January 6, 2025

Dear Members of the Carnegie Mellon Community:

We are so grateful for your collective generosity in support of our 31st Annual Food Drive. This year, our CMU community contributed the following:

• Total dollars raised: $100,161.87
• Total nonperishables collected (including can openers): 1,597.75 lbs.
• Total can openers donated to our CMU Food Pantry: 569

Using Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank’s formula to convert pounds to dollars and adding that figure to our cash total, our grand total raised this year was an incredible $102,159.06!

Thank you to all of the staff, faculty, students, alumni and friends who contributed to this year’s drive. We are humbled by your amazing response and continued support from year to year. In fact, in the 31-year history of our drive, we’ve collected $617,143 and more than 80 tons of food to help eradicate hunger and food insecurity in our region. Your support truly makes a difference!

Thank you, again.
Sincerely,

Jim Garrett
Provost and Chief Academic Officer
Honorary Chair of the 2024 CMU Community Food Drive

Carole Panno
Associate Director of Development, University Advancement
Staff Council Food Drive Committee Chair

January 13, 2025

Dear Members of the Carnegie Mellon University Community:

It is my pleasure to officially welcome you to the spring semester. I hope you enjoyed a refreshing Winter Break — taking time to rest, connect with loved ones, and step away from the usual campus rhythms. As we begin this new semester, I am writing to share some key updates and highlight the exciting opportunities ahead of us.

2025-2026 Academic Calendar

The official 2025-2026 Academic Calendar is now available on The HUB website, as well as the proposed calendars for the following two academic years. The summer 2025 internship calendar also has been finalized. Consistent with previous years, the academic calendar features a weeklong Fall Break and an early scheduling of Spring Carnival to avoid conflicts with religious holidays.

I strongly encourage everyone to review the Inclusive Holiday Observations and Interfaith Calendar, which lists dates for course instructors to consider when planning mandatory activities and assignments; students are encouraged to talk to their course instructors early in the semester to share dates on which they are requesting flexibility.

Opportunities to Learn, Gather and Grow

This year, we are excited to continue offering community-wide programs designed to foster understanding and awareness of complex issues, while also encouraging meaningful dialogue on significant societal topics. In this spirit, I invite you to participate in the President’s Lecture Series, Deeper Conversations, Combating Hate Series and University Lecture Series, all of which present unique and engaging opportunities for our community. Additionally, CMU’s 2025 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Keynote Lecture featuring Admiral Michelle J. Howard will be held on February 5, 2025. I look forward to seeing you at these and other community events throughout the semester.

I also invite you to attend my open office hours, which are an opportunity for you to share your insights, challenges and goals for our community. As we begin this new year, I want to hear your perspective on helping shape CMU into an environment where every member can thrive.

Office of International Education (OIE) Resources

Although the effects of the incoming U.S. presidential administration on immigration matters are uncertain, the Office of International Education (OIE) has been actively reaching out to our international students and scholars to provide essential information about their legal immigration status. OIE is here to support the success and welfare of CMU's international students and scholars. Individuals with questions about their immigration status are encouraged to reach out to OIE at oie@andrew.cmu.edu.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS)

As always, our CaPS team is here to foster a safe, confidential environment for students to discuss personal and academic concerns. All students currently enrolled at the Pittsburgh campus are eligible for services at CaPS at no additional cost to them, and all services are confidential.

Looking Ahead

As we embark on this semester together, I am grateful for this community’s collective commitment to learning, understanding and supporting one another. Each of you plays a crucial role in creating an inclusive and innovative environment. I invite you to join me in approaching this semester with curiosity, empathy and a shared dedication to making a positive impact, both within our university and across the world.

Sincerely,

James H. Garrett Jr.
Provost and Chief Academic Officer

January 28, 2025

Dear Members of the CMU Community, 

I write to share the news that William H. Sanders, who has served as the Dr. William D. and Nancy W. Strecker Dean of the College of Engineering since January 2020, has decided to step down from his role in June. Dean Sanders has accepted the exciting opportunity to serve as president of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) starting in July.

During his five years of leadership at CMU, Dean Sanders has made many significant contributions to our entire academic community, and under his guidance, the College of Engineering has thrived. He led the development of Engineering’s strategic plan, which has put the college on a strong upward trajectory and has driven its mission forward in new and exciting ways. 

Dean Sanders has worked strategically and diligently to expand CMU’s global imprint, and in partnership with leaders across the university, secured a transformational partnership with the Mastercard Foundation that enabled CMU-Africa to double its enrollment to over 300 students from more than 20 African countries and establish both the Center for the Inclusive Digital Transformation of Africa and the Afretec Network. In collaboration with leaders across the college, he launched several key educational initiatives, including the world's first master's degrees in AI Engineering, a new undergraduate additional major in Engineering Design, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, and several new online graduate certificates. 

To support the engineering community, he led efforts to create the Belonging Center, which hosts community-building activities and programming, and the new Center for Faculty Success, which provides resources to support faculty achievement. Additionally, Dean Sanders significantly expanded the college’s center-scale research activities and established the Alumni Awards program to honor distinguished members of the College of Engineering community for their accomplishments, innovations and advancements.

A recognized leader in his field, Dean Sanders was elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) in 2023, one of the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer, highlighting his contributions to cybersecurity and resiliency technologies for critical infrastructures. His commitment to academic excellence, student success and innovative research has positioned the college for future growth and achievement. I am grateful to Dean Sanders for everything he has done to elevate this important mission.

In the coming weeks, I will announce the formation of a search committee to identify the next leader for this important position. Vijayakumar (Kumar) Bhagavatula, the Helen Whitaker Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has agreed to serve as interim dean starting in June to ensure leadership continuity during this transition period.

Please join me in congratulating Bill on this next step in his journey as a leader in higher education. His contributions to CMU and the College of Engineering are deeply appreciated, and I have no doubt he will continue to bring the same spirit of collaboration and innovation to his role as the president of Rochester Institute of Technology.

Sincerely,

James H. Garrett Jr.
Provost and Chief Academic Officer

January 31, 2025

Dear Members of the Carnegie Mellon University Community:

I am excited to announce a comprehensive search for Carnegie Mellon’s next vice provost of enrollment management and dean of admission. As I recently shared, Dr. Kris Wong Davis has made the decision to return to her alma mater, the University of Arizona, to serve as vice president for enrollment management and dean of admission in March 2025. 

The vice provost of enrollment management and dean of admission plays a critical role in advancing CMU's strategic approach to student recruitment and institutional growth. This leadership position navigates complex challenges, including demographic shifts, expanding access to higher education, and addressing affordability in a competitive market. The role requires innovative thought leadership and collaboration across all aspects of the field, including marketing, enrollment, student success and institutional outcomes.

To guide this search, I have charged a search committee that includes faculty, staff and students from across the university:

• Co-Chair: Becky Culyba, Vice Provost for Operations and Strategic Initiatives and Chief of Staff to the Provost
• Co-Chair: Michael Murphy, Distinguished Service Professor and Executive Director of the Center for Leadership Studies
• Alaine Allen, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, College of Engineering
• Miguel Alvarez, Director of Access and Opportunity and Tartan Scholars Recruitment and Enrollment Manager, Office of the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management
• Isabelle Bajeux-Besnainou, Dean, Tepper School of Business
• Gina Casalegno, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
• Jeffrey Eppinger, Professor of the Practice, Software and Societal Systems, School of Computer Science
• Anne Lambright, Department Head, Paul Mellon Distinguished Professor of Hispanic Studies, Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Sheika Lugtu, Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Enrollment, College of Fine Arts
• Kelli Lammie Maxwell, Associate Dean of Student Success, Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Gabriel Mendez-Sanders, Student, College of Engineering
• Wesley Pegden, Professor of Mathematical Sciences, Mellon College of Science
• Dudley Reynolds, Senior Associate Dean for Education, CMU-Qatar
• Henry Zheng, Vice Provost for Institutional Effectiveness and Planning

WittKieffer Executive Search will support the committee in conducting this search. The committee will build an inclusive candidate pool through active recruitment and nominations, as well as seek input from faculty, staff, students and other key constituencies to define role requirements and identify potential candidates. We aim to complete the selection by the end of this academic year.

To learn more about this role and the search process, as well as to submit confidential inquiries, nominations or applications, visit the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management and Dean of Admission search website. Additionally, I invite you to utilize this form to share your feedback on the role description, particularly regarding critical characteristics and opportunities.

I extend my gratitude to Kris Wong Davis for her leadership, to Keith Gehres for overseeing Enrollment Management operations during this transition, and to the entire Enrollment Management team for the positive impact they have on the future and current students of CMU each day. I also thank the entire CMU community for supporting the search process — your insights and engagement are invaluable as we seek a leader to build on the many successes of our vibrant academic community and advance CMU's mission and values.

Sincerely,

James H. Garrett Jr.
Provost and Chief Academic Officer

February 3, 2025

Dear Members of the Carnegie Mellon Community:

Each year, the university reviews its costs and sets tuition, fees and living expenses for the upcoming academic year. This analysis considers expenditures and inflation, aiming to balance the university's financial stability with the ability to attract top-tier students.

For the academic year 2025-26 (AY25-26), the Board of Trustees approved an overall 3.86% increase in the undergraduate cost of attendance. Undergraduate tuition will be $67,020, with a rate of $11,250 for a standard double room and $7,644 for a traditional first-year meal plan. Approved rates for other associated fees can be found on the Student Financial Services website. Please note that graduate tuition is set by individual schools and colleges at the program level and will be published later in the semester.

We recognize the financial investment that students and their families make by choosing to attend CMU. As an institution, we are fully committed to delivering an exceptional educational experience while making it as affordable as possible. The university continues to make investments in financial aid commensurate with increases in cost of attendance and to meet full demonstrated need for undergraduate students receiving financial aid, nearly doubling the amount of financial aid provided over the past decade. One result of these investments is the CMU Pathway Program, which will officially launch at the start of AY25-26. This program is part of our recent initiatives to ensure talented students can afford a CMU education, regardless of their socioeconomic background, and is available to undergraduate students who:

• have typical family assets and an annual family income that falls below the income thresholds for a tuition-free ($75,000) and federal loan-free ($100,000) CMU education;
• are a new or returning undergraduate enrolled at our Pittsburgh campus; and
• are a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident of the United States.

You can learn more about CMU’s suite of access and affordability initiatives, as well as updated information on the cost of attendance, on the Student Financial Services website.

Sincerely, 

James H. Garrett Jr.
Provost and Chief Academic Officer

March 11, 2025

Dear Members of the CMU Community:

In 2020, President Farnam Jahanian charged a  Commission on Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression to review our policies and practices related to academic freedom and freedom of expression, create forums for meaningful discussion about these foundational principles, and explore how these values advance our academic mission. The Commission completed its work in 2022 and released its final report and recommendations at that time. One outcome of this report was the establishment of an Implementation Steering Committee, which has since been working to put these recommendations into action.

At the suggestion of the Implementation Steering Committee, and drawing on the extensive work of the Commission, we have made proposed updates to the existing Freedom of Expression Policy and the newly developed Freedom of Expression Guidance. The Freedom of Expression Policy retains the Policy Statement that has been in place for over 50 years, underscoring that CMU continues to value the freedoms of speech, thought, expression and assembly both in themselves and as part of our core educational and intellectual mission.

These documents have been socialized with and reviewed by various faculty, staff and student leadership groups. Today, in accordance with the university’s Policy on Policy Development, we write to share these updates and ask for your review and input before they are finalized. To provide feedback on the updated Freedom of Expression Policy and Freedom of Expression Guidance, please do so via the Comment Form by Thursday, April 10, 2025, at noon. As part of this effort, you are also welcome to comment on the Expressive Activity Registration Guidelines, which were published at the start of the 2024-2025 academic year.

To support our ongoing commitment to education on these critical topics, recordings of previous discussions and forums related to academic freedom and freedom of expression are available on the Commission’s website. We encourage the CMU community to engage with these resources for continued learning and reflection on these important principles.

We value your input and are committed to maintaining an environment of open dialogue and transparent communication. Your engagement in this process is essential in these efforts to uphold CMU’s core principles of academic freedom and freedom of expression.

Sincerely,

James H. Garrett Jr.
Provost and Chief Academic Officer

Gina Casalegno
Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students