Dear fellow members of the Columbia community:
As I have shared with you, we have been working this year on critical priorities for our University, which you can find on our “Fulfilling Our Commitments” website. We have shared our progress on several of our key priorities with the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the General Services Administration. You can find that document here, and on our website.
This past year has been one of enormous progress, where our community of thoughtful faculty, students, and stakeholders has shaped a principled and methodical approach to meeting the moment’s challenges. Our response to the government agencies outlines the substantive work we’ve been doing over the last academic year to advance our mission, ensure uninterrupted academic activities, and make every student, faculty, and staff member safe and welcome on our campus.
We have much to be proud of as a community, and it has been a privilege to share our progress and plans. In the spirit of great American universities, we expect Columbians to engage in robust debate and discussion about our way forward, and we welcome it as an opportunity to shape the future of Columbia.
The way Columbia and Columbians have been portrayed is hard to reckon with. We have challenges, yes, but they do not define us. We are a community of scholars who have deep respect for each other and our mission. We teach the brightest, most creative students in the world, and we care deeply for each and every one of them. I have every faith in our ability to overcome the greatest of challenges. We stand resilient and brilliant.
At all times, we are guided by our values, putting academic freedom, free expression, open inquiry, and respect for all at the fore of every decision we make.
Standing together for Columbia,
Katrina Armstrong
Interim President, Columbia University in the City of New York
