Columbia University has finally said goodbye to its failed president — and the only surprise is that it took so long. Minouche Shafik, who resigned on Wednesday, leaves behind a legacy of division and violence. But her departure is far from enough to fix one of America’s most important universities. The university must prove – from top to bottom – that it is willing to put true learning above radicalism. So must every university in America, for that matter.

I say this as someone who not only graduated from Columbia, but was present on campus during the violent protests of 1968. Then, as now, protesters attacked fellow students and stormed campus buildings. Then, as now, campus leaders did too little, too late to restore order. More importantly, then, as now, the adults in the room tacitly accepted and even encouraged extremism—forgetting that higher education is supposed to be about finding the truth, not trendy partisan political fads.

Minouche Shafik is a case in point. Throughout her time at the helm of the university, she has pandered to radicals who should have been punished immediately for their actions – or better yet, stopped in the first place. She never took any meaningful steps to channel the emotions of students (and professors!) into constructive discussions about a better way forward. Instead, she allowed destruction to rage unchecked for all to see.

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Her actions – and inactions – had predictable consequences. And if there was any doubt about her unfitness for the job, Shafik proved it again in her resignation letter. She said she found it “difficult to overcome the differing views in our community.” But universities are not meant to overcome differing views. That would only mean creating a monoculture, which is what already describes most higher education. Instead, universities are meant to respect differing views and manage them for the benefit of all.

Is Columbia ready to create a culture of intellectual honesty, curiosity and creativity?

Is Columbia University ready for that? Is it ready to create a culture of intellectual honesty, curiosity, and creativity? While it is certainly good that Minouche Shafik is gone, it is far from clear that campus leaders are ready to do what needs to be done. They must prove that they are ready to return this storied institution to its fundamental mission of educating students and seeking the truth.

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That starts with hiring a new president who understands the purpose of higher education. Columbia should look to Dartmouth’s president, who encouraged civil discourse among students and faculty after October 7, rather than remaining silent and encouraging violence. That university rejected radicalism in favor of real education.

But hiring the right president is only the first step of many. Columbia must hire new professors with intellectually diverse backgrounds and bring students together in forums to discuss difficult issues. Ultimately, the university must make the most of higher education and get students and professors to challenge each other in the pursuit of understanding and truth.

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Until that happens, Americans should continue to view Columbia University with suspicion. Parents should think twice before sending their children to a school that has not clearly reformed. Donors should hold off on giving until they are sure their generosity will help more than harm. I have donated to Columbia continuously for five decades. I will not give them another cent until I see real change at every level.

Minouche Shafik is gone, but Columbia still has a hell of a lot of work to do. Hopefully my alma mater will actually do that, rather than simply hiring another president who will allow the decline to continue. The students – and American society – deserve so much better.

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