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Jared Cohon, former Carnegie Mellon University president, dies at 76

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CBS News Pittsburgh Live

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Jared Cohon, the former president of Carnegie Mellon University, has died.

Cohon served as president from 1997 to 2013.

Current university president Farnam Jahanian released a statement Saturday night, sharing his condolences on Cohon's death.

"This is a devastating loss for our CMU community, for Pittsburgh and the nation. Jerry Cohon's extraordinary and humble leadership, brilliant mind, unyielding energy and unimpeachable integrity are the hallmarks of a legacy that will continue to impact generations to come—both here in the region as well as far beyond. I was honored to have called him a colleague, mentor and friend and am deeply grateful for his wise counsel over the years, and for the many ways he served the CMU community. We extend our deepest condolences to his beloved family and many friends during this difficult time."

Cohon started his academic career at Johns Hopkins, where he served in administrative positions from 1973 to 1992. He then left for Yale, where he was dean of the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies until 1997, according to CMU's website.

After stepping down as president, Cohon returned to the faculty as a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and was affiliated with the Department of Engineering and Public Policy.

Cohon was 76 years old. 

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