Office of the President

Meet President Thomas Bailey


On July 1, 2018, Thomas R. Bailey became the 11th president of Teachers College, Columbia University.  A 30-year Teachers College faculty member, Bailey is the George & Abby O'Neill Professor of Economics and Education, and the founding Director of Teachers College's Community College Research Center (CCRC). He is regarded as one of the nation’s foremost authorities on community colleges.

President’s Message


Open quotesThe really wonderful thing about TC is what goes on when our brilliant people working in education, health and psychology put their heads together. When that happens – and it does, all the time – we get the kind of multi-faceted approaches that offer the best hope for meeting the world’s most complex challenges.Close quotes

News and Views


SoTC 2023 hero

Working for the Public Good: State of the College 2023

Plus updates on optimizing TC’s strengths, supporting our community and more

classroom

Opinion: Teaching Is In Crisis: Graduate Schools Of Education Can Help

In Forbes, President Thomas Bailey discusses challenges to the teaching profession and ways that graduate education schools can help provide a map for the future

TB sotc 22 hero

Research, Diversity and Student Pathways Headline ‘State of the College’

Here are the key updates you need to know from President Thomas Bailey’s address

EdUp experience hero 2022

President Thomas Bailey Explores Essential Elements to Support Community College Students on EdUp Experience Podcast

Diving into building pathways for success, providing social support and more, Bailey co-hosted the episode on the critical role of two-year colleges in the education landscape – and how leaders can best put their students on pathways for success

CCRC washington post op-ed hero

How Congress Can Support Community College Students

In a recent op-ed in The Washington Post, President Thomas Bailey and Thomas Brock, Director of the Community College Research Center, outline why modest federal investment would go a long way toward helping community college students to complete their studies and enter the workforce

EdUp Experience Podcast with President Thomas Bailey

Listen Now: President Thomas Bailey Appears on EdUp Experience Podcast to Discuss Essential Issues in Higher Education

The new episode of the series, produced by Elvin R. Freytes (M.A. ’01), features the leader at the helm of Teachers College

Thomas Bailey and Clive Belfield

Preparing for Jobs, Citizenship and Life

Everyone needs an education that combines the technical with the timeless, argue Thomas Bailey and Clive Belfield

Back to skip to quick links