José Muñoz, assistant dean of Student Success for the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and professor of sociology, has been elected chair-elect for the Latina/o Sociology Section of the American Sociological Association.

His term as chair-elect begins on Sept. 1, which effectively begins three years serving on the section council. Next year, he will be elevated to chair, then serve one more year as outgoing chair. He is the first faculty member from the California State University to be elected to the post.

“I am honored to represent CSUSB and the CSU system, which is composed of 21 Hispanic-Serving Institutions,” said Muñoz, who also is the interim chair of the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies. “This opportunity to inform the direction of the Latina/o Sociology Section given my numerous years in the system as contingent and tenure-line/tenured faculty, is an exciting opportunity for research, networking and other collaborative pathways. I look forward to serving as the chair-elect of one of the most dynamic sections within the ASA.”

According to its webpage, “The purpose of the Section on Latina/Latino Sociology (SLS) is to encourage and promote empirical research, theoretical development, and the teaching of issues relating to the Latina and Latino population, particularly in but not only the United States.”

The American Sociological Association was founded in 1905. It is the national professional membership association for sociologists and others who are interested in sociology. ASA members include students, faculty working in a full range of institutions, and people working in government agencies and nonprofit and private sector organizations.

ASA’s mission is to serve sociologists in their work, advance sociology as a science and profession, and promote the contributions and use of sociology to society.