New York, Aug 15: Columbia University President Minouche Shafik has announced her resignation, effective immediately, amid ongoing tensions related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Katrina Armstrong, CEO of Columbia University Irving Medical Center, will assume the role of interim President.
Shafik’s departure follows a turbulent period marked by criticism over her handling of campus issues and the encampment at Columbia University. The university has recently restricted campus access to only Columbia-affiliated individuals.
In her resignation statement, Shafik cited the challenges of managing divergent opinions within the university community and the impact on her family. She had also testified before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce on antisemitism in April, alongside other university officials.
A British-American academic and economist, Shafik began her tenure as Columbia’s 20th president in July 2023. Her resignation makes her the third Ivy League president to step down due to campus unrest over the Gaza conflict, following Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania.
Shafik is expected to lead a review of the British government’s approach to international development in her next role.
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