Carnegie Mellon University is reviewing social media posts made by Professor Uju Anya, describing them as "hostile and threatening" and made around the anniversary of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for the university said, "We are deeply concerned by recent hostile and threatening social media posts by Dr. Anya and are reviewing this matter closely." The spokesperson added that the posts "incorrectly imply our university's endorsement and are contrary to our community standards and values as well as our commitment to fostering a safe, respectful and welcoming campus community."
Anya, an associate professor at Carnegie Mellon, reportedly posted on X around the anniversary of Kirk's assassination, which occurred on September 10, 2025. The posts included phrases such as "Kirkmas" and "Kirk Mubarak." Her X account has since been deleted.
Another post attributed to Anya stated, "Die first, white man, and then ask yourself why I am dancing."
The university confirmed that Anya is currently on voluntary professional leave and is not teaching courses during the current academic year. Her faculty bio page describes her as a scholar of language learning and Black experiences in multilingualism, with research interests including critical applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, and discourse studies, focusing on the intersection of race, gender, sexual, and social class identities with language learning. She is the author of "Racialized Identities in Second Language Learning: Speaking Blackness in Brazil."
Charlie Kirk was assassinated on September 10, 2025, while speaking at Utah Valley University as part of his American Comeback Tour. He was shot and killed during the event.