Dear CSSW Community,
It is my great pleasure to announce that Dr. Courtney Cogburn has now passed through all stages of review, including the University Trustees, and has been granted tenure at Columbia University.
The awarding of tenure reflects the University’s belief in the excellence of a scholar’s research, teaching, and mentoring, and their vital contributions to the intellectual life of the institution. A rigorous, multi-level review is involved. As many of you know, Dr. Cogburn’s transdisciplinary and novel work on conceptualizing and measuring racism, and strategies to reduce racism, contribute significantly to our school’s research, teaching, and service missions, and to the betterment of our broader society. Her work advances the well-being of individuals and communities and promotes meaningful and transformative change. Her research, teaching, and practice activities are consistent with the mission of social work and the University’s fourth purpose.
In addition to her research achievements, I am very excited about Dr. Cogburn’s contributions to our educational mission at the School. She is a sought-after instructor and mentor. Within and outside of the classroom, Dr. Cogburn is a curriculum innovator, working to launch a new course on “design justice” and a new minor in Emerging Technology, Media, and Society; and she played a central role in creating a foundational course on diversity and inclusion called Decolonizing Social Work, which centers on PROP (power, racism, oppression, and privilege). These new classes have transformed our curriculum. We are lucky to have her at CSSW.
I want to express my sincere thanks to the members of the CAA – Jane Waldfogel (chair), Nabila El-Bassel, and Julien Teitler – as well as Vice Dean Ana Abraído-Lanza – for their efforts in supporting our remarkable faculty.
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Cogburn!
In community,
Melissa D. Begg
Dean & Professor
Columbia School of Social Work