Columbia University’s interim president, Katrina Armstrong, stepped down from her leadership role on Friday, as the Trump administration threatens to withhold federal funding from the Ivy League school over its failure to sufficiently address rampant campus antisemitism.
The board of trustees appointed Claire Shipman as Armstrong’s successor effective immediately, Columbia announced in a statement. Shipman is the wife of former White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, who served during the Obama administration and later worked for Amazon and now Airbnb.
Shipman will serve as the acting president until a permanent successor is selected.
“I assume this role with a clear understanding of the serious challenges before us and a steadfast commitment to act with urgency, integrity, and work with our faculty to advance our mission, implement needed reforms, protect our students, and uphold academic freedom and open inquiry,” Shipman said. “Columbia’s new permanent president, when that individual is selected, will conduct an appropriate review of the University’s leadership team and structure to ensure we are best positioned for the future.”
Meanwhile, Armstrong is returning to lead Columbia’s Irving Medical Center. No clear reason was immediately given for her departure. Columbia declined to elaborate.
“Over the last few months, I appreciate having had the opportunity to play a small part in navigating this vast enterprise through some of the most difficult moments in its history,” Armstrong said, without explaining her departure.
Columbia has faced intense pressure from the Trump administration in recent weeks. For example, the administration’s joint antisemitism task force pulled $400 million in federal grants and contracts from the New York university for failing to protect Jewish students from radical anti-Israel protests since October 7, 2023. The White House threatened to withhold more money if Columbia did not comply with its demands.
Columbia caved to Trump’s demands last week in order to start the process of restoring its federal funding. Some of the demands include banning masks that allow students to hide their identities and allowing campus law enforcement to arrest protesters who pose a threat to campus.
Columbia said it also will “ensure unbiased admissions processes” in accordance with Trump’s demands and appoint a vice provost to head the school’s controversial department of Middle East, South Asian, and African Studies and Center for Palestine Studies. The provost’s role will “ensure the educational offerings are comprehensive and balanced,” Columbia said.
Armstrong held closed-door meetings with faculty members last weekend to discuss the deal. Some faculty claimed she was downplaying the demands and presenting mixed messages, according to the Wall Street Journal. Armstrong issued a statement earlier this week reaffirming Columbia’s commitment to the agreement.
Further placing Columbia in the spotlight, anti-Israel graduate Mahmoud Khalil was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement earlier this month. The Palestinian activist was set to be deported until the courts intervened in response to his defense attorneys’ petition. Khalil remains in an ICE detention facility in Louisiana, as his fate remains uncertain.
Responding to the “shocking” announcement of a new interim president, Columbia’s Jewish and Israeli students said on social media they “await further communications regarding the decisions behind this move.”