Minouche Shafik, the president of Columbia University, has announced her resignation due to the toll that recent campus protests over the war in Gaza have taken on her family and the community. In an email to staff and students, Shafik expressed that the period of turmoil and divergent views within the community has led her to reflect and decide that stepping down at this point would be best for the university to navigate through challenges in the future.
Shafik’s resignation, effective immediately, was unexpected with the fall semester approaching. She became the first female president of Columbia University in July 2023 but faced criticism over her handling of the Gaza protests and allegations of on-campus antisemitism, which led to a highly publicized appearance before Congress.
In April, Shafik’s decision to involve the New York police department in response to student protests also drew criticism from students and faculty. Her resignation comes in the wake of two other Ivy League presidents stepping down in the past year.
The university has not yet announced who will succeed Shafik as president, but more details are expected to be revealed soon. As Columbia prepares for the start of the fall semester, the unexpected departure of Shafik leaves questions about the future leadership of the prestigious institution.
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