Columbia’s Board of Trustees announced that Interim President Katrina A. Armstrong is stepping down from her post and returning to lead the University’s Irving Medical Center. Board of Trustees Co-Chair Claire Shipman has been appointed Acting President and will serve until the Board completes its presidential search.
“Dr. Armstrong accepted the role of interim president at a time of great uncertainty for the University and worked tirelessly to promote the interests of our community,” said David J. Greenwald, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “Katrina has always given her heart and soul to Columbia. We appreciate her service and look forward to her continued contributions to the University,” he added.
Columbia is facing intense pressure from the Trump Administration to crack down on campus protests and the potential loss of $400 million or more of federal funding.
Acting President Claire Shipman said, “I assume this role with a clear understanding of the serious challenges before us and a steadfast commitment to act with urgency, integrity, and to work with our faculty to advance our mission, implement needed reforms, protect our students, and uphold academic freedom and open inquiry. 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.”
Shipman (’86CC, MIA ’94) has served as Co-Chair since 2023, and has been on the Board since 2013. She is a journalist and author who holds a graduate degree in international affairs from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in Russian Studies from Columbia College.
