Shafik drew criticism over her dealing with of Gaza battle protests that rocked the college campus earlier this 12 months.
Minouche Shafik, the president of Columbia College, has introduced her resignation after a tumultuous 12 months marked by tensions with workers and college students over her dealing with of campus protests towards the Gaza war.
The college introduced her departure in an announcement on its web site on Wednesday.
“This era has taken a substantial toll on my household, because it has for others in our neighborhood,” Shafik wrote in a letter to the college’s workers and college students. “It has additionally been a interval of turmoil the place it has been tough to beat divergent views throughout our neighborhood.”
David Greenberg and Claire Shipman, co-chairs of the college’s Board of Trustees, mentioned they understood and revered her determination.
Protests towards the Gaza battle started on Columbia’s New York Metropolis campus in April, quickly inspiring related encampments at different establishments throughout the USA.
Because the protests gathered momentum, Shafik was summoned to a congressional committee over allegations the college had failed to guard college students and workers from rising anti-Semitism.
The following day, she allowed New York Metropolis police onto the campus to clear the protests and about 100 folks have been arrested, triggering outrage from protesters and a few teachers and requires her resignation. Tensions rose additional on the finish of April, when police returned once more to campus, arresting some 300 folks and eradicating the encampment.
“Over the summer time, I’ve been in a position to replicate and have determined that my transferring on at this level would finest allow Columbia to traverse the challenges forward,” Shafik mentioned. “I’m making this announcement now in order that new management will be in place earlier than the brand new time period begins.”
The trustees mentioned Katrina Armstrong would step in as Columbia’s interim president. She is presently the chief government officer of the Columbia College Irving Medical Middle.
The brand new tutorial 12 months is because of begin on September 3.
