlogٷ exceeded $500 million in research funding. He strengthened partnerships with Hawaiʻi’s congressional delegation, federal agencies and state leaders to advance strategic university priorities and expand research opportunities. Syrmos also established the Office of Indigenous Knowledge and Innovation, making Vlogٷ the only R1 university in the nation to embed Indigenous knowledge and innovation within its research enterprise.

Chancellor position re-established

The BOR voted to re-establish the &Բ;ԴDz chancellor position in December 2025 following a recommendation from the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems to separate the roles of Vlogٷ president and &Բ;ԴDz chancellor. The &Բ;ԴDz Faculty Senate unanimously endorsed launching the search during the spring semester to provide stability for the campus and dedicated leadership as &Բ;ԴDz and the Vlogٷ System work to separate long-shared hybrid positions and offices.

Syrmos was selected from a finalist pool that included the provost and vice president for academic affairs at San Francisco State University and the president of National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan. The nationwide search attracted 32 applicants and generated nine additional nominations and inquiries.

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