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The College of Social Sciences supports students and faculty to be change leaders through critical inquiry, interdisciplinary collaboration, and community engagement to build a prosperous, just, and sustainable future.

CoSS creates inclusive learning environments that emphasize academic excellence, innovative research, and theory-informed practice. Students critically engage with complex social problems, generate dynamic solutions, and develop leadership skills to transform our communities and future world. CoSS faculty and students conduct cutting edge research that advances understanding of the social, cultural, economic, psychological, and environmental dimensions of human behavior. Through our teaching, research, and collaboration, we advance solutions to society’s challenges in San José, Silicon Valley, the Bay Area, and the world.

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  • The Justice Studies department is excited to introduce Latinos in FoJu, a new student organization at SJSU! Open to all students who share a passion for forensic science and justice studies. Our mission is to create an inclusive space where Latino students, first-generation students, undocumented students, and allies can come together to celebrate cultural pride and support one another. With guidance from our faculty advisor, Rosa Vega, we’re dedicated to fostering a community rooted in unity, integrity, and collaboration and to providing resources and opportunities for personal and professional growth.

    We’re currently recruiting for leadership and committee roles, and you don’t need to identify as Latino to apply—anyone who supports our mission is welcome. This is a great opportunity for those passionate about empowering underrepresented communities in these fields. Applications are open now and will close on November 22 at 11:59 PM. We’ll also be announcing soon when general membership opens, so stay tuned to learn more about how to join us in building this community!

  • Fall 2024 GRADUATES! Commencement time is coming! Pre-order now and pick up your cap and gown at GradFest located at the Spartan Bookstore!🎓👨‍🎓

  • Are you ready to grow as a Chicano/Chicana Studies Major? To anyone interested, pursue a master’s degree in Chicana and Chicano Studies here at San José State University! 📜 Priority deadline for Cal State Apply applications is November 30, 2024. No GRE required and supplemental documents including writing sample and letters of recommendation due February 2025. Students considering this program are encouraged to contact the Graduate Advisor, Dr. Juan Pablo Mercado, to discuss requirements, options, and opportunities! ✅

  • Join us for a night of connecting with roots of our past! Being vulnerable as a first-generation Chicano student can be a challenging yet empowering experience. Come to Navigate the complexities of higher education often means confronting feelings of isolation, imposter syndrome, and the pressure to succeed not just for oneself but for one’s family and community!✊🦃

  • We’re excited to announce the 2024 SAVI GIS Day Poster Competition and invite you to help spread the word! This year, SAVI is hosting its fifth annual GIS Day celebration with a focus on Data and Democracy!🗳️

    The poster submission deadline is November 4, 2024, and the event will be held on November 20, 2024, featuring talks and presentations. We’re also thrilled to expand the competition to include 10 cash prizes, open to all students and faculty from any Northern California college or university!!💸

  • Come on by and join us on Tuesday, November 12, from 1:30-2:45 in MLK 225. Four CoSS faculty and SJSU Core Team members will be in conversation about their recently published books and be open to answering questions about themselves, the books, and mingling!📖📚

  • Thank you to those who joined us yesterday at the panel discussion for Smith Carlos Day, and saw how we reflected on the legacy of athlete activism during the 1968 Olympics and how the Victory Salute impacts the world of education and sport today. With the help the College of Social Sciences Dean, other students, coaches, and faculty will discuss the role of sports in addressing civil rights and social justice issues! 💙💛

  • Participate in SJSU’s annual fall sustainability fair, Abundance Without Waste 10/8, from 10:30 to 1:30 on the 7th Street Plaza! All SJSU students, faculty, and staff are invited. Join the Environmental Resource Center, Spartan Eats, WHISK, and community partners in celebrating Sustainability Month! 🌳🥙Attendees will learn about sustainable lifestyle hacks and businesses that are doing their part, sample high-tech purified water, eat fresh organic food prepared by Spartan Eats, and get some great DIY lunch ideas from WHISK. You can even register to vote!🗳️

    Free reusable cotton mesh market totes are available to the first 250 participants, so come quick!💼

  • Join us for an afternoon of an amazing lecture with Dr. Grace Howard titled “Lessons from the Pregnancy Police” which will be held at MLK Library in room 255! 🎤💻

  • Join us for a night of learning and understanding a part of society that is hidden away from the world! Leading the discussion will be Dr. Keramet Reiter, a Professor of Criminology, Law & Society at the University of California, Irvine. She studies prisons, prisoners’ rights, and the impact of prison and punishment policy on individuals as well as different communities! She has conducted research on solitary confinement, built a prison education program in the state of California, and leveraged her expertise in advancing advocacy and policy work on incarceration for those affected! 🏙️

  • Join us for Digital Twins: Implications for Public Decision-Making, featuring experts from Nvidia, Maynooth University, and the California Government Operations Agency! Explore how digital twin technology is transforming policy, urban planning, and public services🌆Discover the future of data-driven governance in this insightful discussion! 💾👩‍💻

  • Make sure to come by for fall Preview day to imagine to yourself at San José State! See some presentations, talk to some of our amazing faculty, and learn more about all of our programs and departments this campus has to offer! See you there!💛💙

  • Join us for an important Lecture by Dr. Leandra H. Hernández about an important topic in todays age and going into a deep reflection about the case of Vanessa Guillén, a 20-year-old United States Army soldier, who tragically passed armory at Fort Hood.

    Dr. Leandra H. Hernández (PhD, Texas A&M University) is an Assistant Professor of Communication at Utah Valley University. She utilizes Chicana feminist approaches to study Latino/a health, Latina/o journalism/media representations, and Latina/o cultural identities. Join in to listen on reflections and how futures cases like this can impact the media📝

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