Protests opposing the conflict in Gaza have placed significant pressure on leaders of U.S. colleges, challenging them to navigate contentious campus divisions while upholding freedom of speech and ensuring campus safety. The president of Columbia University, Minouche Shafik, recently resigned following backlash for her management of the protests.
Similar to her counterparts, Shafik encountered criticism from various quarters. Some student groups criticized her decision to involve the police in removing protesters. Republicans in Congress and others urged her to take a stronger stance against antisemitism. Additionally, the university’s arts-and-science faculty expressed no confidence in her leadership.
At the University of Pennsylvania, Liz Magill was the first of three Ivy League presidents to resign in the aftermath of contentious appearances before Congress, preceding Harvard’s Claudine Gay and Shafik. Magill stepped down amid pressure from donors and scrutiny over her testimony at a congressional hearing where she struggled to address calls on campus advocating for the genocide of Jews violating the school’s conduct policy.
Harvard University’s Claudine Gay, the institution’s first Black president, faced similar scrutiny for her responses during a congressional hearing on antisemitism at college campuses. Gay later apologized for not adequately denouncing threats of violence against Jewish students. She resigned shortly after, citing distress over attacks on her commitment to combat hate and threats fueled by racial bias.
In her resignation letter, Shafik acknowledged the challenge of reconciling differing opinions within the Columbia community during her tenure. Pro-Palestinian protesters established tent encampments on campus during Shafik’s testimony in April, criticizing her response to faculty and students accused of bias. Shafik cited personal tolls on her family as a factor in her decision to step down.
Numerous other college administrators have faced mounting pressure to resign from both members of Congress and segments of their campuses. MIT President Sally Kornbluth, questioned at the same hearing as Magill and Gay, did not face the same resignation demands. Kornbluth clarified at the hearing that speech targeting individuals—not public statements—would breach bullying and harassment policies. Leaders like University of Massachusetts Chancellor Javier Reyes have defended calling in law enforcement as a last resort to disperse protesters peacefully.
College leaders who have reached agreements with students to de-escalate demonstrations have also been criticized by Congress. Northwestern President Michael Schill and Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway managed to resolve potential conflicts without yielding to protesters during a hearing in May.