Deeper Conversations

Building Bridges of Understanding

Deeper Conversations, which President Farnam Jahanian launched in January 2024, is a university-wide initiative that leverages the power of civil discourse to tackle some of the most complex issues facing society today. Each wave of programming explores a specific divisive issue and takes different forms — from scholarly lectures to cultural events — to engage Carnegie Mellon students, faculty and staff across the university community.

For the 2025-2026 academic year, Deeper Conversations will examine the evolving role of universities in public life.
 

Explore Upcoming Events
 

Across periods of upheaval and transformation, universities have shaped – and been shaped by – society at large. Universities do not stand apart from humanity; they move with it and within the currents of social, political, and economic change. 

Today, this movement is increasingly fraught. The American public’s trust in institutions, particularly higher education, has eroded steadily and dipped to historic lows. The value of scholarly expertise is increasingly scrutinized, with academic institutions compelled to defend and demonstrate their relevance amid shifting political expectations. And yet, the university – in its many forms – still stands as one of the most enduring, adaptive and impactful institutions in American life.

This 2025-2026 Deeper Conversations programming invites discussions about what universities have been, what they are today, and what they might become. Throughout the year – through university-wide events and college programming – the series will explore the university’s many symbiotic relationships, including its intersections with the federal government and the public; students and alumni; and broader community. Participants of the series will also spend time examining higher education’s many cross-border identities and reflecting on the role of universities within the context of Carnegie Mellon’s own 125-year institutional legacy.

Upcoming Event

Universities in the Balance: Federal Law, Policy and Pressures in Divisive Times

Date: November 20, 2025 | 4:00 - 5:30p.m.  
Location: Simmons Auditorium A, Tepper Building, 1st Floor 

This event will examine how law and policy influence the evolving role of universities in American society, featuring Dr. Neal Hutchens, professor of Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation at the University of Kentucky and Carnegie Mellon University’s Vice President and General Counsel Mary Jo Dively. 
 

Register for the Event 

Past Topics 

In its inaugural year, Deeper Conversations focused on helping members of the CMU community navigate issues related to the current geopolitical crisis and history of conflict in Israel and Gaza. Its subsequent series tackled issues related to democracy, the U.S. election, and the role of the federal government in society.

Interested in continuing the conversation about past Deeper Conversations topics?

Explore Past Programming

Support and Resources

Recognizing that the work of engaging in honest and respectful conversations and meaningful learning opportunities around complex topics can be challenging, the University maintains an array of services and resources for supporting students, faculty and staff. These include: 

Restorative Practices Opportunities
Restorative practices create spaces for community members to engage in meaningful conversations, address harm and collaboratively work towards shared understanding. These practices offer an opportunity to focus on healing and accountability rather than punitive outcomes. By implementing restorative practices, we endeavor to foster a supportive environment where every voice is heard, mend relationships, and cultivate and enhance a sense of belonging.

Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression Report
CMU's Commission on Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression report, released in October 2022, explores and clarifies the university's commitment to academic freedom and freedom of expression in a contemporary context.

Community Health and Well-being Resources
Carnegie Mellon offers a broad range of options for supporting the well-being of students, faculty and staff. These services are designed to care for an individual's physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health, among other aspects of their well-being.

Student Support and Resources
CMU's Division of Student Affairs identifies a wide array of services and resources for undergraduate and graduate students across the University. Among the options listed: religious resources, immigration support, accommodation requests, crisis support and more.

Campus Climate and Bias Reporting Protocol
Launched in late 2023 and open to any member or visitor of the CMU community, this tool enables users to informally address and navigate alleged bias situations on campus. It complements formal tools for addressing hate and discrimination and supports involved parties in learning, growing, repairing harm and ultimately reaching a resolution.

Community Messages

Carnegie Mellon University leaders have shared a number of community messages devoted to promoting civil discourse, reaffirming institutional values and advocating for a zero-tolerance stance on hatred, bias or discrimination of any kind. These communications champion productive discourse and active learning across the university – especially on issues where community members disagree.    

Authored by CMU President Farnam Jahanian:

• Meeting the Challenges of a Shifting Landscape (August 2025)
• Next Steps for the Fence and Campus Dialogue (July 2025)
• A Message About the Fence and Discourse at CMU (July 2025)
• Tomorrow’s Energy and Innovation Summit (July 2025)
• CMU to Host Energy and Innovation Summit Convened by Sen. David McCormick (June 2025)
• CMU125: Inspired by the Past, Building for the Future (May 2025)
• CMU’s Response to Federal F&A Cap for NSF (May 2025)

Did You Know?

• Every year, CMU celebrates Democracy Day, a full day of programming devoted to exploring ways we can be respectful, intentional and constructive when engaging in civil discourse.
• The Undergraduate Core Program in the Mellon College of Science was implemented in 2015 as an innovative approach to science education that fosters student growth in four dimensions: scholar, professional, citizen and person.
• Heinz College’s Deliberative Discourse Initiative seeks to embed and integrate deliberative discourse skills into the student experience, with a focus on reasoning, exchanging ideas and considering multiple perspectives.  
• The Center for Informed Democracy and Social cybersecurity (IDeaS) is a university-wide center dedicated to the study of online disinformation and its effects on democracy.
• The Center for Applied Research on Targeted Violence, a collaboration between CMU and the University of Pittsburgh, looks to develop interventions that inhibit extremist hate and minimize its impacts.