West Harlem residents cast their votes in a series of contentious races on Election Day on Tuesday.

When acting University President Claire Shipman, CC ’86, SIPA ’94, delivered her first public remarks at her first University Senate plenary in April 2025, following the start of Columbia’s negotiations with the federal government, her goals were clear: restore research funding, respond to concerns over student protests and alleged antisemitism on campus, and support Columbia’s institutional shared governance structure.

Nearly a year ago, Columbia settled with the federal government to restore billions of dollars in frozen funding, alleviating disappointment, fear, and uncertainty about the future of science research in the United States.

At the very end of Columbia’s 47-page review of the University Senate, following a list of recommendations and an analysis of the University governance structure, lies a distinct document addressed to the University’s board of trustees.

Columbia’s board of trustees released a short list of internal changes alongside its review of the University Senate following calls from students and faculty for board reform.