Columbia University’s president, Minouche Shafik, has announced her resignation effective August 14, 2024, following significant campus demonstrations that occurred during the last weeks of the spring semester.
In a letter to the university community, Shafik expressed her sadness over the decision but emphasized the progress made during her tenure. She cited the challenges posed by the protests, which centered around the university’s response to pro-Palestinian demonstrations that led to over 100 arrests after the administration requested assistance from the NYPD.
Shafik acknowledged that the tumultuous events of the past year had taken a toll on her family and her decision to step down was partly influenced by her desire to allow fresh leadership the opportunity to guide the university through its upcoming challenges.
Having been appointed in 2022, Shafik was the first woman to lead Columbia University and was part of a wave of female presidents at Ivy League schools. She plans to return to the UK to lead a review by the foreign secretary’s office focusing on international development, an area she has long been passionate about, as well as reengaging with legislative duties in the House of Lords.
In the interim, Katrina Armstrong, who currently oversees the health and biomedical sciences campus at Columbia and has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Columbia University Irving Medical Center since 2022, will take over as interim president.