NEW YORK — Columbia University President Minouche Shafik resigned effective immediately, the top of the celebrated New York college introduced in a message to the college neighborhood on Wednesday.
The announcement comes after the varsity in higher Manhattan was roiled this yr by pupil protests over the Israel-Hamas conflict, culminating in scenes of law enforcement officials carrying zip ties and riot shields storming a constructing that had been occupied by pro-Palestinian protesters. Comparable protests swept faculty campuses nationwide.
Shafik, in her letter, heralded “progress in a quantity of necessary areas” however lamented that her tenure had additionally been a “interval of turmoil the place it has been troublesome to beat divergent views throughout our neighborhood.” In her assertion, she acknowledged the campus protests factored into her determination to resign.
“This era has taken a substantial toll on my household, because it has for others in the neighborhood,” Shafik wrote. “Over the summer time, I’ve been capable of mirror and have determined that my shifting on at this level would greatest allow Columbia to traverse the challenges forward.”
Along with the protests, the varsity in July eliminated three deans, who’ve since resigned, after officers mentioned they exchanged disparaging texts throughout a campus dialogue about Jewish life and antisemitism. Shafik mentioned in a July 8 letter to the varsity neighborhood that the messages have been unprofessional and “disturbingly touched on historic antisemitic tropes.”
Shafik was additionally among the many college leaders referred to as for questioning earlier than Congress earlier this yr. She was closely criticized by Republicans who accused her of not doing sufficient to fight issues about antisemitism on Columbia’s campus.
She mentioned in her letter that she is going to return to the UK to guide an effort by the overseas secretary’s workplace reviewing the federal government’s strategy to worldwide growth and enhance functionality.
“I’m very happy and appreciative that this may afford me the chance to return to work on combating world poverty and selling sustainable growth, areas of lifelong curiosity to me,” she wrote. “It additionally allows me to return to the Home of Lords to reengage with the necessary legislative agenda put forth by the brand new UK authorities.”
Interim President Katrina Armstrong mentioned she was “deeply honored” to be main the college at a “pivotal second for Columbia.”
“Difficult occasions current each the chance and the duty for critical management to emerge from each group and particular person inside a neighborhood,” Armstrong wrote. “That is such a time at Columbia. As I step into this position, I’m acutely conscious of the trials the University has confronted over the previous yr.”
Armstrong is a medical physician and serves as chief govt officer of Columbia University Irving Medical Heart and govt vice president for Well being and Biomedical Sciences for Columbia University.
Shafik was named president of the college final yr and was the primary girl to tackle the position, and she or he was one of a number of ladies newly appointed to take the reins at Ivy League establishments.
She had beforehand led the London College of Economics and earlier than that labored on the World Financial institution, the place she rose via the ranks to develop into the financial institution’s youngest-ever vice president. Shafik additionally labored at the UK’s Division for Worldwide Improvement, adopted by stints on the Worldwide Financial Fund and the Financial institution of England.
On the time of Shafik’s appointment, Columbia Board of Trustees chair Jonathan Lavine described her as a pacesetter who deeply understood “the academy and the world past it.”
“What set Minouche aside as a candidate,” Lavine had mentioned in a press release, “is her unshakable confidence within the important position establishments of increased schooling can and should play in fixing the world’s most advanced issues.”
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