Dear members of the TC community:

I wanted to be in touch about the many executive orders issued by the Trump administration over the last nine days, including the order shared on Monday evening regarding federal funding, which was rescinded today. This has caused much confusion and concern for many. 

Vice President of Enrollment and Student Success Tani Castañeda and Provost KerryAnn O’Meara have been in touch with students and faculty, respectively, to serve as resources as we seek to understand the extent and impact of these decisions on student loans and research.

I want to reinforce that Teachers College is committed to our mission of teaching and learning across the areas of education, health, and psychology, and we are steadfast in our focus on protecting academic freedom and continuing our important research and scholarship for the public good. As I’ve said many times, I will do all I can to ensure that our students and faculty can continue the work they came here to do. This is vital to our contributions to a better world.

We knew there would be some confusion with the change-over in federal leadership, and we have been preparing for it. We have teams in place for rapid review and response as required. I am working with TC leadership and as well as my peers leading higher education institutions to be sure that we will provide clarity and support as things progress. 

I want to remind you of the long history of Teachers College supporting our students, along with our focus on collaborating with and meeting the needs of underserved communities – in our city, across the nation and around the world. That remains core to our values. Indeed, as uncertain and disoriented as we may feel in the midst of these changes, our work, individually and collectively, is that much more important. Our core values and principles are a guiding light as we move forward together.

Things are likely to continue to change and we will keep you informed. In the meantime, I want to assure you of our shared commitment and dedication to the health and well-being of our community, and the pursuit of our academic ideals.

Sincerely,

Thomas Bailey
President
Teachers College, Columbia University