Columbia University Appoints Claire Shipman as Acting President Following Leadership Resignation

Katrina Armstrong steps down as interim president, returning to lead the Irving Medical Center, as the university faces ongoing challenges tied to federal funding and campus reforms.

Claire Shipman, co-chair of Columbia University's Board of Trustees, has been named acting president, effective immediately, following Katrina Armstrong's resignation.
Armstrong's departure comes one week after Columbia agreed to policy changes demanded by the Trump administration to negotiate the restoration of $400 million in federal funding.
The university's concessions include banning face masks during protests, expanding campus police powers, and increasing oversight of its Middle Eastern studies department.
Faculty and student groups have criticized the policy changes, citing concerns over academic freedom and the precedent set for federal intervention in higher education.
Columbia remains under scrutiny as it navigates tensions over its response to allegations of antisemitism and the fallout from campus protests related to Israel's war in Gaza.