Dear Members of the TC Community,

I hope that you had a chance to enjoy some down time during the Thanksgiving break, and are ready to finish the semester and the calendar year strong. I know how much effort it takes to wrap things up, whether as a student, faculty member, or staff member, and I am grateful for your continued dedication and commitment to our mission.

Teacher Education

My academic work and career has focused on facilitating pathways for students as they move through education to careers. Supporting pathways for K-12 teachers has been on my mind as we face significant teacher shortages across the United States. New York State alone is projected to need an estimated 180,000 teachers over the next decade. We are eager to play a part in helping to meet this workforce demand, while also ensuring that our students receive the kind of education that enables them to thrive over the long term. This means, among other things, that they are ready to leverage the impact of technology, such as AI, in the classroom; skilled in identifying and addressing student mental health needs; and prepared to address issues of sustainability and climate change—the focus areas of our Public Good Initiative. 

This week, Provost KerryAnn O’Meara, Vice Dean for Teacher Education Colby Tofel-Grehl, and Director of Government Relations Matt Camp and I met with the New York City Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos to discuss deepening our partnership with NYC public schools and supporting teacher education and retention in the City. Colby will also be speaking at our upcoming TC Board of Trustees meeting as we engage on the future of teacher education generally, and TC’s role specifically. Some recent good news on this topic is that on November 21, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law a bill that will provide tuition support for students seeking masters degrees in education. TC has long collaborated with the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities in New York to advocate for this bill, which amends education law in relation to the New York State Masters-in-Education Teacher Incentive Scholarship program so that students at independent colleges and universities, such as TC, will now have access to this scholarship program for the first time since its establishment in 2015. This is great news.

Celebrations

I am grateful to the Division of Community & Student Affairs for hosting our Giving Thanks Community Table before the holiday, which brought so many of us together over good food and cheer. This week, we held our annual student holiday pasta dinner for more than 400 TC students over the course of three separate seatings in the Grace Dodge Dining Hall. Each year, I join my cabinet members in serving our students—quite literally—and it is always among my favorite events of the semester. Next week, we will turn our attention to faculty and staff, serving holiday treats at our 1970’s themed Groovy Holiday Party. I’m looking forward to seeing those who will join us in costume.

And the Survey Says…

Finally, I want to thank the staff members who shared their feedback in the 2025 Our Voice Survey, as well as the students who completed our Enrolled Student Survey last month. I know a survey for faculty will be rolled out in the new year. We depend on various methods of feedback from the students, staff, and faculty who comprise our community. Teachers College is a place of learning and growth, and your contributions help us to ensure a better environment for everyone. I appreciate your taking the time.

With best wishes for the weekend,

Thomas Bailey
President
Teachers College, Columbia University