Columbia University (U.S): Resignation of the President over handling of Gaza war protests on campus

Nemat Shafik, better known as Minouche Shafik, is stepping down as president of Columbia University, announces the American institution on 14/08/2024, for a resignation effective on the same day.

"In regretfully accepting Shafik’s decision, the Board of Trustees announced that Katrina Armstrong, the CEO of Columbia University Irving Medical Centre, has agreed to serve as interim president", states the university.

In her resignation announcement, Minouche Shafik explains why she is stepping down: "It has been a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community. This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community."

She was appointed president on 07/2023, and student protests over the Israeli-Palestinian war started on several American campuses, including Columbia, in early 2024.

In 04/2024, Shafik authorised New York Police Department officers to enter the campus, leading to the arrests of about 100 students occupying a university building.

While some have condemned her suspension of pro-Palestinian…