Supporting Our Community

Sept. 14, 2026

Dear Dietrich College Faculty, Staff, and Students,

Over the past several days, we have become aware of a series of social media posts made by Dr. Uju Anya of the Department of Languages, Cultures & Applied Linguistics (LCAL) that are offensive and run counter to the values of Dietrich College. In these posts on X, Dr. Anya repeatedly blurred the line between her personal views and her professional association with Carnegie Mellon University, explicitly and erroneously stating endorsement of the institution with her statements. On Friday, Sept. 11, the university issued a statement on X to publicly address this conduct, and shortly thereafter, Dr. Anya deactivated her account.

As a consequence of Dr. Anya’s posts, LCAL faculty and members of college and university leadership have been doxxed online and received vitriolic emails and other communications. This weekend, we met with department heads and faculty and heard numerous individuals express fear about physical safety and mental wellbeing, for themselves and their students. The safety of our community is of utmost importance, and we have been coordinating with university leadership, University Police and FIRM to address individual and collective concerns. At this time, University Police have not identified any credible threats, although you may notice additional security in and around Posner Hall, and they will continue to monitor the situation closely. Please contact University Police immediately if you encounter an emergency situation.

We understand how deeply concerning this is for members of our community. Any faculty or staff in need of additional support for their wellbeing are encouraged to contact GuidanceResources, CMU’s confidential employee assistance program. Students are encouraged to reach out to Counseling and Psychological Services.

We are here to support you during this challenging time, and we invite you to reach out to us with your questions and concerns. We remain committed to freedom of expression and academic freedom, while fostering a community where everyone feels respected, valued, and safe.

Adam has reached out to LCAL faculty and graduate students to affirm the department’s policy on Community Responsibilities. We are working to better understand the impact of the events that have taken place over the past several days and will continue to follow the university’s processes and policies. Please monitor your email for updates from us and CMU leadership.

Sincerely,

Cassidy R. Sugimoto
Bess Family Dean, Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Adam van Compernolle
Interim Head, Department of Languages, Cultures & Applied Linguistics