Mark G. Yudof, president of the University of California, had previously announced Dirk’s recommendation Nov. 8 after an extensive search process and Conoley’s recommendation on Nov. 20.

UC Regents called the meeting in order to act upon the recommended UC Riverside interim chancellor selection as quickly as possible, because previous UC Riverside Chancellor Timothy White is scheduled to assume his duties as the new CSU system chancellor in the next few weeks. Without the special session, UC Regents would not be able to officially make the two new chancellor appointments until January.

Dirks will replace eight-year UC Berkeley chancellor and physicist Robert J. Birgenau, who will return to teaching and research after stepping down from his position in May 2013. Conoley will take over for UCR chancellor Timothy White, who will replace Charles Reed as chancellor of the CSU system.

The Board of Regents voted unanimously to confirm the appointments of both Dirks and Conoley to their new positions. Confirmations regarding compensation for Dirks and Conoley also passed without significant disagreement.

Dirks, 61, was previously Columbia University’s Executive Vice President and Dean of the Faculty for Arts and Sciences, as well as the Franz Boas Professor of Anthropology and History and author of three books. He will assume the role of UC Berkeley chancellor on June 1, 2013. Dirks will receive compensation benefits and a base salary of $486,800, which is less than he is currently earning at Columbia University, and is an 11.4 percent increase on Birgenau’s salary.

After a conference with UC Provost Aimee Dorr and other Academic Senate members, Yudof chose Conoley as acting chancellor of UC Riverside. Conoley, previously UC Santa Barbara’s Dean of the Gervitz Graduate School of Education, will serve as acting chancellor beginning Dec. 31, and will continue until the selection of a permanent chancellor by summer 2013; her compensation will also include standard benefits as well as a base salary beginning at $245,600.

“Jane Conoley is an established leader and scholar who cares deeply about providing access to opportunity for those who aspire to higher education,” Yudof said in an article for the UC Newsroom on Nov. 20. “We’re very pleased that she has agreed to serve the UC Riverside community in this vital role.”