Overview

• Claire Shipman, co-chair of Columbia University's Board of Trustees, has been named acting president, succeeding Katrina Armstrong.
• Armstrong's resignation follows the university's controversial decision to meet the Trump administration's demands to restore $400 million in federal funding.
• The agreed-upon policy changes include banning face masks during protests, expanding campus police powers, and reviewing the Middle Eastern Studies department.
• Faculty and rights advocates have criticized the university's concessions, arguing they undermine academic freedom and free speech.
• Columbia remains divided as it navigates ongoing tensions over campus protests, accusations of antisemitism, and federal oversight.