Dear Members of the TC Community,

A common focus and shared commitment to our mission are the hallmarks of Teachers College. This is embodied in the students, faculty and staff who comprise our vibrant community. We are all responsible for contributing to a strong community that is diverse in viewpoint, geographic, ethnic, racial and cultural backgrounds. Our Office of Diversity and Community Affairs (ODCA), which was led by Janice Robinson for 25 years until her retirement in May, 2025, supported our activities around community engagement, and today, I am announcing two promotions for those who will lead that work going forward.

Allison Antwi will be promoted to Associate Vice President for the Office of Community Affairs (OCA), our new name for this department. She will report to Dr. Thomas Rock, who will be promoted to Vice President for Community and Student Affairs to oversee our campus-wide community engagement work. Tom will also serve as a member of my cabinet. These promotions are effective as of October 1. 

In combining these areas, we will grow and continue our Advancing Community Together (ACT) initiatives and connect student affairs with faculty and staff community efforts for a more holistic and dedicated support of our community overall. 

Allison will continue to lead institutional equity efforts ensuring compliance with non-discrimination and equal opportunity laws, regulations and policies through programming and community education. She will also continue to oversee the Office of Access and Services for Individuals with Disabilities (OASID). 

Allison came to Teachers College in 2023 with a wealth of higher education and legal compliance experience. As the Assistant Vice President for Equity and Compliance and Deputy Title IX Coordinator, Allison brought considerable strengths in leadership, equity and strategic planning gained through a career that includes positions at Seton Hall University School of Law and Rutgers University. Her professional engagements include serving as an expert content reviewer for Boston University’s Inclusive Teaching Project, promoting inclusive teaching practices for graduate students, postdocs, and faculty across STEM disciplines. She earned a J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law, and a M.A. in Teaching and a B.A. in Mathematics from Northeastern University. She is admitted to practice law in the State of New Jersey and holds a Massachusetts Teaching License. Allison’s background in education and law, along with her community-minded approach, make her perfectly suited to lead the Office of Community Affairs. 

Tom brings more than 30 years of experience in higher education to the role and has been dedicated to building our community in many ways: as a TC doctoral student, an adjunct faculty member and as a leader on our administrative staff. Tom first joined the TC staff in 2003 and has served in various roles, most recently as the Associate Vice President & Chief Student Affairs Officer. Throughout, he has led the advancement of our institutional priority of building student pathways through a focus on campus engagement and community development. His efforts have helped to establish TC as a model of best practice for graduate student success. He earned his B.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Dayton, his M.S. in Education from Alfred University in Counselor Education, an Ed.D. in Higher and Post Secondary Education from TC, along with and a Certificate of Completion from the Harvard Graduate School of Education for his participation in the Institute for Management and Leadership in Education. Tom was a Fulbright Scholar to Japan in 2018. 

In this new role, Tom will continue to lead the offices and staff members in the departments of Student Affairs (Graduate Student Life & Development, TC NEXT, Student Support & Advocacy) and provide oversight for OCA, as he is charged with creating programs, services and initiatives that build community, enhance student life and foster an overall sense of belonging at Teachers College. Tom is himself a 2012 recipient of the Elaine Brantley Memorial Award for Community and Civility. 

Please join me in congratulating Tom and Allison for leading these efforts. 

Arlene Torres, who has served as Interim Vice President for Diversity and Community Affairs, will return to her role as Associate General Counsel in the Office of the General Counsel as of October 1. I am especially grateful to Arlene for stepping up to lead the team these last few months, and I want to also thank the teams in ODCA and Student Affairs for their continued hard work during this time of transition.

We are fortunate to have such strong teamwork and leadership to meet the evolving needs of our community.

Sincerely,

Thomas Bailey
President
Teachers College, Columbia University