Minouche Shafik, the president of Columbia University, announced her resignation Wednesday evening, marking the end of a brief tenure that began just a year ago. Shafik, who made history as the first woman to lead the elite institution, faced significant criticism over her handling of antisemitism on campus and the university’ response to protests related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
In her resignation letter, Shafik expressed deep regret over the “period of turmoil” that has enveloped the university, acknowledging the toll it has taken on both her family and the broader Columbia community.
“Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead,” she wrote. “I have tried to navigate a path that upholds academic principles and treats everyone with fairness and compassion. It has been distressing — for the community, for me as president, and on a personal level — to find myself, colleagues, and students the subject of threats and abuse.”
Following the October 2023 outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, Columbia became a flashpoint for protests, with pro-Palestinian demonstrators occupying the university’s main lawn and even forcing their way into Hamilton Hall.
The university’s decision to involve the New York City Police Department to dismantle the encampment led to over 100 arrests and drew sharp criticism from both students and faculty. A subsequent resolution of no confidence was passed by hundreds of faculty members, who accused Shafik of compromising academic freedom and student safety.
Despite the controversy, Shafik remained mostly silent, only briefly addressing the situation in a May video statement. She emphasized the longstanding nature of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the complexities it brings, noting that Columbia could not resolve such deeply rooted issues alone.
Katrina Armstrong, who heads Columbia’s medical center, has been appointed as interim president. Armstrong acknowledged the university’s recent challenges and emphasized the importance of moving forward while not allowing these events to define Columbia’s future.
As Columbia prepares for the start of the fall semester on September 3, the university has already begun to implement measures to maintain order, including restricting access to the main campus and proposing an increase in security personnel.
