Sacramento State introduced the Muslim Staff and Faculty Association (MSFA) in a soft launch on Wednesday, April 29, aimed towards building community, increasing visibility and laying the foundation for future programming across campus.
The group was created in response to the growing number of Muslim students, faculty and staff at Sac State and what organizers described as a long-standing need for a dedicated space to support their experiences and interests. This includes increased access to resources, stronger community connections and greater visibility on campus.
Founded after nearly two decades of advocacy and informal efforts, MSFA is designed as an employee resource group (ERG) that supports Muslim staff and faculty while also engaging students and the broader campus community. According to the MSFA mission statement, the association is dedicated to fostering community, inclusion and support across the institution.
Saad Merayyan, professor and department chair of the civil engineering department, is the president of the MSFA. Merayyan has been at Sac State for 20 years, and he said the absence of a unit addressing the needs and interests of Muslim students, faculty and staff motivated him to help establish the association.
Merayyan said the new unit will approach these needs and interests through a combination of efforts including, but not limited to strengthening support services, advising on institutional practices and contributing to conversations around curriculum when appropriate. Having MSFA, he said, is a way for the Muslim staff and faculty to be heard and seen after being ignored for so long.
“We want to make sure that MSFA gets stronger, grounded with our principles, caters to the staff, faculty and students in the community,” Merayyan said. “ We don’t live in isolation, we live in a campus community.”
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Amna Salameh, vice president of MSFA, said the group aims to strengthen belonging, cultural understanding and collaboration within the university. They aim to do this by creating a safe and affirming space for connection, professional development and mutual support. A core part of its mission is to elevate Muslim voices and experiences within the workspace while promoting greater awareness across campus.
The association’s executive board say they will focus on promoting cultural and religious understanding, advocating for equitable policies and accommodations and collaborating with campus partners to advance diversity, equity and belonging.
Through education, dialogue and community building initiatives, they aim to increase institutional awareness of Muslim employees and support their well-being and professional success. Merayyan said these initiatives will consist of workshops, speaker events, forums and efforts to celebrate Muslim events and traditions and are aimed at increasing awareness and fostering meaningful conversations.
Shazil Mahmood, a junior electrical engineering major and president of Sac State’s Muslim Student Association (MSA), said he believes the MSFA will capture the staff and faculty perspective that MSA can not. Mahmood said more inclusivity overall will mean more representation for the entire Muslim community on campus.
Mahmood also said the MSA plans to collaborate with MSFA and is welcoming to all, even those who have no experience being a Muslim and anyone is invited if they’re interested in making connections to their community.
Discussion-based events such as town halls addressing Islamophobia as well as the needs of students and employees is something the MSFA plans to host in the future. The group also hopes to use community feedback to advocate for resources and communicate concerns to university administration.
MSFA will collaborate with other ERGs and campus centers, including MSA and the South Asian and North African (SWANA) Center. These collaborations are meant to strengthen engagement across campus communities.
“We don’t live in isolation, we live in a campus community,” Salameh said. “We want to make sure we are part of that community and working with others.”
A key feature introduced during the event was the Ummah Belonging Map,a digital tool designed to connect students and community members with halal food options, religious spaces, student organizations as well as essential services. It also includes Muslim-owned businesses and community organizations throughout the Sacramento region.
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Hanieh Molana, an assistant professor in the geography department, said the map was developed after students reported difficulty locating accessible and relevant resources. The goal is to bridge campus life with the broader community while increasing awareness of services that already exist.
“I think the first step is making sure that Muslim staff and faculty feel they belong to Sacramento State,” Molana said. “I feel that by having small events like this gathering, it can create a sense of belonging and serve our community.”
The official launch of MSFA is expected next fall semester, where board members plan to formalize their structure, expand outreach efforts and fully establish MSFA’s presence across campus. The event will build on feedback gathered during the soft launch and serve as an introduction of the association to the university.