Office of the President: Thomas Bailey

Thomas Bailey is the 11th President of Teachers College, Columbia University and the George and Abby O'Neill Professor of Economics and Education. He has served on the College’s faculty since 1990. From 1996 to 2018, he was the founding Director of the Community College Research Center (CCRC) at Teachers College. 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

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TC Commitments Vision and Action Plan report cover
ceremony of Thomas Bailey's inaugration inside a grand cathedral
President Tom Bailey in front of Teachers College

News and Views


CAPR’s 2019 conference flyer

Reimagining Developmental Education

President Thomas Bailey to give keynote at Community College Research Center conference

President Thomas Bailey

TC’s President: Thomas R. Bailey

Education economist Thomas R. Bailey is a leading authority on community colleges.

Daedalus Fall 2019

The False Dichotomy between Academic Learning & Occupational Skills

What distinctions are there between vocational (career and technical) education and academic learning in college?

Thomas Bailey SOTC 2019

Sounding a Call of “Excellence for All”

In his first State of the College address, Thomas Bailey details plans to more strongly support faculty, students and staff

Jill Biden at CCRC

“We Must Do More”

At CCRC’s 20th anniversary celebration, 2nd Lady Dr. Jill Biden calls for greater investment in community colleges

CCRC 20

Changing the Higher Ed Conversation

TC’s Community College Research Center celebrates 20 years of transformative research

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CCRC’s Thomas Bailey in WashPo

Rethinking the ‘cafeteria’ approach to community college

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TC’s Thomas Bailey in the Chronicle

Access to High-quality Education is Unequal from Earliest Schooling

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