Columbia University is undergoing a historic leadership transition. Shipman, a former journalist and author, has stepped into the shoes of interim president. Regardless of her decision, Armstrong has agreed to resign as president. He’ll have a major impact on the university by shepherding the new Irving Medical Center, which will house his new department. As of 2023, Shipman was serving as co-chair of the board of trustees, having been a board member since 2013. Today, he’s piloting Columbia during a much more complex storm of outside influence and inside change.
The Trump administration has intensified its efforts to deport students on visas or holding green cards linked to pro-Palestinian demonstrations, directly impacting universities nationwide. Now Harvard is enduring a world of scrutiny for having allegedly failed to adequately respond to antisemitism. At the same time, Columbia University is under similar increasing pressure. In response, Columbia announced that it had reached an agreement with the administration, releasing a memo of agreement. Other measures involve banning face coverings on campus and allowing campus security officers to remove or arrest anyone under “disruptive” standards. In effect, the faculty has allowed the department that teaches the only Middle Eastern affairs courses at the state’s flagship university to become utterly weaponized. Now, it has a new commission president.
Shipman, who earned two degrees from Columbia, has shown a tremendous desire to dive into these challenges and deal with them directly.
“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
Columbia University recently made the unfortunate decision to place its Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies department under new management. This move is among their broader efforts to respond to long-standing criticisms and concerns.
As acting president, Shipman will need to guide Columbia into creating an environment that makes every student feel safe and included on campus. She has pledged to build a culture of shared governance and work in partnership with faculty and other stakeholders. Working together, they will shepherd the university’s broad mission into a new future, adapting to significant external pressures.