Interim president Katrina Armstrong is stepping down according to a University statement. Board of Trustees Co-Chair Claire Shipman has been appointed Acting President effective immediately. 

Today, March 28, Columbia’s Board of Trustees announced that Interim President Katrina Armstrong is stepping down from her tenure and “returning to lead the University’s Irving Medical Center.” Board Co-Chair Claire Shipman has been appointed Acting President, effective immediately, and will serve “until the Board completes its presidential search.” 

David J. Greenwald, Chair of the Board of Trustees, remarked in the announcement that “Katrina has always given her heart and soul to Columbia. We appreciate her service and look forward to her continued contributions to the University.” 

Acting President Claire Shipman stated she “assume[s] 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.” 

She added, “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, a Columbia alumna (‘86 CC, MIA ‘94), joined the Board in 2013 and has served as Co-Chair since 2023. She is one of the individuals who testified before Congress last April. 

This comes after the Trump administration’s cancellation of $400 million in funding to the University and subsequent requests for changes in academic and disciplinary policies. In response to these demands, the University established masking restrictions for students and placed the Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies department under academic receivership. Many groups, including the Columbia chapter of the American Association of University Professors, have condemned this “compliance” with the Trump administration.

Update on Armstrong’s address to the Columbia Community as of March 28 at 8:25 pm:

In an email to the Columbia community, former Interim President Katrina Armstrong addressed the transition. She stated, “It has been a singular honor to lead Columbia University in this important and challenging time. This is one of the world’s great universities, in its most vital city, and I am proud to have worked with extraordinary faculty, students, and alumni. But my heart is with science, and my passion is with healing. That is where I can best serve this University and our community moving forward.”

She added she “appreciate[s] having had the opportunity to play a small part in navigating this vast enterprise through some of the most difficult moments in its history. The world needs Columbia University, and you can be assured that I will do everything I can to tell that story.”

Email to the Columbia Community from Chair of the Board of Trustees David Greenwald sent on March 28, 2025 at 7:46 pm: 

Dear members of the Columbia community:

This evening, the Board of Trustees announced that Dr. Katrina A. Armstrong is returning to lead the University’s Irving Medical Center. Board of Trustees Co-Chair Claire Shipman has been appointed Acting President, effective immediately, and will serve until the Board completes its presidential search. You can read more about today’s announcement here.

The Board of Trustees appreciates Dr. Armstrong’s service at a time of great uncertainty for the University. She worked tirelessly to promote the interests of our community and has always given her heart and soul to Columbia. We look forward to her continued contributions to the University.

Acting President Shipman steps into this role with a clear understanding of the serious challenges facing our community. She brings a steadfast commitment to lead with urgency and integrity and will work closely with our faculty to advance our mission, protect our students, uphold academic freedom, and preserve open inquiry.

Sincerely,

David J. Greenwald Chair, on behalf of the Trustees of Columbia University

Email to the Columbia Community from former Interim President Katrina Armstrong sent on March 28, 2025 at 8:09 pm: 

Dear Colleagues,

As I planned when I took on this interim position, and with the support of the Board of Trustees, I am returning to my role as Chief Executive Officer of Columbia University’s Irving Medical Center, Executive Vice President for Health and Biomedical Sciences, and Dean of the Faculties of Health Sciences and Medicine and the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. The Board has now appointed Co-Chair Claire Shipman as the Acting President, effective immediately.

It has been a singular honor to lead Columbia University in this important and challenging time. This is one of the world’s great universities, in its most vital city, and I am proud to have worked with extraordinary faculty, students, and alumni. But my heart is with science, and my passion is with healing. That is where I can best serve this University and our community moving forward.

Columbia University is a special place. What we do on our campuses every day changes lives around the world. Our students are transformed by their experiences here, our faculty represent the best of teaching and scholarship, our dedicated staff bring the university to life in so many ways, and we get to serve New York, in all its messy glory.

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. The world needs Columbia University, and you can be assured that I will do everything I can to tell that story.

Standing together for Columbia,

Katrina A. Armstrong, MD
Dean of the Faculties of Health Sciences and the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
Executive Vice President for Health and Biomedical Sciences, Columbia University

This is a developing story. Bwog will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.

Columbia via Bwog Archive