ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½

March 19, 2026

Dear Members of the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Mellon Community:

I am writing to share an update on our campus in Doha, Qatar, and to acknowledge the impact of recent events in the Middle East on our university community around the world.

Update on ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½-Q

Regarding ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ in Qatar, Dean Michael Trick continues to share with the campus community. Of note:

• Most ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½-Q faculty, staff and students have chosen to remain in Doha.
• The campus moved to online instruction on March 1 and remains in a remote-only posture today.
• Students, faculty and staff are continuing to shelter in place and remain indoors. All activities in Education City, including at universities other than ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½-Q, have been canceled until further notice.
• The U.S. Department of State has issued a Level 3 advisory for Qatar, which signals that travel to the area should be reconsidered.
• Faculty have been afforded maximum flexibility in how they provide remote instruction and support.
• The earliest on-campus classes could resume is April 12. The ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½-Q leadership, in consultation with Provost Jim Garrett, will reevaluate our posture in early April.
• Anyone wishing to voluntarily depart Qatar can do so and have been encouraged to utilize Hamad International Airport, if needed.
• ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ and the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½-Q Crisis Team are continually monitoring and assessing information from a number of trusted resources, including international security, travel and intelligence firms, the U.S. Embassy in Qatar, the Qatar Foundation, and the Overseas Security Advisory Council.

With the situation understandably fluid, we plan to revisit this decision in the coming weeks, with the safety and security of our community members foremost in mind. We are deeply grateful for the leadership of Dean Trick and all ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½-Q staff and faculty, who have steadfastly prioritized the well-being of the campus community while continuing to advance the mission of the university.

Reflecting on the Ongoing Crisis in the Middle East

As we continue to monitor developments in the Middle East, I also want to speak to how these events are affecting our broader university community. Many members of ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Mellon have ties to the Middle East, including Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Qatar and other Gulf state countries. For some in our community, these events are not distant headlines but deeply personal realities that are also affecting their family, friends and loved ones.

A point of great pride for ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Mellon, across all of our campuses, is that our students learn to see beyond the world’s borders and grow as global citizens. This growth unfolds over time — through openness and a willingness to better understand one another and the world around us.

To remain steadfast in our commitment to the values that define ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Mellon, we must continue meeting one another with empathy, curiosity and care. As we have made clear in past communications, there is no place on our campuses for antisemitism, Islamophobia or any other form of hate and intolerance. Instead, we must always choose to forge connections and build understanding as well as acknowledge this work for what it is: core to advancing our academic and research missions.

Against this backdrop, it is important that we help our colleagues and classmates feel seen, valued and supported, even and especially when they are carrying grief, fear or uncertainty. This is one of the most basic and vital ways we can care for one another as members of the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ community.

So, thank you for all the ways you continue to care for one another. Thank you for helping us sustain — even in the most difficult of times — the remarkable learning, teaching and research environment that defines ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Mellon. To our students in Doha, and to all those affected by this crisis: Please know that you are in our thoughts, and you remain an essential part of this university’s global community and future.

Respectfully,

Farnam Jahanian
President
Henry L. Hillman President’s Chair