Rector of Columbia University (USA) Minouche Shafik, He announced his resignation on Thursday, months after pro-Palestinian protests. on campus, which caused him to face pressure for how he handled the situation.

Shafik, an Egyptian-born economist and former senior official at the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and Bank of England, noted the progress made during her tenure but noted that ““It was a period of unrest when it was difficult to overcome differences of opinion.”

“This period has had a profound impact on my family, as well as other members of our community. “I have had the opportunity to reflect over the summer and have decided that my departure at this time will better position Columbia to overcome the challenges ahead,” he said in a statement.

After this, she believed that she had tried to “follow a path that upholds academic principles and treats everyone with fairness and compassion,” even though “it was upsetting” both for society and for her on a professional and personal level to see that She, her classmates, and her students were “become the object of threats and insults.”

“While tension, division and politicization have ravaged our campus over the past year, our mission and core values ​​remain and will continue to guide us as we face the challenges ahead,” Shafik added.

The acting rector is now Katrina Armstrong, MDwho also said in a letter to the university community that she was “deeply excited” to begin her new position just over two weeks before the start of the semester.

“Challenging times present both an opportunity and a responsibility for serious leadership by every group and individual in the community. This is such a moment in Columbia. In this position, I am acutely aware challenges the university has faced over the past year“, he expressed.

In this sense, he noted that “the familiar excitement and promise of a new school year is influenced this year by the presence of constant change and concern, as well as the enormous opportunity to look forward, to unite in the laudable mission we are here to serve and to become our best individual and institutional version.”

Shafiq’s criticism came after he led pro-Palestinian protests on campus following a failure to reach an agreement in talks for the protesters to leave the area.Several people broke into the main academic building and barricaded themselves inside, prompting the NYPD to remove those occupying the building. resulting in 300 arrests. He also asked officers to remain on campus for several weeks to “maintain order and ensure that the camps are not re-established.”

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He also had to testify before the House Education Committee about how the university handles anti-Semitism, when he condemned statements by several professors supporting the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) attack on Oct. 7.

Europe Press