Columbia University President Minouche Shafik has resigned from her position immediately, a development given that the academic year is set to commence in just a few weeks. Shafik’s resignation comes after a period by campus unrest and controversy surrounding her handling of student protests related to the Gaza conflict.
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Minouche Shafik, an accomplished economist with a background including roles at the World Bank, the IMF and the Bank of England began her role as President of Columbia University in July 2023.
Her tenure was by her previous role as President of the London School of Economics and her work in international development.
The conflict in Gaza became a flashpoint on US college campuses including Columbia University. Students organized protests, calling for various actions including divestment from Israel and the situation at Columbia University quickly escalated.
Minouche Shafik authorized the New York Police Department to intervene on campus in April 2024. This decision was led to the arrest of around 100 students who had occupied a university building.
This was the first instance of mass arrests on Columbia’s campus since the Vietnam War protests.
Minouche Shafik appeared before Congress in April 2024 to address concerns about antisemitism on campus, which had been an issue amid the Gaza protests.
Following Minouche Shafik’s resignation Katrina Armstrong, the CEO of the Columbia University Irving Medical Center has been appointed as the interim president.
The resignation of Minouche Shafik was followed by the resignation of three Columbia University deans. These resignations came after it was revealed that the deans had exchanged text messages containing antisemitic tropes.
The academic year 2023-2024 was overshadowed by unrest at Columbia University, which became a point of pro-Palestinian demonstrations following the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel.
The conflict in Gaza, which has resulted in massive casualties and humanitarian crises spurred protests across American college campuses including Columbia.
Minouche Shafik, who began her tenure as Columbia’s president in July 2023 faced scrutiny over her handling of the protests.
Her approach, which included authorizing the New York Police Department (NYPD) to arrest protesters and clear encampments was seen by many as a harsh response to student activism.
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Minouche Shafik’s resignation which took many by surprise due to the timing was framed by her as a decision made after personal and professional strain.
In her resignation letter Minouche Shafik cited the toll the period had taken on her family and her belief that stepping down would help Columbia go through the challenges ahead more effectively.
The announcement came just as students were returning to campus leading to questions about the timing and implications of her departure.
Three deans resigned following an investigation into text messages that allegedly contained antisemitic content.
These resignations, while somewhat mitigating the immediate crisis did not fully resolve the tensions within the university community.
The protests at Columbia involved various forms of activism including encampments and a takeover of a campus building.
Both universities faced pressure over their responses to antisemitism and anti-Muslim sentiments on campus.
Harvard formed task forces to address these issues, while the University of Pennsylvania experienced its own leadership crisis.
Cornell’s president resigned in May, mentioning the protests in her resignation letter, though her departure was planned before the campus unrest began.
Yale’s president also stepped down before the protests reached their peak.
Minouche Shafik announced that she will be returning to the UK to lead a review of the government’s approach to international development, a role she was invited to undertake by the UK Foreign Secretary.
This new position will allow her to reengage with legislative responsibilities in the House of Lords.
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