Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) has placed Nigerian-born professor Dr Uju Anya on voluntary professional leave as it reviews social media posts it described as “hostile and threatening.”
The university said Anya will not teach courses on its Pittsburgh campus during the 2026–27 academic year.
The decision follows backlash over a series of posts attributed to Anya on X, formerly Twitter. One widely circulated screenshot shows a response attributed to the professor telling another user, “Die first, white man, then ask yourself why I’m dancing.”
CMU said it was “deeply concerned” by the recent posts and was reviewing the matter.
The university stressed that Anya’s social media comments do not represent the institution’s position.
According to CMU, the posts are inconsistent with its community standards, values and commitment to maintaining a safe, respectful and welcoming campus environment.
The university has not described the action as a suspension or dismissal. It also has not disclosed all the posts currently under review or indicated whether further disciplinary action could follow.
Anya is an associate professor of second-language acquisition at Carnegie Mellon’s Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Her academic work focuses on language learning, identity and the experiences of multilingual students.
Previous Controversy
The latest controversy is not the first time Anya’s social media activity has drawn attention.
In September 2022, Anya faced widespread criticism over posts concerning the late Queen Elizabeth II shortly before the monarch’s death. Carnegie Mellon subsequently distanced itself from her comments, while noting that the university supports freedom of expression.
The university’s latest action again places Anya’s social media activity at the intersection of academic freedom, free speech and institutional standards.
For now, the university has said only that Anya will remain on voluntary professional leave while the review continues, with no teaching duties on campus during the 2026–27 academic year.
