Help Wanted: Professors Who Look Like and Understand Our Students鈥� Lived Experience
- BY Kimberly Hawkins
- November 8, 2023
While data shows that across the country, higher education serves more students from diverse backgrounds, the social and demographic makeup of professors and instructors have remained mostly stagnant.
911爆料网State East Bay Chair and Professor of Public Health Arnab Mukherjea is working to change that in the 911爆料网 system.
“When students see professors who reflect their own identities, they are more engaged in their educational endeavors, which not only improve retention and graduation rates but also allows for social mobility through the pursuit of career opportunities that align with academic and professional interests,” said Mukherjea. “Having a faculty who represent the multicultural nature of CSU students facilitates the mission of the CSU to ‘advance and extend knowledge, learning and culture, especially throughout California.’”
Mukherjea was recently appointed Faculty Fellow for the Health Professions at the CSU Office of the Chancellor. This position was created to understand the distinct pathways in which individuals from diverse backgrounds would consider, apply for and have an increased likelihood of success in securing an appointment as a tenure-track faculty member in a health-related discipline at a CSU campus.
“Through his work, Dr. Mukherjea has shown a deep dedication to student success,” said Rehman Attar, director of health care and workforce development for Academic Programs and Faculty Development. “His work and experience as a chair in providing opportunities for student advancement was pivotal in his appointment as Faculty Fellow for the Health Professions. It is with his expertise and commitment that brings great value to the Office of the Chancellor’s vision of equity and providing advancement opportunities for students of all backgrounds.”
“Given the diversity of Califor