Columbia University president resigns over anti-war protests in Gaza

“My family has suffered significant trauma during this period, as have others in our community,” Minouche Shafik wrote in an email to staff and students on Wednesday (Aug. 14).

“Over the summer, I was able to reflect and decide that my departure at this time would best position Columbia University to navigate the challenges ahead,” Minouche Shafik added.

Minouche Shafik, who has been criticised for her poor handling of student protests, said her 'family has been devastated'. Photo: Guardian

Minouche Shafik’s resignation, effective immediately, came as a surprise, with Columbia’s fall semester just weeks away. It follows two other Ivy League presidents’ resignations in the past year.

In her email, Minouche Shafik, who holds dual US and UK citizenship, said she would take on a role at the UK Foreign Office, “to lead a review of the government’s approach to international development.”

A pro-Palestinian protest by Columbia University students (USA) in April this year. Photo: Reuters

Ms. Minouche Shafik, whose term begins in July 2023, becomes the first woman to head New York's most prestigious university.

She appeared before the US Congress in April, at hearings regarding allegations of anti-Semitism on campus. Around that time, she decided to call the New York Police Department to the school to quell student protests, which angered students and faculty.

Columbia University has become the center of student-led pro-Palestinian protests, sparking a widespread protest movement at universities across the United States and abroad.

The university has faced criticism for its hardline tactics, including calling in police to disperse student protest camps, and has also been accused of failing to make Jewish students feel safe.

Quang Anh (according to Guardian, New York Times)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/hieu-truong-dai-hoc-columbia-tu-chuc-sau-khi-dep-cuoc-bieu-tinh-phan-chien-o-gaza-post307834.html