NEW YORK (AP) — The president of Columbia University Minoch Shafiq Resigning Wednesday after a brief, tumultuous tenure, the prestigious New York University president faced intense scrutiny for his handling of protests and campus divisions over the Israel-Hamas war.
The Ivy League school in upper Manhattan has been rocked by student protests this year. culminates Footage of police officers wearing zip ties and riot shields surrounding a building occupied by pro-Palestinian protesters. Similar protests swept college campuses across the country, many leading to violent clashes with police and thousands of arrests.
The announcement comes days after the school confirmed it Three deans resigned after officials said they exchanged derogatory remarks during a campus discussion about Jewish life and anti-Semitism.
Shafiq is also one of the presidents of the university He was called for questioning Before Congress earlier this year. He was heavily criticized by Republicans who accused him of not doing enough to combat concerns about anti-Semitism on Columbia’s campus.
Shafiq, who started the role in July last year, announced his resignation in an emailed letter to the university community just weeks before the start of classes on September 3. The university began restricting campus access to Columbia IDs and registered guests on Monday. , says it wants to limit “potential disruption” as the new semester approaches.
In his letter, Shafiq announced “progress in many important areas” but lamented that during his tenure “it is difficult to bridge differing opinions across our community.”
“This period has taken a considerable toll on my family as well as on others in society,” he wrote. “During the summer, I was able to think and decided that my move at this point would help me overcome the challenges ahead of Colombia.”
Meanwhile, Columbia’s board of trustees announced that Katrina Armstrong, CEO of Columbia University Irving Medical Center, will serve as interim president.
“Challenging times present both an opportunity and a responsibility for radical leadership to emerge from every group and individual in a community,” said Armstrong, who is the university’s executive vice president for health and biomedical sciences. “As I step into this role, I am acutely aware of the challenges the university has faced over the past year.”
Pro-Palestine protesters First set up A tent was set up on Columbia’s campus during Shafiq’s congressional testimony in mid-April, where he denounced anti-Semitism but faced criticism for how he responded to faculty and students accused of bias.
The school sent the police Destroy the tents The next day, the students came back only to be encouraged Similar resistance wave On campuses across the country, students have called on schools to cut financial ties to Israel and organizations that support the war.
As the protests dragged on for weeks, the school was thrust into the national spotlight. Republican Speaker Mike Johnson showed Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat, condemned the encampment came to support it.
Eventually, talks between the school and the protestors stalled, and as the school set a deadline to evict the activists, a group replaced them. Hamilton captured Hall.
Even after the protests were lifted, Colombia decided Cancel its university-wide commencement ceremonyOpt for smaller, school-based events instead.
The campus has been mostly quiet this summer, but in June a conservative news outlet published images of text messages exchanged by administrators while attending a May 31 panel discussion.
Officers were removed from their postsIn a July 8 letter to the school community, Shafiq said the messages were unprofessional and “disturbingly touched on ancient antisemitic tropes.”
Shafiq’s critics were quick to cheer the end of his tenure, which was one Shortest in school history.
Johnson, the House speaker, said his resignation was “long overdue” and a warning to other university administrators that “tolerating or defending antisemites is unacceptable and will have consequences.”
Written by the student group Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine A Post on social media platform X Shafique “finally got the memo” after months of protests. campus chapter of Written by Jewish Voice for Peace “As the university’s crackdown on the pro-Palestinian student movement continues, there can be no relief from his removal.”
Other prominent Ivy League leaders have stepped down in recent months, in large part because of their response to volatile protests on campus.
University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill resigned in December after less than two years on the job Amid pressure and criticism from donors Testifying at a congressional hearing, she was unable to say when repeatedly questioned that calling the campus for the genocide of the Jews would violate the school’s conduct policy.
In January, Harvard University President Claudine Kay resigned amid allegations of plagiarism Similar review His testimony before Congress.
Shafiq said he would return to the United Kingdom to lead the Foreign Secretary’s Office’s effort to rethink the government’s approach to international development.
“I am very excited and grateful that this will give me the opportunity to fight global poverty, promote sustainable development, and promote areas of lifelong interest to me,” he wrote.
Shafiq was the first woman to take on the role, joining many others New women in charge In Ivy League institutions.
The Egyptian-born economist previously led the London School of Economics, but has made his mark outside academia with roles at the World Bank, the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development, the International Monetary Fund and the Bank of England.
At the time of Shafiq’s appointment, Jonathan Levine, chairman of the Columbia Board of Trustees, described him as “a leader who has an unwavering belief in the critical role that higher education can and must play in solving the world’s most pressing problems.”
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Associated Press reporter Jake Offenharts in New York contributed to this story.
