Columbia University President Resigns Over Gaza Protests

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Facts

  • Columbia University president Minouche Shafik resigned Wednesday, citing the 'considerable toll' on her and her family after she received sustained criticism — in addition to 'threats and abuse' — for her handling of the Gaza protests that broke out on campus.[1]
  • Shafik, the third Ivy League president to step down over the protests, was criticized by pro-Israel and pro-Palestine factions alike. On the one hand, for allegedly failing to protect Jewish students, and on the other hand, for allowing officers from the New York Police Department (NYPD) to enter the campus in order to break up the student encampments, leading to hundreds of arrests.[2]
  • Announcing her resignation weeks before students returned for the new academic year, Shafik described her time as an honor and a privilege and said that the community made progress in a number of important areas. But she lamented how, during a 'period of turmoil,' it has been difficult to 'overcome divergent views' at the university.[3]
  • She further explained that during the summer she had time to 'reflect' and decided the time was right to step aside so 'new leadership can be in place before the new term begins.'[3]
  • In accepting Shafik's resignation, Columbia's board of trustees said it was 'disappointed to see her leave.' It also announced that Dr. Katrina Armstrong, CEO of Columbia University Irving Medical Center, has agreed to serve as interim president.[4]
  • Previously, University of Pennsylvania's Liz Magill resigned in December and Harvard University president Claudine Gay resigned in early January under similar circumstances on their campuses.[5]

Sources: [1]Guardian, [2]Reuters, [3]President, [4]Columbia and [5]NBC.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by New York Post. Shafik fell short of her responsibilities as president of Columbia, particularly in failing to protect Jewish students and stop the spread of antisemitism on campus. Among her sins was saying that a slogan that calls for the extermination of Jews was not a breach of university policy. She had to be replaced.
  • Narrative B, as provided by Middle East Eye. After Shafik allowed the NYPD on campus — leading to dozens of arrests, as well as many students getting bloodied and battered — she thanked the police for their 'professionalism.' This was a betrayal of her students that rendered her position at the university unsustainable. She had to go.

Predictions