Building Next-Generation Research Support at CMU

Strengthening systems and services to keep CMU at the forefront of research and innovation

Carnegie Mellon University is launching a strategic initiative to modernize our research infrastructure: the university-wide systems, processes, structures and resources that enable our research and commercialization enterprise. This will reduce administrative burden and improve service delivery throughout the entire research lifecycle for everyone engaged in supporting and conducting research at CMU. 

The steps that we are taking are guided by the recommendations of the Presidential Advisory Board on Enterprise Creation, Entrepreneurship, and Industry Engagement and are in line with the input we received from CMU faculty, staff and alumni. 

The changes we make will help us respond faster and more effectively to opportunities, ensure compliance obligations are met, improve data-driven decision-making and better support interdisciplinary collaboration. 

What We’re Doing

Over the last year, in collaboration with our schools and colleges, we conducted a thorough review of our current enterprise research systems and services. Additionally, we built out expertise on our university-level research support teams and selected vendors for two new enterprise software solutions for sponsored research and technology transfer:

Moving to a next-generation research system

  • We are making a significant investment to implement a new cloud-based \ research software solution, based on Huron Research Suite, to streamline the research administration process. This will replace SPARCS and involve a reconfiguration of the entire grant management process – offering a single system to manage proposals, awards, regulatory and compliance activities.
  • Over the next three months, we will be working to develop a comprehensive technology roadmap to inform our implementation strategy.
  • The first set of tools will go live in 2026, with new functionality to support proposals, awards and agreements - and more to follow in 2027.

Upgrading our intellectual property management system

  • We are upgrading to a new, comprehensive intellectual property (IP) management system.
  • The new system, based on the Inteum Minuet platform, will provide enhanced capabilities to more effectively manage and leverage CMU’s significant IP assets.
  • Testing is underway, and we anticipate a launch of the new system by the end of the calendar year.

Enhancing our research support services

  • Launching a new enterprise research software solution will require adapting processes and procedures and ensuring that our campus-wide research support teams are positioned and prepared appropriately to administer the new workflows.
  • Developing these new workflows requires a full understanding of current operations now, as well as our future vision for CMU research infrastructure.
  • During September and October, members of our research community will have opportunities to share their insights and perspectives on our research support processes, procedures and operations. 

Why Change is Needed

At the federal level, the landscape is shifting quickly. Funding agencies are revisiting their priorities and new political dynamics are reshaping the contours of research investment and regulation. 

To retain our edge in this rapidly evolving environment, President Jahanian convened a Presidential Advisory Board (PAB) on Enterprise Creation, Entrepreneurship and Industry Engagement. That group’s recommendations propose strategies that will allow us to better support discovery, translation and a broader impact.

The changes outlined in the message from Vice President of Research Theresa Mayer and Chief Financial Officer Angela Blanton will better position us to adapt to changes at the federal level, even more rapidly than our peers.

External Drivers

  • Changing federal funding priorities
  • Threat of federal 15% F&A (Facilities and Administrative) rate cap - see President Jahanian’s Aug. 20 message
  • Advancement of the FAIR (Financial Accountability for Institutional Research) model
  • Potential cuts to federal science funding
  • Evolving expectations for working with federal and industry partners

Internal Drivers

What This Means for You

  • Unified access: Log into a single system to manage proposals, awards and regulatory and compliance activities
  • Less administrative burden
  • Transparent workflows and single system approvals, reducing delays
  • Faster response to funding opportunities
  • Improved compliance and data-driven decision-making
  • Better support for interdisciplinary collaboration

Our Path Forward

  • 2025: Roadmap development, input sessions
  • 2026: Limited system launch (proposals, awards, agreements)
  • 2027: Expanded functionality

Frequently Asked Questions

Federal Context & F&A

Federal Facility and Administrative (F&A) costs, also known as indirect costs, are the essential expenses that sustain the infrastructure and operations required for research, such as labs, IT systems, utilities and administrative support. Without sufficient reimbursement for these expenses, universities must find alternate funding to cover these costs.

As President Jahanian mentioned in his Aug. 20 message, a cap at 15% would create a $40 million annual shortfall for CMU.

The FAIR (Financial Accountability for Institutional Research) model, has been developed by the Joint Associations Group (including the AAU) as an alternative to a F&A rate capped at 15%. If adopted by OMB, it would bring greater transparency and accountability to the true costs of research. Implementing a model such as FAIR would require significant changes to university systems, processes and structures — but it would allow universities to recover the essential expenses associated with research and strengthen the long-term federal-university partnership.

Systems and Technology

Our current tools are fragmented, outdated and create unnecessary administrative burden. A new cloud-based enterprise software solution will modernize the entire grant management process from pre-award, including planning and proposal, through post award accounting and compliance.

The system will streamline proposal submissions, award management, as well as regulatory and compliance activities such as IACUC, Export Control and IRB, and reporting, all in one place.

Structure, processes and procedures

Launching this research support system will require us to adapt processes and procedures and ensure that our university-wide research support team is positioned and prepared to administer the new workflows.

We need the involvement of our campus-wide research community to ensure that the systems, services and structures we put into place meet our needs in a rapidly evolving research environment.

Every proposal, award and compliance process depends on the expertise and dedication of our research support teams. In the coming weeks, we aim to gain a clearer understanding of current processes and procedures so that we can invest in the right tools, streamline processes and provide the structures and training that will make that work easier and more effective.

To fully understand the resources, roles and responsibilities as they exist today, staff members whose work includes research support activity will be invited to complete a survey about their work. Select employees performing research support activities will be invited to participate in interviews or focus groups.

The information from survey responses, interview and focus group input, and research portfolio workflow analysis will help us identify what is working well and where we can improve.

Your insights and experiences are vital to the success of this initiative. By participating in these activities, you will help shape the future of research support at CMU and ensure that our services are well positioned to meet the university’s evolving needs. The Deans and Associate Deans of all schools and colleges have been involved in initial discussion regarding this work and are informed and supportive of your participation in interviews, focus groups and surveys.

For general questions regarding this initiative or the activities listed above, please reach out to nextgenrs@andrew.cmu.edu.

Transfer of Personal Information Between Countries

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a global institution with operations, campuses, partnerships, and instructional sites in multiple countries. These include the United States (main campus), Qatar, Rwanda, Portugal (partner program in the EU), and other locations noted in CMU’s global presence. Because of this international footprint, CMU may need to transfer personal information across national borders for various legitimate reasons. This page explains why these data transfers occur and how we ensure they are done lawfully and securely, in line with CMU’s commitment to privacy and the standards set in our Privacy Notice.

Why Does CMU Transfer Personal Information Internationally?

Academic Programs and Student Services: We have degree programs and campuses on multiple continents. For example, a student enrolled at CMU-Africa in Rwanda might participate in an exchange at our Pittsburgh campus, or a Qatar campus student might interact with systems hosted in the United States. In such cases, personal information (like academic records or enrollment data) may be shared between countries to support the student’s education and campus services.

Research Collaborations: CMU faculty, students, and staff frequently collaborate on research projects with international partners. This can involve sharing research data and participant information between CMU in the U.S. and institutions abroad, or between our own campuses (e.g. data from a research study at CMU-Qatar shared with main campus researchers in the U.S.) in order to advance joint projects.

University Administration and Operations: CMU centralizes certain administrative functions. For instance, if you apply to CMU from outside the U.S., your application and personal details will be transmitted to our U.S. systems for processing. Likewise, alumni or personnel records from branch campuses may be stored on secure servers in the United States. We also use trusted third-party service providers (such as cloud hosting services) which might be located in various countries. When we use service providers outside your home country, we ensure an appropriate legal framework is in place to protect personal information. 

Global Partnerships and Exchanges: Beyond our own campuses, CMU engages in student exchange programs and partnerships around the world. If you participate in a dual-degree program (for example, with a partner university in Portugal or another EU country) or an international exchange, we will transfer the minimum necessary personal information (such as transcripts or enrollment status) to the partner institution, and vice-versa, to facilitate your program.

How We Safeguard Your Information During International Transfers

CMU takes the security and privacy of personal information seriously, especially when it is transferred across borders. We have implemented technical, organizational, and legal safeguards to protect your data:

  • Strong Security Measures: Whenever personal information is transmitted between countries, we apply industry-standard security measures such as encryption and secure transfer protocols to prevent unauthorized access. For example, data exchanged between our campuses is sent over encrypted channels. Our IT systems employ access controls so that only authorized CMU personnel (with a genuine need to know) can access personal information.
  • Limited and Purposeful Transfers: We only transfer personal information internationally when it is necessary for a specific purpose related to our academic, research, or administrative services. We minimize the data shared – only the information needed for the task is transferred. Additionally, CMU does not sell or rent personal information to third parties abroad; we share it only with trusted CMU entities or service providers as described in our Privacy Notice.
  • Vendor Agreements and Data Processing Addenda: When we use external service providers in another country (such as cloud services, learning management systems, or payment processors), we contractually require them to safeguard personal information to CMU’s standards. These contracts include data protection terms to ensure your information receives an equivalent level of protection, no matter where the provider is located. For example, if we utilize a software tool hosted in the EU or Asia, our agreement with that provider will oblige them to protect your data and use it only for CMU’s authorized purposes, consistent with our Privacy Notice.
  • Training and Policies: CMU has internal policies and training in place to ensure our staff and faculty handle personal data consistently and securely worldwide. CMU personnel must abide by our privacy and security policies when accessing or transmitting personal information. We treat privacy as a core value of our global operations, and we regularly remind our community of the dos and don’ts of handling personal data (for example, using secure university systems rather than personal email to send student information).
  • Accountability: No matter where personal information about you travels, CMU remains accountable for its protection. Our Data Protection Officer and University leadership oversee compliance with privacy laws in regions where we operate. We also maintain records of data processing and conduct privacy impact assessments when launching new initiatives, to evaluate and mitigate any privacy risks of international data exchange.

Legal Frameworks for Cross-Border Data Transfers

Laws differ from country to country, but CMU complies with applicable data protection requirements in the jurisdictions where we operate. Below is an overview of how we address international personal information transfers in key regions, and the legal tools we use to ensure these transfers are lawful and protected:

European Union (EU) / European Economic Area (EEA) and United Kingdom

The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) imposes strict rules on transferring personal data outside the EU/EEA. In compliance with GDPR, CMU uses approved legal mechanisms to transfer European personal information internationally. The primary tools we rely on are the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs). These are standardized agreements that bind the receiving party (e.g., CMU in the U.S.) to protect the data to GDPR standards. By incorporating SCCs into our contracts between, say, our EU partners and CMU in the U.S., we ensure that personal data continues to benefit from a high level of protection when transferred out of Europe. In practice, this means that if you are located in the EU and your data is transferred to CMU in the United States, CMU has committed, via these contractual clauses, to safeguard your information as if EU privacy laws apply to it.

The European Commission may also decide that certain countries provide adequate data protection, a decision which allows personal data to flow from the EU to those countries as freely as within the EU. CMU takes advantage of these “adequacy decisions” where applicable. For example, if we were transferring data to a partner or service provider in a country deemed “adequate” by the EU (such as Canada, Japan, Switzerland and others), that transfer can occur without additional safeguards because the EU considers that country’s privacy laws essentially equivalent to its own. (Notably, in July 2023 the EU also determined that certain U.S. organizations provide adequate protection if they participate in the new EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework. Where appropriate, CMU will utilize such frameworks or future adequacy arrangements to streamline data flows from the EU.)

Qatar (CMU-Qatar Campus)

CMU operates a campus in Doha, Qatar. Qatar has a comprehensive data protection law – Qatar’s Personal Data Privacy Protection Law (PDPPL) of 2016 – which was the first of its kind in the Middle East. Under Qatari law, personal information must be handled according to key principles similar to those in GDPR. Transferring personal data out of Qatar is permitted, but only under certain conditions ensuring adequate protection. 

At CMU-Qatar, we comply with these requirements. If we need to send personal information from Qatar to another country (for example, sharing Qatari student records with the main campus in the U.S.), we will do so only in line with Qatari law. The PDPPL and its guidelines for “adequate levels of data protection” to be in place for any cross-border transfer. Practically, this means we will either transfer data to countries that have strong privacy laws or use contracts and security measures to protect the data. For instance, CMU-Qatar may rely on agreements that mirror the protections of Qatar’s law when transferring data to the U.S., and we perform risk assessments as needed. Qatari regulators have emphasized modern security solutions over strict data localization.

Rwanda (CMU-Africa Campus)

CMU’s Africa campus in Kigali, Rwanda, operates under Rwanda’s Law No. 058/2021 of 13/10/2021 relating to the Protection of Personal Data and Privacy, having a required compliance date of 10/13/2023. 

Other Countries and Regions

Beyond the specific jurisdictions above, CMU engages with people around the world – from applicants in India or China, to research collaborators in Brazil, to online learners in Canada and beyond. We strive to comply with applicable data transfer rules in whatever country your data comes from. For example, if you are in a country with its own data protection law (such as India’s law, China’s Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL), Brazil’s LGPD, etc.), CMU will adhere to the requirements of that law when handling personal information about you. This may involve implementing specific measures like obtaining your consent for certain transfers, conducting security assessments, or honoring data localization rules. CMU continuously monitors international privacy developments to ensure our practices remain up-to-date and compliant.

If you don’t see your country listed in the sections above and you are curious or concerned about how personal information about you would be treated, please reach out to us. We can provide individualized information. In many cases, the protections we’ve described (encryption, contractual safeguards, limiting transfers, etc.) apply universally, even if not explicitly mandated by a given country’s law. Our goal is to provide a consistent level of privacy protection globally.

A Community Effort to Shape the Next Chapter of the Fence

Thursday, September 4, 2025

Dear Members of the Carnegie Mellon Community,

The Fence has long stood at the heart of our campus as a dynamic tradition that has embodied creativity, expression and connection for generations of CMU students. What started as an iconic gathering place exclusively for seniors more than 100 years ago has continued to evolve over time to serve our students in different eras. It has been a place to gather, to celebrate, to share personal and political views, and to give voice to moments throughout our history.

While our community is proud of this legacy, messages on the Fence — especially  over the past several years — have  increasingly caused hurt among our community and, in some cases, have given observers the impression that the university endorses the messages that are painted on the Fence.

To ensure that this tradition continues to thrive, I am convening a working group dedicated to advancing conversations about the role of the Fence in campus life today and in the future. This group will bring forward recommendations that preserve the spirit of the tradition while addressing the realities of modern society and the needs of our diverse campus community.  The goal of this effort is to establish sustainable, consensus-driven approaches that honor the Fence’s legacy and ensure that it continues to serve our community well in 2025 and beyond.

This new effort builds on work already completed by the Commission on Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression, which I charged in December 2020 to explore and clarify the university’s commitment to academic freedom and freedom of expression in a contemporary context. That commission created vital forums for students, faculty and staff to explore the meaning of this commitment, and it produced a comprehensive final report with recommendations that were shared with the community in October 2022. I am deeply grateful to professors Jon Caulkins and Bobby Klatzky, who served as vice chairs of the Commission and who have generously agreed to co-chair this new working group on the Fence. Their experience and leadership will be invaluable as we take up this work. 

I especially wish to acknowledge Student Government for their partnership and leadership. Their continued engagement, along with the contributions of students across campus, will be essential to shaping the future of this tradition. This effort will listen attentively to the voices of students, alumni, faculty and staff, each of whom has an interest in the Fence, while preserving its student-centered legacy. 

Charge to the Working Group

I charge this working group with considering how the Fence can continue to serve as a meaningful campus tradition while ensuring clarity, accountability and respect for its roles, and the boundaries of its roles, within our diverse community. The working group will consider the history of the Fence as well as CMU’s commitments to academic freedom and freedom of expression as they take on this important assignment. 

The group is charged with considering the following questions as it makes its recommendations:

  • What are the primary purposes of the Fence? Are the right tools and mechanisms in place to support its goals?
  • How do, and how should, CMU’s Freedom of Expression Policy and Guidelines apply to the Fence? For example, if the Fence is used to express contested viewpoints, should people with opposing views be assured access to an equivalent forum, and, if so, how might this be accomplished?
  • How can this working group build on the recommendations of the Commission to ensure alignment with the university’s broader commitments to freedom of expression and academic freedom?
  • How can we reduce confusion, especially for external audiences, as to whether messages on the Fence reflect CMU’s views as an institution, or are endorsed by communities within CMU?  What is the role and impact of social media on the Fence tradition?
  • How can the Fence tradition continue to foster student expression and engagement while recognizing that words in certain contexts can cause harm, confusion or hurt in our community?
  • Are there expectations around attribution, governance and use that can be better communicated, particularly during moments of increased visibility, such as campus celebrations, high-profile events or times of intense public discourse? 

In addition, the working group has been asked to conceive and launch forums to solicit input from the campus community — whether through interviews, town halls, roundtables or other forums. These opportunities for dialogue will ensure that a broad cross-section of the CMU community can contribute to shaping the future of this tradition.

The working group includes students, faculty, staff and alumni who have been nominated by the Student Government, Faculty Senate, Alumni Association Board and Staff Council. 
I am grateful to all those who have agreed to serve:
 

  • Jon Caulkins, Co-Chair, H. Guyford Stever University Professor of Operations Research and Public Policy, Heinz College
  • Bobby Klatzky, Co-Chair, Charles J. Queenan, Jr. University Professor of Psychology and Human-Computer Interaction, Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Rebekah Adams, Ph.D. Student, Mechanical Engineering
  • Julius Arolovich, Undergraduate Student, Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) and Robotics
  • Creighton Arrington (DC ‘25), Master’s Student, Languages, Cultures and Applied Linguistics
  • Francesca Cain, Undergraduate Student, ECE and Biomedical Engineering; President of Undergraduate Student Senate
  • Alex DiClaudio (DC ’09, HNZ ‘11), Managing Director and EVP, Bedford Management Partners
  • Brit Farmer (DC ’08), Digital Producer at 60 Minutes, CBS
  • Christina Fong, Senior Research Scientist, Department of Social and Decision Sciences, Dietrich College
  • Ryan Freytag (CFA ’01), Director of Alumni and Constituent Engagement; Chair of Staff Council
  • Elizabeth Koch, Director of Student Involvement and Traditions
  • Joanna Lovering (CMU ’04), Founder of Copper + Rise; Chair of the Alumni Association Board (AAB)
  • Wes Pegden, Professor of Mathematics, Mellon College of Science
  • Aleena Siddiqui, Undergraduate Student, Materials Science and Engineering
  • Stephen Sudia, Ph.D. Student, English; President of Graduate Student Assembly
  • Tendai Ushendibaba, Housefellow and Coordinator, Office of Community Standards and Integrity
  • Laurie Weingart, Richard M. and Margaret S. Cyert Professor of Organizational Behavior and Theory, Tepper School of Business

I have also asked Mary Jo Dively, vice president and general counsel, and Gina Casalegno, vice president for student affairs and dean of students, to support the working group as advisors. 

Once the group shares its final report and recommendations by the end of this academic year, I communicate any next steps with the broader community. You have my assurance that we will preserve the cherished legacy of the Fence and the role it plays in the life of our student community every day. And through this working group, we will strengthen this tradition, honor its history and ensure it remains a source  of pride, creativity and connection for all who are part of CMU. 

Sincerely,


Farnam Jahanian
President
Henry L. Hillman President’s Chair

The Fence.

The Fence Working Group

Read the President's Message

Charge to the Working Group 

In September 2025, President Jahanian charged a Fence working group to consider how the Fence can continue to serve as a meaningful campus tradition while ensuring clarity, accountability and respect for its roles, and the boundaries of its roles, within our diverse community. The working group will consider the history of the Fence as well as CMU’s commitments to academic freedom and freedom of expression as they take on this important assignment. Members were chosen for their ability to act independently and engage thoughtfully with diverse perspectives across the CMU community.

The group is charged with considering the following questions as it makes its recommendations:

  • What are the primary purposes of the Fence? Are the right tools and mechanisms in place to support its goals?
  • How do, and how should, CMU’s Freedom of Expression Policy and Guidelines apply to the Fence? For example, if the Fence is used to express contested viewpoints, should people with opposing views be assured access to an equivalent forum, and, if so, how might this be accomplished?
  • How can this working group build on the recommendations of the Commission to ensure alignment with the university’s broader commitments to freedom of expression and academic freedom?
  • How can we reduce confusion, especially for external audiences, as to whether messages on the Fence reflect CMU’s views as an institution, or are endorsed by communities within CMU?  What is the role and impact of social media on the Fence tradition?
  • How can the Fence tradition continue to foster student expression and engagement while recognizing that words in certain contexts can cause harm, confusion or hurt in our community?
  • Are there expectations around attribution, governance and use that can be better communicated, particularly during moments of increased visibility, such as campus celebrations, high-profile events or times of intense public discourse? 

In addition, the working group has been asked to conceive and launch forums to solicit input from the campus community — whether through interviews, town halls, roundtables or other forums. These opportunities for dialogue will ensure that a broad cross-section of the CMU community can contribute to shaping the future of this tradition.  

Working Group Members

The working group includes students, faculty, staff and alumni who have been nominated by the Student Government, Faculty Senate, Alumni Association Board and Staff Council.

  • Jon Caulkins, Co-Chair, H. Guyford Stever University Professor of Operations Research and Public Policy, Heinz College
  • Bobby Klatzky, Co-Chair, Charles J. Queenan, Jr. University Professor of Psychology and Human-Computer Interaction, Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Rebekah Adams, Ph.D. Student, Mechanical Engineering
  • Julius Arolovich, Undergraduate Student, Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) and Robotics
  • Creighton Arrington (DC ‘25), Master’s Student, Languages, Cultures and Applied Linguistics
  • Francesca Cain, Undergraduate Student, ECE and Biomedical Engineering; President of Undergraduate Student Senate
  • Alex DiClaudio (DC ’09, HNZ ‘11), Managing Director and EVP, Bedford Management Partners
  • Brit Farmer (DC '08), Digital Producer at 60 Minutes, CBS
  • Christina Fong, Senior Research Scientist, Department of Social and Decision Sciences, Dietrich College
  • Ryan Freytag (CFA ’01), Director of Alumni and Constituent Engagement; Chair of Staff Council
  • Elizabeth Koch, Director of Student Involvement and Traditions
  • Joanna D. Lovering (BXA ’04), Founder of Copper + Rise; President of the Alumni Association Board
  • Wes Pegden, Professor of Mathematics, Mellon College of Science
  • Aleena Siddiqui, Undergraduate Student, Materials Science and Engineering
  • Stephen Sudia, Ph.D. Student, English; President of Graduate Student Assembly
  • Tendai Ushendibaba, Housefellow and Coordinator, Office of Community Standards and Integrity
  • Laurie Weingart, Richard M. and Margaret S. Cyert Professor of Organizational Behavior and Theory, Tepper School of Business
     

Working Group Advisors

  • Mary Jo Dively, Vice President and General Counsel
  • Gina Casalegno, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students

Communications from the Working Group 

Welcome to the New Academic Year!

Monday, August 25, 2025

Dear Members of the CMU Community,

Welcome to the start of the 2025-2026 academic year! Each fall, the return of our students, faculty and staff brings a renewed sense of energy and possibility to Carnegie Mellon. I could not be more excited for the year ahead.

This will be a year of building community. Together, we now welcome nearly 5,900 new undergraduate and graduate students and more than 11,000 returning students, alongside our 6,700 faculty and staff and a global network of nearly 137,000 alumni. Across our campuses in Pittsburgh, Silicon Valley, Doha and Kigali, we are united by a spirit of creativity and collaboration — and time and again, CMU has shown that when great talent comes together, extraordinary things happen.

It will also be a year of meaningful conversations. In 2024, we launched Deeper Conversations, a university-wide initiative devoted to promoting the power of civil discourse and tackling some of the most intractable issues facing society today. This year’s theme, Universities in the Balance, will invite us to reflect on the role, impact and relevance of higher education through lectures, panels and other opportunities to bring our community together in dialogue.

Beyond the Deeper Conversations programming, in the months ahead, my leadership team and I will continue to share updates and convene discussions about the broader challenges and opportunities facing higher education and CMU. I look forward to those dialogues and to engaging with members of our community directly.

And finally, this will be a year of celebration. Carnegie Mellon marks its 125th anniversary in 2025, and throughout the year we will honor our university’s legacy of impact and innovation. We will officially launch CMU125: The Power of Possibilities during Homecoming Weekend, November 6-8, with events designed to celebrate our past and inspire our future.

At this pivotal time for society, I am truly in awe of all that Carnegie Mellon has to offer, fueled by your extraordinary energy. Whether you are a returning or incoming student, a member of our faculty or of our staff, I encourage you to seize the opportunities this new academic year offers. Claim your role in propelling CMU to new heights, even as you find your own path to success. I look forward to hearing your aspirations for the future — and working with you to make them possible.

Thank you for the role you each play in making CMU such a remarkable community. Here’s to a fantastic start to the semester!

Warm regards,

Farnam Jahanian
President
Henry L. Hillman President’s Chair

Meeting the Challenges of a Shifting Landscape

Wednesday, August 20, 2025

Dear CMU Faculty and Staff:

In my message to campus on March 26, I wrote about the headwinds we face — political volatility, pressures on research funding, shifting enrollment dynamics and the challenges of a deeply divided national landscape. As we enter a new academic year during these uncertain times, I wish to update you on CMU’s financial outlook and how we are navigating these challenges while remaining grounded in our commitment to our people and our mission.

The steps we are taking, and the strategies we are advancing, are possible only because of the collective effort and dedication of so many across Carnegie Mellon. Provost Jim Garrett and I are deeply grateful for your resilience, commitment to our students and compassion for one another.

Here are four takeaways from this message:

  1. This spring and summer, the academic and administrative leadership team modeled different financial scenarios and prepared contingency plans. Based on this analysis and our current fall enrollment projections, we reduced expenses across the university by $33 million for the current academic year (FY26). We do not expect to run a deficit this year and we have no university-wide layoffs planned.
  2. The university is in a strong financial position but existential challenges and continued uncertainty require us to be both prudent with respect to our expenses in the short term and proactive with our strategic actions for the long term.
  3. With the support of academic and administrative leadership, we are taking deliberate steps to strengthen CMU's long-term resilience, such as diversifying research funding, strengthening partnerships, and adapting our academic programs and administrative services and support to meet future needs.
  4. I will host two town halls for faculty and staff on Sept. 4 and 10 to provide more details and answer questions. I also will convene the Student Senate and Graduate Student Assembly to share insights with our students.

Our Financial Position and Near-Term Steps

We are entering this year of challenge from a place of financial strength. We have not run a deficit for more than a decade and do not expect to run a deficit this year; however, we are facing significant constraints and unprecedented uncertainty. Let me share with you a few data points about our FY26 budget, which has been reviewed with the CMU Board of Trustees:

  • Our graduate tuition revenue is projected at $365 million — approximately $20 million below initial forecasts, driven primarily by lower-than-expected enrollment at this level.
  • We are already seeing signs of a marked decline in the pipeline of new federal research awards nationally and at Carnegie Mellon. We also expect a decline in university research support once Congress finalizes appropriations for U.S. science agencies including NSF, NIH and DOE. The positive news is that CMU is well-positioned: overall research support has grown by 24% since FY20, reaching more than $650 million in FY25. And our partnerships with industry remain very strong and growing.
  • There is ongoing discussion about the federal reimbursement rate for facilities and administrative (F&A) costs, the essential expenses that sustain the infrastructure and operations required for research. If a proposed 15% cap on these reimbursements were enacted — the worst-case scenario — it would create an additional $40 million annual shortfall for CMU. We are continuing our strong advocacy in Congress and have advanced several legal challenges to prevent this kind of cap, as it would undermine the very foundation of our world-class research — and, by extension, the pursuit of discoveries that advance knowledge and improve lives.

This spring and summer, the academic and administrative leadership team modeled different financial scenarios and prepared contingency plans. Based on this analysis and our current fall enrollment projections, we reduced expenses across the university by $33 million for the current academic year (FY26).

Several proactive measures have helped us manage this year’s challenges, including pausing merit increases, reducing non-essential expenditures, limiting new staff and faculty hiring to strategic needs and, in some units, pursuing voluntary retirement programs and targeted staff reductions. We do not have broad layoffs planned, and this remains a measure of last resort. Our focus is on taking steps now that minimize the likelihood of having to consider this in the future.

I know the decision to forego merit increases this year is deeply felt across our staff and faculty community. We made this short-term decision as part of our larger commitment to protecting as many jobs as we can over the long term. If conditions allow, one of my highest priorities this fall will be to revisit how we might recognize and reward the extraordinary contributions of our colleagues.

Headwinds Facing Higher Education

The long-term trends shaping research universities will require us to adapt with urgency and purpose.

Across the country, universities are contending with declining public trust, heightened political scrutiny and questions about the value of a college degree. At the same time, the long-standing research partnership between the federal government and universities — responsible for discoveries from the internet and artificial intelligence to life-saving medical breakthroughs — is under intense pressure. While isolated freezes on university funding may draw headlines, the deeper risk lies in the cumulative impact of a sustained reduction in federal support for research and creative endeavors. Over time, such erosion would diminish America’s capacity for discovery and innovation, with far-reaching consequences for our economic prosperity and societal well-being.

This environment poses particular risks for early-career researchers and faculty nationwide, and also impacts the broader Ph.D., postdoc and research staff community. As federal resources tighten, these colleagues face steeper hurdles in securing the grants and collaborations that fuel their societal impact. We are committed to engaging and supporting our early-career researchers so that these emerging scholars can continue to thrive and advance in their fields at CMU.

Demographic changes are reducing the number of college-age students nationally while intensifying global competition for talent. International student enrollment, critical for both our academic vibrancy and research mission, is increasingly subject to geopolitical forces and visa policy changes. The impact of this uncertainty on our international students and on our entire community is unsettling and deeply concerning. Although our domestic pool of applicants remains robust and exceptionally high-quality, the recent federal overhaul of financial aid is tightening student loan limits, restructuring Pell Grant eligibility and eliminating Grad PLUS loans — changes that may affect access and affordability for highly qualified students from diverse backgrounds.

Finally, the rapid evolution of technology, including generative AI, is redefining the skills and competencies students need and compelling institutions to adapt faster than ever before.

Long-Term Strategic Actions

As a top research university leading at the nexus of technology and society, CMU is well-positioned to seize opportunities in the years ahead. Guided by our strategic framework and with the support of the Board of Trustees, the academic and administrative leadership team has been advancing proactive strategies that will bolster CMU’s long-term strength:

  • We are continuing to build on the momentum of the Make Possible campaign by fundraising for the priorities it articulated — including support for scholarships and fellowships, student success initiatives, endowed professorships and other tools to recruit and retain top talent.
  • While federal research dollars are under pressure, we are doubling down on strategic partnerships with the private sector and philanthropic foundations, especially in areas critical to the nation where our expertise is unparalleled.
  • Under Vice President for Research Theresa Mayer's leadership, we are streamlining and enhancing research administration systems and processes — including contracting and IP policies — to enable our faculty to compete more effectively for external research funding and respond more swiftly to emerging opportunities.
  • Our advocacy in Washington, D.C., and our collaboration with peer institutions in the AAU will remain a top priority, both as an immediate imperative and as a long-term effort. We must continue to make the case for the extraordinary value that federal investment in research and education brings to our nation and its prosperity, security and global leadership.
  • We are undertaking a comprehensive review of our educational offerings, systems and operations. This effort, led by Provost Garrett and supported by our deans, is designed to optimize our portfolio of master’s programs by expanding access, advancing online graduate certificate opportunities and continuing to improve the student experience.
  • While we continue to attract the best and brightest students from around the world, we are examining our enrollment strategy — including the balance of international vs. domestic students and undergraduate vs. graduate students — to ensure long-term stability.
  • We also will be engaging the campus community in efforts to align our people, systems, training and organizational structures to enhance excellence and effectiveness.

Shaping the Future Together

This moment calls for us to come together as a community. In that spirit, I will host two in-person town halls for faculty and staff — one on Thursday, Sept. 4, at noon and another on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at 4 p.m., with an option for attendance via livestream. These forums will allow me and our leadership team to share more about the university’s short-term plans and long-term strategies, and to answer questions. More details on these town halls will be shared next week. (I also will convene the Student Senate and Graduate Student Assembly to share these insights with our students.)

The path forward will be guided by the voices of our community, ensuring that faculty, staff and students have a meaningful role in shaping what comes next for CMU. I invite you to share your ideas at excellence@andrew.cmu.edu, as it is your insights that will help us stay true to our mission and chart a path of excellence.

Carnegie Mellon is no stranger to times of uncertainty, and each time we have emerged stronger — not because the path was easy, but because we walked it together. As I said in my March 26 message, we are approaching this work grounded in three equally important and fundamental principles: maintaining academic and research excellence; supporting our people and our community; and securing the long-term sustainability of CMU to advance our mission. These guideposts allow us to evolve while preserving the strengths and values that make Carnegie Mellon a world leader.

When I came to this country over four decades ago, I was inspired by the spirit of creativity and innovation that has always defined the United States. That spirit has similarly fueled Carnegie Mellon’s mission since our founding, and it is what gives me confidence in our university and the important role we will play in inventing the future. I remain optimistic that Carnegie Mellon will not only navigate the present moment, but continue to shape the breakthrough discoveries of tomorrow and educate the leaders the world so urgently needs.

Warm regards,

Farnam Jahanian
President
Henry L. Hillman President’s Chair

 

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