Columbia Interim President Resigns Amid Federal Pressure

Columbia University's interim president, Katrina A. Armstrong, resigned after the institution agreed to policy changes demanded by the Trump administration to restore $400 million in federal funding. The administration accused Columbia of permitting antisemitism on campus and threatened to withhold funds unless reforms were implemented. Armstrong, who had stepped in following former president Minouche Shafik's controversial handling of Gaza protests, will return to her role at Columbia's Irving Medical Center. Claire Shipman, Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees, has been appointed Acting President. The policy changes include bans on face coverings during protests and increased campus security. Armstrong's resignation and Columbia's concessions highlight tensions between academic freedom and federal mandates.