ABOUT US
We are an organization by, for, and of Teachers College Student Workers (TCSW) who want to unionize to improve our teaching, research, and employment experience here at TC. Our teaching, research, and other work not only benefits Teachers College and New York City, but has lasting deep impacts on the education of students across the world. We work in many different fields and have varied experiences, but our dedication to education, health, and psychology unites us all.
Ed.M., Philosophy and Education, MA Psychology in Education
Alexandria Frank
PhD Social and Organization Psychology
Ph.D. Educational Policy and Social Analysis – Education and Sociology
Community is paramount to me in any role I occupy. As a teacher, I did everything I could to make sure my students were taken care of, and it is inspiring to organize with fellow graduate student workers who want the same for all of us here at TC. I’m supporting this union so that we have a space to build community as student workers and collectively organize for working conditions that allow all of us to flourish.
Diane Tomasi
Ed.D. Dance Education
Ed.D, Curriculum & Teaching
As a former union member as a teacher in Dallas, Texas, I have seen the collective power a union can have first-hand. A union at TC means recognizing our agency as student workers to improve our own experiences at Teachers College. I truly believe unions are vital to graduate student survival, as they help us ensure equitable treatment of all student workers.
Ph.D., International and Comparative Education
As an institution committed to creating a more equitable world, TC is long overdue in revisiting how student workers are an integral part of this mission. The quality of the TC student experience is largely due to the labor of student workers. As student workers at TC, we need a union so that we can advocate for all of our working conditions. It is time to turn a new page in TCs commitment to equity and it starts within our own halls.
Ph.D., Arts & Humanities – English Education
Academic rigor, engaging learning opportunities, and supportive faculty relationships are a strong feat of my experiences at Teachers College. Crucially missing is a union which would grant student workers like me protection and security. We need a student workers union that maintains the well-being, safety, and financial support of our students
Ph.D., Biobehavioral Sciences – Communication Sciences and Disorders
Every student worker deserves fair treatment and a voice in their workplace. I am committed to working alongside my fellow student workers to amplify our voices and fight for equitable pay and improved working conditions. Together, we can create a more just and inclusive environment where every worker feels valued and respected.
Ph.D., Math, Science and Technology Education – Science Education
I grew up in a union family. My dad Pedro Torres, a welder for Staten Island Rapid Transit (SIRTOA), has been a member of the UTU SMART Union Local 1440 my entire life. He has advocated for workers rights in transit throughout his career, and I’ve watched him help others in union meetings and events. I’m deeply proud that I get to follow in my dad’s footsteps and help advocate for student workers rights in our Teachers College community. Unions are an essential part of ensuring the rights of all workers, and a student workers union at Teachers College would be no different. I’m looking forward to organizing for positive changes for domestic and international students alike, when thinking about pay and access to affordable healthcare.
Ph.D., Arts & Humanities – Philosophy & Education
Student workers are vital to the university’s everyday functioning. We help keep things running. Therefore, student workers deserve a living wage, protections, transparency, and benefits. By forming a union, we’ll have the opportunity to make these possible.
Ed.D., Arts & Humanities – Applied Linguistics
A union allows for the development of a strong community and understanding of the graduate student worker experience. With constant unpredictably surrounding work opportunities, funding, fair pay, and insurance, it is important to come together to advocate for members of our community.
Ed.D., Curriculum & Teaching
It’s vital for student workers to be organized and practice solidarity so that we can collectively advocate for better working and learning conditions. We deserve to have our voices and interests heard in order to build a community based in justice and fairness. As a parent, I know there is a need for more stability, job security, and fair compensation.
Ph.D., Counseling and Clinical Psychology – Clinical Psychology
What is a university without researchers or writers? Without lecturers, assistants, and students? Without administrative and support workers? Student workers serve in all these roles and more; we’re the lifeblood of higher education and Teachers College is no exception. I support a union at TC because we’re stronger together. This makes a union the best way to seek to win better pay, benefits, transparency, and protection of rights like academic freedom for domestic and international students alike.
Ph.D., Educational Policy and Social Analysis – Education and Sociology
Student union organizing is essential for constructing and upholding a democratic space where students have agency to advocate for their needs but also practice the values they learn – building collective power and fostering civic engagement in real-time.
Masters, Arts & Humanities – Philosophy & Education
I want a union because I believe student workers should look out for each other. I love teaching at TCCS, as well as assisting administrative staff on campus; even though I wish I didn’t need to work as much as I do, both positions remind me of the love we have for the students and communities we serve. A union is for protecting that love we have for what we do. I know we are stronger together and deserve a strong community.
MA, Arts and Humanities – Art Education
I am excited to be a member of TCSW! Supporting a union means supporting a version of TC where our programs respond to students’ life and academic needs as well as current events.
Ph.D., Counseling Psychology
Being a student worker isn’t as uncommon as some might think. There are many of us who are juggling multiple jobs while striving to excel as students. I advocate for a union at TC because fair pay, transparency, and the protection of our rights are essential for better supporting students. Sharing our concerns and experiences through a TC union will be crucial for building solidarity amongst students. We are not alone in our struggles!
MA, Education Policy & Social Analysis, Politics & Education
Unions are intersectional to other issues we face as graduate students. They provide a platform to address social inequalities and are a necessary foundation to create meaningful change at the university, reflecting and strengthening our voices as students.
Clinical and Counseling Psychology – Mental Health Counseling
Being a student worker means balancing two difficult roles at all times. For me, it is easy to feel that I do not have autonomy in either of these positions. Having a union would mean empowering student workers to comfortably embody their roles and have a voice in their treatment.
Ph.D., Human Development – Cognitive Science and Education
Being a student worker is no easy task. We work hard every day in our classes, for our students, and with each other. We know that we are an integral part of Teachers College and should have working conditions that reflect our contributions. I am excited to organize with student workers across the college to strive for better conditions.
Ed.D., Health Studies and Applied Educational Psychology – Health Promotion and Education
Having to navigate being a graduate student and a student worker is stressful in itself. By speaking together, we accomplish together.
MA, Biobehavioral Sciences – Speech Language Pathology
I support a student workers union at my university because it empowers us to advocate for fair wages, better working conditions, and a stronger voice in shaping our campus community. Together, we can ensure that our contributions are recognized and valued.