(Bloomberg) -- Brandeis University president Ron Liebowitz said he’s resigning a day after the school’s faculty narrowly voted “no confidence” in his leadership, citing concerns over his handling of the budget and student protests against the war in Gaza.
“I have done so with mixed emotions because this is an exceptional institution, which carries great meaning, especially at this time, due to the reason for its founding,” Liebowitz said in a letter on Wednesday to students and faculty.
Brandeis, based in Waltham, Massachusetts, was founded in 1948 by the Jewish community when many prestigious colleges discriminated against Jews. It continues to be a destination for Jewish students, but like many colleges across the US has also experienced pro-Palestinian protests. In November, Brandeis stopped recognizing its chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine, citing the group’s support of Hamas, which the US and European Union designate a terrorist organization.
Brandeis has also faced financial constraints and earlier this year said it would lay off about 60 employees.
Liebowitz is just the latest president to quit amid turmoil on campuses. Columbia University’s Minouche Shafik resigned in August after criticism from pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian factions for her handling of campus protests.
Claudine Gay of Harvard University and Liz Magill of the University of Pennsylvania also both resigned after they gave congressional testimony in December that included evasive answers about whether calls for genocide against Jews would be a violation of university policies.
Liebowitz is stepping down Nov. 1 after leading the school for eight years. Arthur Levine, who previously served as president of Teachers College at Columbia University, will take over as interim president.
(Updates with interim president in last paragraph.)
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