Columbia University President Minouche Shafik testifies during a House Committee on Education and the Workforce hearing about antisemitism on college campuses on April 17 in Washington, D.C.
Drew Angerer/AFP via Getty Images)
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Drew Angerer/AFP via Getty Images)
Columbia University President Nemat “Minouche” Shafik announced in an email Wednesday that she is stepping down. Shafik is the third university president to leave her job following criticism over how she has handled campus protests regarding the Israel-Hamas war.
After hanging on for nearly 10 months, Shafik wrote in her email that she had time this summer to reflect and decided that it would be best for Columbia if she moved on.
“I have had the honor and privilege to lead this incredible institution, and I believe that — working together — we have made progress in a number of important areas,” she wrote. “However, it has also been a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community. This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community.”
Shafik, an economist and former president of the London School of Economics, was the first woman to lead the university. She came under fire shortly after her inauguration last fall. She was accused of not doing enough to protect Jewish students from discrimination and harassment, and critics said she waffled when she appeared before Congress to answer questions such as whether certain slogans would be considered antisemitic.
Others said she came down too hard on pro-Palestinian students when she called in police to clear their encampment and occupation of a building.
In an email to the university community, Columbia’s board of trustees said it “regretfully accepts Minouche Shafik’s decision to step down as president of the University. Minouche has contributed so much to the Columbia community in an extraordinarily challenging time and has been a wonderful colleague and friend. While we are disappointed to see her leave us, we understand and respect her decision.”
Shafik’s resignation is effective as of today. She said she wanted to make the announcement now so that new leadership can be in place for this school year, which begins in just a few weeks.
Katrina Armstrong, CEO of the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, will become interim president.
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