Columbia University President Minouche Shafik has stepped down from her position effective immediately, as announced in a message to the university community on Wednesday. Shafik’s resignation comes at a time when Columbia’s campus in Upper Manhattan became a focal point for protests linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict, which sparked demonstrations across college campuses nationwide. These protests led to thousands of arrests and disruptions during graduation ceremonies. In her statement, Shafik acknowledged that these events played a role in her decision to resign.

“This period has taken a significant toll on my family, as it has on others in the community,” Shafik wrote. “Over the summer, I had time to reflect and concluded that stepping aside now would best position Columbia to navigate the challenges ahead.”

Beyond the protests, the university also faced internal turmoil when three deans were removed in July after it was revealed that they had exchanged disparaging text messages during a campus discussion about Jewish life and antisemitism. Shafik addressed this incident in a letter to the university community on July 8, describing the messages as unprofessional and noting that they “disturbingly referenced age-old antisemitic stereotypes.”

Shafik shared that she plans to return to the United Kingdom to take on a role in the foreign secretary’s office, where she will lead a review of the government’s approach to international development and explore ways to enhance its capabilities. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to return to work on combating global poverty and promoting sustainable development, areas that have always been of deep personal interest to me,” she wrote. She also mentioned that this new role would allow her to reengage with the House of Lords and contribute to the legislative agenda set by the new UK government.

Shafik, who was appointed president of Columbia University last year, made history as the first woman to hold the position. She was one of several women recently appointed to lead Ivy League institutions. Before joining Columbia, Shafik served as the director of the London School of Economics and held various positions at the World Bank, where she became the youngest vice president in the bank’s history. Her career also included roles at the UK’s Department for International Development, the International Monetary Fund, and the Bank of England. She holds a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and a doctorate from Oxford University.

At the time of her appointment, Columbia’s Board of Trustees chair, Jonathan Lavine, praised her as a leader with a deep understanding of both academia and the broader world. “What distinguished Minouche as a candidate,” Lavine noted, “was her unwavering belief in the crucial role that higher education institutions must play in addressing the world’s most complex challenges.”