Columbia University president Shafik announces resignation

Baroness Shafik has announced her resignation as president of Columbia University, effective immediately, ending a short tenure that was thrown disastrously off course by a Congressional grilling on antisemitism and subsequent student protests.

The departure of Baroness Shafik, a former director of the London School of Economics, means that three university leaders have been forced out of their jobs after appearing before the education committee of the US House of Representatives amid the war in Gaza, with the Columbia leader suffering the same fate as Claudine Gay at Harvard University and Elizabeth Magill at the University of Pennsylvania.

Although Baroness Shafik avoided the interrogation last December that brought down her fellow Ivy League heads, her eventual appearance before the committee in April – during which she struggled to convinced lawmakers that she was seeking to protect free speech on campus while also shielding Jewish students from harassment – led immediately to pro-Palestinian demonstrations at the New York institution.

Baroness Shafik’s decision to call in the city police to arrest the protesters only enflamed student anger, forcing the university to cancel in-person classes and spurring the creation of similar encampments on campuses across the US and around the world.

The Columbia protests culminated in an occupation by protesters of Columbia’s Hamilton Hall, which ended when police stormed the historic campus building, making dozens of arrests.

Baroness Shafik, who had only joined Columbia in July 2023, said that the university had “made progress in a number of important areas” during her presidency, but acknowledged that “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. 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 said.

Columbia announced that Katrina Armstrong, its executive vice-president for health and biomedical sciences, would serve as interim president.

David Greenberg and Claire Shipman, co-chairs of Columbia’s board of trustees, wrote in a letter to the university community that while they were “disappointed to see her leave us, we understand and respect her decision”.

“In this difficult year, Minouche has worked, inspired and led tirelessly. Her wisdom, empathy and deep commitment to our community have guided us through challenges that are both unique in scale and unique to this moment,” they said.

Columbia’s difficulties were compounded this summer when it was forced to remove three senior administrators who were caught texting criticisms of a campus event that was meant to challenge antisemitism. It faced further criticism, however, for leaving in place the highest-ranking staff member who was also part of the exchange, Josef Sorett, the dean of Columbia College.

More than 2,500 people, mostly students, were arrested after participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations at US universities last term.

chris.havergal@timeshighereducation.com