Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) has a Chabad and Jewish Greek life organizations, and is served by the same Hillel as the University of Pittsburgh.

Litigation & Investigations

A former student filed a lawsuit in December 2023 claiming she was subjected to anti-Jewish harassment by a professor, who reportedly called Jews a “hated group” and engaged in other problematic rhetoric. In December 2024 the court allowed the majority of her claims to proceed to the discovery phase of litigation, including claims that the University failed to adequately address the student’s discrimination complaints. In December 2025, the court granted the student leave to amend her complaint to include evidence to revive her dismissed claims of intentional infliction of emotional distress and to include a claim for wiretapping violations. The University filed an answer to the student’s amended complaint denying all claims.

What’s Happening on Campus?

In November 2024, a Jewish graduate student received a suspicious email that included: "Jewpartheid is wrong."

In May 2025, the phrases “Down with Nazism, Zionism, Hindutva” and “End the capitalist empire” were painted on a university landmark - the Fence - during commencement weekend. In response to this, the Student Government mobilized in support of Hindu, Indian, and Jewish students who reported to them their disappointment and concern about the messages painted on The Fence. The Fence was repainted consistent with student governance rules of engagement for The Fence. Furthermore, as a result of the incident, Carnegie Mellon’s President launched The Fence Working Group to examine how the Fence tradition continues to foster student expression and engagement while recognizing that words can cause harm, confusion or hurt on campus.

In 2026, reports indicated that CMU had received nearly $1 billion in funding from Qatar over a 21-year period, a disclosure that emerged through a Jewish student’s civil rights lawsuit alleging antisemitic discrimination and retaliation. According to filings in the case, discovery has already revealed that a portion of the salary for CMU’s assistant vice provost for DEI and Title IX coordinator was funded by Qatari sources and that CMU officials discouraged the student from pursuing a formal complaint. The lawsuit further alleges that another DEI administrator recorded the student without consent. The complaint argues that CMU’s financial ties to Qatar contributed to the University’s failure to adequately address antisemitism concerns on campus. The University denies these allegations.

University Policies and Responsive Action

The University responded to the December 2023 student lawsuit by saying it was reviewing the allegations and “hate has no place on our campus.” President Jahanian also spoke out in November 2023 against use of the phrase “From the river to the sea” during protests, noting the phrase is used by Hamas. “I condemn speech that advocates the eradication of any group of people,” he said. The University also holds trainings about combating antisemitism.

In early 2024, CMU launched its Deeper Conversations series, a university-wide initiative aimed at exploring and bringing together divergent viewpoints. The Deeper Conversations program has included events on Combating Hate, including a continued focus on antisemitism, and Discussing the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.

Through a partnership between Pittsburgh Council for Higher Education (PCHE) and the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office, the CMU Department of Public Safety hosted a two hour ‘Combating Antisemitism – A Training for PCHE Higher Education Professionals’ on January 14, 2025.

University leadership has active and strong partnerships with both Chabad and Hillel, as well as numerous external Jewish organizations, regularly co-hosting and coordinating community events, trainings, and educational seminars, and providing security.

Several Jewish Carnegie Mellon faculty and staff are organizing an employee resource group, with the intention to be formalized by the beginning of the fall semester. Carnegie Mellon also works alongside the Hillel JUC and Chabad of Carnegie Mellon, which has a strong and vibrant alumni network of former Pittsburgh-area university Jewish students.

In April 2026, the University amended its Code of Business Ethics and Conduct to prohibit discriminatory boycotts and changed its Discriminatory and Sexual Misconduct Policy to explicitly prohibit antisemitic, Islamophobic, anti-Arab, anti-Asian, anti-Israel, anti-Mexican, and other biased conduct.

*On April 13, 2026, following the submission of new information related to campus efforts to address antisemitism and strengthen Jewish life, CMU's 2026 grade was revised from C to B.

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) has a Chabad and Jewish Greek life organizations, and is served by the same Hillel as the University of Pittsburgh.

Litigation & Investigations

A former student filed a lawsuit in December 2023 claiming she was subjected to anti-Jewish harassment by a professor, who reportedly called Jews a “hated group” and engaged in other problematic rhetoric. In December 2024 the court allowed the majority of her claims to proceed to the discovery phase of litigation, including claims that the University failed to adequately address the student’s discrimination complaints. In December 2025, the court granted the student leave to amend her complaint to include evidence to revive her dismissed claims of intentional infliction of emotional distress and to include a claim for wiretapping violations. The University filed an answer to the student’s amended complaint denying all claims.

What’s Happening on Campus?

In November 2024, a Jewish graduate student received a suspicious email that included: "Jewpartheid is wrong."

In May 2025, the phrases “Down with Nazism, Zionism, Hindutva” and “End the capitalist empire” were painted on a university landmark - the Fence - during commencement weekend. In response to this, the Student Government mobilized in support of Hindu, Indian, and Jewish students who reported to them their disappointment and concern about the messages painted on The Fence. The Fence was repainted consistent with student governance rules of engagement for The Fence. Furthermore, as a result of the incident, Carnegie Mellon’s President launched The Fence Working Group to examine how the Fence tradition continues to foster student expression and engagement while recognizing that words can cause harm, confusion or hurt on campus.

In 2026, reports indicated that CMU had received nearly $1 billion in funding from Qatar over a 21-year period, a disclosure that emerged through a Jewish student’s civil rights lawsuit alleging antisemitic discrimination and retaliation. According to filings in the case, discovery has already revealed that a portion of the salary for CMU’s assistant vice provost for DEI and Title IX coordinator was funded by Qatari sources and that CMU officials discouraged the student from pursuing a formal complaint. The lawsuit further alleges that another DEI administrator recorded the student without consent. The complaint argues that CMU’s financial ties to Qatar contributed to the University’s failure to adequately address antisemitism concerns on campus. The University denies these allegations.

University Policies and Responsive Action

The University responded to the December 2023 student lawsuit by saying it was reviewing the allegations and “hate has no place on our campus.” President Jahanian also spoke out in November 2023 against use of the phrase “From the river to the sea” during protests, noting the phrase is used by Hamas. “I condemn speech that advocates the eradication of any group of people,” he said. The University also holds trainings about combating antisemitism.

In early 2024, CMU launched its Deeper Conversations series, a university-wide initiative aimed at exploring and bringing together divergent viewpoints. The Deeper Conversations program has included events on Combating Hate, including a continued focus on antisemitism, and Discussing the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.

Through a partnership between Pittsburgh Council for Higher Education (PCHE) and the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office, the CMU Department of Public Safety hosted a two hour ‘Combating Antisemitism – A Training for PCHE Higher Education Professionals’ on January 14, 2025.

University leadership has active and strong partnerships with both Chabad and Hillel, as well as numerous external Jewish organizations, regularly co-hosting and coordinating community events, trainings, and educational seminars, and providing security.

Several Jewish Carnegie Mellon faculty and staff are organizing an employee resource group, with the intention to be formalized by the beginning of the fall semester. Carnegie Mellon also works alongside the Hillel JUC and Chabad of Carnegie Mellon, which has a strong and vibrant alumni network of former Pittsburgh-area university Jewish students.

In April 2026, the University amended its Code of Business Ethics and Conduct to prohibit discriminatory boycotts and changed its Discriminatory and Sexual Misconduct Policy to explicitly prohibit antisemitic, Islamophobic, anti-Arab, anti-Asian, anti-Israel, anti-Mexican, and other biased conduct.

*On April 13, 2026, following the submission of new information related to campus efforts to address antisemitism and strengthen Jewish life, CMU's 2026 grade was revised from C to B.

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) has a Chabad and Jewish Greek life organizations, and is served by the same Hillel as the University of Pittsburgh.

Litigation & Investigations

A former student filed a lawsuit in December 2023 claiming she was subjected to anti-Jewish harassment by a professor, who reportedly called Jews a “hated group” and engaged in other problematic rhetoric. In December 2024 the court allowed the majority of her claims to proceed to the discovery phase of litigation, including claims that the University failed to adequately address the student’s discrimination complaints. In December 2025, the court granted the student leave to amend her complaint to include evidence to revive her dismissed claims of intentional infliction of emotional distress and to include a claim for wiretapping violations. The University filed an answer to the student’s amended complaint denying all claims.

What’s Happening on Campus?

In November 2024, a Jewish graduate student received a suspicious email that included: "Jewpartheid is wrong."

In May 2025, the phrases “Down with Nazism, Zionism, Hindutva” and “End the capitalist empire” were painted on a university landmark - the Fence - during commencement weekend. In response to this, the Student Government mobilized in support of Hindu, Indian, and Jewish students who reported to them their disappointment and concern about the messages painted on The Fence. The Fence was repainted consistent with student governance rules of engagement for The Fence. Furthermore, as a result of the incident, Carnegie Mellon’s President launched The Fence Working Group to examine how the Fence tradition continues to foster student expression and engagement while recognizing that words can cause harm, confusion or hurt on campus.

In 2026, reports indicated that CMU had received nearly $1 billion in funding from Qatar over a 21-year period, a disclosure that emerged through a Jewish student’s civil rights lawsuit alleging antisemitic discrimination and retaliation. According to filings in the case, discovery has already revealed that a portion of the salary for CMU’s assistant vice provost for DEI and Title IX coordinator was funded by Qatari sources and that CMU officials discouraged the student from pursuing a formal complaint. The lawsuit further alleges that another DEI administrator recorded the student without consent. The complaint argues that CMU’s financial ties to Qatar contributed to the University’s failure to adequately address antisemitism concerns on campus. The University denies these allegations.

University Policies and Responsive Action

The University responded to the December 2023 student lawsuit by saying it was reviewing the allegations and “hate has no place on our campus.” President Jahanian also spoke out in November 2023 against use of the phrase “From the river to the sea” during protests, noting the phrase is used by Hamas. “I condemn speech that advocates the eradication of any group of people,” he said. The University also holds trainings about combating antisemitism.

In early 2024, CMU launched its Deeper Conversations series, a university-wide initiative aimed at exploring and bringing together divergent viewpoints. The Deeper Conversations program has included events on Combating Hate, including a continued focus on antisemitism, and Discussing the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.

Through a partnership between Pittsburgh Council for Higher Education (PCHE) and the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office, the CMU Department of Public Safety hosted a two hour ‘Combating Antisemitism – A Training for PCHE Higher Education Professionals’ on January 14, 2025.

University leadership has active and strong partnerships with both Chabad and Hillel, as well as numerous external Jewish organizations, regularly co-hosting and coordinating community events, trainings, and educational seminars, and providing security.

Several Jewish Carnegie Mellon faculty and staff are organizing an employee resource group, with the intention to be formalized by the beginning of the fall semester. Carnegie Mellon also works alongside the Hillel JUC and Chabad of Carnegie Mellon, which has a strong and vibrant alumni network of former Pittsburgh-area university Jewish students.

In April 2026, the University amended its Code of Business Ethics and Conduct to prohibit discriminatory boycotts and changed its Discriminatory and Sexual Misconduct Policy to explicitly prohibit antisemitic, Islamophobic, anti-Arab, anti-Asian, anti-Israel, anti-Mexican, and other biased conduct.

*On April 13, 2026, following the submission of new information related to campus efforts to address antisemitism and strengthen Jewish life, CMU's 2026 grade was revised from C to B.