OVERVIEW
Since its founding in 1887, Teachers College has paired humanitarian concerns with a broad-based scientific approach to human development premised on three complementary and interrelated areas of study: education, health, and psychology.
Teachers College combines research, theory, and practice to pursue our vision to create a smarter, healthier and more equitable world. Having educated more than 100,000 students globally, we prepare scholars, educators, and practitioners; pioneer research and fields of study; provide critical expertise; and advance the dissemination of knowledge for the public good.
CHARTING A STRATEGIC PATH FORWARD
Today, we face challenges and a volatile environment not unlike the world from which TC emerged. The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred tremendous economic, social, racial and health-related inequities, tensions and uncertainties. But, it has also created forward-thinking opportunities.
Teachers College has a responsibility to explore and uncover the far reaches of educational and pedagogical possibilities that will strengthen the world’s ability to respond to new challenges and spur positive change. We have a moral imperative to lead the way in addressing inequality. And, we must turn inward to evaluate and refine the College’s own structures in order to empower its students, faculty, staff, alumni, partners and external constituents in practice.
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
We have developed five guiding Strategic Priorities centered on strengthening economic growth and opportunity and combating the vast health, education, and economic disparities that afflict our society. They are designed to enable TC to realize our vision, act upon the contemporary challenges and opportunities presented to us, and thrive as an institution.
The following descriptions are intended to provide focus to our continued discussion and work, which will evolve over time as we learn more from our community and beyond.
Priority 1: Build the Optimal Academic Organization
We aim to develop the College’s organizational design and substantive content to deliver the teaching, research and educational experience to most effectively meet the needs of our constituencies and to maximize impact on the public good.
To accomplish this, we will:
- Clarify and Refine our Mission and Common Purpose
- Align Departments and Programs for Efficiency and Effectiveness
- Streamline and Reduce Administrative Burden
Future outcome:
Building the optimal academic organization will create a strong foundation for an enriched faculty and student experience, boost program excellence and impact for the public good, and enable TC to grow and thrive as an institution into the future.
Recent Work
TC’s Revamped Arts Administration Program
The new program, which launched in fall 2020, positions to better prepare students for the current job market while also taking less time to complete and costing less.
Priority 2: Institutionalize Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
We aim to reinforce TC’s foundational commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion through its policies, training, outreach, campus development and other mechanisms that position the College to model the type of anti-racist community and broader society we want to build and foster.
To accomplish this, we will:
- Diversification of Staff, Students, Faculty, and Trustees
- Analysis of Curriculum and Content of Instruction
- Develop DEI Report
- Focus on Equity through Transparency
- Align Existing DEI Structure
- Support for Engagement
Future outcome:
TC’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will develop and cultivate a diverse community where each individual is supported to meet their potential, and in turn, will help to lead the fight against systemic racism and advance social justice for all.
Recent Work
A Call to Action: Affinity Alumni Groups Further the TC Embrace of Diversity and Inclusion
Supporting under-represented alumni following graduation, the Office of Alumni Relations has launched four affinity groups to further cultivate community among Black, LGBTQIA, Latinx and Asian & Pacific Islander graduates.
Priority 3: Enhance Student Pathways
We aim to assess, understand and refine the student pathway experience, such that each step along a student’s educational path offers robust, coordinated and highly effective systems of support that enable student success and promised outcomes.
To accomplish this, we will:
- Create Coordinated Student Pathways
- Enhance Student Life
- Improve Academic Advising and Co-Curricular Support
- Enhance Career Services and Support
- Optimize Financial Aid and Support Student Access to a TC Degree
- Evaluate and Create Student-Centric Academic Policies
- Monitor and Track Student Progress and Outcomes
Future outcome:
Providing comprehensive support to students throughout their academic experience and beyond will help to ensure TC students and alumni reach their full potential, and will create a pipeline of exceptional candidates for employers in the education, health and psychology sectors.
Recent Work
Empowering Students with Resources and Pathways
A new Teachers College model prioritizes student needs and success with a multi-dimensional approach to support services.
Priority 4: Advance Research for a Better World
We aim to strengthen the College’s research infrastructure to facilitate the flow of resources to TC, promote faculty success and productivity, provide students with financial support and rich learning experiences, which will magnify the impact of the College’s research on policy and practice to address and solve societal challenges.
To accomplish this, we will:
- Strengthen Our Research Infrastructure and Communication
- Increase Support and Mentorship for Grant-writing Across the College
- Facilitate Development of Large, Interdisciplinary Research and Center Grants
Future outcome:
By bolstering our research enterprise we will bring more resources to the College, offer more opportunities and financial support for our students, and boost the impact of our faculty research, which in turn, will serve the greater good of society.
Recent Work
Homeland Security Grant to Focus on Deescalating Extremism Through Education
The new curriculum project, led by TC’s Amra Sabic-El-Rayess, will provide teachers with the tools to help minimize the risk of U.S. students radicalizing.
Priority 5: Lead in Digital Innovation
We aim to situate the College at the forefront of pedagogic innovation, advancing the intersections of education and technology such that our faculty and students are equipped with — and influence — the latest scholastic approaches, and are positioned as visionaries in this space.
To accomplish this, we will:
- Centralize Technology Resources Through the Digital Futures Institute (DFI)
- Develop a Research Program and Infrastructure
- Build a Culture of Customer Service and Innovation
- Leverage Digital Products to Promote Faculty Expertise
- Position TC at the Forefront of Education Technology and Digital Learning
Future outcome:
By integrating and harnessing our collective firepower in digital pedagogy and research, the Digital Futures Institute will position Teachers College not only to better serve the needs of our students and faculty, but also to lead the way in driving digital innovation throughout higher education and the broader public.
Recent Work
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