Columbia University's interim president resigns and tak

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New York, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Columbia University announced in a statement on March 28 that its interim president, Katrina Armstrong, has resigned. At present, Armstrong will return to work at Columbia University Medical Center, and the school has appointed Claire Shipman as acting president. ​

Recently, Columbia University has been under heavy pressure from the Trump administration. The Trump administration is investigating the ways in which 60 universities, including Columbia University, handle anti Semitism. Earlier this month, the Trump administration cancelled $400 million in federal funding for Columbia University, citing its inadequate efforts to combat anti Semitism during last year's Gaza campus protests, and demanded that the school implement a series of measures before considering resuming funding. ​

To regain this critical funding, Columbia University agreed on March 21 to multiple reform demands proposed by the Trump administration, including advancing the campus mask ban program, granting arrest powers to security officials, and appointing new senior management to oversee the Middle East Studies program. However, these measures have sparked strong protests from activists. Todd Wolfson, president of the American Association of University Professors, pointed out that the Trump administration's demands can be considered the most serious infringement on academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and other aspects since the McCarthy era, setting a bad precedent. ​

Although the official statement did not specify the specific reasons for Armstrong's resignation, it is speculated that his resignation may be related to Columbia University's difficult situation in this turmoil. The newly appointed acting president Claire Shipman has been a member of the Columbia University Board of Directors since 2013, holds a graduate degree from Columbia University, and is a journalist and writer. In the future, she will face the daunting challenge of how to resolve school crises, repair relationships among all parties, and maintain academic freedom and independence while meeting government requirements. ​