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Columbia University Appoints Claire Shipman as Acting President After Katrina Armstrong Steps Down

The leadership change comes as the university negotiates with the Trump administration to restore $400 million in federal funding amid ongoing campus controversies.

FILE - Student protesters gather inside their encampment on the Columbia University campus, April 29, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah, File)
This undated photo provided by Columbia University on Aug. 16, 2024, shows interim President Dr. Katrina A. Armstrong, CEO of Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York. (Jorg Meyer Photography/Columbia University via AP)
New York Police Department officers can be seen guarding during a protest outside Columbia University on March 24, 2025, in New York City. (Photo by Kena Betancur/VIEWpress)

Overview

  • Katrina Armstrong has stepped down as Columbia University's interim president, returning to her previous role at the Irving Medical Center.
  • Claire Shipman, co-chair of Columbia's Board of Trustees since 2023, has been named acting president effective immediately.
  • The leadership transition follows Columbia's agreement to negotiate with the Trump administration to restore $400 million in federal funding withdrawn over allegations of inadequate action on antisemitism.
  • Armstrong's tenure as interim president began in August 2024 after Minouche Shafik resigned over criticism of her handling of campus protests related to the Israel-Hamas war.
  • Shipman has pledged to address the university's challenges, including campus tensions, federal compliance issues, and the search for a permanent president.