Amid tussle with Trump administration, Columbia university's interim president steps down
ByHT News Desk | Written by Asmita Ravi Shankar
Mar 29, 2025 06:08 AM IST
The decision comes in the backdrop of Trump administration's crackdown on immigrants and pro-Palestine student protesters, including those at the university.
Columbia University's interim president Katrina Armstrong stepped down from her position and the co-chair of the board of trustees, Claire Shipman, was named acting president instead, effective immediately, according to a statement from the university on Friday.
Katrina Armstrong will return to her role as the lead of Columbia University's Irving Medical Centre. (LinkedIn)
Katrina Armstrong will return to her role as the lead of Columbia University's Irving Medical Centre. (LinkedIn)
Katrina Armstrong will return to her role leading the university's Irving Medical Center, the statement said. "Dr Armstrong accepted the role of interim president at a time of great uncertainty for the University and worked tirelessly to promote the interests of our community," said the chair of the board of trustees, David J Greenwald.
"Katrina has always given her heart and soul to Columbia. We appreciate her service and look forward to her continued contributions to the University," he added.
Tussle with Trump administration
This decision comes just weeks after US President Donald Trump's administration cut around $400 million worth of federal grants and aid to the university, accusing it of failing to protect Jewish students from harassment during protests over Israel's war against Gaza.
The university, which witnessed anti-war protests in April last year, witnessed dozens of arrests as well. Protesters said that criticising Israel over its actions in Gaza or expressing solidarity with Palestinians cannot be termed as being antisemitic.
Amid this clash with the Trump administration over antisemitism, the Columbia University last week agreed to implement a mask ban and expand campus police powers in a bid to meet the US president's demands after the fund freeze.
"Freedom of expression is what enables the rigorous debate and free inquiry on which our academic depends," the university said, adding that demonstrations and protests inside the campus buildings "present a direct impediment to maintain our core academic mission".
The university further said that it will revamp its long-standing disciplinary process and bar protests from taking place inside academic buildings. "Students will not be permitted to wear face masks on campus for the purposes of concealing one's identity. An exception would be made for people wearing them for health reasons," it had said.
The change in leadership of the university also comes in the backdrop of repeated detentions and deportations of some students of the university for having supported and protested over pro-Palestine students. From Mahmoud Khalil to Yunseo Chung, several students of the university are facing the wrath of the federal immigration department.
Armstrong will now return to the role of Chief Executive Officer of Columbia University's Irving Medical Centre, Executive vice president for health and biomedical sciences, and dean of the faculties of health sciences and medicine and the vagelos college of physicians and surgeons.
Katrina Armstrong's statement
In her statement, Armstrong expressed gratitude for having served as the university's interim president and called it as a "special place".
She mentioned how she had the chance to play a small part in "navigating this vast enterprise through some of the most difficult moments in history" over the last few months.
"The world needs Columbia University, and you can be assured that I will do everything I can to tell that story. Standing together for Columbia," Armstrong added.
Meanwhile, Shipman, in her statement, asserted commitment to the role that she is taking up and said that she act with urgency, integrity and work with the university's faculty to advance its mission, by implementing the required reforms, protecting the students and upholding academic freedom and open inquiry.
"Columbia's new permanent president, when that individual is selected, will conduct an appropriate review of the University's leadership team and structure to ensure we are best positioned for the future," Shipman added.
Notably, Shipman has been serving as the co-chair of the board of trustees since 2023 and has been on the board since 2013. She is a journalist and an author, a graduate in international affairs from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in Russian Studies from Columbia College.
Donald Trump
Trump Administration
Columbia University
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