The Office of the Board of Trustees and Secretary of the Corporation provide strategic leadership and serve as primary liaison to the Board of Trustees, the administration and the university community, which enables the board to perform its fiduciary duty at a high level, the administration to operate efficiently and effectively with respect to the governance of the university, and the university community to understand and engage with the governing board. The office also oversees the management and operations of the trustees and its committees, including the presidential advisory boards that conduct reviews of the university’s programs. The Secretary of the Corporation is the custodian of the meetings of the Board of Trustees, the Articles and the Bylaws, the corporate records and the seal of the Corporation. The board office also maintains and disseminates official records of all board actions, including board meeting agendas.

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Dear Members of the CMU Community,

I am delighted to announce the reappointment of James H. Garrett Jr. to a second five-year term as the provost and chief academic officer of Carnegie Mellon University.

This renewal follows a thorough review completed by the Provost Review Committee, led by co-chairs Bobby Klatzky, the Charles J. Queenan Jr. Professor of Psychology in our Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Board of Trustees member Erroll Davis (E '65). Nine faculty from across our schools and colleges also served on the committee as well as Trustee Darryl Britt (TPR '90).

As with past provost reviews, the committee solicited feedback from a wide range of CMU stakeholders and constituents. Direct outreach spanned 53 individuals, including faculty, staff, students and alumni, as well as representatives in the community, industry, government and philanthropic sectors. In addition, the committee gathered nearly 90 online submissions from members of the CMU community via a webpage dedicated to supporting the search.

There was broad and enthusiastic support expressed for both Provost Garrett and the call for his reappointment.

The review shares vociferous praise for Provost Garrett’s unwavering integrity and unparalleled commitment to serving the CMU community. These findings call particular attention to Provost Garrett’s role in advancing and elevating CMU’s academic mission during a pandemic. They also commend his deft navigation of academic freedom challenges and his successful turn as chair of our Academic Freedom Commission during his initial five-year term.

The committee’s report calls Provost Garrett “a champion of efforts to advance the future of higher education at CMU.” This transformative work takes many forms. It is apparent in Provost Garrett’s decision to raise doctoral student stipend minimums and invest in holistic Ph.D. support. It is reflected in his “commitment to faculty recruitment, retention and promotion” and his “increased support and resources for faculty mentoring and orientation.” It is also a vision that Provost Garrett is actively realizing — and promoting equitable access to — via the launch of initiatives such as the Tartan Scholars program, the Rales Fellows program and the Student Academic Success Center.

The committee’s review also pinpoints areas of opportunity for Provost Garrett and our university’s leadership team to consider as we move the university forward. We plan to use this feedback to further advance our institutional mission and better serve our community.

In summary, I am grateful to the committee for conducting such a thorough and insightful review and wholeheartedly echo their support of Jim Garrett and his leadership across CMU’s schools, colleges, institutes and campuses. Today, our faculty and students are achieving excellence in classrooms, labs, studios and on stage. Our alumni are driving transformative change in science, technology, business, the arts, public policy and government. Our university’s capacity to change the world for good has never been greater. And, buoyed by Provost Garrett’s steadfast leadership and inspiring vision, I’m looking forward to watching our Tartan community continue to raise the bar — and redefine what’s possible — over the next five years.

Warm regards,

Farnam Jahanian
President
Henry L. Hillman President’s Chair

Thursday, January 18, 2024

Dear Members of the CMU Community:

Happy New Year and welcome back!

Carnegie Mellon University’s mission, when distilled into its simplest terms, is to educate as well as to create and leverage knowledge for the benefit of society. The open and respectful exchange of ideas and perspectives is essential to this mission, especially in a complicated and fractured world.

Over the past several months, the power of conversation has been particularly useful in helping our community confront hate and build bridges of understanding amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. I want to thank you — our students, faculty, staff, alumni, families and trustees — for your courage and compassion as we have engaged, connected and grown together.

As we begin 2024, it is my hope that we can continue to create and share opportunities for dialogue, so that together we can embrace our mission as an academic institution and shine a light on nuanced and potentially divisive topics. To that end, I invite you to explore Deeper Conversations, a university-wide initiative aimed at bringing together new and existing opportunities to explore divergent viewpoints and take a broader view on some of today’s most challenging issues.

This semester, Deeper Conversations will build on our programming from the fall by elevating conversations and resources related to confronting hate and learning about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Two efforts anchor this exploration. The first is programming devoted to recognizing and combating hate, specifically in regards to the concerning rise of antisemitism and Islamophobia across society. This work is already well underway through the leadership of Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer Wanda Heading-Grant. The second is a collaborative effort, presented by the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy, to unpack and understand the historical, political and cultural context of the Israel-Hamas war. This work is being led by the deans of both colleges, Richard Scheines and Ramayya Krishnan, who will be sharing more details on the programming later today. I want to thank Deans Scheines and Krishnan as well as the members of their planning committee for curating an exceptional event lineup that is steeped in academic discourse and scholarship.

As we hear from our community and collaborate with campus partners, featured opportunities on Deeper Conversations will change to reflect the evolving societal context and issues of the day. Please check the Deeper Conversations webpage throughout this semester for the latest programming options and opportunities.

The final report from CMU’s Commission on Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression reminds us that navigating a diverse and sometimes contentious world with respect for our bedrock principles requires the courage to engage in thoughtful ways. While it is not always easy or comfortable to confront misinformation or consider perspectives outside of our own, coming together for dialogue is the clearest path toward peace and understanding — and is fundamental to preserving our democracy.

We will not always get these steps right, and we may find the complexities and nuances of these issues overwhelming at times. Yet, even in the face of these risks, I strongly believe that facilitating civil discourse and modeling its power to unify, educate and build bridges is precisely the role that higher education can and should play in a society increasingly marked by division. By doing so, we will not only produce informed and engaged citizens of the world but more effectively advance our institutional mission of leveraging knowledge for the greater good.

Warm regards,

Farnam Jahanian
President
Henry L. Hillman President’s Chair

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Dear Members of the CMU Community:

I am thrilled to announce our distinguished honorary degree recipients and speaker for Carnegie Mellon University’s 126th Commencement, which will take place on Sunday, May 12, in Gesling Stadium.

Our keynote speaker will be Reeta Roy, who has served as the president and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation since 2008. As president and CEO, Reeta has transformed the foundation from a four-person startup to a global organization – one of the top five private foundations in the world – with assets exceeding $40 billion.

Under Reeta’s leadership, the foundation has committed $8 billion to its programs, which are largely focused on strengthening opportunities in Africa. Recent initiatives include Young Africa Works, an effort to connect 30 million young people in Africa to dignified and fulfilling work by 2030, as well as a historic $1.5 billion partnership with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention aimed at boosting the equitable access and delivery of vaccines across Africa. The foundation is also a steadfast and generous supporter of our CMU-Africa campus. It has helped us advance our academic and research mission in Africa and extend a life-changing CMU graduate education to talented young people from across the continent.

It is a Carnegie Mellon Commencement tradition to award honorary degrees to exemplary leaders whose lives and work inspire our community. This year’s honorary degree recipients have profoundly impacted our world through their contributions in business, the arts, research and engineering. In addition to Reeta, who will receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree, our 2024 honorary degree recipients are:

Charles L. Evans (Trustee, TPR 1985, 1989) served as the ninth president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago from 2007 to 2023. Prior to this role, Charles worked as the bank’s director of research and senior vice president, supervising its research on monetary policy, banking, financial markets and regional economic conditions. His own research focused on measuring the effects of monetary policy on the U.S. economy, inflation and financial market prices. Charles joined our Board of Trustees last year, and we will be honoring him with the university’s first-ever Honorary Doctor of Public Service degree in May.

Renée Elise Goldsberry (CFA 1993) is an actress, singer and songwriter who earned Tony, Grammy, Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel awards for playing the original Angelica Schuyler in the hit Broadway musical “Hamilton.” Renée currently stars in Tina Fey’s Emmy-nominated series "GIRLS5EVA," and her acting career spans a dynamic range of roles on stage (including “The Lion King,” “The Color Purple” and “Rent”) and on screen (such as “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” “The Good Wife” and “Ally McBeal”). She is releasing a debut solo album of original music later this year. At commencement, we will recognize Renée with an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree.

William D. “Bill” Strecker (ENG 1966, 1967, 1971) spent nearly three decades working at Digital Equipment Corporation, including serving as the company’s senior vice president of engineering, chief technology officer and senior vice president of corporate strategy. Later, he moved into leadership roles at Compaq Computer Corporation, Flagship Ventures and In-Q-Tel, a nonprofit focused on helping startups provide technology to the U.S. intelligence community. Bill earned 16 patents for his breakthrough engineering designs over the course of his career, and he and his wife are longtime supporters of CMU. Their generosity has established – among other opportunities – the endowed Dr. William D. and Nancy W. Strecker Dean’s Chair of the College of Engineering as well as an early career professorship in electrical and computer engineering. At commencement, we will recognize Bill with an Honorary Doctor of Science and Technology degree.

I am grateful to our Honorary Degree Review Committee, chaired by Richard Scheines, the Bess Family Dean of the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, for its work in evaluating and recommending candidates and to all those who submitted nominations. I invite you to learn more about this year’s extraordinary lineup of speaker and honorary degree recipients.

While May 12 is more than a few weeks away, I am already looking forward to welcoming these distinguished leaders to campus and – of course – celebrating the many achievements and talents of our outstanding graduates!

Sincerely,

Farnam Jahanian
President
Henry L. Hillman President’s Chair

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Dear Members of the Carnegie Mellon Community:

Earlier today, we received the heartbreaking news that Dr. Jerry Cohon, who served as Carnegie Mellon University’s eighth president from 1997 to 2013, had peacefully passed away in Ligonier, Pa.

This is a devastating loss for the CMU community, for Pittsburgh and for the nation. Jerry was widely respected and immensely beloved, and his leadership and scholarship have shaped the trajectories of an untold number of Tartans over the years. His brilliant mind, unyielding energy and unimpeachable integrity have made our institution — and our society — better in innumerable ways.

On a personal note, Jerry was a mensch. I am deeply grateful for his friendship and wise counsel over the years, and for the many ways he served the CMU community. Our hearts go out to his wife, Maureen “Bunny” Cohon, their daughter, Hallie Donner, son-in-law, Josh, and two grandchildren, Solomon and Nathan.

I recognize that many members of our university will be looking for ways to appropriately recognize and remember Jerry’s extraordinary life and his impact. Please know that in the coming days, we will share more information regarding arrangements as well as a full obituary and reflections on Jerry’s immeasurable contributions. We will also be working to organize an on-campus celebration at a later date in order to come together to honor his remarkable life and impact.

For all of us grieving this loss, let us find solace in the realization that President Emeritus Jerry Cohon’s extraordinary legacy is already inextricably threaded throughout our institution and will continue to be so for generations to come.

Sincerely,

Farnam Jahanian
President
Henry L. Hillman President’s Chair

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Dear Members of the CMU Community:

As a follow up to my message yesterday regarding the passing of CMU President Emeritus Jerry Cohon, today I write to share his obituary, a beautifully rendered and moving tribute to Dr. Cohon's life and impact. This writeup also contains information on the funeral services taking place in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, March 19. I encourage you to spend a few minutes reading it and remembering Dr. Cohon.

Many of you have asked where contributions may be made in honor of Jerry and his life. Per the obituary, the family has suggested that "remembrances be made to Alumni Theater Company or to Carnegie Mellon."

As we reflect on the passing of this beloved leader, we invite you to share any reflections and remembrances to cohonremembrance@andrew.cmu.edu. We will share your reflections with the family and they may also be featured in a news story we will post in the coming days or at our on-campus memorial event, which the university will announce once a date has been identified.

Like many of you, I am saddened, but grateful for the opportunity to celebrate this wonderful man with the community that meant so much to him.

Sincerely,

Farnam Jahanian
President
Henry L. Hillman President's Chair

Tuesday, March 26, 2024 

Dear Members of the CMU Community:

I write today to share the news that Scott Mory, vice president for University Advancement, will be leaving Carnegie Mellon University after a successful nine-year tenure. Scott will be returning to his alma mater, the George Washington University, to serve as senior vice president and chief of staff.

Since joining CMU in 2015, Scott has led the division of University Advancement through a period of remarkable growth in fundraising and engagement. In Fall 2019, we launched Make Possible: The Campaign for Carnegie Mellon University and in Spring 2023 we announced that CMU had already surpassed its $2 billion goal — 18 months ahead of schedule. To date, more than 66,600 unique donors have made more than $2.3 billion in new philanthropic commitments to CMU, benefitting every part of the university.

Campaign supporters have made an incredible impact, including the creation of 62 new endowed faculty chairs, including four endowed deanships; more than 420 new endowed scholarships and fellowships; and new world-class facilities like the Tepper Quad, the Alan Magee Scaife Hall of Engineering, the Highmark Center for Health, Wellness and Athletics, and the planned Richard King Mellon Hall of Sciences, which will also be a new home for CMU’s Institute for Contemporary Art.

Our campaign success has been the result of an effective partnership between University Advancement and CMU’s academic leadership. Working with the deans, Scott established the position of chief advancement officer for each academic college and has ensured that each college has an effective advancement program. This was part of an overall effort to grow CMU’s fundraising capacity, with enhancements to all parts of CMU’s advancement program.

During his tenure Scott has also spearheaded several initiatives to elevate and celebrate Carnegie Mellon and our impact in the world. He led the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the merger of Carnegie Tech and the Mellon Institute in 2017. Under his leadership, we’ve also launched marquee programs such as Tartans on the Rise and Faculty Dialogues, and we have hosted several successful tours to meet alumni, parents and friends around the world, including several highly successful virtual programs during the pandemic. If you have been to an on-campus event, one of our regional gatherings or to Commencement, you have witnessed firsthand Scott’s leadership of University Events and his guidance of the team who make these gatherings so memorable. Through these and many other programs and forums, Scott has made CMU’s on-campus culture, as well as our relationship with alumni, parent and partner communities, stronger than ever.

Beyond his leadership of Advancement, Scott has also played a role in supporting our engagement with our trustees, leading our partnership with the Tony Awards, launching the Summit for CMU Senior Leaders, staffing the Honorary Degree Committee, as well as serving on the Total Compensation Committee and numerous vice president and dean search committees. Scott also serves on the boards of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and of the Andy Warhol Museum.

Returning to GW is a homecoming for Scott, as he is a double alumnus, former trustee and former head of alumni relations there. GW’s recognition of the contributions Scott will make in his new role is also a great reflection of the impact of his time here. And while we will miss him here, I know he will thrive in this new role and I could not be happier for or more proud of him.

It is impossible to adequately capture the impact Scott has made on this university and our community. With his exemplary leadership, remarkable creativity and unwavering commitment to always deliver the very best for Carnegie Mellon, Scott has made this institution better and stronger in so many ways. On a personal note, I will always be profoundly grateful for his partnership, which has created so many opportunities for CMU, and for his friendship, which I know will endure.

Regarding the future leadership of University Advancement, I am pleased to share that Pam Eager, senior associate vice president for University Advancement, has agreed to serve as interim vice president. She has been a close colleague to Scott during his tenure, and with the support of the rest of the division’s leadership, University Advancement and its team of dedicated and capable staff are in good hands. We will be launching a search for the next head of UA immediately and I look forward to sharing those details shortly.

Scott will be with CMU through the end of the semester, and we look forward to opportunities to celebrate his contributions to CMU. In the meantime, please join me in congratulating Scott!

Sincerely,

Farnam Jahanian
President
Henry L. Hillman President’s Chair