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November 2, 2026

Dear Members of the Carnegie Mellon Community,

President Farnam Jahanian recently the appointment of an advisory committee to guide the recent historic $500 million investment Ken Griffin made in CMU’s Pittsburgh campus. This investment aims to support strategic initiatives, strengthen human capital development, enhance access and affordability, and bolster our role as an intellectual anchor. As President Jahanian shared, I have the privilege of chairing this committee in partnership with:

• Gina Casalegno, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
• Theresa Mayer, Vice President for Research
• Jeanne Cunicelli (DC ’88), Member of the Board of Trustees

As part of our committee’s charge, we are engaging the CMU community through town halls, targeted conversations, digital platforms and other forums that invite faculty, staff and students to contribute ideas and perspectives. This engagement period will run through December 31, 2026, and will directly inform our recommendations to university leadership.

Engagement Opportunities
We hope you will consider joining us in a conversation or share your input through one of the following channels:

• : Faculty, students and staff are invited to join group conversations led by the co-chairs. To ensure a productive dialogue, registration is limited to 20 participants per session.
• : An online form is open through December 31, 2026, for community members to submit ideas and formal proposals.
• Provost Office Hours: I invite you to join me for a one-on-one conversation to share your ideas and aspirations for Carnegie Mellon.

Mapping to the Strategic Framework and Our Guiding Principles
Five guiding principles were developed to ensure this investment strategically strengthens CMU's academic core, maximizes community impact and upholds financial sustainability. All proposals and ideas should also map directly to the priorities set forth by CMU's Strategic Framework.

As you engage in this process and share your ideas, please keep these principles in mind:

• One Carnegie Mellon: Investments should strengthen the Pittsburgh campus while generating value across the university’s broader academic and research enterprise.
• Academic Excellence: Priorities should build on distinctive CMU strengths to shape fields and serve society.
• Transformational Impact: Funding should enable ambitions and capabilities that go beyond existing baseline resources.
• Shared Benefits: The portfolio should create tangible opportunities across disciplines for faculty, students and staff alike.
• Responsible Stewardship: Recommendations must account for recurring costs, implementation capacity and long-term financial sustainability.

We look forward to our community conversations and to hearing your ideas and aspirations as we chart what comes next for CMU. Ken Griffin’s investment reinforces our Pittsburgh roots as the essential anchor for CMU's growth, impact and expansion in Miami and beyond. Thank you for your partnership in making the most of this historic opportunity.

Sincerely,

James H. Garrett Jr.
Provost and Chief Academic Officer