Dear CSSW Community,
I write today about last night’s news regarding the resignation of Columbia University President Minouche Shafik. Dr. Shafik joined us just over a year ago as the first woman and first person of color to lead Columbia, and was challenged to navigate one of the most fraught times in our University’s history. I wish her all the best in her new role with the UK government.
I know many of you will be wondering how we move forward from here. Times of change are always unsettling, especially amid the backdrop of considerable turmoil on our campus, mirroring the horrific turmoil in our world. Our path forward rests on our ability to sit in this discomfort, grapple with uncertainty, and work collaboratively to move forward. We have navigated difficult times before, and we will do so again, to the best of our collective ability. I strongly believe that again, we need to hold the importance of human relationships front and center. We can move through this period with the support of one another.
I am in the process of coordinating our efforts with Interim President Katrina Armstrong. She and I have been in close collaboration over the past several months as co-chairs of the University-wide Mental Health Initiative, so she appreciates the tremendous breadth of expertise and caliber of our CSSW community. She is an experienced and respected leader and I look forward to working with her in this new capacity.
I will be sending further messaging on our plans for moving forward in the coming days. Until then, please take care of yourselves during these last weeks of summer.
In community,
Melissa