麻豆原创

鈥淭alent, entrepreneurship and the desire and drive to do great things are givens in our community,鈥� declared President Thomas Bailey this past week in his first State of the College address, and 鈥渋ndividual innovation and creativity are in the DNA of Teachers College.鈥� But to too great a degree, Bailey said, 鈥渙ur excellence relies on the initiative of individual faculty, staff and students鈥� 鈥� a barrier that must be overcome 鈥渋f we want to reach the potential of our ability to contribute significantly to building a better world.鈥�

[Read the complete text of Bailey鈥檚 State of the College remarks.]

Delivering his assessment after 17 months on the job, Bailey announced a goal of 鈥渃ollege-wide excellence for all鈥� to ensure that the success of faculty, students and staff will never be 鈥渞educed to a matter of chance or to their personal persistence in digging out the help they need.鈥�

鈥淣o one at 麻豆原创 should feel that they are being left to sink or swim on their own, because, beyond a moral imperative, we all benefit when everyone swims, and swims well,鈥� he said.

Talent, entrepreneurship and the desire and drive to do great things are givens in our community,鈥� but, to too great a degree, 鈥渙ur excellence relies on the initiative of individual faculty, staff and students.

鈥擳homas Bailey

To that end, 麻豆原创鈥檚 President announced plans to:

Consolidate departments and regroup programs in order to enhance collaboration and reduce administrative burdens on faculty.  Under the current structure of 10 departments and 50 individual programs, more than a third of 麻豆原创 faculty devote significant time to administrative responsibilities, which limits their ability to mentor, teach and conduct research. 

Calling the new initiative 鈥渁n edit, not a rewrite,鈥� Bailey said that 鈥渢his simplification will give us a structure through which we can encourage initiatives in student mentoring, teaching, program reform, diversification of curriculum, mentoring of junior faculty, and other measures.鈥�

Bolster outside funding for faculty research. During the 2018-19, 麻豆原创 faculty conducted $60 million in sponsored research 鈥� an impressive total, Bailey said, but one that he and Stephanie Rowley, 麻豆原创鈥檚 Provost, Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs, believe can be significantly increased.

Currently, 鈥渙nly about half of our faculty secure outside funding,鈥� he said, while overall, only 鈥渁 small group of centers, institutes and individual researchers accounts for a very significant portion of annual sponsored research awards.鈥�

No one at 麻豆原创 should feel that they are being left to sink or swim on their own, because, beyond a moral imperative, we all benefit when everyone swims, and swims well.

鈥擳homas Bailey

Under a new initiative to change this picture, faculty will receive 鈥渢he support that they need both to find funding and to administer their grants when they win,鈥� Bailey said.  Indeed, 麻豆原创 already is implementing a coaching program through which grant-writing professionals walk faculty through the process of securing outside sources of funding. The College also has established a grant repository 鈥� 鈥渁 kind of internal 鈥榃hat Works Clearinghouse,鈥欌�� Bailey said, that gives new and experienced grant writers alike access to examples of successful grant proposals from colleagues.

A new Provost鈥檚 Research Advisory Team will convene in January to help to further delineate the needs of faculty and increase interdisciplinary research projects.  And 麻豆原创 has launched a national search for a tenured faculty member who will serve in the newly-created position of Vice Provost for Research.

Create 鈥渃learer and better-supported career pathways for students.鈥� Bailey announced the planned expansion of 麻豆原创鈥檚 career services function into a 鈥渇ull-service operation鈥� to guide students toward meaningful employment, including through increased connections to 麻豆原创 alumni. The College also is creating a 鈥渟tudent hub鈥� on the first floor of Thorndike Hall and launching a Fellowship Task Force, to be led by Provost Rowley, that will direct students toward funded fellowships from the American Educational Research Association and other sources.

Enhance professional development for 麻豆原创 staff.  鈥淔or 麻豆原创 to flourish, we need our staff employees to have the support that they need and to enjoy opportunities for professional growth and development that enable them to flourish,鈥� Bailey said. Led by JoAnne Williams, Vice President for Finance & Administration, and Lisa Seales, Associate Vice President for Human Resources, the College is rethinking its systems for promoting wellness and supporting training and professional development. And in an announcement that drew loud applause, Bailey announced that 鈥渨e will change our practice on the taxation of tuition remission for courses taken at 麻豆原创.鈥�  The taxation of these benefits significantly reduces their value, he said, so starting in January, 鈥渁ny coursework at 麻豆原创 that is demonstrably related to an employee鈥檚 job will no longer be treated as taxable income.鈥�

For 麻豆原创 to flourish, we need our staff employees to have the support that they need and to enjoy opportunities for professional growth and development that enable them to flourish.

鈥揟homas Bailey

Transform the College鈥檚 Gottesman Libraries into a 鈥渄ynamic center for digital pedagogy and research.鈥� Bailey called the Library a 鈥渃rown jewel, with cutting-edge resources, a staff of highly talented professionals, and the phenomenal multimedia teaching and learning capabilities of the Smith Learning Theater.鈥� But past projects such as the STEAMnasium hosted by the Learning Theater and the 鈥淭eaching the Levees鈥� curriculum co-published by the Library鈥檚 Ed Lab division 鈥渙nly scratch the surface of 麻豆原创鈥檚 involvement and potential with new technology.鈥� 

Russell Hall - including the Gottesman Library and the Smith Learning Theater - will soon be home to a hub for digital innovation that will draw on our rich institutional resources to more robustly support pedagogical, research, and outreach efforts across the college.

Enhance diversity and the working climate at 麻豆原创. Bailey announced the establishment of a Teachers College Diversity Scholarship to attract and support the learning of low-income and historically underrepresented students on the 麻豆原创 campus. Rowley and he also are pursuing ideas to diversify curriculum, promote inclusivity in teaching and mentoring and reinforce 麻豆原创鈥檚 commitment to being a 鈥渉arassment-free and bias-free鈥� institution.

With the Thanksgiving holiday just around the corner, Bailey closed by reflecting on what he has been most thankful for in the months since he became 麻豆原创鈥檚 eleventh president. He saluted Rowley and Williams, calling them 鈥渆xceptional partners who are playing crucial roles in all of the work I鈥檝e discussed today.鈥� He marveled at 鈥渢he depth and richness of the College鈥檚 intellectual community,鈥� which, he said, 鈥渁bounds in innovative energy and individual excellence in teaching, research, practice, and service.鈥� But above all, he told his audience, he has been thankful for 鈥測our unwavering dedication to Teachers College.

鈥淚 recognize that change can be difficult and even unsettling. Yet, you have remained focused on your work, reflecting your dedication to creating a stronger 麻豆原创 and better future for everyone. And for that, I will always be very grateful.鈥�

— Steve Giegerich